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Soneva launches Maker Programme to introduce plastic recycling in Maldives
Soneva has announced that it has started recycling plastic as part of the Soneva Maker Programme.
Beginning at Soneva Fushi, this programme will see Soneva join the grass-roots Precious Plastic global initiative to increase plastic recycling, by fabricating their open source machines from locally available, low-cost materials. In due course, the programme will be extended so that Soneva resorts recycle plastic collected from neighbouring islands as well.
At Soneva Fushi’s Eco Centro, the first machine has been constructed which remoulds plastic waste into fun, functional and artistic items. Guests and resort hosts are not invited to use the machine, and get creative with plastic waste to make a range of products like flower pots, bowls and even children’s toys.
By joining the Precious Plastic initiative, which has captured the imagination of people all over the world, Soneva is now the first company in the Maldives to recycle plastic into new products. Soneva already limits the amount of plastic used on-site, banning plastic water bottles since 2008, yet small amounts still arrive with food transportation and as guests’ rubbish.
“We aim to change the perception of waste; plastic is precious and discarded items can be resources for a whole new range of useful products,” Sonu Shivdasani, Soneva’s founder and CEO, was quoted in a statement, as saying.
“We are proud to be part of the conversation on plastic recycling and join the global ‘maker movement’. Soneva has been recycling for a very long time, but we’ve taken it to the next level with these plastic recycling machines and we look forward to encouraging our skilled hosts and guests to work with us to create items of value from waste.”
Soneva has a target of zero waste, and already recycles 90 percent of its solid waste, with glass, food waste, jungle trimmings and polystyrene all processed on-site. The group says the focus is now on tackling the last 10 percent, which includes small amounts of plastic, paper, cloth and Tetra Pak packaging.
Plastic waste is a well-documented issue in the Maldives, with ocean plastic regularly washing up on its pristine beaches. This global scourge was highlighted again last week at the UN Environment Assembly in Kenya, where representatives put forward a UN resolution to completely stop plastic waste from entering the oceans.
Soneva said it believes that part of the solution is to demonstrate the value of plastic waste recycling to local economies, inspiring communities to collect and reuse plastic before it has a chance to enter our oceans.
Soneva already extends its Waste-to-Wealth efforts beyond the resort for the Soneva Art & Glass programme, upcycling waste glass bottles collected from neighbouring islands in the region. Every month, anywhere between 500 and 1,000 kilograms of glass is collected, washed, crushed and prepared for recycling by the Eco Centro team, with regular deliveries to Soneva’s Glass Studio. It is then melted down in the company’s state-of-the-art glass furnace. From there, a variety of techniques are used, such as blowing, casting, and slumping to create extraordinary pieces of art that are of a much higher value than the glass was in its original bottle form.
According to Soneva, inviting guests and resort hosts to get creative with plastic waste to make a range of products is the first phase of the Soneva Maker Programme, which is part of Soneva’s plan to encourage guests and hosts (employees) to participate in recycling initiatives, to educate younger guests about how things are made and to emphasise the ‘Waste-to-Wealth’ concept.
Established in 1995, Soneva Fushi is the original Soneva. The No News, No Shoes blueprint for all desert island barefoot luxury hideaways is located within the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Maldives. Soneva Fushi inspires the imagination with 65 spacious beachfront villas, ranging in size from one to nine bedrooms, hidden amongst dense foliage.
The iconic resort has bagged several international awards for eco-friendly tourism and green initiatives, including the 2017 Green Hotelier Award for the Asia Pacific region and the Sustainable Hotel Award by the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) as well as a spot in the Gold List compiled by Condé Nast Traveler China as the Best Hotel in the Maldives and amongst the best resorts in the world in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2017.
Soneva also operates the Soneva Jani resort and Soneva in Aqua luxury yacht in the Maldives.
InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort has been nominated in the “Resort” category of the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2026, one of the travel industry’s recognised measures of guest preference and brand standing.
Located in Raa Atoll, the resort is continuing to build its profile through its all-Club concept, service model and guest experiences shaped by both location and programme. As the Maldives’ first all-Club InterContinental resort, the property includes a set of signature benefits with each stay, including daily breakfast, afternoon tea and evening aperitif.
The resort features 81 beach, lagoon and overwater villas and residences, along with seven restaurants and bars. Its guest offering combines private accommodation with a range of tailored experiences, including manta ray encounters in the Maamunagau lagoon, customised Dining by Design experiences, visiting wellness practitioners and its Artist in Residence programme.
InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort is also positioned to serve both couples and families, through its family offering and adults-only Retreat enclave.
The nomination reflects continued recognition for a resort that combines service, experience-led programming and a natural setting within one of the Maldives’ established tourism atolls.
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.
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