Vietjet will launch a new service connecting the Maldives with Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s biggest city and commercial hub, via Colombo from 5 December 2026, giving travellers in the Maldives a new way to explore Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and beyond. Bookings are now open, and the airline is rolling out a three-day sale featuring Eco tickets from USD250 one-way (including taxes and fees) and 20% off Deluxe base fares on the new route.

From now until 21:30 on 10 October 2026 (Maldives time), travellers can enjoy these special deals when booking Maldives–Ho Chi Minh City flights via www.vietjetair.com and the Vietjet Air mobile app. Passengers can book Maldives–Colombo and Colombo–Ho Chi Minh City sectors separately. The promotion also applies to other routes across Vietjet’s network, for travel until 30 September 2027 (blackout dates may apply).

The new Maldives–Ho Chi Minh City service will further strengthen Vietjet’s presence in South Asia and bring Malé into its international network. Operating three round trips per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, the route provides more options for travellers from the Maldives to explore Vietnam and Sri Lanka in a single journey, while also opening up opportunities for visitors from both countries to combine their travels with a getaway to the world-renowned island paradise.

The new route brings together three distinctive destinations. Colombo offers access to Sri Lanka’s beaches, tea country and wildlife, while Ho Chi Minh City combines a dynamic modern skyline, vibrant food scene, and historic landmarks, serves as a gateway to Southeast Asia. Through Vietjet’s hub in Ho Chi Minh City, passengers can also connect to destinations across its flight network, including Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Vietjet is Vietnam’s largest private airline, operating a modern fleet of 135 aircraft and an extensive network of more than 250 routes across Asia-Pacific and, soon, Europe. Vietjet was recently named “Asia’s Leading Airline Brand 2026” at the World Travel Awards ceremony in the Maldives, while CAPA – Centre for Aviation honored it as “Asia Low Cost/Hybrid Airline of the Year” in its 2026 Aviation Awards for Excellence. According to Brand Finance, Vietjet’s brand value rose 117% to USD 906 million in 2026, making it the world’s fastest-growing airline brand and placing it among the world’s Top 50 most valuable airline brands for the first time.

On every Vietjet flight, passengers can enjoy a selection of freshly prepared Vietnamese and international specialties, including pho, banh mi and Vietnamese iced milk coffee, served by the airline’s professional and dedicated cabin crew. Vietjet also brings cultural and artistic experiences to the skies at 10,000 metres, adding a distinctive touch to every journey. In addition, members of the Vietjet SkyJoy loyalty programme can earn and redeem reward points across Vietjet services and more than 250 partner brands spanning travel, dining, shopping and lifestyle.

JOALI BEING, the transformative well-living island in the Maldives, has announced its recognition in the prestigious Condé Nast Traveler US Readers’ Choice Awards 2026, securing No. 8 in the Best Spa Resorts in the US & Around the World category.

Now in its 39th year, the annual Readers’ Choice Awards celebrate excellence in global travel, recognising the world’s most exceptional hotels, resorts, spas, destinations and travel experiences. This year, Condé Nast Traveler received more than 798,867 survey responses from readers across the United States, reflecting the experiences and preferences of discerning travellers worldwide.

Rooted in the philosophy of the Joy of Well-Living, JOALI BEING offers a transformative approach to holistic well-living, guided by its Four Pillars of Mind, Skin, Microbiome and Energy. Set amidst the natural beauty of Raa Atoll in the Maldives, the island brings together personalised well-living journeys, expert-led experiences, biophilic design and immersive nature-inspired rituals, inviting guests to reconnect with themselves and discover a renewed sense of balance.

Graeme Freeman, General Manager of JOALI BEING, commented: “We are incredibly proud to receive this recognition from the readers of Condé Nast Traveler. At JOALI BEING, we believe that well-living is a deeply personal journey, and our purpose has always been to create experiences that inspire meaningful, lasting change. This honour is a testament to the dedication of our team and the trust our guests place in us.”

This latest accolade further strengthens JOALI BEING’s position as a leading destination for transformative well-living, reflecting a continued commitment to thoughtful luxury, innovation and meaningful guest experiences.

A stay at JOALI BEING is a transformative journey where guests return home feeling lighter, happier and more energised.

Villas start from USD 2,442 per night for two guests sharing an Ocean Pool Villa on a B&B basis. For bookings and further information, please contact reservations.being@joali.com.

Machchafushi Island Resort & Spa Maldives, The Centara Collection, is set to host an exclusive underwater photography and media experience from 14 to 17 October 2026, in partnership with Youth Global Program in partnership with Nikon Middle East & Nikon India. The programme is supported by Lexar Middle East and Hollyland Middle East. Led by Nikon’s underwater photographers and welcoming select international media, the programme will offer an immersive exploration of Machchafushi’s exceptional marine environment and the underwater world of the South Ari Atoll.

Set within the South Ari Marine Protected Area (SAMPA), Machchafushi offers an exceptional setting for an exclusive underwater photography experience. The resort’s award-winning house reef, spanning more than five times the area of the island itself, creates an expansive underwater landscape shaped by vibrant coral gardens, diverse marine life, and a series of distinctive dive sites.

The experience will take Nikon underwater photographers and select media beneath the surface of Machchafushi, offering the opportunity to capture the island’s marine environment from a unique perspective. From coral formations and marine life to the deeper waters surrounding the island, the programme will showcase the diversity and character of the South Ari Atoll, including the renowned Kudhi Maa shipwreck, which rests between approximately 12 and 30 metres under the surface and has become an established artificial reef.

Together, Machchafushi’s award winning house reef, vibrant coral gardens, diverse marine life and Kudhi Maa create a compelling underwater canvas, offering visiting photographers and media an opportunity to experience and document a lesser seen perspective of the Maldives.

Beyond the reef, the programme will introduce participants to the wider Machchafushi experience, connecting the underwater environment with the island’s natural surroundings, dining, wellness and slower rhythm of island life. Together, these experiences offer a broader perspective of Machchafushi and its place within the South Ari Atoll.

The collaboration brings together Nikon’s expertise in photography and Machchafushi’s distinctive marine environment, creating an exclusive platform to showcase the underwater character of the South Ari Atoll through the lens of leading underwater photographers and international media, with support from Lexar Middle East and Hollyland Middle East.

Taking place from 14 to 17 October 2026, the experience will offer an opportunity to discover and document Machchafushi beyond the shoreline, from its award-winning house reef and vibrant marine life to the distinctive underwater landscapes surrounding the island. Through the photographers and media attending, the experience will bring a different perspective of the Maldives to audiences around the world.