News
South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) hosts special gala to award the regional winners
Maldives.net.mv – South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) concludes for the year 2016 and announced winners at a Special Gala event held on 16th November at Mount Lavinia Hotel , Sri Lanka.
Hon. Minister of Tourism , Sri Lanka HE. John Amarathunga stated during his speech that , SATA will benefit the Tourism Industry of the region and he wishes the best for the initiative while being pleased to have the first event hosted in Sri Lanka.
The South Asian Travel Awards is the first ever regional Travel Awards endorsed by Multi National Associations providing the Tourism sector of the South Asian Region with recognition towards their facilities and service excellence. The South Asian Travel Awards aims to encourage and raise service standards within the regions of the Tourism industry.
WINNERS OF SATA 2016 :
- Leading Guest House / Tourist Inn – Sri Lanka: Aqua Inn , Trincomalee
- Leading Guest House / Tourist Inn – South India: Harvest Fresh Farm Stay
- Leading Guest House / Tourist Inn – Maldives: Kaani Beach Hotel , Maafushi
- Leading Beach Resort – South India: Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel, Kovalam
- Leading Beach Resort – Sri Lanka: Centara Ceysand Resort & Spa
- Leading Beach Resort – Maldives: Amari Havvoda Maldives
- Most Romantic Hotel / Resort – South India: Hills & Hues
- Most Romantic Hotel / Resort – Sri Lanka: Hunas Falls by Amaya
- Most Romantic Hotel / Resort – Maldives: Coco Bodu Hithi
- Leading All Inclusive Hotel / Resort – Sri Lanka: Centara Ceysands Resort & Spa
- Leading All Inclusive Hotel / Resort – Maldives: Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa
- Leading Designer Hotel / Resort – South India: Hills & Hues
- Leading Designer Hotel / Resort – Sri Lanka: Heritance Negombo
- Leading Designer Hotel / Resort – Maldives: Amilla Fushi
- Leading F&B Hotel / Resort – Sri Lanka: The Kingsbury
- Leading F&B Hotel / Resort – South India: Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel
- Leading F&B Hotel / Resort – Maldives: Conrad Maldives
- Leading Luxury Hotel / Resort – Sri Lanka: The Kingsbury
- Leading Luxury Hotel / Resort – Maldives: W Maldives
- Leading Family Hotel / Resort – Maldives: Sun Island Resort & Spa
- Leading Family Hotel / Resort – Sri Lanka: Turyaa Kalutara
- Leading Eco Hotel / Resort – Sri Lanka: Heritance Kandalama
- Leading Eco Hotel / Resort – Maldives: Park Hyatt Hadahaa Maldives
- Leading Wellness & Spa Hotel / Resort – Maldives: The Sun Siyam Iru fushi
- Leading Wellness & Spa Hotel / Resort – Sri Lanka: Amaya Lake Dhambulla
- Leading Wellness & Spa Hotel / Resort – South India: Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel
- Leading Wellness & Spa Brand – South India: Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel
- Leading Wellness & Spa Brand -Sri Lanka: Centara Ceysands Resort & Spa
- Leading Wellness & Spa Brand – Maldives: Araamu Spa
- Leading CSR Programme – South India: Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel
- Leading CSR Programme – Sri Lanka: Royal Palms Beach , Kalutara
- Leading CSR Programme – Maldives: Coco Palm Dhunikolhu
- Leading Tour Operator – South India: Marvel Tours
- Leading Tour Operator – Sri Lanka: Classic Travel
- Leading Tour Operator – Maldives: Moodhu Holidays
Overall winners – South Asia
- Leading Guest House / Tourist Inn – South Asia: Aqua Inn , Trincomalee , Sri Lanka
- Leading Liveaboard – South Asia: Scuba Spa Yang, Maldives
- Leading Liveaboard Brand – South Asia: Voyages Maldives
- Leading Beach Hotel / Resort – South Asia: Amari Havodda Maldives
- Leading Meeting & Conference Hotel / Resort – South Asia: Paradise Island Resort & Spa , Maldives
- Most Romantic Hotel / Resort – South Asia: Coco Bodu Hithi , Maldives
- Leading All Inclusive Hotel / Resort – South Asia: Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa , Maldives
- Leading Designer Hotel / Resort – South Asia: Amilla Fushi , Maldives
- Leading F&B Hotel / Resort – South Asia: Conrad Maldives
- Leading Luxury Hotel / Resort – South Asia: W Maldives
- Leading Family Hotel / Resort – South Asia: Sun Island Resort & Spa , Maldives
- Leading Eco Hotel / Resort – South Asia: Heritance Kandalama, Sri Lanka
- Leading Wellness & Spa Resort – South Asia: The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, Maldives
- Leading Wellness & Spa Brand – South Asia:Araamu Spa, Maldives
- Leading Dive Hotel / Resort – South Asia: Adaaran Select Meedhupparu, Maldives
- Leading CSR Programme – South Asia: Royal Palms Beach Hotel, Sri Lanka
