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Underwater tales from marine biologist at Constance Halaveli
Robin Aiello, renowned marine biologist, is at Constance Halaveli this month. Enjoy tales of her underwater adventures and find out more about your dive buddies with the special creature features she’s writing for us during her stay.
Arriving at Halaveli
It is hard to believe that I have been on this wonderful island for a week already. Time is passing too quickly and there is so much to do, and see, and explore.
I arrived last Sunday to the resort by seaplane – which in itself is a fabulous experience with wonderful views of the reefs and lagoons while enroute.
I’m staying in a Water Villa. It’s spectacular, and for me, living somewhere I can step out onto my deck and down a few stairs directly into the ocean for a snorkel is a dream come true.
Within the first few minutes of snorkelling from my deck I encountered a school of silver mullet fish hungrily feeding at the surface of the water, saw several baby blacktip reef sharks (only about 40cm long, so they were only a few days old), and spotted a manta ray passing by. Wow! What a start to my month on the island.
While I’m at Halaveli, I’ll be working with the TGI Dive Center guiding dives and snorkels and sharing all my expertise on coral reefs and the animals living there.
One of the things that has really impressed me is the diversity of the marine life on the reefs that we visit. There is just so much to see. During my stay, I’lll be writing a series of Creature Features in which I want to highlight some of the lesser well-known creatures that you can easily see while diving and snorkeling. I hope you enjoy the fun facts.
Creature Feature 1: The Redtooth Triggerfish (Odonus niger)
Also known as Black Triggerfish or Niger Triggerfish
As soon as you put your head into the waters on any of the reefs here, you can see why people come back for diving over and over again to the Maldives. The ocean is full of marine life – in every imaginable shape and colour. It is like being inside a large aquarium.
All around you fish dart to and fro – some are very curious and even change direction to pass close to your mask and look you right in the eye.
Many people ask me which is my favourite fish, and to be honest, I cannot choose – they are each so beautiful and interesting in their own way. But there is one fish that I have developed a great fondness for since being here in Halaveli – the Redtooth Triggerfish. To me, these are incredibly endearing.
Their behaviour
These fish are schooling fish that feed on zooplankton floating in the water, so they form massive groups of hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals. They hang off the edge of the reef, forming a ‘halo’ around it.
All triggerfish are easily recognised by the way they swim – they undulate their ventral (top) fin and dorsal (bottom) fin from side to side, so it almost looks like flags flapping in the breeze. When there are hundreds of fish doing this all at once, the motion is mesmerising – like a fish ballet.
Although on first glance they do not look like this would be an effective way to swim, these fish are actually highly maneuverable. They flit around in the water column catching small zooplankton (small animals that float in the ocean). In fact, when you take a close look at these fish, you can see that their tiny little mouths are upturned, pointing upwards, which makes it easier for them to grab zooplankton floating by.
Recognising the Redtooth Triggerfish
The Redtooth Triggerfish is known by many names, including Niger or Black Triggerfish. Although they can reach up to 30cm long, they are generally much smaller – about the size of you hand.
Their colours vary greatly depending on the light conditions. When schooling in deep, blue waters they appear black, but in good sunlight you can see their true bright blue or teal green colouration. And, yes, when you get a close up look at the teeth, they are in fact a dark red colour (no one seems to know why they are red). Around the head they have delicate lines that create a beautiful facial tattoo. However, for me, the most beautiful part of these fish are their long lyre-shaped tails that wave in the currents.
The triggerfish spine
All triggerfish have a shared characteristic – a spine (the ‘trigger’) on their forehead. This is a special spine that they can erect and lock into place with a second spine – much like a trigger on a gun, hence the name ‘triggerfish’.
They use this unique feature in two ways. One is for defense against being eaten by predatory fish. Imagine a fish’s surprise if it tries to swallow a triggerfish and suddenly it gets spiked in their throat by the ‘trigger’ spine.
But the most important use of the ‘trigger’ spine is for tightly wedging themselves into coral crevices or small holes in the reef while they sleep (yes…reef fish DO sleep). To stay safe, these fish find their own personal hole or crevice in the reef to hide out in. The spaces are usually so narrow that the fish need to wiggle into them by turning sideways.
Once inside the hole (usually all you can see are thee tips of the tail sticking out) the triggerfish erect their ‘trigger’ spine to lock themselves in place. In this way, any predatory fish, like a reef shark who hunts sleeping fish, cannot grab and tug them out from their holes.
When the triggerfish are ready to leave the holes, they release the ‘trigger’, lower the spine and wiggle their way out – backwards! (Yes…these are one of the few fish that I have seen that can swim tail-first!
So the next time you are diving on one of the reefs around Halaveli, take a moment to observe these little triggerfish.
St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort has announced a partnership with LUX Tennis, strengthening the resort’s established tennis offering and introducing plans for a new padel court. The collaboration expands the resort’s active lifestyle programme, with a particular focus on families and multi-generational travel.
