From September 4 to 11, 2026, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa will once again become the island base for the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy, bringing guests within five minutes by boat of the action at Sultans and into a week shaped by world-class surfing, time with the athletes, Tropicsurf coaching and post-session recovery at ŪRJĀ Naturopathy Island.

Now in its 14th edition, the invitation-only contest will bring together six surfers with markedly different approaches to competition and equipment. Former World No. 8 Caio Ibelli, former World No. 2 Bede Durbidge, Australian big-wave surfer and WSL commentator Felicity Palmateer, former Championship Tour surfer Travis Logie and Maldivian surfer Ahmed Hishaam Shaheem join previously announced Mason Ho to complete the 2026 field.

Unlike a conventional surf contest, the Champions Trophy moves through single-fin, twin-fin and thruster divisions, challenging competitors to reinterpret the same wave through three eras of surfboard design. Technique, positioning and wave choice must change with the equipment before an overall champion is crowned.

For guests at Kuda Huraa, the competition extends well beyond watching heats from the channel. Trophy week brings some of surfing’s most recognisable names into the rhythm of the island, with opportunities to follow the action at Sultans, spend time with the surfers between sessions, explore nearby North Malé Atoll breaks with Tropicsurf coaches and reset at ŪRJĀ Naturopathy Island. And this year’s field gives them plenty to watch.

Caio Ibelli: Back in the Jersey

Three years after his last Championship Tour heat, Caio Ibelli is putting the competition jersey back on. The Brazilian spent nine years competing among the world’s best, building a résumé that includes a World Junior Championship, the 2015 Qualifying Series World Championship, Championship Tour Rookie of the Year honours and a career-high World No. 8 ranking.

His return to competition also brings him back to the Maldives 15 years after his last visit, this time with his wife and son alongside him. “Putting a contest jersey on again feels extra special, in perfect waves, at an event I’ve always wanted to be part of, and this time with my wife and son there watching me,” says Ibelli. “It gives competing a completely new meaning for me.”

Ibelli joins the field in place of fellow Brazilian Victor Bernardo, who has withdrawn following a serious car accident involving him and his wife, Johnni, in California. Both required hospital treatment and surgery and are now recovering. The Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy team sends Victor and Johnni its warmest wishes for a full and speedy recovery.

The three-board format also presents Ibelli with an unexpected challenge. Despite spending almost a decade competing on high-performance thrusters, he has not ridden one since leaving the Tour. “Funny enough, since my last heat on Tour, I haven’t stepped on a thruster again,” he says. “So I feel like my biggest challenge might actually be surfing a thruster again after three years without riding one.”

Bede Durbidge: Competitive Instincts Reawaken

Few surfers in the field bring a competitive résumé quite like Bede Durbidge. The Australian former World No. 2 spent more than a decade on the Championship Tour before moving into elite coaching, keeping him closely connected to the strategy, psychology and pressure of professional competition even after stepping away from heats himself.

At Sultans, he will find himself back on the other side of the equation. “It’s going to be a bit of a trip, to be honest, getting back in the jersey and surfing heats again,” says Durbidge. “It feels like a lifetime ago that I was on Tour. But in saying that, I know when I put the jersey on all those feelings of being competitive and wanting to perform will come back.”

His experience on high-performance equipment is extensive. Twin fins and single fins are another matter. “I’m definitely nervous with the lack of time on the twins and single fins,” he says. “I’m just going to go in open-minded and embrace the novelty, fun side of riding those styles of boards.”

The week also reunites Durbidge with Travis Logie after years spent sharing the Championship Tour, although neither will have the comfort of competing solely on the equipment that defined those careers.

Felicity Palmateer: Freedom Meets Competition

Felicity Palmateer arrives at Kuda Huraa with a surfing career that has expanded far beyond conventional competition. The Western Australian emerged as a teenage professional before moving increasingly into big-wave surfing, travel and WSL commentary. In 2015, she became the first woman to surf Western Australia’s notorious Cow Bombie and later earned an invitation to The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational at Waimea Bay.

As the sole woman in the 2026 field, Palmateer returns to a competition jersey at a stage in her career when rankings no longer define why she paddles out. “The best part about surfing without the pressure of rankings and results is that I’ve come full circle,” says Palmateer. “I’m surfing for the exact reason I fell in love with it in the first place, for the love of surfing itself, the ocean and the way it makes me feel.”

