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Carpe Diem Maldives collaborates with Scripps Institution on global 100 Island Challenge

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Carpe Diem Maldives has announced plans to expand on its Dive with a Purpose marine conservation programme this September in collaboration with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in the US.

The Dive with a Purpose trip in September will initiate this collaboration with a week-long dive safari, replicating the methodology of the classical field surveys Scripps undertake, using innovative imaging and data technologies to archive reefs digitally and watch how populations change through time. Recreational divers joining the cruise will learn how to take their own reef images to recreate a virtual reality of the dive using special software.

Brian Zgliczynski

During the Dive with a Purpose week on Carpe Vita from September 9-16, Dr Brian Zgliczynski, Project Director of the 100 Island Challenge, will present to Carpe Diem’s guest divers the research work involved in the project and go diving with the Carpe Diem Maldives team and guests to lesser-known dive sites in Raa atoll as they accomplish conservation tasks.

“Our 100 Island Challenge team at Scripps Institution of Oceanography is excited to collaborate with Carpe Diem Maldives in efforts to learn more from the local coral reefs and to support management and conservation efforts in the region. Our team is consummately committed to supporting such efforts through sharing of best science and perspectives from locations worldwide. In pairing each of our efforts, we see an opportunity for the Maldives to join the global comparison of the 100 island challenge,” Professor Stuart Sandin, Director at the Centre for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (CMBC) of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, was quoted in a statement, as saying.

On reefs visited with Carpe Diem Cruises and on the house reef at Carpe Diem Beach Resort and Spa, coral reef science liaisons from Scripps will provide scientific context to coral reef observations through informational lectures, discussions and general conversations.

Introducing the 100 Island Challenge and establishing core sites of the 100 Island Challenge in the Raa atoll region of the resort, the September Dive with a Purpose programme will include an introduction to 3D imaging of coral reefs. The visiting scientists from Scripps will demonstrate use of 3D imaging within the context of the 100 Island Challenge, introduce workflow and approach for 3D imaging to guest divers, and create 3D models from guest-collected imagery, providing them with a 3D image as a take-home memento for participating in the dive with a purpose week.

“This collaboration with Scripps builds on the ground work we have done with various marine organisations over recent years in marine conservation and citizen science opportunities for our guests. The 100 Island Challenge is exciting for many reasons – the global participation, the quality and secured longevity of the research program and scientist involved, and we are thrilled to be making a relatively small yet significant contribution to global research. It’s meaningful for us, for our guest divers and of course, in the best interests of the environment,” Agnes van Linden, Assistant Managing Director at Carpe Diem Maldives, said.

Northern Marianas Islands, May 2014.

The 100 Island Challenge selects the locations taking a strategic approach, with an aim to capture the variability of environmental conditions that exist across modern coral reefs while assuring operational feasibility.

Starting in September this year, the reefs identified in Raa atoll will provide reliable and comparable data to complement existing research and management efforts among global partners. Scripps scientists will return in 2019 to complete the sampling and continue the research programme with Carpe Diem Maldives on the cruises and at the resort. With the professional and scientific sampling approach, the research results will contribute to a better understanding of the current state of coral reefs globally and provide invaluable insights into how and why the reefs are changing through time.

The Maldives is continuously rated as one of the top diving destinations in the world by international dive publications and awards. Made up of 26 coral atolls and crossing the equator, roughly 1,200 islands are home to some of the most beautiful, thriving reefs of rare and common coral, attracting every kind of marine life.

The one week dive safari with Scripps runs from September 9-16 on Carpe Vita. The September Dive with a Purpose week includes:

  • Seven nights on board Carpe Vita
  • Three meals daily, plus between-dive snacks
  • Three dives daily (except for on the day of arrival and day before departure)
  • Talks by visiting scientists from Scripps 100 Island challenge team
  • Use of tanks, weights and belts
  • Dive mask and fins
  • Drinking water, tea and coffee

Established in 2008, Carpe Diem showcases a collection of three luxury liveaboard cruises, each accommodating 20 guests at a time. Carpe Diem is renowned for delivering a sense of discovery and adventure while enriching guests’ knowledge. The Carpe Diem name has built significant brand recognition within the top echelons of the travel industry for diving and leisure, and is currently developing a resort in the Maldives.

For more information, please enquire with your local dive travel agent or direct with Carpe Diem Maldives at info@carpediemmaldives.com

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Noku Maldives strengthens reef protection through coral propagation

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Noku Maldives, Vignette Collection has announced the launch of its Coral Propagation Programme, a new reef enhancement initiative guided by the brand’s purpose-led pillar, Means for Good.

Set within the tranquil waters of Noonu Atoll, Noku Maldives is home to a naturally vibrant marine environment — and this programme reflects the resort’s long-term commitment to nurturing it with care, intention, and respect for the ocean that surrounds the island.

Supporting Natural Growth, One Fragment at a Time

At the heart of the initiative is a gentle and nature-led method using “fragments of opportunity” — naturally broken coral fragments that are collected and carefully secured onto coral frames to encourage healthy regrowth. These fragments are stabilised in an environment that supports their development, allowing new coral to establish and flourish over time.

Designed with both short-term progress and lasting impact in mind, the Coral Propagation Programme will monitor key indicators of success within its first year, including stronger, healthier coral growth and increased fish activity around the coral frames — a positive sign that biodiversity is thriving and marine life is naturally gathering around these new habitats.

Over time, the initiative aims to support the natural expansion of reef habitats by creating structured micro-environments that encourage marine life and contribute to the long-term resilience of the surrounding reef ecosystem.

A Wider Commitment to Ocean Stewardship

The Coral Propagation Programme forms part of Noku Maldives’ broader conservation focus — including the protection of one of the island’s most distinctive natural features: its lush and thriving seagrass meadows.

