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Emperor Serenity Maldives Trip Report, 13 – 20 August

Mantas galore with Emperor Serenity and guests in the Maldives… “For some of our guests it was their first personal experience with these giants of the ocean and one they would always remember.”
LANKAN MANTA POINT
Not the best of visibility but we didn’t care as that’s what mantas love! But at Lankan Point these magnificent creatures are not coming in for feeding, they are coming in to be cleaned and to socialize with other mantas coming in for the same reason. We enjoyed just a small current today and the marine life was quite exceptional, especially in this particular area where we don’t necessarily dive for the corals and fish; there were masses of fusiliers being hunted by snapping jacks and dogtooth tunas. Large numbers of snappers of every size and design added a great splash of colour. We stayed clear of the titan triggerfish (who was enormous) but got up close and personal with the hawksbill turtles we found digging for food on the top of the reef. Best of all was what we came for; we had a solo female manta arrive to the cleaning station and we enjoyed watching her as she gently flinched at the cleaning wrasses’ nibbles and pecks – successful in their mission to clean the parasites off her large, graceful body.
EMBUDHOO EXPRESS
Embudhoo Express lived up to its name today and we were ‘slightly’ challenged by a fast running current. This decent current brought out the bigger boys who swam against it with such ease we felt clumsy and cumbersome in our gear. We enjoyed the show put on by the numerous grey reef sharks who were soon joined by white tip reef sharks of all sizes, juveniles learning to handle the currents (and nosey divers) and older more experienced adults. When we could tear our eyes off the main predators of the site we spotted many morays – giant, leopard and one splendidly decorated honeycomb moray. A good challenging dive but it was smiles all round after.
KUDA GIRI WRECK
We all love this little wreck when we have it to ourselves! With almost perfect visibility and no current to speak of we spent time casually exploring the structure and its environs. Numerous types of shrimps went about their daily business…doing what shrimps do! On the wreck itself we found several types of moray including one free-swimming, which we don’t see too often on a day time dive. For those with alert eyes, several beautifully camouflaged scorpionfish were spotted, sitting quietly waiting for some unsuspecting prey to pass their way. Best of all had to be the large school of chevron barracudas which hung in the water at the bow of the wreck keeping a beady eye on possible lunch options.
ALIMATHA SUNSET
No matter how many times we dive at Alimatha it can still surprise us with the number of sharks who turn up to entertain us and feed and socialise. Timing it so we jumped as the sun was just slipping below the horizon, we entered the water and could immediately see large numbers of nurse sharks already there, some swimming up and down the channel, some keeping to the shallow sandy area and some doing both. These sharks are adorable. The ones who visit Alimatha are very large in size and great in number. Their eyesight is pretty poor so they are often known to unwittingly bump into and gently nudge guests as they make their way past. For some divers it can be a bit of a fright, but a wonderful experience. The nurse sharks were joined this evening by a few hunting blacktips.
KUDARAH THILA
This is such a lovely dive site at all times and with today’s gorgeous conditions it was nearly at its perfect best. We dived into this marine paradise and were engulfed by fish who created an artist’s palette of colours around us. A true Kodak moment, which lasted for the entire dive! Apart from the sharks, who were close to the thila but still in the blue, we saw an unexpected nurse shark and several very large dogtooth tunas. All around the thila there were clouds of midnight and blue-lined snappers, jacks and trevallies and clouds of the odd-looking surgeon fish. Everyone loved the pristine anemone garden in the shallows, where we spotted some lovely shrimps and even some brightly decorated nudibranchs.
MAHIBADOO
MANTAS! MANTAS! MANTAS! We were mesmerized by the mantas who arrived this morning and displayed their athletic abilities with grace, ease and absolute elegance. For some of our guests it was their first personal experience with these giants of the ocean, and one they would always remember. We were rooted to the spot watching as the mantas barrel rolled and swooped around us, almost oblivious to our excitement and bubbles. When we did finally look away we also saw some lovely nudibranchs, a few sharks and many lovely corals but the talk around the breakfast tables later was definitely the mantas!
