Machchafushi Island Resort & Spa Maldives and Nikon Explore the Maldives’ Underwater World Through the Lens

Machchafushi Island Resort & Spa Maldives, The Centara Collection, brought the underwater world of the South Ari Atoll into focus through an exclusive photography and media experience held in partnership with Youth Global Program, Nikon Middle East and Nikon India from 14 to 17 October 2026. Supported by Lexar Middle East and Hollyland Middle East, the inaugural experience brought together Nikon underwater photographers and international media to explore and document the resort’s marine environment.

Set within the South Ari Marine Protected Area (SAMPA), the resort provided a setting for participants to discover the marine life, coral gardens and distinctive underwater landscapes surrounding the island. Known for its award-winning house reef, which spans more than five times the area of the island itself, Machchafushi offered an opportunity to explore a part of the Maldives that extends far beyond its beaches and overwater villas.

Exploring the Underwater World of Machchafushi

The programme centred on capturing the diversity of the resort’s underwater environment through photography and visual storytelling. From vibrant coral formations to diverse marine life, participants explored the reef and surrounding waters, documenting the natural features that make the South Ari Atoll a distinctive destination for underwater exploration.

One of the highlights was the renowned Kudhi Maa shipwreck, which rests between approximately 12 and 30 metres below the surface. Now established as an artificial reef, the wreck adds another dimension to Machchafushi’s underwater landscape, offering photographers a different perspective on the marine environment.

Together, the house reef, coral gardens, marine life and shipwreck provided a range of subjects for the participating photographers and media to explore. The experience also created an opportunity to share these underwater landscapes with audiences beyond the Maldives, bringing attention to the biodiversity and character of the surrounding waters.

Bringing Photography and Marine Discovery Together

The collaboration brought Nikon’s photography expertise together with Machchafushi’s marine environment, creating a platform for photographers and media professionals to document the underwater world through their own perspectives. With the support of Lexar Middle East and Hollyland Middle East, the programme highlighted the role of photography and visual storytelling in introducing audiences to places and experiences they may not otherwise encounter.

Beyond the underwater excursions, participants were also introduced to the wider Machchafushi experience, including the island’s natural surroundings, dining and wellness offerings. This broader programme connected the marine environment with the resort’s wider setting in the South Ari Atoll, presenting a more complete picture of the destination.

For Francesco Pompilio, Cluster General Manager of Machchafushi Island Resort & Spa, The Centara Collection, and Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives, the collaboration was an opportunity to share the resort’s underwater environment while encouraging meaningful storytelling.

“Machchafushi has been recognised year after year for the exceptional quality of its house reef, and this partnership with Nikon gives us an extraordinary opportunity to share its wonders with the world. Through the Nikon lens, we hope to reveal the remarkable underwater world that defines the Machchafushi Universe, inspiring people to look beyond the surface and discover the beauty, biodiversity and stories that lie beneath it.

Equally important is the person behind the camera. By bringing talented editors, photographers and journalists together for this inaugural experience, we want to inspire them to see differently, capture meaningfully and tell stories that move others. We hope the images, reels, experiences and perspectives that emerge from this collaboration will spark a deeper appreciation for our underwater world and inspire more people to experience the Machchafushi Universe for themselves.” says Francesco Pompilio, Cluster General Manager, Machchafushi Island Resort & Spa, The Centara Collection and Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives.

Sharing a Different Perspective of the Maldives

The inaugural experience placed the underwater environment at the centre of the Machchafushi story, bringing together marine exploration, photography and media storytelling. Through the work of the participating photographers and journalists, the collaboration aimed to introduce international audiences to the coral formations, marine life and underwater landscapes that define the resort’s surroundings.

At Machchafushi Island Resort & Spa Maldives, the house reef remains a defining feature of the island experience. The partnership with Nikon offered another way to showcase this natural setting, encouraging a closer look at the underwater world and the stories it holds beneath the surface.

The photography programme was led by Khawla AlShehhi and Ola Khalaf, bringing together expertise in diving, underwater photography and marine conservation. Khawla AlShehhi, an Emirati scuba diving instructor, freediver and underwater photographer, is also the founder of DIVOHOLIC.ae and the Ocean Hero Kids Program. Joining her was Ola Khalaf, a PADI diving and underwater photography instructor, HIPA judge and training coordinator, whose photography has been published in National Geographic. With more than 15 years of experience, both brought valuable knowledge and guidance to the participants throughout the experience.