News
NIYAMA now offers twice the fun
Maldives.net.mv – NIYAMA, the Per AQUUM Resort located in the South Western Atoll of Dhaalu in the Maldives, announces the opening of its second island ‘Play’. With 48 new villas, Play offers fresh, groundbreaking concepts including Nest, the treetop dining experience and BLU, the laid-back beachfront restaurant, plus new facilities for every generation including the most exciting children’s club in the Maldives. Play is connected to NIYAMA’s original island, ‘Chill’, by a bridge with the two just a hop, skip and a jump apart.
Miami meets the Mediterranean at BLU, which offers relaxed family-style beachfront dining from day through to night. The large infinity pool with its dedicated children’s swimming area offers fun for the whole tribe and the poolside ice cream parlour is packed with homemade treats including smoothies, sherbert and crêpes. A ‘Sunshine Thakuru’ takes care of guests’ every whim and poolside cabanas offer a private haven close to all the action.
Opening soon on Play, Nest is a one-of-a-kind dining concept for the Maldives featuring naturally modern design nestled amongst the Banyan trees in the heart of the jungle. With a diverse menu, Nest offers a gourmet wonderland of Asian specialties from Thai to Teppanyaki with fresh, seasonal produce from the Chef’s own island garden. The innovative multi-level treehouse design provides spectacular locations from private pods suspended six metres above the ground to culinary theatrics in domed pavilions burrowed amongst the trees, all linked by wooden walkways adding a sense of adventure to the jungle experience.
Explorers, the new children’s club run by an internationally renowned operator, is located close to the resort’s family friendly accommodation on Play. Designed with adventurous spirits in mind, Explorers offers a wealth of experiences which promise to ignite children’s imagination.
Operated by fully qualified childcare professionals and local team members with an exceptionally high ratio of carers to children, the club caters to children from 12 months to 12 years. NIYAMA is the only resort in the Maldives offering a club for children under three years of age with special facilities for younger children including a sleeping room for daytime siestas. Children will be split into four age groups with activities tailor-made to their abilities and interests. Theme days include Jungle Safari, Pirates & Princesses and Circus Fun as well as activities such as sandcastle building, salt dough making and ‘bubble trouble’. Older children can enjoy their own space with activities such as football skills, beach cricket, tennis, snorkelling safaris and Master Chef Classes as well as expeditions to nearby islands. Highlights include water games, a climbing wall and a trampoline. Budding thespians will have the time of their lives treading the boards at the club’s own amphitheatre.
New accommodation options at NIYAMA include the One-Bedroom Beach Pool Suites which offer the best of indoor/outdoor living, perfect for families, groups of friends or couples seeking more space. The Beach Pool Suites provide total privacy but also the convenience of direct beach access and ocean views from bed as well as a ‘family-sized’ plunge pool. The new Two-Bedroom Family Beach Pavilion boldly faces the lagoon and offers the ultimate in luxury living and a high level of privacy with the added bonus of an in-villa spa. Guests will enjoy all of NIYAMA’s signature touches including a personal Thakuru – butler service ‘Maldivian-style’ – ‘Deli-In’, a refrigerator brimming with gourmet drinks and treats including complimentary popcorn and ice cream, and an in-room entertainment system with LED TV, Bose 5.1 Surround System and a wide range of international and foreign language movies. Children and teenagers will receive a special welcome gift and turndown service.
NIYAMA, which opened in 2012, is a 45 minute seaplane flight from Male and has quickly established a reputation for redefining the Maldives experience. The new facilities on Play complement the venues on Chill, including LIME Spa which promises to bring guests out of their shell with a range of cutting edge treatments. Dining options on Chill include Tribal, the innovative African dining experience, fine dining at Edge, which is only accessible by boat, and Subsix, the underwater playground.
Guests can be part of the celebrations with Per AQUUM’s special introductory offer ‘Chill & Play’ which offers a saving of 30% on the best available rate and a whole range of extras designed to make their stay even better including one of the following extras for each full day:
- Babysitting service for three hours
- 60 minute treatment at LIME Spa for two
- Dinner at BLU on Play or Epicure on Chill
- Lunch at the underwater playground, Subsix
- Heaven for game-lovers with a two hour session on the simulator (golf, basketball and ice hockey)
Awards
Angsana Velavaru achieves 4.8 rating in British Airways Customer Awards
Angsana Velavaru has received the British Airways Holidays Customer Excellence Award 2025, recognising the resort for consistently high levels of guest satisfaction and service.
The award is based on verified customer feedback and reflects guest experiences at the resort. Angsana Velavaru achieved an overall score of 4.8 out of 5, with recognition given for service delivery, attention to detail and guest care throughout the stay.
Located within a lagoon in South Nilandhe Atoll, the resort offers a range of accommodation options, including beachfront villas with direct beach access and its InOcean Villas, situated approximately one kilometre from the main island. These overwater villas provide a more secluded setting with open ocean views.
The resort caters to a variety of travellers, including families, couples and individual guests. Family-oriented programmes and shared activities are available, while other guests can take part in leisure, wellness and exploration experiences. Through its 101 Things To Do programme, guests can engage in activities such as snorkelling, marine excursions, cultural experiences and wellness sessions.
The surrounding reef environment provides opportunities for marine exploration, while the resort’s service approach focuses on delivering personalised guest experiences. This combination of natural setting and service delivery forms a central part of the resort’s offering.
The British Airways Holidays Customer Excellence Award is presented to hotels that achieve high customer ratings, serving as an indicator of guest satisfaction within the travel sector. For Angsana Velavaru, the recognition reflects its continued focus on maintaining service standards and delivering consistent guest experiences.
The resort continues to position its offering around accessibility to nature, varied experiences and a service model aimed at supporting guest comfort and engagement throughout their stay.
Action
Eri Maldives offers accessible reef diving and snorkelling
Eri Maldives is located within the waters of North Malé Atoll and is surrounded by a house reef accessible to both beginner and experienced divers. With four direct reef entry points and shore access, the resort offers opportunities for snorkelling, introductory dives and certified diving.
The house reef supports a range of marine life, including white-tip and black-tip reef sharks, nurse sharks, hawksbill turtles, mobula rays and spotted eagle rays, as well as schools of reef fish. The accessibility of the reef allows guests to explore the area over multiple days, providing opportunities to observe marine behaviour and habitats over time.
Turtle encounters
Hawksbill turtles are among the most frequently observed species on the reef. The resort’s dive team has identified 14 individual turtles, each recognised by shell patterns and physical features. These include turtles known as Rosie, Cara and Anna, which have been documented through repeated sightings.
The resort maintains records of these turtles, allowing returning guests to identify individuals over time. Guests may also contribute to this initiative by naming newly identified turtles that have not previously been recorded.
Manta ray season
From December to April, manta rays are known to visit cleaning stations at Bodu Hithi Thila, located approximately one hour by boat from the resort. During this period, ocean conditions support plankton flows that attract mantas to the area, where they can be observed feeding or visiting cleaning stations.
Night diving experiences
Night snorkelling and diving activities provide a different perspective on reef activity. Species such as reef sharks, trevallies, moray eels and nurse sharks become more active after dark, offering guests the opportunity to observe nocturnal marine behaviour.
At Eri Maldives, marine experiences form a central part of the guest offering, with the house reef providing consistent opportunities for exploration. The resort’s dive programme is designed to support repeated interaction with the marine environment, allowing guests to experience a range of underwater activity throughout their stay.
Accommodation is available in studio and beach villa categories, with full board packages offered for direct bookings, subject to availability.
Action
Sirru Fen Fushi hosts football programme with Marcus Allbäck
Sirru Fen Fushi Private Lagoon Resort has announced another successful edition of the Sirru Icon Series, a week-long programme that brought international sporting energy, youth inspiration, and meaningful community connection to this private lagoon paradise.
Held from 27 March to 3 April, the initiative welcomed former Swedish professional footballer Marcus Allbäck, whose presence made the week truly exceptional for guests, young aspiring players, and the neighbouring island community. Marcus Allbäck is a celebrated former Swedish international striker, having played 74 games for his country, scoring 30 goals. He represented Sweden in three European Championships and two World Cups, and enjoyed a distinguished club career across Europe, including the Bundesliga, Serie A, the English Premier League, the Dutch Eredivisie, and the UEFA Champions League. Following his retirement, Marcus served as assistant coach for the Swedish national team for six years. Today, he continues to inspire the next generation of footballers, working as a player agent and advisor to help aspiring players achieve their dreams. His visit highlighted the power of sport not only as entertainment, but as a bridge for cultural exchange and social impact. This reflected the resort’s ongoing commitment to purposeful, community-centred initiatives.

