From 8th to 12th June 2026, Meyyafushi Maldives invites its guests to experience an unforgettable blend of padel, luxury and island living as professional player Dilara Torssell takes up an exclusive guest residency at the resort.

Ranked as Türkiye’s No.1 female padel player, Dilara Torssell has reached a career-high world ranking of 141 and continues to compete internationally on the Premier Padel and International Padel Federation tours. Now based in Dubai, she represents Türkiye on the global stage while actively promoting the sport through exhibitions, partnerships and international collaborations.

Known for her dynamic playing style, competitive spirit and engaging approach to the game, Dilara Torssell will host interactive padel experiences designed for players of all levels, from beginners to experienced enthusiasts. To make the experience even more memorable, games will be enjoyed at Meyyafushi’s iconic overwater padel tennis court – recognised as the world’s first fixed overwater padel court – offering guests a truly one-of-a-kind sporting experience in the Maldives.

Dilara will offer the opportunity for guests to enjoy friendly matches while receiving personalised tips, techniques and insights into the fast-growing sport. The programme will also feature exciting Pro-Am matches, and a series of exhibition matches which will further showcase padel at a professional level, transforming the resort’s overwater court into one of the Maldives’ most unique sporting stages.

“At Meyyafushi, we are continuously looking for meaningful ways to elevate the guest experience through unique lifestyle and wellness experiences,” said Ahmed Siaar, Cluster General Manager of Meyyafushi Maldives and Fushifaru Maldives. “Hosting Dilara Torssell on our overwater padel court brings together sport, connection and the beauty of the Maldives in a truly unforgettable way.”

As a Premium All-Inclusive resort, Meyyafushi continues to redefine luxury hospitality in the Maldives through immersive experiences such as world-class dining, Pool Villas and Suites with Slides, an Underwater Restaurant, an Overwater Wine Cellar and an adults-only Sky Lounge.

Dilara’s residency forms part of Meyyafushi’s growing calendar of lifestyle collaborations and curated guest experiences, designed to offer travellers something beyond the traditional Maldives escape – a place to connect, within and beyond.

For sales enquiries and bookings, please contact reservations@meyyafushi.com or visit www.meyyafushi.com.

Canareef Resort Maldives has been nominated for two categories at the prestigious World Travel Awards 2026: Indian Ocean’s Leading Dive Resort and Maldives’ Leading Dive Resort.

The nominations recognise Canareef’s exceptional position as one of the premier diving destinations in the region, offering unique underwater experiences found nowhere else in the Maldives.

Canareef Resort is home to the British Loyalty, the largest shipwreck in the Maldives. This 140-meter WWII oil tanker rests just minutes from the resort and has transformed into a thriving artificial reef, making it one of the most sought-after dive sites in the Indian Ocean.

Unlike other Maldivian atolls where manta sightings are seasonal, Addu is the only location where full- sized adult Oceanic Manta Rays with wingspans up to 5 meters can be seen year-round, regardless of monsoon season. These “mega-mantas” are a guaranteed highlight for divers visiting Canareef. The resort’s famous Shark Point, known as “The Shark Hotel,” features more than 20 Grey Reef Sharks resting together on the sandy bottom—a rare underwater phenomenon that attracts photographers from around the world.

As one of the few resorts located south of the Equator, Canareef offers the unique experience of diving in the Southern Hemisphere. Most significantly, while much of the region suffered from coral bleaching, Addu’s reefs remain among the healthiest and most vibrant in the Indian Ocean, displaying the pristine color and diversity that represents what coral reefs should look like.

The World Travel Awards, often called “the Oscars of the travel industry,” celebrate excellence across all sectors of tourism. The dual nominations position Canareef alongside the world’s top diving destinations and validate the resort’s commitment to marine conservation and exceptional guest experiences.

“These nominations reflect what our guests and the diving community have known for years,” says the Canareef management team. “Addu Atoll offers diving experiences that are truly unmatched, and we’re honored to share these underwater treasures with the world.”

The nominations also spotlight Addu Atoll and the southern Maldives, encouraging tourism diversification beyond the northern atolls. Canareef invites the diving community, past guests, and supporters to vote when World Travel Awards voting opens.

For those seeking world-class diving combined with unique marine encounters and pristine reef systems, Canareef Resort Maldives continues to set the standard for what a dive resort should be.

To support Canareef’s dual nominations and help showcase the unique marine biodiversity of Addu on the global stage, you can cast your vote here. 

There’s something quietly thrilling about stepping into the ocean after sunset. At Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon, when daylight fade and the reef slips into darkness, a completely different world begins to stir. What feels familiar by day transforms into something far more mysterious and far more alive.

Night snorkelling at Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon begins at around 6:30pm, when guests gather with the experienced team from Dive & Sail Maldives. Equipped with underwater torches, snorkellers ease into the slighly cooler waters surrounding the island, where every beam of light reveals a new discovery hidden within the reef.

What makes night snorkelling so fascinating is the dramatic shift in marine behaviour after sunset. Species that remain tucked away during the day begin to emerge from coral crevices and sandy seabeds. Moray eels weave through the reef in search of prey, octopuses glide silently across the ocean floor, and crustaceans slowly crawl out from their hiding places.

One guest described one of the most unforgettable moments of the experience as watching a group of reef sharks glide past in near-perfect formation. According to the guest, the sudden appearance of six to eight sharks emerging from the darkness was initially startling, but the feeling quickly shifted to awe as they moved calmly and effortlessly through the water, illuminated only by torchlight. The encounter, they shared, felt both thrilling and surreal in the stillness of the night reef.

Beyond the larger marine life, the reef reveals countless smaller details at night that are often missed during daytime snorkelling. Brightly coloured reef crabs, lobster-like crustaceans believed to be spiny lobsters, sleeping parrotfish hidden within the coral, and lionfish hovering near the reef edge all become part of the experience.

The corals themselves also appear remarkably different after dark. Under torchlight, sections of the reef glow with deeper shades of orange, gold, and crimson, while certain soft corals and coral polyps extend outward to feed in the currents.

The house reef at Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon is widely regarded as one of the Maldives’ most vibrant reefs, celebrated for its rich biodiversity and easy accessibility from the shoreline. Guests planning their next island escape can also take advantage of the resort’s ongoing summer offer, which includes complimentary roundtrip speedboat transfers for stays of seven nights or more along with added benefits through Cinnamon DISCOVERY, the loyalty programme by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts.