Featured
Anantara Veli named Maldives’ Best Wellness Retreat at World Spa Awards
Anantara Veli Maldives Resort has been named Maldives’ Best Wellness Retreat at the 2017 World Spa Awards.
The 2017 World Spa Awards winners were unveiled in Phu Quoc, Veitnam on Sunday, with the Anantara brand as a whole making sweeping wins. Anantara Veli was named Maldives’ Best Wellness Retreat, a great honour in such a prestigious, luxury category.
Launched in association with the World Travel Awards, voters of the World Spa Awards comprise spa industry professionals and the wider public, a double seal of recognition for excellence.
“We are thrilled to be recognised on a global stage, and I would like to thank the team for their dedication and passion in perfecting each guest’s wellness journey. Discerning travellers with busy lives look for an all-encompassing experience, a total escape for body and mind. Anantara Veli provides the ideal setting for relaxation and invigoration, with a complete suite of consultants and facilities for tailored approaches to wellbeing,” Melissa Dowel, the Spa Director at Anantara Veli, was quoted in a statement, as saying.
Anantara Veli recently launched its new Balance Wellness Sanctuary, offering a multi-dimensional approach to relaxation and health. Balance Wellness offers guests a holistic path to feeling and looking better.
Begin with a personal consultation with one of the resident wellness consultants. Based on your lifestyle and body composition, together devise a programme for your time on the island and back at home. Balance Wellness helps tackle deep-seated issues such as sleeplessness, weight management, detoxification and mindfulness.
Begin each day with healthy food choices catering to your body type. Practice meditation and yoga overlooking the ocean with the resident yogi, or shape up with high intensity circuit training and cardio. Submit to soothing detox rituals such as Udwarthanam, an Ayurvedic massage using herbal powders to increase blood flow and flush out toxins and cellulite.
Visiting Masters of Wellness from as far afield as Hawaii and Portugal bring the latest in holistic treatments to Anantara Veli. Discover your body’s natural ability to heal with Naturopathic Doctor Sohal Shah. Explore the myriad benefits of acupuncture with Dr. Rui Pedro Loureiro. Heal with movement under the guidance of Holistic Therapist Jade Wood.
At Anantara Veli, you are invited to open your mind and find inspiration in the most stunning of everydays. Paint the sunset and explore the artist inside you. Join in a bodu beru drumming session or find wonder diving pristine reefs.
Anantara Veli is an adults-only private island fringed by quintessential Maldives overwater bungalows. A 35-minute speedboat ride from the capital and Velana International Airport, the island lies in a peaceful azure lagoon shared with sister resorts, Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort and Naladhu Maldives Private Island.
Designed for sweeping romance, couples can hide away in luxury or venture into the heart of the island for star-lit moments in an orchid garden or open-air cinema. Candlelight dinners take place over the waters at the Maldives’ finest Thai restaurant, Baan Huraa, or the resort’s private picnic island, Gulhifushi.
For those looking for activity and novel experiences, Anantara Veli features an on-site water sports centre, Aquafanatics, with PADI diving and luxury surfing with Tropicsurf. Daily meditation and yoga sessions are led by the resident yogi in an ocean-facing yoga pavilion.
The lush garden spa in traditional Maldivian style greets with the soothing scent of orchid. Five personal treatment suites with dedicated Ayurveda set-ups offer garden views and a soaking tub in front of a waterfall. A serene relaxation courtyard with hot and cold plunge pools invites pre- or post-treatment unwinding.
Entertainment
QUEENZ OF PIANO to perform at Reethi Faru Resort this festive season
Reethi Faru Resort has announced that internationally recognised piano duo QUEENZ OF PIANO will perform at the resort as part of its Christmas and New Year celebrations for the 2026/27 festive season.
The duo will present three live performances on 29 December 2026, 31 December 2026 (New Year’s Eve) and 2 January 2027, offering guests a series of musical experiences during the holiday period.
QUEENZ OF PIANO are known for combining classical music with contemporary pop, performing arrangements that bring together compositions from different musical periods and genres.
Their performances reinterpret well-known classical pieces and modern hits, incorporating elements of both musical styles to appeal to audiences of different ages and musical preferences.
The duo’s approach focuses on showcasing the versatility of the piano through arrangements that blend traditional classical techniques with contemporary musical influences.
The performances will form part of Reethi Faru Resort’s festive entertainment programme, providing live musical experiences for guests celebrating Christmas and New Year in the Maldives.
The three scheduled performances will take place during the resort’s year-end celebrations, including a special appearance on New Year’s Eve.
Featured
Kandooma Maldives unveils ‘Pirates’ Festive Adventure’ for Christmas and New Year
Kandooma Maldives has announced its Christmas and New Year programme, titled Pirates’ Festive Adventure, featuring festive dining, family activities, marine excursions, live entertainment and wellness experiences.
The programme will run from 22 December 2026 to 7 January 2027, offering a range of activities and celebrations for guests staying at the resort in South Malé Atoll.
The festive programme forms part of Kandooma Maldives’ experience-led all-inclusive offering, which combines dining, recreational activities and marine experiences.
