LUX* South Ari Atoll was the first resort in the Maldives to be recognised as a ‘Vegan Friendly Hotel’ by Vegan Welcome, and following on from this they have recently introduced a new concept called ‘Keen on Green’ to their dining options, inspired by Veganuary. 

The resort plans to offer more plant-based, vegetarian, vegan, raw and locally sourced options, the resort’s chefs also aim to avoid certain cooking methods including deep-frying and the use of saturated oils. Each dish will be carefully curated to ensure all nutrients is preserved as much as possible by instead using steaming, baking, grilling, and slow cooking methods. 

The in-house chefs are particularly focused on providing such meal options to the younger guests as well, therefore healthy options will be available on the kid’s menu too – alongside some of the more classics. 

Scuba Diving at South Ari Atoll

South Ari Atoll Resort is famous for its marine diversity and especially for its whale sharks roaming around the resort all year round, which is one of the main reasons adventurers from all over the world visit the resort to get a rare encounter with the gentle giants of the Indian Ocean.

The LUX* South Ari Atoll Resort is not just about luxury and design. It’s a spacious resort with a playful, fun and modern soul for travellers looking for a distinctive, eco-friendly experience as well as exclusive dining and diving in the Maldives

The fully equipped PADI 5* dive center offers the full range of diving courses from beginner to professional level. The protected lagoon is the perfect place to start your diving adventure or simply practice your diving skills.

The resort is the ideal base to dive its 50 dive sites, some of them world-famous. One of the most famous dive sites is ‘Kuda Rah Thila’, the first nationally marine protected area in the Maldives with beautiful corals and fish. Most dive sites are within five minutes to one hour from the resort, and the boat journey makes the diving trips even more enjoyable. Divers are set out to the sites in a dhoni, which is a traditional Maldivian spacious boat including a roof and a top deck.

They offer ship wreck morning dives and magical full day trips in search of mantas and anything this unique marine area has to offer. For divers looking for an even more unique experience, the resort offers night dives, both regular night dives as well as fluorescent night dives. The latter one includes a special UV flashlight which gives the corals and marine life somewhat of an otherworldly natural glow, like something from a fantasy movie. Seeing the underwater world come to life and full bloom at the magical hours of the night, is truly a scuba diver’s dream!

Planet Dive Holidays are Maldives travel expert. So unbiased professional advice please call +44 1273 921001.

See our full range of Luxury Scuba Diving resort in The Maldives here