BATHALA MAGAA
Another favourite site amongst the guides, Bathala usually manages to astound even the most seasoned of divers. The shoals of red tooth triggers who sweep along the ridge create a reef of electric blue and their frenetic energy seems to energise the fusiliers into swimming faster than normal and the snappers to arrive in huge numbers. Behind these smaller fish come the predators – the jacks, the trevallies and the tunas who arrive with only one agenda, to hunt and to eat! Today’s dive was electric with so many fish around us, so for much of the dive we just hung in the tiny current on the top of the reef and watched the fishy world go by. Then back to the incredible space and comfort of Emperor Serenity. Does life get much better than this?
For Red Sea Holidays with Emperor Divers, visit www.emperordivers.com.
For Maldives Holidays with Emperor Divers, visit www.emperormaldives.com.
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Insurance for all with Westfield Sub Aqua and Marine Insurance Services

With over 40 years of experience, Westfield Sub Aqua and Marine Insurance Services provides specialist travel insurance. Whether you’re heading on a scuba diving trip, cruise, or a ski-holiday, we offer tailored cover to keep you protected. in addition many other activities can be included for your peace of mind.
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Specialist cover available for:
- Scuba Diving Holidays
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Top Tip Checklist
- The cover period must be the full duration of your trip. (i.e the date you leave your home to the date you return back to your home)
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Marine Life & Conservation
Building a Bluer Future for Indonesia’s Marine Tourism Industry

Green Fins National Workshop Charts Roadmap for Sustainable Marine Tourism Initiatives
Green Fins, the global environmental standards for diving and snorkelling, is set to contribute to Indonesia’s blue economy. A national workshop, focused on “Enabling a sustainable diving and snorkelling industry in Indonesia through the implementation of Green Fins initiative,” has ignited a collaborative effort to safeguard the nation’s marine ecosystems through marine tourism.
The Reef-World Foundation, the UNEP Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) and the Coral Triangle Center (CTC) held the Green Fins National Workshop in Aryaduta Menteng, Jakarta, Indonesia, on 18 – 19 February 2025. This pivotal event, supported by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) through the Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility (BNCFF), brought together key stakeholders from the Indonesian government, marine tourism industry, conservation organisations and the global Green Fins network to develop a roadmap for strengthening the Green Fins initiative in Indonesia and to explore sustainable financing mechanisms for its long-term implementation.
Participants from five Indonesian ministries, including the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, collaborated with local MPA management bodies, dive operators and international experts to chart a course for a more environmentally responsible marine tourism sector. This diverse group engaged in focused discussions and strategic planning, addressed key aspects of Green Fins implementation and explored opportunities for its integration into national marine conservation efforts.
“We’re not just discussing sustainability”, said JJ Harvey, Operations Director at The Reef-World Foundation. “We’re creating a tangible roadmap for action. The energy and collaboration at this workshop have been truly inspiring, laying the groundwork for real, measurable change in Indonesia’s dive industry and unlocking the full potential of its marine tourism while ensuring the future health of its reefs.”
“The Coral Triangle, as the global epicenter of marine biodiversity, relies on Indonesia’s leadership to combat threats through strong coral reef conservation and sustainable tourism practices,” said Rili Djohani, CTC Executive Director. “Expanding Green Fins and scaling up training efforts are crucial steps toward ensuring equitable benefit-sharing and long-term conservation impact of our unique marine resources.”
“Sustainable Blue Economy is at the forefront of COBSEA’s work on marine and coastal ecosystems,” stated Mahesh Pradhan, UNEP COBSEA Coordinator. “Ensuring sustainable practices in marine ecotourism in Indonesia and the East Asian Seas region will further consolidate concrete conservation efforts while also benefiting local communities. COBSEA is proud to support the Green Fins initiative, which was initiated in Thailand over 20 years ago and has now blossomed into a significant global movement.”
Key discussions and explorations during the workshop included:
- Alignment of Green Fins with national policies and international commitments, including the Indonesia 2030/45 MPA Vision, the national biodiversity action plan (NBSAP) and international commitments such as the Global Biodiversity Framework.
- Exploration of a comprehensive roadmap for Green Fins implementation in Indonesia, outlining potential steps, timeline and financial strategies.
- Discussions on diverse financing mechanisms, including public-private partnerships, blended finance models, and integration with existing programmes, to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of Green Fins.
- Emphasis on enhanced collaboration between government agencies, the private sector and conservation organisations.