The Champions Trophy format provides another reason for the invitation. Since stepping away from full-time competition, Palmateer has embraced a wider variety of surfboard designs, although the single fin remains less familiar territory. “It’s been a long time since I’ve ridden one, and I think it might force me to draw some different lines and approach the wave in a completely different way.” For a goofy-footer taking on the right-hand walls of Sultans, those different lines may prove particularly important.

Travis Logie: 10 Years Later

For Travis Logie, Kuda Huraa comes with a strong sense of déjà vu. The South African spent a decade competing among the world’s best before retiring from full-time competition in 2014 and later moving to the other side of professional surfing as part of the World Surf League’s competition team. He last competed in the Surfing Champions Trophy in 2016, sharing the event with Taj Burrow, Rob Machado, Shane Dorian, Jamie O’Brien, Bethany Hamilton and Maldivian wildcard Hussain “Iboo” Areef.

Exactly 10 years later, he returns with considerably less riding on the result. “When I used to compete on Tour it was to pay rent, so it was really hard to be in the moment and just enjoy it,” says Logie. “This will be a chance for me to take it all in again and appreciate the challenge.”

The equipment may require some reacquainting. Logie has ridden a single fin only once in his life, at this very event a decade ago, and admits his experience on twin fins is similarly limited. “I’m looking forward to the challenge and learning from the rest of the crew,” he says. “The good thing is at Sultans pretty much any type of board will feel good.” And while the atmosphere may be lighter than his Championship Tour years, Logie expects old instincts to return as soon as the heat begins.

Ahmed Hishaam: Home Break, Global Field

While five surfers arrive at Sultans from overseas, Ahmed Hishaam Shaheem enters the field with something no international résumé can replicate: years spent learning the waves of the North Malé Atoll. The Thulusdhoo surfer and surf guide began surfing at 11 and has spent much of his life in these waters, watching both the local surf community and the Maldives’ reputation as a global surfing destination develop around him.

Now, he gets the opportunity to represent it. “It means a lot to me to represent the Maldives in the Champions Trophy,” says Hishaam. “I’ve spent most of my life surfing these waves and showing visiting surfers around, so being able to compete here against some of the biggest names in surfing is a really special opportunity.”

Hishaam follows a line of Maldivian surfers invited into the Champions Trophy, beginning when Hussain “Iboo” Areef became the first local competitor in 2016. Abdulla “Fuku” Areef, Ismail Miglal and Ahmed “Ammaday” Agil have since had the opportunity to test themselves against some of surfing’s leading names on home waves.

Hishaam’s familiarity with local reefs, swell directions and changing conditions gives him an advantage that could become particularly significant as the three divisions unfold. “I definitely think knowing the waves gives me an advantage,” he says. “I’ll use my local knowledge, but at the end of the day, I just want to go out there, enjoy the waves and give them a good fight.”

Six Surfers, Three Boards, One Sultans

Completing the field is Mason Ho, whose instinctive approach to surfing and willingness to experiment with unconventional waves and equipment make him particularly suited to the Champions Trophy format. Together, the six represent very different routes to Sultans: Ho’s improvisational style; Ibelli’s recent Championship Tour pedigree; Durbidge’s competitive experience and coaching eye; Palmateer’s journey across professional competition and big waves; Logie’s return a decade after his first Champions Trophy; and Hishaam’s lifetime of local knowledge. What happens when each of them swaps the familiar for a single fin, a twin fin and then a thruster is precisely the point.

Where Champions Come to Surf

First staged in 2011, the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy brings six invited surfers to Sultans, one of North Malé Atoll’s best-known right-hand reef breaks. Across single-fin, twin-fin and thruster divisions, competitors must adapt their technique, equipment and wave choice to three eras of surfboard design before an overall champion is crowned. Past competitors include Mark Occhilupo, Taj Burrow, Josh Kerr, Kelly Slater, Joel Parkinson, Carissa Moore and Maya Gabeira. The 2025 edition saw Michel Bourez return from injury to win the overall title, recording the event’s only perfect 10 along the way.

