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Maldives Travel Awards celebrates best of Maldives travel and hospitality

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Maldives.net.mv – Maldives Travel Awards 2016 celebrated the very best of Maldives travel and hospitality at the gala event award night held on Sunday, 20th November at the beautiful Olhuveli Beach & Spa.

The event began with welcome speech and word of thanks by Mr. Abdulla Ghiyas, President of Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) followed by awarding of appreciation plaques to panel of expert judges who evaluated the nominations.

This year’s awards received over 300 nominations for 35 categories from 105 resorts, hotels, guest houses and airlines.

The winners of this year’s awards was decided by a judging process which included presentations and onsite visits, along with the SMS and online voting scores. The results were verified by independent audit firm, KPMG.

Maldives Travel Awards

The chief guest for the Gala Event was the Minister of Tourism, Moosa Zameer. The “Lifetime Achievement Award” was awarded to Hon. FDr Ahmed Siyam Mohamed for his contribution to the Tourism Industry and the country as a whole.

The event included entertainment items popular band Eqauatic Vibe.

Maldives Travel Awards 2016 is the fifth edition of the awards and longest running travel awards label in the Maldives. MATATO is the exclusive organizer of Maldives Travel Awards, and this year’s event was managed by Think Advertising.

Maldives Travel Awards

Winners

  • Leading Private Island : Velaa Private Island
  • Leading Luxury Resort : Conrad Maldives Rangali
  • Most Romantic Resort : Adaaran Prestige Vadoo
  • Leading Beach Resort : Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas
  • Leading Designer Resort : Velaa Private Island
  • Leading All Inclusive Resort : Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa
  • Leading Family Resort : Bandos Maldives
  • Leading F&B Resort : Conrad Maldives Rangali
  • Leading Eco Resort : Sun Island Resort & Spa
  • Leading Dive Resort : Bandos Maldives
  • Leading Surf Resort : Anantara Dhigu
  • Leading Wellness & Spa Resort : The Sun Siyam Irufushi
  • Leading Meeting & Conference Resort : Bandos Maldives
  • Leading Local Hotel/Resort Brand : Bandos Maldives
  • Leading International Hotel/Resort Brand : Conrad Maldives Rangali
  • Leading Wellness & Spa Brand/Chain : Araamu Spa
  • Leading Human Resource Management : Adaaran Prestige Vadoo
  • Leading CSR Program : Soneva Fushi Resort
  • Leading Airport/City Hotel : Hulhule Island Hotel
  • Leading Guest House : Reveries Diving Village
  • Leading Business Hotel : Hotel Jen by Shangri-La
  • Leading Liveaboard : Voyages Gurahali
  • Leading Liveaboard Brand : Carpe Diem Maldives
  • Leading Dive School/Centre : Dive Oceanus
  • Leading Activity/Water Sports Centre : Active Water Sports Maafushi
  • Leading Innovation in Guest House Design : Reveries Diving Village
  • Leading Travel Website : ICOM Tours
  • Leading Domestic Transport Provider : ICOM Tours
  • Leading Airport Lounge : Leeli Lounge
  • Leading Domestic Airline : Villa Air, Flyme
  • Leading Low Cost Carrier : Fly Dubai
  • Leading International Airline : Srilankan Airlines
  • Leading Guest House Island : Maafushi Council

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Photos by Asad Photography

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Four Seasons Resorts Maldives blend family travel with marine discovery

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As family travel patterns continue to evolve, with multigenerational holidays and “schoolcations” becoming a growing part of the market, Four Seasons is positioning its Maldives resorts as destinations where families can combine leisure with learning, exploration and shared experiences. Through programmes at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, the brand is offering a Maldives-based approach to family travel that extends beyond the traditional resort stay.

In the Maldives, the focus is placed on experiences that allow families to spend time together while engaging with the natural environment in direct and practical ways. At Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, marine education forms a central part of the family offering. Children and teenagers can take part in hands-on initiatives alongside experts from The Manta Trust, learning about coral restoration, manta ray research and ocean conservation. The programme gives younger guests an opportunity to understand the marine ecosystems that define the Maldives while participating in activities linked to ongoing conservation work.

At Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, the family experience is also shaped by the surrounding lagoon and reef environment. Younger guests can take part in introductory diving, surfing and marine conservation activities designed to build early awareness of the ocean and its ecosystems. These experiences place the Maldives’ natural setting at the centre of the stay, allowing families to engage with the destination through activity as well as observation.

This emphasis on learning through travel reflects wider changes in family tourism, where parents are increasingly looking for holidays that combine recreation with educational value. In the Maldives, that approach has particular relevance, given the country’s dependence on marine ecosystems and its reputation as one of the world’s leading island destinations. By integrating conservation-focused experiences into resort programming, Four Seasons is presenting family travel not only as a period of rest, but also as an opportunity for younger travellers to develop a closer understanding of the environment around them.

The Maldives setting also supports multigenerational travel in practical terms. Resorts such as Landaa Giraavaru and Kuda Huraa are well suited to families travelling across age groups, where grandparents, parents and children may all be sharing the same holiday but looking for different forms of engagement. Accommodation, marine activities and wellness offerings can be structured in ways that allow families to spend time together while also catering to different interests and energy levels.

