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Get your sporting fix at Anantara Maldives

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Think the Maldives is all about lying prone on a sun lounger? Think again! Step forward, Anantara with three luxury Maldives resorts all bursting with a wide range of land and water sports to occupy even the most energetic of guests. From world-class surfing, kite surfing, wind surfing, snorkelling, diving, sea bob, fishing, kayaking, water skiing, beach volleyball and badminton to night-time SUP.

There’s certainly no danger of lounger boredom setting it!

Whether you’re looking to fill your days with non-stop sporting activities or to just dip your toe in every now and again, at Anantara’s Maldives Resorts guests can do as little or as much as they like.

Each resort offers a different but equally luxurious experience. Here is a snapshot of Anantara’s Maldivian island hideaways and the many exciting activities sporting enthusiasts can look forward to.

Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort:  fun for all the family

Just a 35-minute speedboat ride from Velana International Airport in the South Male Atoll lies Anantara Dhigu, comprising some of the most spacious luxury villas in the Maldives. A resort for the whole family, all ages can expect a thoroughly warm welcome and home from home experience.

The Dhoni Children’s Club will keep smaller members of the family happily entertained, while older members take advantage of the many sporting options. From diving, kite surfing, sailing, snorkelling, parasailing, water skiing and surfing – water sports fanatics will be grinning from ear to ear. The calm waters around the island are ideal for stand-up paddle boarding and for something a little bit different try SUP at night with lights on the boards so that you can see the fish.

Back on dry land, there is tennis, badminton and beach volleyball.

Prices start from £498 (USD 704) per room, per night.

Anantara Veli Maldives Resort: the adult-only island

One of just five adult-only islands in the Maldives, Anantara Veli Maldives Resort in the South Male Atoll is ideal for couples or groups of friends looking for a sophisticated, grown-up retreat. White sand and turquoise waters provide the perfect backdrop to enjoy an endless choice of water and land-based sports.

Arriving by speedboat, guests can look forward to elegant bungalow accommodation, some with direct lagoon access.

Explore the local area on a guided jet ski adventure, take out a glass bottom kayak to enjoy an unique perspective of the marine life as your paddle around the island, learn to wake board or mono ski, experience some of the best snorkelling in the Maldives or enjoy an evening game of tennis on the island’s floodlit court. There are no shortage of sporting activities to choose from at Anantara Veli.

Prices start from £570 (USD 805) per room, per night.

Naladhu Private Island Maldives: the private hideaway

For seekers of exclusivity and privacy, Naladhu Private Island Maldives is an idyllic location that offers the best retreat for guests looking for the ultimate castaway luxury. The island offers an unique holiday home feeling, underpinned by a sense of total seclusion and privacy, with just 20 expansive houses and residences, each with its own private pool fronting the Indian Ocean. Each house comes with round-the-clock service from your very own House Master (butler).

Located in South Male Atoll, guests are whisked to Naladhu by speedboat before abandoning shoes to explore the island’s endless sandy paths winding through pristinely kept vegetation.

A full range of water sports are available at Naladhu. Discover the famous underwater world of the Maldives with snorkelling excursions on the house reef, nearby manta ray cleaning stations and neighbouring reefs. Water skiing is sensational on the island’s mirror-like lagoon. Kite surfing and surfing are also excellent from Naladhu, the best surfing months are from April to October.

Prices start from £997 (USD 1,409)per room, per night.

Anantara runs three resorts in the Maldives: Anantara Veli Maldives Resort and Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort in South Male Atoll, and Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas in Baa atoll.

In addition to the Anantara branded resorts, parent company Minor Hotel Group separately runs Naladhu Private Island Maldives in the South Male Atoll and Niyama Maldives Private Islands in Dhaalu atoll.

Meanwhile, Anantara’s sister brand AVANI Hotels and Resorts has recently announced the development of its first property in the Maldives, with the AVANI Fares Maldives Resort scheduled to open in late 2019.

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Ocean, culture, community: sustainable celebrations at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru & Dhawa Ihuru

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Single-use plastics continue to pose a significant threat to marine ecosystems, with over 11 million metric tonnes entering the oceans each year. Since the Banyan Group began its efforts to eliminate single-use plastics in 2018, Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru and Dhawa Ihuru have led the way within the group—achieving a 75% reduction in plastic use, the highest rate across all properties.

