Featured
Sun Aqua Vilu Reef’s Sun Aqua Spa named best Luxury Ayurveda Spa in Indian Ocean
Sun Aqua Spa at Sun Aqua Vilu Reef has been named the best Luxury Ayurveda Spa in Indian Ocean.
The continental award was presented to the resort at the 2018 World Luxury Spa Awards Gala held at the Galgorm Resort and Spa on July 14.
A major focus, the Sun Aqua Spa at the Sun Aqua Vilu Reef consists of six private treatment pavilions each with open air flower baths, open showers, a hydrotherapy area and double treatment beds. On offer is also a salon, manicure/pedicure and a beautiful relaxation area. Encompassing the Five Element Theory — Wood, Fire, Metal, Earth and Water — the spa will offer a lengthy menu of Ayurvedic wellness rituals, pampering beauty therapies and massage techniques from around the world. It also offers a selection of signature therapies to help renew body and mind, including a rich scrub of coconut or coffee, a herbal Udavarthanam detox or a relaxing, fragrant flower bath.
Sun Aqua Vilu Reef is a palm fringed paradise-like island located in South Nilandhe atoll, a mere 35-minute seaplane flight away from the main Velana International Airport.
Hidden amongst the foliage are 62 shell shaped bungalows, (14 Beach Villas, 18 Deluxe Beach Villas, 10 Jacuzzi Deluxe Beach Villas, five Deluxe Beach Villas with Pool, and 15 Sun Aqua Pool Villas) with lava-stone pools, whirlpool bathtubs, private sundecks and day swing beds. A further 41 Water Villas (20 Reef Villas, nine Sunset Reef Villas, six Aqua Villas with plunge pools, five Aqua Suites with private swimming pool and a Grand Reef Suite) complete the accommodation offering with a select few even hiding inviting overwater hammocks.
Guests can be selective at Sun Aqua Vilu Reef and explore the spice and warmth of home style Maldivian cuisine, feast on gourmet organic and free-range produce grown on the resorts private Farm Island, sink their teeth into freshly caught, barbecued seafood or dine under the stars with private dining experiences.
The World Luxury Spa Awards gives recognition and thanks to the luxury spa industry.
Setting benchmarks in quality, innovation and service for spas around the globe and established as the world’s leading Awards initiative for luxury spas, the World Luxury Spa Awards sets the spotlight on our spas, attracting the attention of global spa-goers and industry experts.
The annual awards are presented to luxury spas in 32 different categories on a country, regional, continent and global basis.
Featured
ELE|NA marks World Asthma Day with guided wellness experiences
ELE|NA marked World Asthma Day with a series of wellness activities across its properties, focusing on the role of breath in overall wellbeing.
The programme was designed to highlight the connection between breathing, movement and daily health practices. According to the company, the initiative aimed to position respiratory health as an integral part of routine wellness rather than a purely clinical concern.
Activities began with guided breath awareness sessions combined with stretching exercises. These sessions focused on controlled movement and breathing techniques intended to improve mobility and support more regulated breathing patterns. The approach was structured to help participants reduce tension and restore a steady physical rhythm.
The programme also included Floating Sound Healing sessions, where participants were positioned on water while exposed to therapeutic sound frequencies. The sessions were designed to support relaxation and mental focus through controlled sensory input.
The overall programme combined breathwork, movement and sound-based therapy as part of a structured wellness approach. ELE|NA indicated that these practices were intended to support awareness, relaxation and physical balance.
The company operates across 12 properties, including OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI, OZEN LIFE MAADHOO, OBLU SELECT Sangeli, OBLU SELECT Lobigili, OBLU XPERIENCE Ailafushi, VARU by Atmosphere, OBLU NATURE Helengeli by SENTIDO and RAAYA by Atmosphere, as well as properties in India.
Through the initiative, ELE|NA presented its wellness framework as extending beyond spa treatments, incorporating routine practices centred on breathing, movement and relaxation.
Action
Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives offers Dive Free programme
Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives is offering guests access to a range of dive sites in South Malé Atoll through its Dive Free programme, aimed at divers seeking structured and accessible diving experiences during their stay.
Located approximately 45 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, the resort provides proximity to multiple dive sites within a 10 to 30-minute boat radius. The surrounding waters are known for varied reef structures, current-driven channels and regular marine life encounters, allowing for multiple dives per day.
The Dive Free programme is available to guests staying three nights or more, offering up to two complimentary scuba dives per day for up to two certified divers per villa.
According to Dive Centre Manager Ibrahim Shaan, the location enables access to a range of dive environments within a short distance, including reef and channel dives. He noted that sites such as Kandooma Thila can be reached within minutes, while additional sites offering different conditions are accessible within half an hour.
Director of Marketing and Sustainability Sharon Garrett stated that the programme is designed to integrate diving into the overall guest experience, reducing both time and cost considerations for certified divers.
Water conditions in the area remain suitable for diving throughout the year, with visibility often exceeding 20 metres. The dive sites accessible from the resort include:
- Kandooma Thila, a coral-covered pinnacle known for sightings of reef sharks and eagle rays
- Guraidhoo Corner, a channel dive site with strong currents attracting schools of fish and larger species
- Cocoa Corner, featuring reef walls and drop-offs with occasional pelagic encounters
- Kuda Giri Wreck, a sheltered site with a wreck and reef supporting reef fish and macro life
- Kandooma Caves, characterised by overhangs and reef formations with diverse marine species
Additional nearby sites include Manta Point, Lhosfushi, Medhu Faru and Waggiri, offering a mix of reef and channel diving, with seasonal manta ray sightings.
The resort operates a PADI five-star dive centre with guided excursions and access to multiple sites within short travel distances. The Dive Free programme is positioned as an option for divers seeking to maximise time in the water without the need for domestic transfers, providing direct access to dive locations from a single island base.
Featured
Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives unveils Eid al-Adha experience
Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives has introduced a curated Eid al-Adha offering aimed at travellers seeking a structured yet flexible way to mark the occasion in a resort setting.
Branded “Island Celebrations: Eid – Connect in Paradise”, the experience is positioned for guests from the Middle East, North Africa and Asia, with a focus on shared experiences, personal time and engagement with the surrounding environment.
Located approximately 20 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, the resort is accessible for short-stay and family travel during peak holiday periods. The property features 120 beach and overwater villas, alongside an overwater spa, house reef and multiple dining outlets.
The Eid experience will begin with an in-villa welcome offering, including Arabic sweets, dates and fruit. The programme is structured around a series of optional activities rather than a fixed schedule. These include lagoon-based experiences, daily yoga sessions at sunrise and sunset, spa treatments, sunset cruises and dining options designed for private or shared settings.
The resort has indicated that the programme is intended to allow guests to engage with activities at their own pace, rather than follow a defined itinerary.
In line with the preferences of Muslim travellers, the resort has incorporated halal-friendly dining options, flexible meal arrangements and an expanded range of non-alcoholic beverages. Villa layouts are also designed to support privacy.
Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives has reported guest ratings of 9.2 out of 10 on halal travel platforms, reflecting demand within this segment.
The introduction of the Eid programme aligns with broader trends in the Maldives tourism sector, where travel experiences are increasingly structured around personalisation, cultural considerations and smaller-scale experiences.
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