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
The Nautilus Maldives named to Condé Nast Traveler Gold List 2026
The Nautilus Maldives has once again earned a place in Condé Nast Traveler’s The Gold List for 2026, standing as the only destination from the Maldives to receive this prestigious recognition. Curated by the publication’s global editors, The Gold List honours destinations that set new benchmarks in luxury and celebrates places that leave a lasting imprint on discerning travellers.
This latest distinction reflects Condé Nast Traveler’s continued recognition of The Nautilus’s singular character and its commitment to crafting unscripted, deeply meaningful journeys. The private island’s captivatingly free-spirited ethos, where moments unfold without hurry and guests embrace a world unbound by schedules, has long drawn admiration from international tastemakers and influential editors. The philosophy of Freedom Unscripted continues to define the island today, evolving through thoughtful craftsmanship and an intuitively personalised approach to luxury.
Since its debut, The Nautilus has emerged as a powerful voice within the ultra-luxury landscape. Its rise was first marked by its success in Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, followed by further acclaim through honours such as Tatler’s Best Private Island Retreat and its earlier inclusion in The Gold List. With only twenty-six beach and ocean houses, the private island has since become an unexpected yet compelling benchmark for privacy, individuality and the art of unscripted luxury.
Today’s inclusion in The Gold List 2026 reflects not only sustained excellence but also the private island’s ongoing evolution. From pioneering marine conservation programmes and curating world-class Masters for Masters residencies to elevating its culinary, wellness and personalisation frameworks, The Nautilus continues to shape a new narrative of experiential luxury in the Maldives.
General Manager Adan Gomez shared, “We are honoured to be named once more in The Gold List. Very few resorts have the privilege of receiving this recognition twice in such a short time. It speaks to the passion of our island family and the trust of the guests who choose The Nautilus as their home in the Maldives. The Gold List recognises destinations that are truly exceptional. To be acknowledged again reinforces The Nautilus’s place among the world’s most inspiring luxury resorts. It is a moment of great pride, and a meaningful affirmation of our philosophy rooted in freedom, individuality and authenticity.”
As The Nautilus looks ahead, this accolade strengthens its resolve to remain a place where time slows, creativity thrives and every journey is curated entirely around the guest. A world shaped by them, and for them.
News
Serenity Spa at Baros Maldives introduces new rituals, multi-day wellness journeys
Baros Maldives unveils a renewed Serenity Spa menu this season, marking a thoughtful evolution of the island’s wellness offering. Designed for travellers seeking restoration with tangible results, the new menu positions Baros as a refined glowcation destination — where meaningful relaxation meets visible, lasting wellbeing.
Set within the lush heart of the island, Serenity Spa is reached by a winding sandy path, accompanied by birdsong, palms and the soft scent of tropical blooms. Here, wellness moves beyond passive pampering. Baros blends time-honoured Asian healing traditions with modern techniques, advanced skincare and potent natural actives, creating experiences that restore balance, enhance radiance and invite deeper rest.
Central to the new menu is a curated collection of island-inspired signature rituals. Baros Forest Therapy draws on the calming power of nature, combining grounding essential oils, guided inhalation, flowing massage, a mineral-rich mud mask and a soothing scalp massage to ease stress and reconnect body and mind. The Serenity Green Signature and Walk in the Garden rituals further reflect Baros’ forested landscape, using botanical actives, aromatherapy and intuitive bodywork for deeply sensory renewal.
Serenity Spa’s enhanced product portfolio brings together globally respected wellness brands. Natura Bissé introduces science-led facial and body therapies, while Aromatherapy Associates offers mood-enhancing massages designed to support sleep, relaxation and emotional wellbeing. Obsidian for Men delivers focused, mineral-rich treatments and Margaret Dabbs elevates hand and foot care into restorative rituals.
“Each product has been carefully selected for its efficacy and its ability to work in harmony with our nature-led environment,” says Tri Wardani, Cluster Director of Spa at Baros Maldives. “This allows us to offer treatments that are both sensorial and results-driven, without losing the calm, understated essence of Baros.”
Complementing the menu are two wellness journeys, offered over three, five and seven days. Each combines personalised therapies, advanced facials, daily movement practices and time in nature, designed to be experienced at a personal pace.
“This new chapter at Serenity Spa is a natural evolution of what Baros has always stood for,” shares Ibrahim Shijah, the General Manager of Baros Maldives. “It is about deepening the guest experience, with wellness that feels natural, intelligent and entirely in tune with our island.”
Please contact reservations@baros.com or +960 664 2672 for booking enquiries.
Love
Month of romance: Dusit Thani Maldives sets out Valentine’s dining, private experiences
This February, Dusit Thani Maldives invites couples to celebrate love through a thoughtfully curated Month of Romance, where intimate island settings, refined dining, and heartfelt moments come together in one of the Maldives’ most captivating natural environments.
Set on Mudhdhoo Island in Baa Atoll, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, Dusit Thani Maldives transforms the spirit of Valentine’s Day into a month-long celebration, offering couples the opportunity to reconnect through meaningful experiences designed to be savoured at an unhurried pace.
Throughout February, guests are invited to enjoy bespoke romantic experiences across the island, from secluded beachfront moments to sunset settings overlooking the Indian Ocean. Each experience is carefully designed to celebrate togetherness, guided by the resort’s signature blend of Thai hospitality and Maldivian island warmth.
Whether shared beneath starlit skies or surrounded by tranquil lagoon views, the Month of Love Escape offers couples the space to pause, connect, and create lasting memories.
At the heart of the celebration is a collection of Valentine’s dining experiences, crafted to elevate the art of romantic dining through refined flavours and immersive settings.
Overlooking the ocean at sunset, Sea Grill presents A Truffle Romance, a five-course set menu inspired by the rich aromas and textures of truffle, available from 7 to 21 February. Thoughtfully curated to complement the restaurant’s panoramic views, the experience offers a sophisticated celebration of flavour in a relaxed yet refined setting, with optional wine pairing available.
Set against the raw beauty of a secluded sandbank, this intimate dining experience invites couples to enjoy an unforgettable evening surrounded by the stillness of the ocean. Featuring a discreet sunken table setup on powder-soft sands, the experience unfolds with a thoughtfully curated multi-course menu highlighting premium lobster and caviar, complemented by elegant wine selections and champagne. With attentive private chef service and the open sky above, the evening is designed to be unhurried, personal, and deeply atmospheric, allowing couples to savour both the flavours and the moment.
For a timeless expression of romance, couples may enjoy a four-course set menu served directly on the beach. Surrounded by soft candlelight and the gentle rhythm of the waves, this intimate dining experience is designed to capture the essence of a classic Valentine’s evening in the Maldives.
Beyond the dining experiences, the natural beauty of Dusit Thani Maldives provides the perfect backdrop for romance. Lush tropical gardens, expansive beaches, and tranquil lagoon vistas set the stage for moments that unfold effortlessly, guided by the island’s serene pace and sense of privacy.
At Dusit Thani Maldives, romance is found in the details, in the settings created, the flavours presented, and the moments shared together. The Month of Romance is designed to offer guests meaningful experiences that feel personal, intimate, and truly memorable.
The Month of Romance and Valentine’s dining experiences are available throughout February, with advance reservations recommended.
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