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Four Seasons Private Island Maldives: untouched design, voyage of discovery
Conceived as a natural extension of its Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve location – an area recognised for its unique harmony between man and nature – Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah synchronises style and simplicity, sophistication and scenery.
Designed to reflect the travels, temperament and trinkets of an international globetrotter, the private island residence takes each exclusive-use booking on a global ‘voyage of discovery’ through hand-selected details that enhance the unassuming ‘at home’ vibe.
Harmonic Hospitality
Voavah’s buildings and facilities were designed around the island’s existing natural elements – from its vast shallow ‘swimming pool’ lagoon on the western side to its established foliage – to honour and protect the raw site. Surrounded by ocean, the design largely revolves around the water and, with such spectacular views, walls of sliding windows feature wherever possible.
“By working with Voavah’s existing beauty, the layout and design effectively revealed itself,” comments Cedric Jaccard of Asia-based boutique design consultancy, Avalon Collective.
“The Beach House hub is contained in the centre of the island, opening onto the spectacular natural lagoon, around which the rest of the design took shape. By restricting the rest of the accommodations to the edges, we were able to leave the island largely untouched, heightening the sense of guests having their own island to explore.”
Purposefully Pure
Elementary in their elegance, Voavah’s interiors do not compete with Mother Nature’s magnificence. Instead they unite with her: the neutral colour palette and lack of walls extend ‘inside to outside’, while a mix of natural materials (copper, leather and rattan) and wood (rosewood, mahogany, ebony and teakwood) create texture and ever-changing shadows as they dance with the sun. In keeping with the island’s conservation-mindedness, the use of protected and rare natural materials such as mother of pearl and corals has been avoided.
Voyage Of Discovery
The multi-sensory, globally-inspired design experience extends from the use of carefully considered natural resources to a unique selection of artefacts gathered from Asia and beyond. The result is an enticing and eclectic ‘at-home’ feel, with key pieces to draw the eye and steal the heart.
The Beach House is accented with Arabic influences. A swinging day bed for 6 surrounded by extra large sofas encourages communal lounging. Ornate latticework walls embedded with LED lights and candles make for atmospheric evenings, while the lack of walls allows for unrestricted views and a strong connection to the surrounding nature.
Isolated in the middle of the lagoon, The Water Villa feels distinctly Southeast Asian with its high-backed ‘Peacock’ chairs and woven fishing baskets from Malaysia and Vietnam fashioned into lamps and side tables.
The Ocean of Consciousness Spa features artefacts that enhance the marine concept and connect to the Indian Ocean, from an ornate Rajasthani mirror to large nautical carvings. Simple yet mystical, the spa design encourages the mind to free from its confines and embrace a place of higher consciousness.
The Three-bedroom Beach Villa is beautifully understated, with large open spaces and extreme ocean views on three sides to create a true sense of remoteness. No distant islands mar the perfect ocean views, including the endless vistas from the large bathtub in the master bathroom. Unique touches such as the sundeck submerged in the pool enable maximum ocean-inspired relaxation and repose.
Marine-inspired wall art
Across the island, an eclectic array of wall-art, gathered from international travels throughout China, India, Bali and Thailand, centre on the ocean, largely inspired by Four Seasons Resorts Maldives conservation projects: a large ceramic bas-relief of turtles; an intriguing abstract piece comprising cable ties fashioned into coral shapes to reflect the creation process of the Resorts’ coral reef regeneration project (which uses cable ties to attach the coral fragments to coral frames to ‘build’ new coral reefs); and beautiful carvings of octopi, swordfish, starfish and more.
Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah opened in December, becoming the world’s first exclusive-use hideaway in a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. This secluded two-hectare haven transcends the private island experience by being “entirely yours” from the moment of booking with seven bedrooms, a Beach House, a dive school and a 62-foot (18.9 metre) yacht offering ultimate privacy for up to 20 guests at a time.
Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah joins another two properties in the Maldives run by Four Seasons.
Combining innovation, wellness and conservation, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru is a 44-acre, 103-villa wonderland in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve — a 30-minute seaplane flight from the main Velana International Airport.
Its sister property, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, lies to the south: an enchanting garden island complete with Island Spa sea sanctuary and Tropicsurf coaches and guides. The luxury catamaran Four Seasons Explorer connects the two via three, four and seven-night cruises, plus private leisure, surf and manta ray charters.
The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort has introduced its Family Fun Summer offer, aimed at families seeking longer island stays built around shared activities and rest. The offer is available for booking from 15 April to 15 June 2026, with a minimum stay of four nights for travel through to 20 December 2026.
