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InterContinental Maldives launches brand new manta experience offer to celebrate World Ocean Day
The InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort celebrates World Ocean Day 2023 on 8 June with the launch of a brand-new offer, The Manta Ray Experience. Celebrating the ocean and its eternal beauty, the Manta Trust team and Marine Biologist based at the resort have also prepared a range of fun and educational experiences for kids and adults alike.
The Manta Ray Experience package addresses the curiosity and adventure lust of the resort’s guests, bundling the must-try experiences surrounding manta rays together in one comprehensive package. On their manta journey, guests will join different talks about the manta rays in the Maldives, their relatives around the world and how they are researched and protected. Guests will also get to join a manta excursion, seeking manta rays within Raa Atoll and surrounding areas. Should there be an unidentified manta sighted during the excursion, guests can name the manta and will receive updates on their whereabouts whenever sighted by the Manta Trust team. As a token and memory, guests will also receive a mantastic gift from Manta Trust before their departure.
For the perfect manta experience, the seaplane transfers from and to Male International Airport and half board are already included in the package, as well as the InterContinental Club benefits and more.
The new offer complements the resort’s annual Manta Retreat, the next retreat set to take place in March 2024. While the Manta Retreat comprises an even deeper dive into the world of manta rays, with hands-on experiences in manta research and exploration, The Manta Ray Experience offer provides a great overview of everything manta related.

While The Manta Ray Experience Offer can be booked by any guest throughout the year, on 8 June 2023, the focus lies on World Ocean Day. A day to raise awareness and educate on the oceans, to learn and get excited by the mysteries still lying beneath the oceans’ surface, and most of all, to enjoy the beauty and fascination of marine life. At InterContinental Maldives, guests from young to old will have the chance to participate in talks and presentations as well as marine life-related activities, beach fun and an ocean-themed movie night.
Naturally, the manta rays are the main event on this World Ocean Day. However, we take a closer look at the tiniest creatures too, exploring how plankton looks under a microscope and learning about their significance in the marine life food chain.
Attention will also be drawn to the life of corals as those fascinating creatures grow, evolve and influence marine life in a reef. On this day, the marine team will commemorate a specially designed coral frame and plant coral pieces together with guests to use this opportunity to teach everything about them.
InterContinental Maldives is located at the southern end of Raa Atoll, recognised for its unspoiled and beautiful marine life. The resort’s lagoon is a known juvenile manta ray aggregation point, and with the partnership with the resort-based Manta Trust, the goal is to learn more about these gentle giants, their movements and how to protect them, their natural habitat and migration behaviour. While there is never a guarantee to spot manta rays, the chances of a manta encounter within the lagoon of Maamunagau island are great from December to April, while excursions to the world-famous manta feeding point in Hanifaru Bay, Baa Atoll, are offered from June to November as well.
For more information, please visit www.maldives.intercontinental.com
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Sun Siyam Olhuveli invests in staff wellbeing with upgraded sports facilities
Sun Siyam Olhuveli has unveiled newly upgraded volleyball and futsal grounds for team members, reaffirming its commitment to employee wellbeing while advancing responsible, future-focused operations. The renovated volleyball grounds were officially inaugurated on 14 February, while the upgraded futsal ground opened earlier this year—together creating dedicated spaces for recreation, connection, and healthy competition across the island.
Designed to encourage regular physical activity and camaraderie beyond the workplace, the improved sports facilities represent a thoughtful investment in social infrastructure. They reflect a belief that wellbeing is fundamental to long-term performance, nurturing morale, teamwork, and a strong sense of belonging among team members.

Alongside these developments, the resort has implemented NO BIN DAY every Tuesday, a practical initiative aimed at minimising food waste across operations. By encouraging mindful planning and responsible consumption, the initiative challenges teams to rethink habits around food—transforming sustainability into a shared, everyday discipline.
“Taking care of our people and the environment must go hand in hand. By investing in spaces that support our team’s wellbeing and introducing simple disciplines like NO BIN DAY, we are building a culture where responsibility is lived every day—naturally, collectively, and with purpose,” said Hassan Adil, General Manager of Sun Siyam Olhuveli.

Both initiatives form part of Sun Siyam Care, the group’s corporate social responsibility platform, and align with the Social Infrastructure and Responsible Consumption and Production pillars under the GDS framework. Together, they reflect a people-first approach to sustainability—where everyday actions create lasting impact for teams, operations, and the wider community.
Sun Siyam Care is committed to creating a positive impact for people, communities, and the environment through responsible operations, social investment, and long-term sustainability actions across its destinations in the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
Guests are encouraged to learn more about these initiatives by visiting the Sun Siyam Care website at sunsiyam.com/sun-siyam-care.
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Sheraton Maldives Full Moon celebrates sixth anniversary of Reefscapers collaboration
Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa marks the sixth anniversary of its partnership with Reefscapers on February 19, 2026, reaffirming its commitment to protecting and restoring the Maldives’ fragile reef ecosystems. Since launching the partnership in 2020, the resort and Reefscapers have worked together to restore coral habitats, support marine biodiversity, and engage guests in meaningful conservation experiences. The milestone also marks one year since the successful relocation of approximately five tons of coral to the resort’s house reefs — one of the partnership’s most significant conservation initiatives.

