Featured
Dive Desk’s Adam Ashraf completes PADI Course Director programme

Dive Desk has announced that its Managing Director and Dive Instructor, Adam Ashraf has just completed the PADI Course Director Programme held this July in Thailand, becoming one of the few PADI Course Directors in the Maldives.
The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) is the world’s most popular dive training agency, certifying the greatest number of recreational divers world-wide. Within the PADI system, Course Director is the highest and most respected professional rating in recreational scuba diving, which qualifies them to conduct Instructor Development Courses (IDCs) and other instructor-level training. Course Directors are the scuba diving industry’s most influential leaders and role models.

The Course Director Training Course is held only twice a year and seasoned PADI Instructors from all over the world undergo a competitive application process that examines experience and training goals in order to qualify for the program. Applicants are required to have experience in teaching Instructor Candidates, under the mentorship of experienced Course Directors.
For the past five years, Ashraf, as leader of the Instructor Development team at Dive Desk, which is comprised of professional Maldivians, has been collaborating with the world’s most experienced and renowned Course Director, Mark Soworka of Dive Careers Worldwide in conducting PADI Instructor Development Courses in the Maldives. With fifteen Instructor Development Courses under their belt, this team is among the most experienced dive educators in the country. Instructor Candidates can choose from one of the many scheduled programs throughout the year, held at different islands in the Maldives.

Ashraf has met the requirements and has been accepted to the Course Director Training course since 2019. However, due to the quarantine and travel restrictions during the pandemic, PADI had ceased their CDTCs. The programs resumed recently and Ashraf was able to travel to and attend the first program held in the Asia region.
Adam Ashraf’s first IDC as a Course Director is at Fuvamulah, scheduled to take place from 21 July to 5 August 2022. This is the first such program in the South of Maldives and will be a good opportunity for Instructor Candidates in the area to take part in a course, closer to/at home. His second IDC is scheduled to take place in Male’, for the IDC candidates selected from the government’s fully-funded scheme. More Instructor Development Courses are scheduled to be held at different locations, regularly.
At just 37 years old, Adam Ashraf has spent more than 23 years as a scuba diver. After working in liveaboards and resorts, Ashraf started Dive Desk, with his wife Nadha, in order to support and train the local dive community. Dive Desk is a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre operating in Malé for the past eight years. He is excited to grow Dive Desk and continue to open opportunities to help professional-level divers to progress in their dive careers. The dream is to make Maldives the prime destination for professional level dive education.
Awards
Ifuru Island Maldives wins Best Premium All-Inclusive Resort at Golden Travel Awards 2025

Ifuru Island Maldives has been officially named Best Premium All-Inclusive Resort Maldives 2025 by the prestigious Golden Travel Award, recognising the resort’s exceptional guest experience and innovative all-inclusive offering. The resort distinguished itself through its commitment to redefining the premium all-inclusive concept with a bold combination of curated adventures, gourmet dining, and a true sense of luxury.
Marcel Sawyer, General Manager of Ifuru Island Maldives, expressed pride in the recognition, noting that it celebrates the dedication and passion the team invests in creating unforgettable moments for every guest. He emphasised that the resort’s experience is designed to offer guests the freedom to relax, explore, and feel truly at home, all within the comforts of a premium all-inclusive package.
Ifuru Island Maldives has quickly established a strong reputation with its thoughtfully crafted ‘Exclusively Yours’ Premium All-Inclusive package. With a fresh approach to luxury and authenticity, the resort continues to resonate with modern travellers who seek both comfort and meaningful connections.
This acknowledgment from the Golden Travel Award further solidifies Ifuru Island’s growing reputation as one of the Maldives’ most distinctive and experience-driven destinations.
Featured
Float & Flow Yoga debuts at Holiday Inn Kandooma Maldives

Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives now offers guests a unique wellness activity: Float & Flow Yoga. Set amidst the picturesque surroundings of crystal-clear waters, this innovative session blends balance, movement, and mindfulness on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP), fostering a joyful connection with nature.
Designed to accommodate both experienced yogis and beginners, Float & Flow Yoga provides a 60-minute session on the resort’s SUP Yoga Dock. This specially designed floating platform, shaped like a flower, features eight “petals,” each securing a SUP board around a central space designated for the instructor. Participants are guided through gentle yoga sequences that emphasise balance, breath, and flow.
Courtney Chambers, the resident Yoga Instructor at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives, describes the activity as a joyful and liberating experience. She notes that SUP yoga encourages participants to embrace the playful side of the practice while reconnecting with nature.
Classes take place every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday at 10:00 am, with a maximum of eight participants per session to maintain an intimate and supportive atmosphere. A minimum of three guests is required for each session. The class fee is priced at US$45 per person, inclusive of taxes and service charges.
Additionally, a professional drone photo and video package is available for US$25 per person, providing guests with a memorable keepsake of their experience.
Participants are advised to wear comfortable swimwear or yoga attire and to arrive 10 minutes early at the Perfect Wave Surf Shop for a pre-session briefing.
Whether the goal is mindfulness, gentle movement, or simply a splash of fun, Float & Flow Yoga at Kandooma offers an unforgettable opportunity to reconnect with both self and sea.
Featured
Five-course Indian fine dining by Atrangi to feature at Jumeirah Olhahali Island’s June pop-up

Jumeirah Olhahali Island has announced an exclusive culinary pop-up in collaboration with Atrangi by Ritu Dalmia, the renowned Indian restaurant located at Jumeirah Al Qasr in Dubai. Scheduled from 7 to 12 June 2025, this special event will feature Atrangi’s Head Chef, Aniket Chatterjee, who will partner with the resort’s culinary team to present a refined five-course dining experience. This unique collaboration aims to reinterpret regional Indian dishes through a contemporary perspective.
Atrangi, inspired by the vision of acclaimed chef and restaurateur Ritu Dalmia, is celebrated for its bold and eclectic approach to Indian cuisine. Ritu Dalmia, a self-taught chef, began her culinary journey by launching Delhi’s first standalone Italian restaurant at just twenty-two. Over the years, she has established a portfolio of acclaimed restaurants across India and Europe, earning her widespread recognition in the culinary world. Representing her creative vision in the Maldives, Chef Aniket Chatterjee brings a modern sensibility and a profound respect for Indian culinary traditions, promising a dining experience that is both sophisticated and soulful.
For this special occasion, Chef Aniket has curated a bespoke menu that masterfully blends traditional Indian techniques with global influences. Guests will be treated to intimate oceanfront dinners and relaxed beach grills under the stars, with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian tasting menus available.
The dining journey will commence with a playful twist on the nostalgic chilli cheese toast, followed by pickled doodhi and smoked dahi. Main course offerings include Malvani chicken tikka with confit garlic, or for vegetarians, paneer peeli mirch tikka accompanied by spring onion curry. A whipped butter board will serve as a palate cleanser before guests savour dishes such as kappa meen curry or satu pulao with dalma, parwal, and burnt tomato chutney, celebrating the rich diversity of Indian flavours. The meal will conclude with an indulgent Indian sweet, followed by mignardise featuring pistachio soan papdi and a mini jalebi with rabri.
Chef Ritu Dalmia expressed her excitement about the event, stating, “The Maldives has always been a special country for me, having visited several times. It is a thrill to bring Atrangi to Jumeirah Olhahali Island, where we can showcase community-inspired dishes while celebrating the best produce the Maldives has to offer.”
The beach grill dinner at Shimmers Beach on 10 June will be priced at USD 225 plus taxes per person. On other evenings, the five-course set menu will be served at a designated ocean-view location for USD 195 plus taxes per person.
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