- Leading Dive Center – South Asia: Dive Oceanus, Maldives
- Leading Activity / Water Sports Center- South Asia: Water Sports Point , Adaaran Club Rannaalhi, Maldives
- Leading Business Hotel – South Asia: The Kingsbury, Sri Lanka
- Leading House Boat – South Asia: Cinnamon, Spice Routes Luxury Cruises, India
- Leading House Boat Brand – South Asia: Marvel Cruise, India
- Leading Tour Operator – South Asia: Classic Travel, Sri Lanka
- Leading Travel Agent – South Asia: Voyages Maldives
- Leading PSA / GSA Partner – South Asia: Cyprea Pvt Ltd, Maldives
- Leading Surf Hotel / Resort – South Asia: Cinnamon Dhonveli , Maldives
- Leading City Hotel – South Asia: Casa Colombo Collection , Colombo Sri Lanka
- Leading Meeting & Convention Center – South Asia: BMICH , Sri Lanka
- Leading Airport Hotel – South Asia: Hulhule Island Hotel, Maldives
- Leading Transport Provider – South Asia: Princy Travel , India
- Leading Travel Technology – South Asia: Findmyfare.com
Visitor’s Choice Awards
- Visitors Choice – Leading International Airline: Singapore Airlines
- Visitors Choice South Asia’s – Leading International Airport: Bandaranaike International Airport, Sri Lanka
- Visitors Choice South Asia’s – Leading Honeymoon Destination: Maldives
- Visitors Choice South Asia’s – Leading Diving Destination: Maldives
- Visitors Choice South Asia’s – Leading Beach Destination: Maldives
- Visitors Choice South Asia’s – Leading Cruising Destination: Maldives
Featured
Angsana Velavaru plans Easter weekend of activities and dining
Angsana Velavaru is inviting guests to celebrate Easter with a two-day island programme featuring family activities, ocean experiences and seasonal dining from 4 to 5 April 2026.
Located within a lagoon in South Nilandhe Atoll, the resort will host a series of activities designed for families, couples and travellers seeking a seasonal getaway by the sea. The programme includes a combination of wellness sessions, marine experiences and leisure activities intended to bring guests together during the Easter holiday period.
Mornings begin with yoga sessions overlooking the lagoon, followed by opportunities to explore the island’s marine environment through guided snorkelling excursions and discovery experiences organised by the Endheri Marine Centre.
Throughout the day, guests can take part in a range of recreational activities across the island. These include beach kite flying, aqua aerobics sessions and bird feeding at the island’s sanctuary. Adventure-focused experiences are also available, with water sports such as family tube rides and sunset cruises offering guests the opportunity to explore the surrounding lagoon.
Dining experiences form a central part of the Easter programme. Guests can participate in interactive activities including cocktail-making sessions and the Wok & Toss dining experience, which allows visitors to engage with the resort’s culinary team. The programme also includes Easter buffet lunch and dinner at Kaani Restaurant, where seasonal dishes are served in a relaxed island setting.
Evening entertainment includes live music performances, DJ sessions and outdoor film screenings under the stars, creating a relaxed atmosphere for guests to gather and socialise.
Children’s activities are organised through the Ranger’s Club, where a dedicated Easter programme features creative workshops such as bunny mask making, Easter egg painting and string art. Traditional activities including Easter egg hunts and beach races are also planned for younger guests.
The Easter programme at Angsana Velavaru combines marine exploration, family-friendly activities and seasonal dining experiences, offering guests an opportunity to celebrate the holiday while enjoying the island’s natural surroundings.
News
Villa Park introduces Two-Bedroom Beach Pool House at top of villa collection
Villa Park, the lush island escape in the South Ari Marine Protected Area (SAMPA), has unveiled its newest and most elevated accommodation category: the Two-Bedroom Beach Pool House. Spanning 456 square metres, this new addition becomes the highest category available at Villa Park, strengthening the resort’s position as a leading choice for family travel in the Maldives and expanding its reputation for offering one of the widest ranges of Beach Pool Villas.
Designed for families and groups who want space without sacrificing privacy, the Two-Bedroom Beach Pool House blends indoor comfort with open-air island living. Set within tropical greenery, it offers a private pool and generous outdoor areas that invite guests to slow down, reconnect, and settle into a true island rhythm, with the lagoon always close and the shoreline just beyond.

