A trip to the Maldives usually comes with plenty of time in the water, but this September guests at Nova Maldives can do a little more than simply admire what’s beneath the surface.
The resort is teaming up with PADI once again for Project AWARE Week, running from 16 to 20 September 2026, with a programme that combines diving, marine wildlife encounters and hands-on conservation.
Whether you’re an experienced diver or someone who has never snorkelled before, there are plenty of ways to get involved.
One of the biggest is Dive Against Debris, where guests head underwater to help remove plastic and other waste from Nova’s lagoon. What they collect isn’t simply thrown away either, with information logged into PADI AWARE’s global database to help track the scale and location of marine debris.
There’s also the chance to join guided whale shark snorkelling trips in the South Ari Atoll, giving guests the opportunity to swim alongside the animals in open water.
Manta ray and turtle excursions will head out to local feeding and nesting areas, while coral restoration workshops offer a closer look at how damaged reefs can be supported and regenerated.
And that work doesn’t stop when AWARE Week finishes.
Nova has its own active coral nursery, where coral fragments are attached to specially created frames before eventually being transplanted onto the resort’s house reefs. Guests can take part in the planting process, while Nova’s marine team continues to monitor the coral as it develops.
The resort also works with the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme and Manta Trust, and is recognised as a Responsible Manta Tourism Operator.
This year’s event arrives during a couple of milestones too. PADI is celebrating its 60th anniversary, while Nova Maldives is marking four years in the South Ari Atoll.
Project AWARE Week itself is now in its eighth year globally and encourages divers and ocean lovers to take part in conservation rather than simply observe marine life from a distance.
For General Manager Abdulla Aboobakuru, returning to the programme each year is an important part of the point.
“Some of the most meaningful work happens when you show up year after year,” he explains, adding that many returning guests are drawn not only by the island itself, but by the opportunity to engage more thoughtfully with the ocean around it.
And that’s perhaps what makes this particular week interesting.
You can still swim with whale sharks, spot manta rays and spend plenty of time enjoying the Indian Ocean. But you can also spend part of that holiday helping to protect the place you’ve travelled all that way to see.
Project AWARE Week runs at Nova Maldives from 16–20 September 2026, with Full Board Plus villas available from £339 per night during the programme. Bookable at nova-maldives.com.
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