Travel is coming back and right now, hotels and resorts are in full swing to bring back travellers. From great promos to new launches, we’re inundated with exciting updates from all over the world.
One update that caught our eye, this International Women’s Day is The Standard, Huruvalhi Maldives announcing a week-long residency with Saudi Arabian Master Scuba Diver Trainer, Nouf Alosaimi. She joins The Standard, Huruvalhi Maldives to demonstrate how diving changed her life and how it can change others too.
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Born and raised in Taif, Saudi Arabia, Nouf Alosaimi completed her PADI Divemaster course in Jeddah before moving to Sharm El Sheikh Egypt, where she spent three years as an underwater photographer and diving guide. She became an instructor in 2013 and has been training other scuba diving enthusiasts since.
Hi Nouf Alosaimi, what drove you to choose this as your career?
My first dip in the Red Sea, and being lucky enough to have studied tourism management inspired me to pursue this as a career. Every time I dive in a new location, I fall in love all over again with the sea. Every dive site and the ocean is unique and has a charm that traps you. My degree just matched my ambition of becoming a dive pro, and I even decided to do my thesis on marine and diving tourism. It felt like the stars were aligned.
What has been your most memorable diving experience?
It has to be the deepest dive I have done, which is 105 m. It was an unforgettable dive as the deeper I was going, the more I disconnected from the world, and the deeper I connected with my soul. It was a magical dive where I felt that we were such tiny creatures on this planet.
Give us your top 5 dive spots around the world?
I have not gone diving a lot around the world because I live by the Red Sea, which is one of the most beautiful seas in the world, but some of the best spots where I had the opportunity to dive are:
- The Red Sea
- Maui, Hawaii
And now, I am about to dive and explore the Maldives. I really look forward to exploring more dive sites around the world.
What can visitors expect from your diving residency at The Standard, Huruvalhi Maldives?
It will be a lot of fun. I specifically chose to work with The Standard, Huruvalhi Maldives for their interest in women empowerment, along with their beautiful surroundings of course. It will be a total of six amazing days with a variety of activities that go from talks about women & diving, to a coral restoration initiative where we will begin the slow but
necessary process of rebuilding the coral reefs in the area.
I will also have the pleasure of discovering the local reefs with a lucky group of divers. Together with the resort, we hope to spread a clear message about two important issues.
Firstly, to give women a voice on their very special day and lastly, transmit the importance of the ocean and how its deterioration can impact our everyday lives. In the end, these issues are important on a global level as they affect everyone equally, regardless of origin, race, or religion.
What advice would you give someone looking to have a similar career to yours?
Scuba diving is not just a sport, it is good for your wellbeing, mental health, and soul. Make sure that when you take your diving courses, you pause to soak it all in and accept every emotion that comes your way, especially if it is your first time. It’s okay to be worried and nervous, it’s okay to take your time, just enjoy every single moment.
