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NIYAMA now offers twice the fun

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Niyama

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)

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Grand Park Kodhipparu transforms into an Easter island wonderland

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This Easter, retreat to award-nominated island luxury resort just 20 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport.

With direct international flights into Malé from Europe and Asia, access to the Maldives is refreshingly straightforward—and at Grand Park Kodhipparu, the transition from runway to lagoon takes just 20 effortless minutes. No domestic flights. No lengthy transfers. Simply step off the plane and into turquoise waters.

Recently honoured with four nominations in the Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2026, the Grand Park Kodhipparu continues to receive international recognition for its rejuvenating Spa treatments, unique dining experiences and immersive lagoon adventures along the vibrant house reef—reinforcing its position as one of the Maldives’ most compelling boutique resorts.

A Playful Island Wonderland

Throughout the Easter period, the island transforms into a playful natural wonderland. Children and parents alike can explore island-wide treasure trails, take part in hands-on creative workshops, and dive beneath the lagoon for underwater egg hunts, before gathering under the stars for family movie nights on the beach. At the heart of the celebrations is the resort’s signature Kodhipparu Island Discovery Quest–a gentle, story-led journey across seven themed stations designed to encourage families to slow down, explore together and reconnect with the island’s natural beauty.

Stay Longer, Reconnect More

To enhance the Easter escape, guests booking directly are invited to take advantage of the resort’s Stay Longer Offer, with villa rates from USD 349 and 30% savings on all villas for stays of four nights or more, complemented by added value across dining, wellbeing and marine experiences throughout the stay.

“Easter at Grand Park Kodhipparu is a beautiful expression of what we call Connected Island Luxury,” said Raffaele Solferino, General Manager of Grand Park Kodhipparu, Maldives.“It’s about creating space for families to truly reconnect—with each other, with nature, and with the rhythm of island life. From exploring our vibrant house reef to slowing down together on the Island Discovery Quest, every experience is designed to feel effortless, meaningful and shared.”

Guests can enjoy daily buffet breakfast at The Edge restaurant, savings across all dining outlets, the spa and selected marine activities, as well as a dedicated Lifestyle Host service ensuring a seamless, personalised stay. Wellbeing and discovery are central to the experience, with sunrise and sunset yoga sessions offering moments of calm and curiosity in equal measure. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available across the island, from private villas to outdoor spaces.

Members of Park Rewards, the group’s complimentary loyalty programme, can enjoy up to an additional 15% off villa rates while earning points to redeem on future stays.

With its spacious villas, vibrant house reef and thoughtfully curated family experiences, Grand Park Kodhipparu offers an Easter holiday that balances play, relaxation and connection—all in one unforgettable island setting.

This spring, swap chocolate for coral reefs, treasure maps for turquoise lagoons, and everyday routines for barefoot moments beneath the Maldivian sun.

Collect moments, not just eggs.

For more information or to book directly, visit www.parkhotelgroup.com/grand-park-kodhipparu-maldives.

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Chef Giorgio Servetto brings Michelin-starred dining to Atmosphere Core’s underwater restaurants

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A rare culinary moment will unfold in the Maldives as double MICHELIN-Starred Chef Giorgio Servetto brings his distinctive approach to creative, environmentally grounded dining beneath the surface of the Indian Ocean, in an exclusive underwater collaboration with Atmosphere Core.

Chef Giorgio Servetto will introduce a Garden-to-Sea Immersion concept rooted in circular cuisine and zero-waste precision. He will take over two of the region’s most celebrated underwater restaurants, for exclusive lunch and dinner experiences: Only BLU at OBLU SELECT Lobigili from 7th to 9th May 2026, followed by M6m (Minus Six Metres) at OZEN LIFE MAADHOO from 12th to 14th May 2026. The culinary extravaganza will also include a signature Crab Dinner Experience at the HUDHU BAY, also at OZEN LIFE MAADHOO.