Inside, the layout is built around togetherness and ease. The master bedroom faces the pool and the beach, creating a calm, ocean-facing retreat, while the second bedroom features twin beds, making it ideal for children or additional guests. The villa also includes two bathrooms, ensuring everyone has room to move through the day comfortably, from early swims to post-sunset wind-downs.

A defining feature of the Beach Pool House is its sense of seclusion. Thoughtful spacing and natural landscaping create a private sanctuary, complemented by an elevated terrace balcony with views through the coconut palm canopy, a quiet perch for morning coffee, late-afternoon reading, or simply watching the light shift over the island.

The launch builds on Villa Park’s identity as one of the Maldives’ most family-friendly tropical getaways, known for its wide beaches, blue lagoons, and a full calendar of experiences designed for all ages. Located in SAMPA, Villa Park is also celebrated for year-round whale shark encounters, offering guests the chance to connect with one of the Maldives’ most iconic marine highlights as part of a relaxed island holiday.
Beyond the beach, Villa Park continues to be defined by variety, from its award-winning Araamu Spa to its signature dining moments, including ZERO, the resort’s treetop dining experience that celebrates island freshness and locally inspired flavours.

With the introduction of the Two-Bedroom Beach Pool House, Villa Park raises the bar for spacious, design-led family stays in the Maldives, offering a new standard of comfort, privacy, and island immersion at the very top of its accommodation collection.
News
Sun Siyam Iru Fushi launches ‘She Is Hospitality’ to celebrate women
In celebration of International Women’s Day 2026 and its global theme, “Give to Gain,” Sun Siyam Iru Fushi has unveiled “She Is Hospitality” at the resort this 8th of March. This photo portrait exhibition honours the unique personalities, skill sets, and values of the women who drive the resort’s success, highlighting how a culture of empowerment, guided by the Sun Siyam Care philosophy, fosters both professional excellence and personal autonomy.
At the Diving Centre, the manager, Danijela Podlipec, translates the language of the deep blue for those seeking adventure. With a joyful calm, she offers a sense of safety and a feeling of being at home beneath the sea. Nearby, in the sanctuary of the spa, Assistant Spa Manager Anna Vargas serves as a meticulous eye. With eighteen years of experience in the Maldives, she nurtures the next generation of therapists, teaching them that true wellness is a human centred art that begins with details, precision, and a refined attention to the unique needs of each guest.


In the quiet power of technical spaces working as Engineering Coordinator, Ofimaria Deliva proves that hospitality is built on a foundation of resilience. Having transitioned from the world of finance to the complexity of engineering, she stands as a reminder that no department is “too technical” for a heart driven by purpose. Similarly, Rabina Shrestha, Security Officer, navigates the male dominated world of security not by mirroring it, but by leading with a distinct femininity. She proves daily that softness and vigilance are not opposites, but a necessary, graceful balance.


The first light of morning at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi is met with the quiet commitment of Mia Sumiati, Kitchen Attendant, whose power lies in her presence and the simple, human value of a genuine smile. Guests encounter this gentle strength at breakfast, as she crafts their first energy drinks to begin the day with vitality. Fathimath Afaa, from the Front Office, radiates a confidence that stems from an inner grace, believing that a warm welcome is a reflection of one’s own radiant spirit. In the heart of operations as a Butler for nine years, Ameni Dahmene bridges worlds; her Tunisian heritage brings a blend of traditional values and a liberal, wandering soul that delights in meeting people from every corner of the earth.



For Nancy Castano, Kids Club Supervisor, dance is more than movement—it is a form of healing and expression that she shares with the youngest travellers, turning the Kids Club into a stage for joy. This same rhythm is found in Lyrio May, Human Resources Executive, who brings the soul of her department to life through music and Maldivian dance, fostering a workplace rooted in empathy. Meanwhile, in the world of Reservations, Radhika Sabharwal guides guests towards their dream holidays while pursuing her own. By travelling with her mother, she honours the path paved by past generations while standing tall as a symbol of the modern, independent woman.



Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, part of the Luxury Collection of Sun Siyam, serves as a sanctuary where talent is nurtured and the unique traits of every woman are celebrated. Beyond professional roles, the women stand as leaders of values, architects of atmosphere, and the very soul of hospitality.
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