NIYAMA Private Islands Maldives is to host private kickboxing lessons with world kickboxing champion and TV star Janosch Nietlispach from June 29 to July 13.

In an announcement, the resort said Nietlispach will be available for three private one-hour kickboxing lessons each week of his stay. Guests can enrol for this singular opportunity to enrich their lavish Maldives resort experience with some fitness fun, it added.

“Whether guests have some experience and training or are just interested in this ever-more popular martial art, those who receive these unique private lessons with Janosch will undoubtedly savour these memories of an even more exceptional stay at NIYAMA Private Islands,” the announcement read.

Kickboxing has come a long way from being a novelty spectacle for visitors to Thailand. It is taught and practiced all over the world, not just for fighting, but also for fitness.

Born in 1988 in Switzerland, Janosch started kickboxing when he was 13 and started winning recognition and medals six years later. By the time he turned 25, he was named the World Champion of the World Kickboxing and Karate Union in 2013. Somehow, in 2016, between kickboxing bouts and CrossFit training, Janosch found time to be the Bachelor in the Swiss version of the show. The season was a sweeping success as his final rose went to Kristina Radovic.

Accessible by a 40-minute seaplane flight from the main Velana International Airport, the blissful resort of NIYAMA Private Islands Maldives offers 86 studios and overwater pavilions spread across two islands, allowing guests to find comfort both indoors and outdoors. The luxury resort, located in the southern Dhaalu atoll, features endless dining options including Edge, an overwater restaurant only accessible by boat, and Tribal, a modern campfire dining fare complete with tiki torches.

Featuring a 24-hour spa, NIYAMA Private Islands Maldives is also home to the world’s first underwater club. In addition, guests seeking to explore the waters can pick their favourite water sport at Float, which offers PADI dive courses, or go sailing on traditional Maldivian wooden boats called Dhonis. There is even a marine biology lab for coral rehabilitation and education.