Presented as a five-course menu at both Only BLU and M6m, each dish will trace Chef Servetto’s culinary journey, translating his philosophy into refined and sophisticated expressions. Developed in partnership with Atmosphere Core culinary team, the menus will prioritise island-grown produce. Hydroponic greens cultivated on Maadhoo Island, fresh vegetables sourced from local farms, and sustainable catch from the Indian Ocean will reinforce a transparent and measurable commitment to environmental accountability.

“Creativity begins with listening—to the land, the sea, and what they give you,” says Chef Giorgio Servetto. “My cuisine is about simplifying. When you respect ingredients fully, every element finds its purpose and flavour becomes clearer. You are a guest in nature’s elegant dining room. It is especially exciting to bring this experience to the Maldives for the first time with Atmosphere Core, where serving food in this underwater realm makes the journey feel even more special.”

Born and professionally shaped in Liguria, Italy, Chef Giorgio Servetto is known for an approach to cooking that is both disciplined and deeply curious. He is a great wine enthusiast and a dynamic presence in the kitchen, driven by an openness to learning, cultural exchange, and continuous research. This passionate pursuit of excellence has earned him rare distinction: he remains the only chef in Liguria to hold both a MICHELIN Red Star and a MICHELIN Green Star, and the only one to be awarded Red Stars at two different restaurants.

Bringing together MICHELIN-level gastronomy and tangible island sustainability leadership, this collaboration extends beyond a single culinary moment. It reflects Atmosphere Core’s broader commitment to embedding conscious dining principles across its portfolio.

Anupam Banerjee, Vice President Food & Beverage, Atmosphere Core, expands, “This kind of culinary experience feels very natural to us. We are focused on bringing conscious dining into everything we do. Our approach to circular cuisine comes from working closely with what’s grown on our islands and what the sea provides responsibly. Collaborating with Chef Servetto has been inspiring. His way of thinking aligns instinctively with ours, and together we’ve designed something enriching, grounded and memorable, a new experience that our guests can genuinely enjoy and take with them.”

The venues themselves complete the immersion. One of the Maldives’ largest under ocean restaurants, Only BLU offers a cobalt-washed dining room framed by drifting marine life, while M6M delivers a sophisticated, limited-seat experience six metres below the surface, where ocean panoramas replace traditional décor. In both settings, dining becomes a sensory experience, focused and deliberately unhurried.

Easily accessible from Velana International Airport, OBLU SELECT Lobigili and OZEN LIFE MAADHOO offer seamless entry points for travellers seeking meaningful travel. Whether for a fleeting escape or an extended stay, the collaboration positions Atmosphere Core at the forefront of a new gastronomic language where creativity, sustainability and sense of place are inseparable.

In an age where luxury dining is being redefined, this underwater takeover makes a compelling statement, the future of fine dining isn’t louder, it’s deeper.

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InterContinental Maldives celebrates Women’s Day through creative expression

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As travellers increasingly seek experiences that go beyond indulgence, blending creativity with personal enrichment, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort presents a distinctive celebration of International Women’s Day, where art becomes a form of empowerment.

On 8 March 2026, the resort unveils Ocean Muse: A Women’s Day Atelier, an intimate, atelier-style jewellery art workshop designed exclusively for women. Led by the resort’s Resident Artist, Anastasia Medvedeva, this immersive experience invites participants to design their own 925 silver jewellery piece, incorporating authentic Maldivian sand, delicate shells, and ocean-toned pigments, a wearable reflection of island beauty and personal expression.

Set within The Collective’s Art Studio, the experience elevates Women’s Day beyond celebration, offering a rare opportunity for creative ownership. Each piece is handcrafted in collaboration with a jewellery couturier, transforming raw island elements into a timeless keepsake shaped by the hands and story of its creator.

Complementing the atelier is a thoughtfully curated selection of wellness rituals at AVI Spa, including a Ladies’ Glow Facial Experience and a woman-only Sound Healing Session, gentle offerings designed to restore radiance and emotional balance.

Together, these experiences reflect a growing global movement toward artful travel, where creativity, mindfulness, and meaningful connection define luxury.

At InterContinental Maldives, International Women’s Day becomes not only a celebration of strength, but an invitation to create, to pause, and to honour one’s own evolving narrative.

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