Fuvahmulah City has once again cemented its status as a premier global diving hub by securing two major honors at the 2026 Diving Resort and Travel (DRT) Show in Malaysia. The city was awarded both the Tiger Shark Dive Award and the prestigious title of Best Shark Diving Destination at Asia’s largest and most influential diving exposition. This latest achievement marks a significant milestone for the island, which also earned the Best Tiger Shark Diving Destination Award during the 2024 expo.
Participating under the promotional slogan “Discover Fuvahmulah,” the Fuvahmulah City Council successfully showcased the island’s unique geography and rich marine life to an international audience. The recognition followed a rigorous evaluation by an expert panel appointed by the organizers, who considered critical factors such as the abundance of marine species, the stringency of safety measures for diving tourists, and a clear commitment to sustainable environmental practices. Notably, the decision-making process also integrated direct feedback and critiques from international tourists to ensure the award reflected genuine visitor experiences.
Fuvahmulah is world-renowned for its distinctive underwater characteristics, attracting a high volume of divers every month who seek encounters with rare species such as thresher sharks, oceanic manta rays, and its famous resident tiger sharks. The City Council highlighted that this consecutive recognition will significantly bolster the island’s reputation as an international tourism brand. This achievement is expected to further accelerate the development of local “island tourism” and solidify Fuvahmulah’s position as a leading global destination for shark-related diving and conservation.
