As part of our commitment to raising awareness of marine life conservation, Coco Collection Maldives is delighted to announce our collaboration with Patrick Dykstra, renowned wildlife photographer and videographer. He recently finished filming for the BBC's nature documentary Blue Planet 2, including capturing footage of manta rays in the Maldives.

Patrick is not only devoted to documenting unique landscapes and rare wildlife, but also to the conservation of these creatures and their fragile habitats.

This May, Patrick lead a week-long residency at both Coco Bodu Hithi and Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu, with each session broken into three masterclasses that provide guests with insight into the processes and techniques that go into capturing images and video of marine wildlife, a fun hands-on look at professional filming equipment, plus a unique guided dive to apply those tips to underwater filming. 

“There is incredible marine life in the ocean that surrounds Coco Bodu Hithi and Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu and my residency with Coco Collection will help immerse guests in the surrounding Indian Ocean, exploring the reefs with a different lens,” said Patrick Dykstra.

“I'm working with Coco Collection to create an incredible experience for avid underwater photographers and divers that will give guests an unparalleled insight into stunning reefs, crystal blue waters and marine life in the Maldives. There is nothing more awe-inspiring than seeing ocean inhabitants in their natural habitat but being able to capture stunning video and images comes a close second, and I want guests to walk away from the sessions with new knowledge, fun memories and stunning content.”

We are excited to be working with an individual such as Patrick, and hope that his residency helps to the highlight the delicate beauty of our marine ecosystem, and the importance of preserving and conserving it.