Featured
Carpe Diem partners with Loliware to bring world’s first biodegradable, edible straw to Maldives
Carpe Diem Maldives has partnered with Loliware to bring the world’s first biodegradable and edible straw to the Maldives.
It is widely claimed there are enough plastic straws to wrap around the Earth’s circumference 2.5 times each day. Because they are so small, most straws are not recycled and usually end up in landfills and waterways, where they linger indefinitely, harming wildlife, and marring the natural beauty.
Made to disappear and designed to have the same functionality expected of a plastic straw, Lolistraw will last for up to eight hours in a beverage and will have a shelf life of up to 24 months. When you are done sipping your drink, you can eat the straw or compost it.
The founders of LOLIWARE and the straw’s designers, Chelsea Briganti and Leigh Ann Tucker, have coined the term “hyper-compostable” to convey that all of their products, including Lolistraw, will break down at the same rate as food waste in compost or in the natural environment, such as a waterway.
The Maldives is surrounded 99 percent by ocean, straddles the equator and is home to some of the world’s most precious coral reefs and marine life. Considerations towards protecting the environment are a key influencer in all business decisions for Carpe Diem Maldives.
“In 10 years of operating our dive safari cruises across The Maldives, we’re always looking for ways to reduce our waste footprint. For example, we’ve never had one-time use bottles on our boats, each guest receives a durable plastic water bottle that they take home with them,” explains Agnes van Linden, Assistant Managing Director of Carpe Diem Maldives.
“When we were looking last year for new sustainable solutions to bring to our upcoming resort, I came across the Lolistraw project on Kickstarter. The management team and I carefully researched all the information and we all knew it was a winner. We had to seize the day and the opportunity, like our company name, while at the same time supporting this great innovation get off the ground.”
Carpe Diem’s Carpe Vita in Raa atoll. PHOTO/ CARPE DIEM
Carpe Diem Maldives is just one of two main Lolistraw Launch Partners from the Kickstarter project, with close to 1000 other smaller donation supporters.
“Our world needs a radically new approach to our daily consumption of single-use plastics which too often go to landfill or pollute oceans. Our solutions transform disposables into ‘’plant fuel’ through composting, or ‘human fuel’ through consumption,” observed LOLIWARE Co-Founder Leigh Ann Tucker.
Made from a new seaweed-based material, the initial texture is like plastic, but can be made with a flavour or with added nutrients. On Carpe Diem Cruises and at the upcoming resort, the chosen lime flavour will add to the experience when sipping a cocktail, a simple glass of water or a refreshing coconut juice.
“It transforms while you’re using it to where you can actually bite into it afterward and eat it,” Leigh Ann Tucker noted.
“But when you first pick it up and put it into your drink, it’s going to feel like a plastic straw.”
For those who do not want to eat the straw, it is also compostable and marine degradable. Unlike another material often used for compostable utensils–PLA, which is often made from corn starch–Loliware breaks down easily, so it can be composted in a home system rather than requiring industrial composting equipment. If the seaweed-based straw happens to end up in the ocean, it will dissolve, which is excellent news for the pristine waters of the Maldives, and any unassuming hungry marine life that might swimming by.
“We’re not telling the consumer, hey, you can’t have your straw. We’re providing them a solution to the plastic straw crisis while also giving them a fun experience on top of that. It’s not about the consumer sacrificing anymore, it’s about the consumer having fun and being sustainable at the same time. There are some bioplastics that just break down into smaller pieces, whereas Lolistraw is designed to literally disappear,” says Chelsea Briganti.
The lime-flavoured Lolistraws will available in August on all three Carpe Diem Cruises offering seven and 10 day dive safaris while staying on the luxury liveaboard vessels, as well as at the 115-pool villa Carpe Diem Beach Resort and Spa when it opens in September this year.
Since 2008, the award-winning hospitality group Carpe Diem Maldives has been operating luxury dive and surf liveaboard cruises, sharing the beauty of the Maldivian waters with adventurous travellers. Carpe Diem is the only liveaboard operator in the Maldives to offer diving adventures with a team of all-Maldivian dive masters.
With the expansion into resorts, Carpe Diem Maldives becomes the only hospitality brand in the country to offer year-round liveaboard cruises that can be combined with a resort stay.
