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Adduan returns to his roots to lead Equator Village Resort

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Waheed Maldives.net.mv – When he was 24, Mohamed Waheed of Feydhoo, Addu City, made a trip that thousands of people from his southern atoll home have made before him: he got on a boat and sailed for Male’.

The capital’s economic heft has drawn Maldivians from across the archipelago for generations – something that Male’s rampant overcrowding can attest. Once people make the trip to Male’, they normally stay there. But bucking this trend, Waheed has returned home.

On 1 September, he was appointed as Resort Manager at Equator Village in Gan. Waheed has joined an elite club of Maldivians who have worked their way up the career ladder to the rank of resort manager – the most senior position in any hotel.

Waheed started his career as a trainee receptionist at Villingili Beach Resort in 1986 before the island was converted from a resort into a suburb island of Male’. He then held numerous positions in resorts, rising to become Front Office Manager, then Assistant Manager and finally Assistant Resort Manager at Summer Island Maldives.

Kaimoo resorts, which own both Summer Island Maldives and Equator Village, then offered Waheed his dream job: as Resort Manager back home in Addu.

Commenting on his new job, Mohamed Waheed said: “It’s such a privilege to return to Addu as a resort manager, more than 30 years since I left home. I hope other Maldivians, who have left their homes for Male’, also think about returning to help develop and improve their home islands. 

“Addu has so much potential, especially in tourism: the atoll has Maldives’ best diving and you can explore the atoll on a bicycle thanks to the link road. I’m really looking forward to managing Equator Village and building on its success.”

Commenting on the appointment, Mohamed Manih Ahmed, Managing Director of Kaimoo THS Group said: “Mr. Waheed has been a mainstay at Summer with two decades of distinguished service, and I understand his absence would be significantly felt on the island. I offer our congratulations. I am sure he will bring the same enthusiasm, dedication and vigour he has displayed at Summer to Equator.”

Equator Village is located in Gan, an island with an interesting colonial history. From 1956 – 1976 Gan was a British Royal Air Force Base, and many British servicemen and women who served there often return to the island to visit. They nearly always stay at Equator Village.

The resort is located in what used to be the RAF Sergeant’s Mess, and the hotel’s grounds still retain a unique colonial charm, with large trees, manicured lawns and English-style flower gardens.

Addu’s appeal isn’t just history, though: the diving here is some of the best in the Maldives. The Atoll’s best dive spot is arguably a shipwreck called British Loyalty. It was a fuel tanker that was attacked by the Germans during the Second World War. The ship’s sinking was the only known attack in the Maldives for the war’s duration. The unexplored caves, all year round manta ray sighting makes Addu one of the most spectacular dive atolls in the Maldives.

Addu also allows tourists to cycle from island to island via the link road, offering them a unique opportunity to experience Maldivian towns and villages, as well as go off the beaten track and seek out deserted beaches. Addu’s “Eedhigali Kilhi”, one of the largest mangroves in the Maldives is an environmentally protected area and a beautiful area for bird watching. Equator Village offers bicycles for guests to explore the atoll.

Today, the Equator Village has 78 spacious, simple and garden view bungalows. The hotel has a restaurant, poolside bar and a large swimming pool that overlooks the ocean. A wide variety of activities are available including squash, table tennis, tennis, and live music. The Serena Spa offers a wide selection of aromatic oils and wellness packages are available to sooth your mind and body.

 

Culture

Fushifaru Maldives showcases Maldivian culture through Eid celebrations

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Fushifaru Maldives marked Eid al-Fitr with a series of cultural experiences aimed at showcasing Maldivian heritage and community values, as part of its “Moments of Kindness” initiative.

The resort organised activities designed to reconnect guests with traditional island life, placing a focus on cultural authenticity and community engagement. According to the resort, the initiative sought to revive elements of Maldivian traditions and present them in an interactive format for both international visitors and the local community.

A key highlight of the celebrations was a dedicated Maldivian Night, which featured a live demonstration of Malayfaiy, a traditional communal cooking practice. The experience was complemented by shisha offerings and cooking demonstrations, providing guests with insight into historical culinary techniques and social customs in the Maldives.

The evening also included a Maldivian buffet showcasing a range of local dishes, giving guests the opportunity to experience traditional flavours in a curated setting.

Fushifaru Maldives stated that the programme aimed to create meaningful connections through shared cultural experiences, while preserving and promoting local traditions within a resort environment.

The Eid celebrations form part of the resort’s broader efforts to incorporate elements of Maldivian identity into guest experiences, aligning with growing industry emphasis on cultural sustainability and community-oriented tourism.