The resort provides round-the-clock dining at Kandooma Café, with meals and snacks available to accommodate international arrival and departure schedules. Eligible certified divers staying for four nights or longer can also participate in daily diving activities as part of the all-inclusive offering.
For families, Kandoo Kids’ Club will organise a series of themed activities throughout the festive period. These will include pirate-themed crafts, treasure-inspired games, creative challenges, festive card-making, gingerbread making and Christmas celebrations.
Younger guests will also have opportunities to participate in Christmas cookie decorating and other seasonal activities, while Santa Claus is scheduled to make an appearance as part of the festivities.
Marine excursions and watersports will feature throughout the programme, with activities including shark snorkelling, shipwreck safaris, turtle-point snorkelling, sunset cruises and night fishing.
Guests will also have opportunities to participate in surfing lessons, guided Jet Ski tours and other watersports activities around the island.
Festive dining will form a central part of the celebrations, with the resort organising a Maldivian-themed buffet dinner accompanied by traditional Bodu Beru drumming and a fire dance performance.
Other dining experiences will include a multi-course Christmas Eve gala dinner, Christmas dining events and special New Year celebrations. The menus will feature a combination of Maldivian cuisine, international dishes and traditional festive offerings.
For guests seeking wellness experiences, Kandooma Spa by COMO Shambhala will offer a range of treatments, including couples’ spa experiences, a three-day wellness programme and recovery treatments designed for surfers.
The festive programme will continue into January with additional activities at Kandoo Kids’ Club, marine excursions and recreational experiences.
The celebrations will conclude on 7 January 2027 with Orthodox Christmas activities for guests observing the occasion.
Andrew Drummond, General Manager of Kandooma Maldives, said the programme was designed to bring together different aspects of the resort’s guest experience during the festive season.
“Festive holidays are about spending meaningful time together, discovering something new and creating memories that last long after the journey home,” he said.
“Our programme brings together the experiences that make an island holiday special, whether that means an ocean adventure, a celebration around the table, time to relax or a little festive magic for the family.”
Located on a private island in South Malé Atoll, Kandooma Maldives offers accommodation, dining, marine activities and recreational facilities for families, couples and groups of friends.
Guests are advised to review the festive programme for activity schedules, package inclusions and advance-booking requirements. Additional charges apply to selected excursions, watersports and spa treatments.
Awards
Secret Paradise Maldives Co-Founder recognised for regenerative tourism efforts
Ruth Franklin, Co-Founder of Secret Paradise Maldives, has received the Regenerative Travel Pioneer Award at the 2026 Inspiring Women in Travel Asia (IWTA) Awards, held at the Conrad Bangkok on 14 October 2026.
The IWTA Awards recognise women contributing to environmental, social and regenerative initiatives across Asia’s travel and tourism industry. The Regenerative Travel Pioneer Award honours individuals whose work places local communities, cultural preservation and environmental conservation at the centre of tourism development.
Franklin co-founded Secret Paradise Maldives in 2012, establishing a tourism business focused on providing visitors with experiences beyond traditional resort holidays. The company promotes interactions between travellers, local communities and the natural environment through locally led tourism activities.
Secret Paradise Maldives works with local businesses, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and community groups to support responsible tourism practices and ensure that a greater share of tourism revenue benefits local communities.
Its activities focus on marine conservation, cultural awareness and creating opportunities for Maldivians to share their knowledge, traditions and way of life with international visitors.
Commenting on the recognition, Franklin acknowledged the contributions of the company’s employees, local partners and community organisations.
“I’m incredibly honoured to receive this recognition. While the award may have my name on it, it represents the collective efforts of the entire Secret Paradise team, our local partners and the many NGOs and community members we work alongside.
“Since establishing Secret Paradise, our aim has always been to demonstrate that travel can be a force for good, creating meaningful experiences for visitors while supporting local livelihoods, celebrating Maldivian culture and helping protect the incredible natural environment we are so fortunate to call home. This award is recognition of everyone’s contribution to that journey,” she said.
The award recognises Franklin’s work in promoting community-based tourism in the Maldives and Secret Paradise Maldives’ efforts to integrate environmental conservation, cultural preservation and local economic participation into its tourism operations.
-
News5 days agoananea Madivaru Maldives unveils personalised island concierge experience
-
Drink1 week agoRare vintages meet island luxury: Glenelly Estate takes over RAAYA and VARU by Atmosphere
-
Awards1 week agoRitz-Carlton Maldives earns Two MICHELIN Keys, St. Regis Vommuli named among Asia Pacific’s best hotels
-
Cooking1 week agoGili Lankanfushi Executive Chef Hari releases plant-based cookbook celebrating sustainable cuisine
-
News1 week agoCentara unveils Festival of Lights celebrations across Maldives resorts
-
News1 week agoSun Siyam Vilu Reef celebrates 28 years with new beach club and Italian restaurant
-
Action1 week agoDaniil Medvedev, Paula Badosa and Donna Vekić head to St. Regis Maldives for tennis series
-
Cooking1 week agoHeritance Aarah brings Chiang Mai’s The House by Ginger to Maldives