Kuda Huraa: The Garden-Island Base

Located 25 minutes by speedboat from Malé and five minutes by boat from Sultans, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa places guests close to the competition throughout Trophy week. Building on more than two decades of collaboration with Tropicsurf, Kuda Huraa offers access to the surf breaks of the North Malé Atoll alongside expert coaching for beginners through experienced surfers. During the Champions Trophy, guests can follow the competition at Sultans, spend time with leading figures from the surf world and balance days on the water with recovery and wellbeing experiences at ŪRJĀ Naturopathy Island.

The 2026 Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy takes place from September 4 to 11, 2026.

To reserve a stay during the Trophy or enquire about the Surf’s Up package, contact reservations.mal@fourseasons.com or call +960 66 00 888.

Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives is celebrating its third annual Manta Month this September, bringing guests, team members and the local community together for a month of manta encounters, education and marine conservation.

The timing could hardly be more relevant. New peer-reviewed research published in PLOS ONE in June 2026 has put a remarkable economic value on protecting the Maldives’ manta rays. The study estimates that manta ray tourism generated US$227.3 million in the Maldives in 2021, equivalent to 2.6% of national GDP, with direct economic benefits to businesses, communities and government estimated at more than US$311 million annually.

Over their lifetimes, the Maldives’ reef manta ray population is estimated to contribute US$8.6 billion in tourism revenue. The researchers calculated the lifetime tourism value of a single reef manta ray at approximately US$2.6 million.

“These numbers put into perspective something we have always believed at Kandooma: a living manta ray is incredibly valuable, not just environmentally, but to communities, tourism and the Maldives as a whole,” said Sharon Garrett, Director of Marketing & Sustainability at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives.

“Kandooma’s Manta Month is about helping people understand what is swimming in the waters around us, why these animals are so special and why protecting them matters.”

The Maldives is home to the world’s largest known population of reef manta rays, and Kandooma’s location in South Malé Atoll places it close to an important manta aggregation area.

The Maldives Manta Conservation Programme identifies the resort’s nearby waters as an important habitat for juvenile reef manta rays. During the Southwest Monsoon, mantas feed in the sheltered Guraidhoo Falhu lagoon, also known as Sand Dunes, which contains a recognised cleaning station at Banana Reef.

Long-term Manta Trust research shows manta activity at Guraidhoo Falhu peaking between July and November, predominantly involving juvenile and sub-adult reef manta rays, placing September right in the heart of the documented peak period.

The seasonal movement of manta rays around the Maldives is closely connected to the monsoons. As ocean currents flow around the Maldives’ atolls, they help bring nutrient-rich water towards the surface, supporting concentrations of phytoplankton and zooplankton. Manta rays follow these productive feeding areas and visit cleaning stations where small reef fish remove parasites and dead skin.

Manta rays are unusually vulnerable because they reproduce very slowly. Long-term Maldives research by Manta Trust founder Dr Guy Stevens found that female reef manta rays reach sexual maturity at approximately 15 years old, while males mature at around 11 years. Their very low reproductive rate is one of the reasons manta populations recover slowly from human pressures.

Individual mantas can be identified by the unique pattern of spots on their undersides, much like a human fingerprint, allowing researchers to recognise and track the same animals over many years.

“Once you start learning about mantas, they become much more than something spectacular you hope to see on a dive,” said Garrett.

“You begin to understand that researchers can recognise individual animals, follow their movements and build up histories of their lives. That connection is exactly what we want to encourage during Manta Month at Kandooma.”

The waters surrounding Kandooma also have a long history of marine protection. Guraidhoo Kandu was designated a Marine Protected Area in 1995, and the Manta Trust identifies the area as an important reef manta aggregation area. Long-term research recorded 181 reef manta sightings associated with the protected Guraidhoo Kandu area between 1987 and 2017.

“Many people don’t realise how much work has already been done to protect manta rays and important marine habitats in the Maldives,” said Garrett. “Guraidhoo Kandu, right on our doorstep, has been protected for more than 30 years. Manta Month allows us to share stories and help our guests understand why conservation works.”

Throughout September, guests at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives are invited to learn more about manta rays through a programme combining education, activities and opportunities to encounter them responsibly in their natural environment.