Unlike many destinations where seagrass is removed or covered, Noku Maldives has chosen to protect and celebrate this important ecosystem. As part of its participation in the Maldives Resilient Reef Industry Circle, the resort has pledged to safeguard at least 80% of its seagrass area, recognising its vital role in supporting marine biodiversity and strengthening environmental resilience.

Seagrass meadows are essential to the lagoon’s natural balance. They provide a nursery habitat for juvenile fish species, help stabilise sediment and reduce beach erosion, and are widely recognised as powerful natural carbon sinks — absorbing CO₂ up to 35 times faster than rainforests. Seagrass also plays a key role in supporting green sea turtles, who rely on it as a primary food source and can graze up to 2 kilograms per day.

Noku Maldives will continue ongoing seagrass monitoring through regular assessments of species composition, blade height, algae content, and ecosystem health markers measured across set quadrats. Of the eight seagrass species found in the Maldives, four have already been identified within the resort’s lagoon — a promising indicator of biodiversity and habitat richness.

A Stay That Leaves Something Behind

Through Means for Good, Noku Maldives, Vignette Collection invites guests to connect with the destination in a way that feels meaningful — where luxury is not only experienced, but thoughtfully shared with the place that makes it possible.

The Coral Propagation Programme is a step forward in ensuring that the island’s reefs, lagoon life, and underwater landscapes remain protected for generations to come — a living symbol of what happens when nature is given the space, care, and time to return.

For more information and reservations, please visit the hotel website or email us at noku.reservations@ihg.com.

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Siyam World hosts Fernando Torres and Mark Noble for festive football camps

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Siyam World Maldives created the setting for two memorable football experiences during the festive season, as Fernando Torres and Mark Noble led a series of camps that transformed the holidays into shared moments of play, discovery and connection. With phones set aside and screens forgotten, more than fifty young players became fully absorbed in movement, laughter and island life.

Over two days, former World Cup winner Fernando Torres hosted an exclusive children’s football camp for resort guests, welcoming more than fifty players aged between four and fourteen. Mornings that began by the lagoon gradually shifted to the football pitch, as relaxed holiday routines evolved into informal training sessions filled with energy and enjoyment.

Torres, widely known as El Niño, brought the same enthusiasm that defined his career with Spain and Chelsea, tempered with humour and an easygoing approach suited to the island setting. He played alongside the children, encouraged the youngest participants and offered guidance without interrupting the sense of fun. One moment captured the tone of the camp when a four-year-old attempted to nutmeg him. The attempt failed, but the laughter that followed set the mood for the sessions that continued into the afternoon.

Torres remarked that children are less concerned with reputation than with the simple pleasure of playing the game, noting that this was when the experience felt most genuine. Parents observed from the sidelines as the sessions unfolded, gradually realising that the camp had become a highlight of their family holiday.

One guest, visiting from London, said the family had arrived for the sunshine and water park, and had not expected their eight-year-old to be playing football with a former World Cup winner. She added that her son had not removed his signed jersey since.

Earlier in December, Siyam World welcomed former West Ham United captain Mark Noble for a five-day football programme. Known for his long career and leadership at the club, Noble led daily sessions that focused on teamwork, simple technique and encouragement, exchanging formal settings for cones, drills and steady guidance.

By the end of the programme, the camp had taken on the character of an informal family memory rather than a structured course. For the children, it was several days of football. For parents, it became a defining moment of their stay, remembered through shared photographs, stories and moments that lingered beyond the holiday.

Together, the two camps reflected Siyam World Maldives’ growing emphasis on immersive, sport-led experiences, where internationally recognised athletes meet the informal rhythm of island life. The approach aims to create opportunities for families to connect through experiences that feel natural, joyful and quietly distinctive, adding another dimension to the resort’s family offering.

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Discover Raa Atoll: Ifuru Island Maldives adds new dive packages for 2026

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Ifuru Island Maldives has introduced a new collection of curated dive packages, inviting guests to explore the exceptional underwater world of the Maldives through programmes designed for beginners, aspiring divers and certified enthusiasts alike.

Located in the pristine waters of Raa Atoll, Ifuru Island Maldives provides access to vibrant house reefs, calm lagoon conditions and several of the region’s most celebrated dive sites, including the renowned Ifuru Thila. The newly launched dive packages are crafted to combine professional training, guided exploration and the convenience of a premium island stay.

The collection begins with an introductory diving experience tailored for first-time divers seeking to discover the underwater world in a safe and relaxed setting. Guests undergo lagoon-based training before progressing to the house reef, offering an ideal entry point into scuba diving with no prior experience required.

For guests ready to advance further, the resort offers a globally recognised scuba certification course. Designed for confident swimmers and snorkellers, the programme includes professional instruction, open water dives and an internationally valid certification, opening access to dive destinations worldwide.

Certified divers can choose a three-day dive escape that highlights the best sites in Raa Atoll. Featuring guided morning dives across renowned locations, the experience showcases the atoll’s rich marine biodiversity, striking reef structures and clear waters.

“Diving is an essential part of the Maldivian experience, and we wanted to create a collection that feels both accessible and exceptional,” said Marcel Sawyer, General Manager of Ifuru Island Maldives. “Whether it marks a guest’s first dive or their next significant underwater journey, these packages are crafted to offer confidence, comfort and memorable experiences beneath the surface.”

All dive packages may be booked alongside the resort’s premium accommodation offerings, including the Exclusively Yours Premium All-Inclusive meal plan, daily resort touches, complimentary non-motorised water sports, snorkelling equipment and return domestic flight transfers for qualifying stays.

The dive packages are available for booking and travel throughout 2026 and must be confirmed ahead of arrival. Package rates apply in addition to accommodation and are subject to availability.

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