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Family

W Maldives launches Easter celebration with kayak races and beach feast

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W Maldives unveils Tropical Easter, a one-day island takeover on Sunday, 5 April 2026, that transforms the resort into a vivid playground of colour, creativity, and effortless luxury. Set within the luminous blues of the North Ari Atoll, the celebration reframes the traditional holiday through a distinctly Maldivian perspective, where powder soft beaches replace spring meadows and the rhythm of the day moves from sunlit play to starlit revelry. Crafted or a global audience of discerning travellers, the experience balances polished indulgence with the brand’s signature playful edge, inviting couples, families, and friends to celebrate Easter in a a way that feels both elevated and carefree.

The festivities begin with The Great Little Easter Quest at WET Deck, where younger guests embark on a spirited hunt for hidden treasures before channeling their imagination into an open-air painting session. Designed as a joyful expression of creativity rather than a conventional children’s activity, the experience unfolds within the resort’s social heart, surrounded by vibrant energy, turquoise views, and a sense of occasion that resonates across generations.

As the afternoon unfolds, Race The Blue shifts the tempo with a high-energy kayak challenge across the resort’s crystalline lagoon. Participants paddle through waters so clear they reveal the intricate coral gardens of the celebrated house reef below, transforming the race into a breathtaking encounter with the Maldives’ underwater wonder. The event captures the essence of Tropical Easter’s story, playful adventure grounded in the extraordinary natural beauty, offering guests a rare opportunity to engage with the lagoon as both playground and vista.

At sunset, the celebration culminates at FIRE Beach with The Easter Table, a sophisticated alfresco buffet that elevates the holiday meal into a stylish social ritual. Classic Easter flavours are reinterpreted with contemporary flair across interactive live stations and vibrant culinary displays, while music drifts through the warm evening air and the ocean glows just beyond the shoreline. The setting is at once intimate and electric barefoot yet refined, inviting guests to linger long after the final course as the sky deepens into night.

Beyond the day’s curated experiences, Tropical Easter also highlights the resort’s signature lifestyle allure, from overwater villas poised above luminous lagoons to world class snorkelling accessible directly from the beach. Whether seeking adrenaline, indulgence, or pure escapism, guests can chape the celebration entirely to their own rhythm, embodying the freedom and spontaneity that define the W experience in the Maldives.

Travellers inspired to extend the festivities can unlock the exclusive Stay 5, Pay 4, member offer by enrolling in Marriott Bonvoy, transforming a single extraordinary day into a longer island escape. The package offers a compelling reason to plan ahead and immerse fully in the season’s distinctive tropical celebration.

This April, Tropical Easter at W Maldives promises more than a holiday, it delivers a mood, a sun-drenched fusion of playfulness, style and sensory indulgence set in one of the world’s most captivating destinations. For those seeking an Easter that feels fresh, glamorous, and unforgettable, the answer lies where tradition dissolves into turquoise and every moment unfolds with a touch of irreverent luxury.

For more information, visit www.wmaldives.com or connect with the resort’s team at reservations.wmaldives@whotels.com.

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Culture

Sun Siyam Iru Fushi marks Eid with cultural celebrations and community spirit

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At Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, Eid Al-Fitr is an expression of Ekuverikan —a traditional Maldivian spirit of fellowship where the boundaries between host and visitor dissolve into moments of sharing. The celebrations began on 20 March with a special morning high tea, bringing together our local and international team members to share in the joy of the occasion. By breaking bread following morning prayers, the entire team transformed a religious milestone into a shared human experience where global diversity is encouraged.

While Eid Al-Fitr lunch began with a symbolic cake cutting, the island transformed into a stage for Koadi Jehun at sunset. This traditional procession features locals marching with a koadi, a decorated stake crafted from coconut palm leaves woven into the shapes of birds and fish which is then offered to the children.

During the performance, dancers in traditional attire move in synchrony with Indian pots, a nod to the ancient trade routes that shaped the archipelago. As night fell, the air pulsed with the rhythmic beat of Boduberu. These songs, with roots reaching back to East Africa, serve as a living archive of the Maldivian ancestral journey across the Indian Ocean. The Eid Al- Fitr celebration continued with a DJ party in the newly built leisure hub dedicated to the team. The festivities concluded on Saturday with beach activities, reinforcing the belief that travel is most meaningful when it connects us to both nature and community.

“Eid Al-Fitr is a day to express gratitude through shared kindness,” says Ahmed Waheed, Human Resources Manager at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. “By bringing guests and team members together, we offer an authentic connection to the Maldivian heritage we hold dear. Ultimately, travel is about these quiet, human moments that leave you feeling as though something new has stirred within.”

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