Guided excursions with the resort’s marine team and Kandooma Dive, its PADI 5 Star Dive Centre, take guests to manta hotspots when conditions and sightings allow, combining the excitement of a potential encounter with information about manta behaviour, habitat and conservation.

The programme also shares the story of a manta (named Kandooma) rescued in August 2023 from ghost fishing nets near the island, illustrating the threats discarded fishing gear can pose to marine life.

Younger guests can get involved through manta-themed activities and crafts, while reef and island clean-ups encourage guests and team members to take practical action for the marine environment.

Manta Month also raises funds for conservation beyond the island. For every manta pendant sold at the resort boutique during Manta Month, US$5 will be donated to the Manta Trust, supporting its research, education and conservation work.

The initiative forms part of Kandooma’s wider sustainability programme and supports its commitment to marine conservation under the framework that contributed to the resort achieving Green Globe Certification.

“If someone leaves Kandooma knowing more about manta rays, appreciating them a little more and understanding why protecting them matters, then Manta Month has achieved what we set out to do,” said Garrett.

Manta Month is celebrated every September at Kandooma, coinciding with one of the key periods for manta activity in neighbouring waters.

Located in South Malé Atoll, approximately 45 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives is a private island resort known for its relaxed atmosphere, natural beauty and strong connection to the ocean. The island offers access to exceptional scuba diving, including nearby Kandooma Thila. Accommodation spans Garden and Beach Villas, two-storey Beach Houses and Overwater Villas, complemented by extensive family activities, island dining and Kandooma Spa by COMO Shambhala.

Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives will transition to Kandooma Maldives from 1 October 2026, operated by HPL Hotels & Resorts, a subsidiary of Hotel Properties Limited. To arrange a stay at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives, visit the resort’s official website.

Royal Island has been named Best Dive Resort at the TTM Awards 2026, recognising an underwater experience shaped by one of the Maldives’ richest marine environments and a dive operation built around discovery, expertise and a genuine respect for the ocean.

Set within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll, Royal Island sits surrounded by coral gardens, channels and thilas alive with reef fish, turtles, rays and sharks. Its location places some of the atoll’s most rewarding dive sites within easy reach, while the island’s own house reef makes the underwater world feel less like an excursion and more like an extension of the resort itself.

At the centre of it all is diveOceanus, Villa Resorts’ specialist diving brand. At Royal Island, the operation is remarkably comprehensive. Complete beginners can take their first breaths underwater through Discover Scuba Diving, while certified divers can progress through PADI courses all the way to Divemaster. Dedicated programmes extend to children, advanced and Nitrox diving, refresher courses and freediving, with private instructors and private dive boats available for those wanting a more individual experience.

The facilities make it easy to build diving into the rhythm of a stay. House reef and training dives run throughout the day alongside scheduled two-tank and afternoon boat dives, with night diving available by arrangement. A full range of equipment is available, including dive computers and underwater cameras, while certified Nitrox divers receive complimentary Nitrox fills. Freedivers are equally well catered for, with dedicated courses, coaching, equipment and open-water sessions.

Beyond diving, Royal Island is exceptionally placed for some of the Maldives’ great marine encounters. Hanifaru Bay is approximately 25 minutes away, where seasonal plankton blooms bring extraordinary gatherings of manta rays and, at times, whale sharks. As the season changes, diveOceanus also operates manta snorkelling journeys into neighbouring Raa Atoll, extending opportunities for encounters across much of the year.

That access comes with responsibility. Marine conservation has long been part of diveOceanus across Villa Resorts, with coral restoration programmes established at Villa Nautica, Villa Park and Royal Island alongside reef monitoring, clean-ups and guest education. At Royal Island, the team maintains coral nurseries in the lagoon and house reef and involves guests directly in coral planting and restoration. It has also led wider reef-cleaning initiatives alongside the Baa Atoll Council and Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve, extending that work beyond the island itself.

What sets Royal Island apart is the completeness of the experience. The house reef, the wider Baa Atoll, the expertise and facilities of diveOceanus, and the conservation work happening quietly alongside it all create something deeper than a collection of good dive sites. The Best Dive Resort title recognises an island where life below the surface has always been central to the experience.