- A strong focus on inclusivity, including gender-inclusive approaches and support for small-scale businesses.
The workshop highlighted Indonesia’s position as a global leader in MPA-based diving, with 70% of dives occurring within MPAs. Discussions emphasised the need to address challenges such as revenue leakage and high implementation costs while leveraging opportunities to integrate Green Fins into existing government initiatives, such as the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries’ Blue Economy strategy and the Ministry of Tourism’s sustainable tourism programmes. Participants also engaged in a learning exchange, sharing best practices from countries like the Philippines, Malaysia, Japan and Thailand, focusing on developing sustainable funding models and enhancing assessor capacity.
The outcomes of this workshop will both strengthen Green Fins Indonesia and contribute to the broader global impact, driving sustainable marine tourism worldwide.
Discover how your organisation can contribute to the global expansion of Green Fins by contacting info@greenfins.net.
About Reef-World
The Reef-World Foundation is a registered UK charity which delivers practical solutions for marine conservation around the world. The charity promotes the wise use of natural resources – particularly coral reefs and related ecosystems – for the benefit of local communities, visitors and future generations. It is dedicated to supporting, inspiring and empowering governments, businesses, communities and individuals around the world to act in conserving and sustainably developing coastal resources.
Reef-World leads the global implementation of the UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative, which focuses on driving environmentally friendly scuba diving and snorkelling practices across the industry globally. As such, the charity provides low-cost and practical solutions to local and industry-wide environmental challenges associated with the marine tourism industry. It provides education and capacity-building assistance to empower environmental champions (within the diving industry, local communities, authorities and governments) to implement proven coastal resource management approaches.
Please visit www.reef-world.org to learn more or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X.
About Green Fins
Green Fins is a proven conservation management approach – spearheaded by The Reef-World Foundation in partnership with the UN Environment Programme – which leads to a measurable reduction in the negative environmental impacts associated with the marine tourism industry. The initiative aims to protect and conserve coral reefs through environmentally friendly guidelines that promote a sustainable diving and snorkelling tourism industry. It provides the only internationally recognised environmental standards for the diving and snorkelling industry and has a robust assessment system to measure compliance.
Green Fins encourages and empowers members of the diving industry to act to reduce the pressures on coral reefs by offering dive and snorkel companies practical, low-cost alternatives to harmful practices – such as anchoring, fish feeding and chemical pollution – as well as providing strategic training, support and resources. By reducing the local direct and indirect pressures tourism puts on coral reefs, it helps make corals healthier and more resilient to other stresses, such as the effects of climate change. Look for the Green Fins logo when booking your next dive trip.
Please visit www.greenfins.net to learn more or follow the initiative on Facebook, Instagram and X.
About Coral Triangle Center
Coral Triangle Center (CTC) is a foundation based in Indonesia with regional scope and global impact. Established in 2010, CTC works closely with local communities, private sector, governments, and partners to strengthen marine resource management in the Coral Triangle to protect coral reef ecosystems, ensure sustainable livelihoods and food security.
CTC supports on-the-ground conservation in Bali, Maluku, as well as in Timor-Leste, and leads learning networks of women leaders and marine protected area practitioners in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste. CTC is developing its Center for Marine Conservation in Bali as an integrated learning space for training programs, outreach activities, interactive exhibits, and artistic and cultural performances to influence millions of people to care for our oceans and those who depend on it.
Since its establishment in 2010 until 2024, CTC has protected more than 435,000 hectares of critical marine habitat. We have trained more than 8,000 people to support marine protected areas and sustainable fisheries management throughout the Coral Triangle region. More than 26,000 people have visited our Center for Marine Conservation, many of whom have been inspired to take direct action to protect our oceans. In the last three years, we reach an average of 200,000 people annually to care for our seas via our social media channels.
About UNEP COBSEA
The Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) is a regional intergovernmental mechanism and one of 18 Regional Seas Programmes. It is the decision-making body for the East Asian Seas Action Plan, bridging together nine countries – Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and Viet Nam – in the protection and sustainable development of the marine and coastal environment for the health and well-being of present and future generations. The COBSEA Secretariat is hosted by Thailand in Bangkok and is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
COBSEA works on 1) marine pollution prevention, reduction and control, 2) marine and coastal biodiversity, ecosystem conservation and management, and 3) climate action.
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