This July, guests are invited to participate in a series of sustainability-focused activities designed to create meaningful impact:

  • 12 July: A community clean-up in Malé City in collaboration with CLEAN Maldives, bringing together locals, guests, and team members to reduce marine waste in urban environments.
  • 19 & 26 July: Marine litter snorkelling clean-ups around the house reef, removing plastic debris while protecting marine life and habitats.
  • 29 July: A recycled arts and crafts workshop at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru in partnership with Feyran Craft House, transforming collected plastic into handcrafted artworks.

These efforts support the Banyan Group’s ‘Brand for Good’ sustainability targets, which include the complete elimination of guest-facing single-use plastics by 2025 and full elimination across operations by 2030.

Taking place at Dhawa Ihuru—recognised for having one of the best house reefs in the Maldives (Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards 2025)—the Rannamaari Dive Fest invites divers and marine enthusiasts to explore the famed Rannamaari Shipwreck, located just metres from the shoreline.

This immersive day features:

  • Guided dives to the shipwreck
  • Underwater treasure hunts
  • Marine conservation talks
  • Cultural experiences including local arts and crafts, Maldivian cooking classes, and spa rituals

The event pays tribute to the vibrant marine ecosystem that defines Dhawa Ihuru as a premier dive destination.

Observed on 26 July, Maldivian Independence Day commemorates the country’s emergence as a sovereign island nation. In celebration of this historic occasion, both Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru and Dhawa Ihuru have curated three days of experiences rooted in national pride, community, and tradition.

  • 26 July: Guests may participate in a symbolic swim across the channel connecting the two islands, representing unity and freedom. The day continues with a Maldivian Culture Talk exploring traditions, language, and the significance of Independence Day, followed by a traditional Bodu Beru performance and beach bonfire under the stars.
  • 26–28 July: Three days of beachside “Fun Olympic Games” celebrate island spirit through friendly competition and laughter.
  • 25–31 July: Special dive and water sports promotions of up to 30% will be available. Offers include signature experiences such as diving the Rannamaari Shipwreck and snorkelling excursions with nurse sharks and stingrays.

The July programming forms part of the lead-up to Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru’s official 30th anniversary in September 2025. Each initiative reflects the resort’s founding philosophy: Embracing the Environment, Empowering People. Guests are invited to reconnect with nature, engage with Maldivian culture, and experience the true spirit of the Original Maldives.

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COMO Maalifushi and Cocoa Island join global tribute to women divers on 10th PADI Dive Day

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In celebration of the 10th anniversary of PADI Women’s Dive Day, COMO Maalifushi and COMO Cocoa Island will host dedicated dive experiences in tribute to the passion, resilience, and adventurous spirit of women divers worldwide. Scheduled for Saturday, 19 July 2025, this global initiative brings together divers in a united effort to increase female participation in scuba diving, while also promoting marine conservation and inclusivity beneath the waves.

On this date, both COMO properties in the Maldives will organise specially guided dives exclusively for certified female guests. These experiences offer participants the chance to explore the region’s thriving marine ecosystems and connect with a broader movement that champions gender inclusivity and environmental stewardship in the diving community.

Situated in the unspoilt waters of the Maldives, COMO Maalifushi provides access to a range of renowned dive sites, including coral gardens and manta ray cleaning stations. These underwater landscapes are ideal for divers seeking meaningful interactions with marine life in a setting of natural splendour.

Peter Nilsson, Managing Director of COMO Hotels and Resorts in the Maldives, commented, “At COMO, we are committed to empowering women not only on land but also beneath the surface of the ocean. PADI Women’s Dive Day gives us a platform to honour values such as inclusivity, passion, and marine conservation — all of which resonate strongly with our brand ethos. We are proud to create experiences that allow our guests to forge lasting connections with the natural world in transformative and memorable ways.”

At COMO Cocoa Island, participants can expect similarly enriching experiences, with access to gentle reef slopes, crystal-clear lagoons, and a diversity of marine life. Supported by expert marine guides, the dives are designed to be both empowering and educational, fostering a deeper appreciation of the ocean’s delicate balance.

