The Maldives keeps adding reasons to pack trainers along with swimwear. Holiday Island Resort's neighbour Kandooma Maldives has just built a dedicated pickleball court — the first sign the paddle sport's global boom has reached the atolls. Play runs daily from 6am to 6pm, paddles and balls are free to borrow from Reception, and every villa gets one complimentary hour per day, bookable through the Recreation or Front Office teams. Because pickleball blends tennis, badminton and table tennis, it's easy to pick up in a session, which makes it a handy family or group activity between swims.
Kandooma isn't the only resort going racquet-mad. The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort has lined up a heavyweight edition of its Astor Club Soirée with LUX Tennis: former World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev (26-27 November 2026), former World No. 2 Paula Badosa (13-14 November) and Croatia's Donna Vekić, an Olympic silver medallist and 2026 Queen's Club champion (29 October-1 November), will each host residencies with private lessons, group clinics, junior programmes and guest events. If you've ever wanted a Grand Slam champion to fix your serve, this is the setting.
On the surf side, Adaaran Select Hudhuran Fushi in North Malé Atoll hosted a landmark all-female retreat organised by coach Elle Sampiere of SurferElle: 40 women, eight days from 11 October, surfing the famous Lohis left-hand reef break alongside yoga, snorkelling, diving and wellness sessions. The event also connected visiting surfers with the emerging community of Maldivian female surfers — a nice signal of where surf travel is heading.
Why does this matter if you're planning a trip? The Maldives is quietly diversifying beyond sunbeds and spas into active holidays. Lohis is one of the region's best-managed breaks, with surf passes capped at 45 surfers a day, and it's only a short speedboat from Velana International Airport — rare for a wave of that quality. Add accessible racquet sports at resorts like Kandooma and celebrity coaching at the top end, and there's now genuine variety for travellers who want more than a hammock.