The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, is preparing to welcome guests to a week-long Autumn Festival with Halloween-themed celebrations running from 30 October to 5 November. The programme features a variety of activities designed for families, couples, and individual travellers, with events ranging from treasure hunts and creative workshops to wellness sessions and exclusive dining experiences.
The celebrations begin on 30 October with a beachside Tabata workout followed by a pumpkin carving workshop at La Locanda. Activities for children and teens include the Magic of Mantas virtual reality exploration, Haunted Brick Builders, and the Autumn Costume Fashion Show. Parents are invited to a cocktail gathering on the shore before the evening concludes with a Culinary Maestro dinner by Michelin-starred Chef Max Strohe, as part of the resort’s Masters of Crafts series.
On 31 October, guests may join a morning Dynamic Flow Yoga session in the Mystique Garden or take part in a turtle snorkelling excursion. Children between four and twelve are encouraged to join the Flying Fox Quest, a Halloween-themed nature walk, while older children embark on an Island Treasure Quest. Seasonal workshops such as wreath decoration and creative pumpkin carving are available, and the day concludes with a Trick or Treat Treasure Hunt across the island and a Halloween Feast at La Locanda.
As the week progresses, the festival highlights wellness and creativity. Under the Masters of Crafts programme, mobility coach Anthony Green will host sessions on posture, flexibility, and spinal health. Seasonal crafts for younger guests include galaxy-themed pumpkin art, Halloween decorations, wand-making, and mask workshops. Family activities extend to Autumn Carnival Stalls, Magic Hat bowling, and themed cooking sessions. Evening entertainment includes a magic show, a piñata party, and further culinary experiences led by Chef Max Strohe.
The festival concludes on 5 November with a Vinsaya Flow Yoga session in the Mystique Garden, an art class featuring batfish designs on tote bags, and a children’s treasure hunt. Families are invited to join the Boos and Brews Halloween Dhoni Cruise before the celebrations end with a Luxury Sunset Cruise.
Through this programme, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, combines seasonal festivities with wellness, creativity, and gastronomy, offering guests a diverse celebration of autumn and Halloween in the Maldives.
Soneva Fushi, situated within the Maldives’ Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, has been named winner of the SeiBellissimi Art of Hospitality Award as part of The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2025. The accolade is one of two special awards announced ahead of the official ceremony on 30 October. The award is based on votes from more than 800 members of the Academy, who were asked to identify the hotel where they experienced their single-best hospitality moment within the two-year voting period.
The award recognises the quality of service that ensures guests feel cared for throughout their stay. It celebrates the work of a property and its entire team, acknowledging excellence in areas ranging from reception and housekeeping to amenities and food and beverage services. Voters were asked to consider ambience, unique experiential elements, and the warmth of the hospitality on offer.
Soneva Fushi, the original Soneva resort and regarded as the model for barefoot luxury, is located on one of the Maldives’ largest and least developed islands. The resort comprises 71 private villas, either set amidst dense jungle or positioned above the ocean. Guests are invited to embrace a slower pace of life, with experiences ranging from deserted island picnics and wellness treatments at Soneva Soul to curated events under the Soneva Stars calendar.
Emma Sleight, Head of Content for The World’s 50 Best Hotels, said: “This award celebrates the foundation of hospitality and honours the emotional connection that guests have with a hotel and its team. For three decades, Soneva Fushi has been delivering memorable service at the highest level that puts the guest at the heart of every interaction. A mainstay of The World’s 50 Best Hotels list since the awards’ inception, Soneva Fushi is a worthy winner of the SeiBellissimi Art of Hospitality Award, setting a benchmark of all-encompassing excellence one stay at a time.”
Each villa offers extensive indoor and outdoor living space, private pools and ocean views. A distinctive feature of the resort is its Barefoot Guardians – dedicated butlers assigned to each villa to provide personalised service. Available at all times, they arrange every aspect of the guest experience, from zipline adventures and snorkelling at Hanifaru Bay to stargazing at the observatory or dining in one of 14 restaurants. The Barefoot Guardians also manage the Soneva Stars calendar, which hosts international chefs, wellness specialists and sporting figures.