Over the past six years, the partnership has become a defining pillar of the resort’s sustainability journey, blending scientific restoration with purposeful guest engagement. To date, the initiative has resulted in the planting of 898 coral frames, supporting approximately 33,000 coral colonies now growing across the restoration sites. Through coral propagation, reef monitoring, and awareness programmes, these efforts continue to regenerate reef structures while deepening understanding of the essential role coral ecosystems play in sustaining marine life and protecting coastlines. Each thriving coral frame reflects a shared dedication to preserving the natural wonders that make the Maldives one of the world’s most extraordinary marine destinations.

“What makes this partnership special is seeing how small, consistent actions turn into real change underwater. Watching the relocated corals settle, survive, and begin to grow over the past year has been incredibly rewarding for us and the guests who return and witness how they’ve helped restore a living reef,” shares Katelyn, the resort’s Marine Biologist.
A defining achievement of the collaboration has been the coral relocation project, which carefully transferred coral colonies from Ras Malé, also known as the Maldives Eco City, to the resort’s dedicated restoration site, safeguarding them from potential threats linked to land reclamation activities in the Fushi Dhiggaru Lagoon. One year on, these corals continue to flourish beneath the surface, strengthening reef resilience and contributing to the long-term health of the surrounding ecosystem.

At the heart of the partnership lies the resort’s Adopt a Coral programme, part of the Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy initiative, which encourages guests to travel with intention through meaningful environmental experiences. Through this hands-on activity, visitors can adopt and name a coral frame while learning directly from marine experts about coral ecology and the importance of protecting marine habitats.
To deepen this connection beyond the stay, guests receive growth updates on their adopted corals every six months, allowing them to follow the progress of their living contribution to the reef. As these corals grow over time, they become enduring symbols of renewal and shared responsibility, transforming a holiday memory into a lasting environmental legacy, and reflecting how travel can positively support local ecosystems and communities.

“Our island is surrounded by a remarkable marine environment, and protecting it is a responsibility we take seriously. Our partnership with Reefscapers reflects our belief that hospitality should go hand in hand with stewardship. Seeing the reef restoration progress over the past six years, and the involvement of our guests and associates in that journey, makes this anniversary especially meaningful for all of us,” comments Greg Allan, General Manager of Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa.
Through its continued collaboration with Reefscapers, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa remains dedicated to advancing marine conservation while creating purposeful guest experiences rooted in sustainability, education, and connection to nature.

To discover more about the resort’s sustainability initiatives, join the Adopt a Coral programme, or plan a stay that supports reef conservation, visit sheratonmaldives.com or contact the reservations team at Sheraton.Maldives@sheraton.com.
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Sun Siyam Vilu Reef unveils expanded marine excursion portfolio
Sun Siyam Vilu Reef, part of the Sun Siyam Privé Collection, has introduced an expanded portfolio of water-based experiences designed to showcase the natural environment and marine life of the surrounding atolls. The enhanced programme combines exploration, activity and moments of calm, offering guests new ways to experience the Maldives through curated ocean journeys and personalised excursions.
Building on established activities such as Jet Car rides, SeaBob adventures and windsurfing, the resort has expanded its watersports offering to include private speedboat journeys and bespoke marine experiences. These additions are tailored for small groups seeking intimate and meaningful encounters with the ocean.
Available daily from the resort’s Watersports Centre, the new private speedboat excursions provide a personalised way to explore the hidden marine sites of Dhaalu Atoll. Designed for one to four guests, each journey offers flexibility and individual attention. Guests may choose from four-hour, five-hour or full-day itineraries, all of which include a freshly prepared barbecue lunch. From coral gardens to secluded sandbanks, the excursions highlight the region’s diverse marine landscapes.
The programme’s centrepiece is the Full Day Adventure Trip, which offers an extended exploration of key marine locations. Highlights include the Coral Garden, known for its biodiversity and reef formations; Turtle Point, where sea turtles are frequently sighted; and Nurse Shark Point, which provides opportunities to observe nurse sharks in their natural environment. The experience concludes with a beachside lunch on a private sandbank, set against uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean.
For guests seeking a balance between activity and relaxation, the Waves of Adventure and Calmness experience combines a private two-hour snorkelling safari or Jet Ski safari with a full-body massage at the resort. The programme is designed to transition smoothly from ocean exploration to restorative island time, reflecting the relaxed pace that characterises Sun Siyam Vilu Reef.
As part of the Sun Siyam Privé Collection, Sun Siyam Vilu Reef continues to focus on personalised service and experiences rooted in the natural setting of the Maldives. Through its expanded watersports offering, the resort invites guests to engage with the marine environment while enjoying a sense of privacy, discovery and connection to the Maldivian seascape.
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