First launched in 2015, PADI Women’s Dive Day has grown into the world’s largest celebration of women in diving. This year, both COMO resorts aim to inspire a new wave of female divers while reinforcing the importance of sustainability and unity beneath the surface.

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Netflix’s ‘All the Sharks’ puts global spotlight on tiger shark paradise in Maldives’ Fuvahmulah

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The first episode of Netflix’s new competition series All the Sharks is set in Fuvahmulah, Maldives — an island now confirmed by scientists as home to the largest documented aggregation of tiger sharks in the world.

The global series, which premiered Friday, follows four teams of marine experts racing to photograph the most shark species across six biodiverse marine locations. Its opening episode brings viewers into the waters of Fuvahmulah, a shark diving hotspot in the southern Maldives, where recent research has identified 239 individual tiger sharks over six years — more than any other single location globally.

A peer-reviewed study published earlier this year in Nature.com, led by Lennart Vossgaetter of the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research in Germany, used non-invasive photo identification to confirm Fuvahmulah’s ecological significance. Researchers found that adult female tiger sharks show strong site fidelity, remaining in the island’s warm, food-rich waters for extended periods during gestation.

The big picture: Science meets streaming in Fuvahmulah

Fuvahmulah, long renowned by divers for consistent encounters with tiger sharks, now features prominently in both marine research and global entertainment. The Netflix episode captures this extraordinary setting as part of a larger series spanning Japan, South Africa, the Galapagos, Australia and the Bahamas.

According to the study, Fuvahmulah’s waters — influenced by oceanic currents and lacking a surrounding atoll — provide ideal reproductive conditions for tiger sharks, particularly pregnant females. The research team documented the world’s highest number of individual tiger sharks identified in one confined marine area.

The scientists described Fuvahmulah as a “bright spot” for tiger shark conservation in the Indian Ocean, bolstered by the Maldives’ national shark sanctuary status.

Zoom in: A friendly global shark race

All the Sharks follows four two-person teams — Shark Docs, Gills Gone Wild, British Bait Off and Land Sharks — competing to photograph the most and rarest shark species at each location.

The series is hosted by Tom “The Blowfish” Hird, a marine biologist known for his dramatic delivery and braided pirate-style beard.

Points are awarded based on species rarity, with the season’s top team winning US$50,000 for a marine conservation charity of their choice.

Though the show leans on reality TV conventions, its content remains grounded in ocean science and conservation. Fuvahmulah’s inclusion in the series serves as both a dramatic setting and an educational entry point into the world of shark biology and environmental protection.

Details: Unregulated tourism meets scientific concern

The Nature.com study also raised concerns about the rapid growth of shark tourism in Fuvahmulah, particularly at the island’s famed “Tiger Harbour.” While tourism provides a major economic boost for the island, shark provisioning and diving currently remain unregulated, with no official national guidelines.

The researchers warned that the absence of regulation — including standardised safety measures and environmental practices — could jeopardise both shark welfare and the long-term viability of the tourism industry.

They pointed to successful models in countries like Fiji, where community-managed marine protected areas (MPAs) have been implemented to balance economic activity with ecological sustainability. The study recommended similar frameworks for the Maldives, calling for inclusive stakeholder management plans to ensure responsible ecotourism in one of the world’s most important shark sanctuaries.

Why it matters: Maldives in the global spotlight

The series premiere and the scientific findings together shine a global spotlight on the Maldives’ critical role in shark conservation. As the world celebrates 50 years since Jaws and enters another summer of shark-themed content, All the Sharks provides a rare blend of adventure, education and scientific relevance.

The show includes conservation graphics detailing the biology and threatened status of each shark species, shifting the narrative from fear to appreciation. For viewers — and for the Maldives — the message is clear: these apex predators are essential to ocean health and worthy of protection.

The bottom line: Fuvahmulah is both spectacle and sanctuary

As All the Sharks captures the thrill of underwater discovery, Fuvahmulah emerges not only as a top-tier dive destination but as one of the most ecologically important shark habitats in the world. With Netflix bringing its waters to millions of viewers and science affirming its global conservation value, the moment calls for action — to protect, to regulate and to preserve this unique corner of the Maldives for generations to come.

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