Antony Paton, General Manager of Soneva Fushi, said: “This award belongs to the entire team at Soneva Fushi. It is a reflection of our shared purpose to create moments of joy, connection and wonder every single day. Being recognised by The World’s 50 Best Hotels affirms that the quiet magic we strive for is not only felt by our guests, but remembered. And that, to us, is the greatest reward.”
Giancarlo Mancino, Chief Executive Officer of SeiBellissimi, added: “At Soneva Fushi, hospitality is a seamless extension of a lifestyle deeply rooted in sustainability, wellness and mindful luxury. Founded with a slow life philosophy, every experience here is a tribute to living in harmony with nature, honouring health-conscious principles, and crafting each moment with genuine care. This devotion to sustainable elegance and the art of well-being is the perfect mirror of SeiBellissimi’s own values: Italian craftsmanship, conviviality, and a respect for quality that goes beyond the ordinary.”
The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2025 ceremony will take place at Old Billingsgate in London on Thursday 30 October, where Soneva Fushi will formally receive the SeiBellissimi Art of Hospitality Award.
Minor Hotels, a global hospitality group operating nine resorts in the Maldives, has announced that three of its properties were recognised at the Travel Trade Maldives (TTM) Awards 2025. The annual awards celebrate achievements across 28 categories, with winners selected through votes cast by guests and travel partners.
Niyama Private Islands Maldives received the award for Best Family Resort. The property is known for offering experiences for all ages, with facilities including a playground, splash park, and gourmet kitchen at its children’s club, alongside an extensive schedule of activities. Young guests are provided with age-appropriate experiences such as snorkelling safaris, cooking classes, surf lessons, and outdoor cinema evenings.
Accommodation includes a variety of spacious villas and pavilions, such as the newly renovated Deluxe Family Beach Pool Villa. Combined with diverse dining options, recreational activities, and personalised service, the resort seeks to provide both adventure and relaxation for families.
Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort was named Best Beach Resort, reflecting its setting of white sands, turquoise lagoons, and coconut groves within Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The resort offers contemporary villas, including Beach Pool Villas and Two-Bedroom Beach Pool Villas, with direct beach access.
Since opening in 2023, Avani+ Fares has aimed to introduce a laid-back approach to Maldivian holidays, combining modern design with the natural environment. Guests can participate in activities ranging from water sports and wellness to dining and cultural programmes.
NH Collection Maldives Havodda Resort was awarded Best Dive Resort, recognised for its accessible house reef and marine biodiversity. Located close to the shoreline, the reef offers opportunities for snorkellers and divers of all levels, with frequent encounters with species such as reef sharks, turtles, rays, and tropical fish.
The resort also provides access to the dive sites of Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, where PADI-certified instructors guide guests through channels, thilas, and reef walls.
In addition to these three awards, Minor Hotels’ properties received 12 finalist nominations across seven categories. These included its newest addition, NH Maldives Kuda Rah Resort, which was shortlisted in three categories.
The group’s nominations at the TTM Awards 2025 were:
- Best Beach Resort: Avani+ Fares and NH Collection Maldives Havodda
- Best Family Resort: Niyama, Avani+ Fares, and NH Maldives Kuda Rah
- Best Boutique Resort: NH Maldives Kuda Rah
- Best Culinary Resort: Niyama
- Most Picturesque Resort: NH Collection Maldives Havodda
- Best Surf Resort: Niyama
- Best Dive Resort: Avani+ Fares, NH Collection Maldives Havodda, and NH Maldives Kuda Rah
-
Action1 week agoFreediving with tiger sharks: Shark Expedition Fuvahmulah collaborates with marine biologist Andriana Fragola
-
Featured1 week agoFinolhu replants 1,200 coral colonies to strengthen house reef
-
Featured1 week agoOZEN LIFE MAADHOO lunches Barefoot Bistro at Hudhu Bay
-
Featured1 week agoCoco Bodu Hithi prepares for holiday season and New Year festivities
-
Featured1 week agoSummer Island Maldives rewards guests with 10th anniversary holiday giveaway
-
Featured1 week agoEmilie Channon brings holistic healing residency to Baros Maldives
-
Featured1 week agoCentara Grand Lagoon Maldives offers added value for Saudi National Day getaways
-
Featured6 days agoSO/ Maldives to host three-day wellness retreat with Anna Kanyuk