The family proposition is strengthened by the Maldives’ ability to combine relaxation with activities that are tied closely to place. Lagoon-based discovery, reef experiences and conservation work provide a clear alternative to more conventional beach holiday programming. Rather than limiting the stay to accommodation and dining, these activities allow the destination itself to shape the guest experience.

In this context, Four Seasons’ Maldives resorts reflect a broader shift in how luxury family travel is being positioned. The emphasis is no longer only on privacy and comfort, but also on engagement, shared discovery and experiences that carry value beyond the holiday itself. In the Maldives, where marine life and island environments remain central to the visitor experience, that model gives families a way to connect both with each other and with the destination.

Through Landaa Giraavaru and Kuda Huraa, Four Seasons is therefore presenting a Maldives offering that responds to changing family travel expectations. By combining marine education, outdoor activity and resort-based comfort, the brand is aligning its family travel strategy with the qualities that continue to set the Maldives apart. The result is a version of family travel that is shaped not only by where guests stay, but by what they are able to learn and experience together while they are there.

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COMO Cocoa Island blends wellness and ocean experiences for guests

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There is a moment, just after arrival at COMO Cocoa Island, when everything softens. Time loosens its grip. The horizon stretches and the only sound is the tide shifting gently beneath your villa.

At COMO Cocoa Island, experiences are not designed to impress, but to unfold. Each one invites guests to rediscover a slower rhythm—guided by water, light, and instinct.

Where the Ocean Becomes the Guide

The island’s house reef lies just steps from each villa—a living, breathing ecosystem that reveals itself gradually. Slip into the water, and the world shifts: parrotfish flicker past, reef sharks glide at a distance, and turtles move with unhurried grace.

Further afield, journeys into deeper waters bring guests face-to-face with nurse sharks in the nearby atolls—encounters that feel both grounding and quietly exhilarating.

For those who choose to dive, the surrounding sites offer dramatic topographies—caves, channels, and coral walls—each shaped by currents that have moved through these waters long before the first footprints touched the island.

Drifting Towards Stillness

Back above the surface, experiences take on a different pace.

A private sandbank emerges from the horizon—untouched, impossibly white. Here, lunch is served with nothing but the gentle rhythm of waves in the background. There are no interruptions, no schedules. Just a sense of being suspended between sea and open sky.

As the day fades, traditional dhoni boats set out across the lagoon. The light softens. The ocean reflects gold, then amber, then deep blue. Sometimes, dolphins appear—not as spectacle, but as part of the natural rhythm of the place.

Wellbeing, Without Boundaries

At COMO Cocoa Island, wellness is not confined within walls. It exists in the spaces between. Morning yoga unfolds overlooking the ocean. Breathing slows in time with the tide and sandbank meditation becomes instinctive—guided by wind, warmth, and the steady presence of the sea.

The COMO Shambhala Retreat complements this with therapies that are precise yet intuitive—designed not to transform, but to restore.

A Philosophy of Less, Perfected

“Cocoa Island has never been about doing more—it’s about feeling more, with less,”says Peter Nilsson, Managing Director, COMO Maldives. “What makes this island special is its restraint. We don’t try to fill every moment—we allow space for the ocean, for stillness, for genuine connection. Guests leave not because they’ve done everything, but because they’ve experienced something real.”

An Island That Stays With You

There are no grand gestures here. No overstatement.

Instead, COMO Cocoa Island offers something increasingly rare—an experience that lingers quietly, long after departure. Not defined by what you did, but by how it made you feel. Because here, in this small corner of the Maldives, the most meaningful moments are often the simplest ones.

For more information, please visit the resort’s website

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Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives introduces indoor mini golf experience

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Resort experiences are increasingly shaped by the need for flexibility, with guests seeking activities that can be enjoyed beyond peak sun hours, creating a natural demand for engaging indoor spaces and particularly in tropical destinations where brief, seasonal rain showers are part of the island rhythm.

Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives builds on this evolving guest preference with the introduction of its new 8-hole Indoor Mini Golf Centre, adding a playful and interactive dimension to the island’s leisure offering. The space was officially unveiled at a recent opening, where a guest was invited to mark the occasion, setting the tone for an experience centred around shared enjoyment and light-hearted moments.

The indoor mini golf course offers a relaxed, air-conditioned space where guests of all ages can take part, whether as a casual game between families, a friendly challenge among couples, or a fun addition to group stays. It provides a comfortable alternative to outdoor activities while maintaining the sense of energy and connection that defines time on the island, regardless of the weather.

The addition builds on the resort’s existing indoor facilities, including billiards, table tennis, and a dedicated kids’ playroom, creating a more rounded leisure experience that caters to different moods and moments. Outdoors, guests can continue to explore a wide range of activities, from beach volleyball and futsal to badminton, diving, and both motorised and non-motorised water sports.

As one of the first resorts in the area to introduce an indoor mini golf experience, Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives continues to evolve its offerings in line with how guests choose to travel today, blending activity, comfort, and shared experiences in a setting designed for both relaxation and discovery.

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