DiveOceanus takes over dive centre at Royal Island Resort & Spa

[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” bg_type=”” parallax_style=”” bg_image_new=”” layer_image=”” bg_image_repeat=”” bg_image_size=”” bg_cstm_size=”” bg_img_attach=”” parallax_sense=”” bg_image_posiiton=”” animation_direction=”” animation_repeat=”” video_url=”” video_url_2=”” u_video_url=”” video_opts=”” video_poster=”” u_start_time=”” u_stop_time=”” viewport_vdo=”” enable_controls=”” bg_override=”” disable_on_mobile_img_parallax=”” parallax_content=”” parallax_content_sense=”” fadeout_row=”” fadeout_start_effect=”” enable_overlay=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_pattern=”” overlay_pattern_opacity=”” overlay_pattern_size=”” overlay_pattern_attachment=”” multi_color_overlay=”” multi_color_overlay_opacity=”” seperator_enable=”” seperator_type=”” seperator_position=”” seperator_shape_size=”” seperator_svg_height=”” seperator_shape_background=”” seperator_shape_border=”” seperator_shape_border_color=”” seperator_shape_border_width=”” icon_type=”” icon=”” icon_size=”” icon_color=”” icon_style=”” icon_color_bg=”” icon_border_style=”” icon_color_border=”” icon_border_size=”” icon_border_radius=”” icon_border_spacing=”” icon_img=”” img_width=”” ult_hide_row=”” ult_hide_row_large_screen=”” ult_hide_row_desktop=”” ult_hide_row_tablet=”” ult_hide_row_tablet_small=”” ult_hide_row_mobile=”” ult_hide_row_mobile_large=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]DiveOceanus, the subdivision of the Villa Group responsible for the company’s SCUBA diving operations, has added the dive centre at Royal Island Resort & Spa to its portfolio of dive centres. Having taken over the centre on July 10^th, diveOceanus now counts five dive centres under its management.

Located in Baa Atoll, the Royal Island dive centre is at the heart of the country’s only UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Having declared the entire atoll a protected area on September 28^th 2011, UNESCO singled out the region for its rich marine life. The famous Hanifaru Bay, where hundreds of manta rays congregate to feed from May to November, is just a 20-minute boat ride from the resort. Being in such close proximity to some of the country’s best dive sites, the centre offers a two-tank dive trip every day in the morning and a single tank dive trip in the afternoon. The resort’s house reef is also renowned for its rich coral and fish life, and is accessible from the dive centre jetty.

Before the change in management, the centre was run by a third-party company. Of the five resorts in the Villa portfolio, Royal Island was the only not to have its dive centre under the management of diveOceanus. The centre now joins its counterparts in Paradise Island Resort & Spa, Fun Island Resort, Holiday Island Resort and Sun Island Resort & Spa. Together, the five dive centres span four atolls and are gateways to some of the country’s most exciting dive sites.

Director of diveOceanus, Hussain ‘Sendi’ Rasheed expressed his delight at the acquisition and emphasised that each diveOceanus centre offered guests a unique SCUBA diving experience, saying: “The location of every diveOceanus dive centre is incredible. For example, diveOceanus at Sun Island offers guests a high probability of encountering a whale shark, at diveOceanus at Fun Island we have a lot of great shark points. Now that we have acquired the centre at Royal Island, guests can enjoy the marvels of theUNESCO Biosphere Reserve. What’s more, the takeover shows that diveOceanus is now one of the strongest dive operators in the country, with a business model based on eco-conscious, exciting and service-oriented diving.”

The company have also launched a new website to celebrate the acquisition, which showcases some of the diving highlights across the country.

Royal Island Resort & Spa is a five-star resort, located in the centre of Baa atoll, 118km northwest of the international airport. The resort is home to 150 villas, and is accessible via a 35-minute seaplane ride, or a 20 minute domestic flight, with a connecting speedboat transfer.

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