Located within Baa Atoll, the Maldives’ first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort is positioning the offer around family wellness, marine experiences and time spent together in a natural island setting. Seasonal snorkelling with manta rays in Hanifaru Bay remains one of the area’s key attractions, while the resort’s collection of beach and overwater villas is designed to accommodate families looking for space and flexibility during their stay.
For larger families and groups, the resort also offers the two-bedroom Heavenly Beach Residence, which includes a living room, kitchen and dining area intended to support longer and more relaxed island stays.
The resort says the guest experience can be shaped around both activity and downtime, supported by Westin’s Sleep Well concept and Heavenly Bed. Children have access to the Westin Family Kids Club, which includes a children’s pool and pirate ship, while parents can make use of Heavenly Spa by Westin.
Away from the villa, the resort is also promoting shared family experiences through Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy activities focused on the culture and environment of Baa Atoll. These include traditional lacquer craft workshops, visits to local islands and guided marine activities in surrounding waters.
The Family Fun Summer package includes three meals per day, with children under 12 dining free of charge. It also includes a one-time dolphin cruise for two adults and two children, a 30-minute photography session with one printed photo, and a USD 150 resort credit.
Reethi Faru Resort has been recognised at the 2026 Haute Grandeur Global Excellence Awards, receiving honours in four categories: Best Beach Villa in Indian Ocean, Best Pool Villa in Indian Ocean, Best Eco-Friendly Resort in Maldives, and Best Sustainable Hotel in Maldives.
The awards recognise performance across villa accommodation and environmentally focused hospitality, reflecting the resort’s emphasis on guest experience alongside sustainability and environmental stewardship.
According to the resort, the recognition supports its positioning within the Maldives market as a property that combines natural surroundings, accommodation standards and responsible hospitality practices.
Located on Filaidhoo in Raa Atoll, Reethi Faru Resort features 145 villas, including beachfront and overwater accommodation designed in a style that combines Maldivian elements with contemporary comfort.
The resort’s food and beverage offering includes six restaurants and six bars, while its leisure facilities cover watersports, diving, yoga, spa treatments and fitness activities. Surrounded by coral reefs, the resort also offers guests access to marine-based experiences in the Indian Ocean.
Sustainability remains a central part of the resort’s operations, with initiatives that include coral reef restoration and guest experiences linked to environmental awareness.
Through its recognition at the 2026 Haute Grandeur Global Excellence Awards, Reethi Faru Resort has added to its profile as a Maldives resort with a focus on both accommodation standards and sustainability.
To mark Earth Day, Sun Siyam Olhuveli, part of the Lifestyle Collection within the House of Siyam, launched its new marine conservation initiative, the Adopt A Coral Frame experience, during a morning event held on 22 April at Milano Beach on Dream Island.
The initiative forms part of the resort’s wider marine conservation efforts and is designed to give guests a direct way to engage with coral restoration while supporting the protection of the surrounding reef ecosystem.
During the launch, guests were introduced to the coral restoration process through a hands-on experience that explained how new coral growth can be supported through frame-based planting. Under the programme, guests are invited to select and adopt a coral frame, attach healthy coral fragments to it, and take part in placing it within the lagoon to help form a new reef structure.
The process begins with the collection of healthy coral fragments under the guidance of the resort’s marine biologist. These fragments are then secured to specially designed coral frames and placed in selected areas within the resort’s coral garden, where conditions are intended to support growth and marine biodiversity. Guests who adopt a frame will also receive updates on its progress, including photographs shared every six months.
The resort said the programme is intended to make coral conservation more accessible to guests while also highlighting the role of reefs in supporting marine life, protecting coastlines and maintaining ocean ecosystems.
Chaminda Upul, Group Sustainability Manager for Sun Siyam, said the initiative was designed to give guests an opportunity to contribute in a direct way.
“Earth Day is a reminder that even the smallest actions can shape something far greater,” he said. “With Adopt-A-Coral Frame, we wanted to create an experience where our guests can leave a positive mark on the ocean. It’s simple, it’s meaningful, and it stays with you.”
Hassan Adil, General Manager of Sun Siyam Olhuveli, said the resort wanted to create an experience that combines guest participation with long-term environmental value.
“At Olhuveli, we believe the best experiences are the ones that stay with you long after you leave. Adopt-A-Coral is our way of inviting guests to be part of something lasting, while caring for the natural beauty that makes this place so special,” he said.
Part of the proceeds from each coral adoption will go towards Sun Siyam Care, the group’s sustainability platform, supporting marine conservation and reef restoration efforts.
Through the launch of Adopt A Coral Frame, Sun Siyam Olhuveli is combining guest experience with reef restoration, reflecting a wider focus on environmental engagement within its island operations.
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