The St. Regis brand draws on the legacy of the Astor family, founders of the original St. Regis New York, whose Gilded Age lifestyle celebrated refined leisure and sporting pursuits. Tennis, in particular, became a symbol of elegance within the Astor social circle, reflecting a culture shaped by hospitality, recreation and sophistication. This heritage continues across the St. Regis portfolio today, where classic sports remain an integral part of the brand’s identity.
Set within the resort’s private island environment, the enhanced LUX Tennis programme is designed to elevate on-island tennis experiences for guests of all ages and skill levels. The programme features expert-led coaching, bespoke clinics and visiting residencies by internationally recognised professionals, offering guests opportunities to train, play and engage with elite talent in an accessible and inspiring setting.
Confirmed visiting professionals include Angelique Kerber, three-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one, who will visit from 29 to 31 March 2026, and Feliciano López, former Spanish champion with a career-high singles ranking of world number 12, scheduled from 16 to 17 May 2026.
The expanded tennis programme is designed to integrate seamlessly with island life, offering everything from relaxed family matches and junior-friendly coaching to more focused sessions for experienced players. Activities are structured to complement time spent at the beach, spa experiences and family dining.
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort features 77 beachfront and overwater villas, each with a private pool, alongside facilities such as the John Jacob Astor Estate, the largest overwater three-bedroom villa in the Maldives. Guests also have access to the award-winning Iridium Spa, six dining venues and a private yacht available for charter, reinforcing the resort’s positioning as a destination for both leisure and active pursuits.
Nestled in the pristine waters of the Raa Atoll, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort introduces Swim with Nurse Sharks, a new guided marine experience offering guests a rare opportunity to encounter these gentle creatures in their natural lagoon habitat.
Located just minutes from the island, the calm, shallow waters provide ideal conditions for observing nurse sharks at rest and in motion. The one-hour experience operates three times a week by speedboat and is designed for small groups, making it suitable for families and confident swimmers seeking a meaningful connection with the ocean.
Guided with care and respect for the environment, the experience reflects the resort’s ongoing commitment to marine awareness and responsible interaction with wildlife. Guests gain insight into the behaviour of nurse sharks while exploring one of the region’s few accessible snorkelling sites dedicated to this species.
Available at USD 95++ per person, with special rates for children under 12, Swim with Nurse Sharks adds a distinctive new chapter to the resort’s immersive ocean experiences.
For more information on “Swim with Nurse Sharks” at InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort, please visit the resort’s website.
Michael Owen’s Football Camp is returning to Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort for a second year, running from 31 March to 3 April 2026 as part of the resort’s Easter holiday programme. Following a strong debut in 2025, the camp will once again see children and teens join the former England striker for hands-on coaching sessions on Fares Island in Baa Atoll.
Designed for kids and teens aged 5 to 13, the four-day camp combines daily training sessions, skills development and team challenges, led by Michael Owen. The programme ends on a high with a celebratory finale, with certificates, medals and jersey signings for every participant. The camp is complimentary for all guests staying at Avani+ Fares Maldives during the event, and each registered participant will receive an official Football Kit, including two sets of customised jerseys, shorts and socks.
Building on the strong response from families last year, the 2026 Football Camp sits within Avani+ Fares Maldives’ broader Easter line-up, pairing structured sports sessions with relaxed island time. Beyond the pitch, younger guests can dip in and out of island adventures at AvaniKids and the Teens Club, with creative arts and crafts and dedicated spaces designed around their age group. Mealtimes are part of the fun too, with Petit Bistro, the resort’s kids-only restaurant, created just for younger guests.
For families keen to get out on the water together, Avani+ Fares Maldives is set within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll, with snorkelling along the house reef right off the island and a full menu of water sports and dive experiences at this award-winning dive resort.
Commenting on the upcoming camp, Michael Owen said: “Coming back to Avani+ Fares Maldives feels like a natural next step after the energy and enthusiasm we saw at the first camp. It is a special environment for families and the camp is all about helping kids build confidence, develop their skills and most importantly enjoy the game together. I am really looking forward to being back on the island in 2026.”
Avani+ Fares Maldives is designed with families in mind, with a wide mix of accommodation styles to suit different group sizes and travel plans. Options range from interconnecting Pavilion rooms for easy togetherness, to Beach Pool Villas with outdoor space for daytime downtime, alongside over water villas set above the lagoon. For families travelling as a bigger group, the resort also offers spacious two and three bedroom Over Water Pool Residences, with generous living areas and room to spread out between activities.
Package rates start from USD 3,500 for a family of four, including accommodation, seaplane transfers and football camp registration. Based on two adults and two children sharing on a bed and breakfast basis, includes taxes and fees. To book, visit www.avanihotels.com/en/fares-maldives, email fares@avanihotels.com or call +960 660 1660.
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