Throughout the week, Marcus led a line-up of engaging activities, including friendly football matches with guests, dedicated junior football camps that fostered confidence and skill-building among young participants, and a memorable visit to a nearby local island. This local-island match stood out as a meaningful moment of connection, bringing the resort and community together through shared passion and friendly competition.
Guests also enjoyed an intimate Sirru Signature Sunset Cocktail, where they had the rare opportunity to meet Marcus in person, hear stories from his international career, and enjoy a relaxed, uplifting atmosphere against the backdrop of the resort’s iconic sunsets.

Programme Highlights:
- Friendly Football Matches–A fun and energetic opportunity for guests to play alongside an international football figure.
- Junior Football Camps –Inspiring sessions focused on youth development, teamwork, and confidence-building.
- Local Island Football Match – A memorable moment on the local island Milandhoo, celebrating the power of sport to bring resort guests and the local community together.
- Meet & Greet Sunset Cocktail – An exclusive experience offering direct interaction with Marcus and inspiring conversation.
The Sirru Icon Series reflects the resort’s dedication to creating exceptional experiences that go beyond traditional hospitality, pairing luxury with purpose and offering guests opportunities to connect, learn, and create lifelong memories.

This remarkable week marked an inspiring chapter of the Sirru Icon Series, with more unique programmes planned for the future to continue delivering immersive guest experiences at Sirru Fen Fushi Private Lagoon Resort.
For further information and reservations, please visit sirrufenfushi.com or contact reservations@sirrufenfushi.com.
-
Cooking1 week agoThe Standard, Maldives introduces Onda with Mediterranean-inspired menu
-
Action1 week agoSix Senses Kanuhura participates in international COASTS Project on blue carbon ecosystems
-
Cooking1 week agoThe Halcyon Private Isles Maldives announces Easter residency by Chef Dimitry Eremeev
-
Cooking1 week agoAnantara Veli Maldives continues Michelin guest chef series with female lineup
-
Awards1 week agoMandara Spa at Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa receives global wellness award
-
Action1 week agoBaros Maldives introduces ‘Lines of Respect’ fishing programme
-
Awards1 week agoCOLOURS OF OBLU marks triple win in global guest-driven awards
-
Awards1 week agoVilla Park recognised with CHECK24 Top Hotel Award



