Niva Kurumba has announced its festive season programme for 2026–2027, a curated collection of experiences running from 21 December to 7 January. The programme unfolds in two chapters: a classic tropical Christmas from 21 to 25 December, followed by a New Year at the Circus from 26 December to 6 January, with celebrations positioning the iconic resort as a destination for togetherness, celebration, and discovery.

An idyllic tropical Christmas

The season opens with the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, its glow accompanied by festive carols. Festive dining anchors the celebrations. The Christmas Eve Gala Dinner and Christmas Day Lunch at Vihamaana bring lavish buffets, live cooking stations, and music, while sunset rituals at Kandu Bar mark each evening by the water’s edge. Throughout the season guests may expect themed sundowners – from a Sunset Carnival to Blush Sunset Hour and Flames of the Island – each layered with music, handcrafted cocktails, and a fun shoreline atmosphere.

A sense of wonder

After Christmas, the island leans into wonder. Days are shaped by barefoot celebrations and shoreline gatherings – a Beach Fiesta with music and DJ beats, a Maldivian Mas Race fishing competition, Island Illusion magic show, a spectacular fire performance, and a showstopping fashion show by the pool. The programme builds towards a New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner themed ‘A Night at the Circus’, where fire performers and aerial artists set the scene before fireworks illuminate the Maldivian sky at midnight – a farewell to 2026 and a joyful welcome to 2027.

The underwater world unfolds in breathtaking colour and life

Guests can slip into warm, crystalline waters for guided snorkelling excursions with stingrays and turtles to gentle nurse sharks. Experienced guides lead voyages across coral gardens and breathtaking reefs, revealing the archipelago’s underwater beauty. On Christmas Day a secluded sandbank offers an invitation to swim in the clear water and experience the quiet beauty of the Maldives.

A season for play

Little moments of magic are created for the island’s youngest guests with a world designed just for them, offering a season of playful days and festive fun. Hands-on activities include gingerbread decorating, snowflake making, sand art, seashell crafts, and clown crown making. Special events include a sand snowman competition on the beach, a splash party by the pool, and a Grand Show Stopper Fashion Show. The spirit of the holidays continues with Christmas wreath making and a search for Santa across the sea, while a Circus Cruise brings new year adventure.

For those seeking calm

A quiet invitation to slow down. This festive season, LIME Wellbeing introduces a collection of restorative experiences designed to reset and reconnect. Highlights include the Romantic Escape for two, the family-focused Together Treasure, and Serenity Under the Stars – an alfresco couple’s massage where warm coconut oil is massaged into the skin using cowrie shells.

A Season of Light awaits. The full programme and festive season special offer are available for those ready to plan their escape at Festive Season | Niva Kurumba Maldives.

This festive season, Jumeirah Olhahali Island invites guests to experience ‘Tides of Celebration’, a programme of memorable dining, ocean adventures, creative discovery and restorative wellbeing, from 15 December 2026 to 7 January 2027. With a full refurbishment underway, the festive season offers an opportunity to experience the newly reimagined island, where 67 beach and overwater villas and residences, refreshed dining experiences and thoughtfully designed spaces create a setting for guests to reconnect and celebrate together.

Inspired by the natural rhythm of island life, the programme is centred around gratitude, connection and the moments that bring people closer together, giving guests the freedom to celebrate the season at a pace entirely their own.

Festivities begin with The First Festive Glow, Christmas tree lighting ceremony on 15 December, before a calendar of experiences unfold across the island. On 31 December, the Last Sunset Soirée will mark the final sunset of 2026 before the Starlit New Year’s Eve Gala welcomes the year ahead with exceptional dining and live entertainment. Celebrations continue into January, culminating in the Seasonal Oceanside Gala on 6 January in celebration of Orthodox Christmas.

Dining provides a recurring thread throughout the programme, with highlights including An Evening Curated with Krug on 19 December, An Izakaya Evening at Umi Kei on 22 December, Terroir & Tide on 26 December and A Journey of Gaja & Gastronomy on 1 January. Guests can also discover Maldivian-inspired dining, curated wine pairings, degustation menus and intimate gatherings by the ocean.

At Talise spa, visiting specialists Petra Kinga Nagy and Balazs Sebestyen will lead a carefully curated programme spanning movement, breathwork, nutrition, recovery and holistic wellbeing, complemented by sunriseyoga overlooking the lagoon andimmersive workshops designed to restore balance and vitality.

Beyond the celebrations, guests can discover the natural and creative character of Jumeirah Olhahali Island through Turtle Quest, Reef Discovery Snorkelling, yacht excursions and workshops at MURACA Art Studio. Younger travellers can join a Jumeirah Circle programme of culinary workshops, outdoor adventures and cultural activities, alongside family traditions including the Gingerbread Atelier.

For more information and to explore the full programme, visit here.

Constance Halaveli Maldives, the private island resort of Constance Hotels & Resorts, has unveiled a new chapter with refreshed villas, reimagined dining experiences and elevated guest facilities.

Floating in the crystal-clear waters of the North Ari Atoll, Constance Halaveli is a luxury five-star private island resort renowned for its spacious villas, spectacular lagoon setting and heartfelt hospitality. A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, it emerges renewed, blending contemporary elegance with the authentic island spirit that has made Halaveli a favourite among travellers from around the world.

“For us, this transformation has always been about building on what our guests value most about Constance Halaveli: the warmth of our people, the beauty of the island and the highly personalised service that makes every stay feel individual,” said Tangi Legrand, General Manager of Constance Halaveli. “Today’s luxury guests seek meaningful experiences. Our ambition was to strengthen these pillars while introducing a new level of comfort, refinement, and attention to detail across the resort. The result is a Halaveli that feels simultaneously familiar and renewed.”

From the moment guests arrive on the island, a renewed sense of place unfolds. A redesigned arrival experience sets the tone for a stay defined by greater comfort and seamless service. Across the resort, renovated Beach Villas and Water Villas offer improved space, and functionality, complemented by upgraded amenities, new technology and elevated service standards. Beyond the villas, the pool and beach areas have also been reimagined with redesigned spaces, upgraded furnishings and a richer beach and pool experience, including a new beach hut that brings ease to every moment, from relaxed lunches to sunset drinks by the water.

Gastronomy and wine remain at the heart of the Constance Halaveli experience. At Jing, the resort’s iconic overwater restaurant, Asian influences, European touches and sweeping lagoon views come together in an elegant setting. The restaurant and bar have both been redesigned to create a more open setting and wider views across the lagoon. Destination dining, exclusive wine experiences and collaborations with renowned chefs and winemakers continue to elevate the culinary offering. Home to one of the Maldives’ most remarkable wine collections, with more than 22,500 bottles and 1,600 references, Jing’s wine cellar reflects a level of culinary ambition rarely found in the destination.

The resort has also boosted its wellness experiences through new wellbeing programmes including Full Moon Sound Healing, personalised fitness journeys at brand new Constance Spa.

Guided by the belief to “Come as a guest, leave as a friend”, it is the warmth, intuition and genuine care of its team that continue to define the character of Halaveli. While the resort has evolved, its essence remains unchanged: a place where every stay feels personal, every guest feels known and every moment is shaped by genuine hospitality.

Whether rediscovering a familiar island sanctuary or visiting for the first time, guests are invited to experience a style of luxury that feels personal and deeply connected to its surroundings.