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Baa Atoll Manta Festival 2019 to take place in Eydhafushi island

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Manta Trust has announced plans to host the second Baa Atoll Manta Festival in the island of Eydhafushi in Baa atoll.

The Manta Trust, a UK-based manta ray conservation charity, is organising the festival from September 20-21, in partnership with the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Office, Eydhafushi Island and Atoll Council, Baa Atoll Education Centre, and Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru resort.

This exciting event will build on the success of last year’s festival by bringing together communities, school students and tourists from across the country to celebrate the Maldives’ unique marine life. What better location for a manta festival than Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve; home to the world-famous Hanifaru Bay, a Marine Protected Area that attracts aggregations of over 200 reef manta rays during the South West Monsoon.

The Baa Atoll Manta Festival aims to leave a lasting legacy for young Maldivians, inspiring the next generation to engage with marine ecology and conservation. This year, over 1,000 students are expected to attend.

“We want our annual Baa Atoll Manta Festival to encourage young Maldivians to experience the beauty of the ocean by spending more time in the water swimming and snorkelling,” explains the Manta Trust’s Flossy Barraud, one of the event’s key organisers.

“Resorts sponsoring 2018’s Manta Festival donated snorkelling equipment to every school in Baa atoll. This year, the resorts are taking 200 students from 12 local schools snorkelling with manta rays inside Hanifaru Bay. We hope this will inspire the next generation to continue to protect their marine environment and Biosphere Reserve.”

Friday, the 20th will include the opening ceremony and speeches as well as a panel discussion amongst environmental figureheads from the Biosphere Reserve Office, Manta Trust and the Environmental Protection Agency, amongst others.

With over 30 inspiring stalls boasting educational content plus manta, turtle and whale shark themed games and virtual reality, the event is sure to engage all attendees with vital marine conservation issues.

Local businesses, including Island Bizaar, Oevaali Art Shop and Pepper Dots will join the celebration, brought to the festival alongside students by transport partner Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC).

Creative students are invited to enter a live art competition, with great prizes up for grabs, including return flights from the festival’s travel partner Manta Air. Stalls will remain open into the evening, allowing guests to peruse whilst enjoying Bodu Beru and DJ performances.

Saturday brings plenty more excitement as stalls open for a second day and students take part in some hands-on conservation for ‘World Coastal Clean-up Day.’ Students will learn how to segregate waste using ocean plastics collected during beach cleans on their islands, organised in collaboration with Soneva Fushi and plastic reduction group ‘Parley for the Oceans.’

In the afternoon schools will participate in the Swim Maldives “Odin Rashah” swimming competition and a themed performance competition titled ‘Charismatic Megafauna’.

Following these events, the winners of all competitions will be announced. Prizes will include snorkelling equipment, snorkelling field-trips and merchandise generously donated by sponsors.

The festival will go out in style with evening entertainment from local musicians and Bodu Beru.

The festival is generously sponsored by 15 local resorts: Four Seasons Resorts Maldives, Vakkaru Maldives, Ocean Dimensions at Kihaa Maldives, Anantara Kihavah Villas Maldives, Nautilus Maldives, Reethi Faru Resort, Milaidhoo Island Maldives, Sea-Explorer and Reethi Beach, Finolhu, Amilla Fushi, Dusit Thani Maldives and Ocean Group, The Westin Maldives at Miriandhoo, Euro-Divers Maldives, Meeru Island Resort, and Soneva Fushi.

The festivities will be covered by press partners, Eydhafushi Times and Pubic Service Media.

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Villa Nautica’s festive glow: Yoga at sunrise, fireworks at midnight

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Villa Nautica will embrace the festive spirit from 20 December 2025 to 6 January 2026, offering guests an easy island rhythm that flows from bright mornings by the water to music-filled evenings on the sand. The season begins with illuminated beaches and relaxed barbecues, gradually building through creative afternoons and live performances. Christmas Eve will feature a gala dinner, followed by Santa’s arrival on 25 December. The celebrations will culminate in a vibrant New Year’s Eve countdown with fireworks, before settling into a calm reset on New Year’s Day and concluding with Orthodox Christmas.

The programme balances practicality with a relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere. Mornings will bring sunrise yoga, family pool activities, and interactive cooking sessions, while evenings will feature poolside soirées, wine-paired dinners, and sunset cruises. With simple yet photogenic settings, the lagoon and sky take centre stage in shaping the mood. Guests—whether couples, friends, or families—can participate freely without losing the island’s easy pace.

For younger visitors, the festivities will centre around the kids’ club, where cookie and cupcake decorating, beach games, origami and craft sessions, storytelling, and cosy movie nights will take place. Small groups and attentive care ensure that creativity and play remain the focus, allowing parents to enjoy uninterrupted moments around the island.

A highlight of the season will be the Champagne Lucky Draw & Disco. From 1 to 31 December, each bottle of champagne purchased at resort bars or restaurants will serve as an entry to the draw. Guests are advised to keep their entry stubs for the live draw, held at 01:00 during the New Year’s celebration, where the prize will be a seven-night stay in a Water Villa for two.

Throughout the festive period, private experiences will feel as memorable as the larger celebrations. Guests may enjoy candlelit dinners on the sand, floating breakfasts, or early morning snorkelling sessions to begin the year anew. Whether seeking a lively shoreline celebration or a quiet evening stroll beneath lanterns and palms, Villa Nautica offers an atmosphere where every festive moment can glow in its own way.

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JOALI BEING launches global campaign ‘Joyful Journeys of Well-Living’

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JOALI BEING, the world’s first well-being island, has announced the launch of its new global brand campaign titled “Joyful Journeys of Well-Living.” The campaign celebrates the art of self-discovery, inviting travellers to reconnect with their inner selves through bespoke and transformative experiences.

Building upon JOALI BEING’s core philosophy of the “Joy of Weightlessness,” the campaign embodies the essence of harmony between mind, body, and spirit. It encourages guests to explore holistic pathways designed to restore balance and inspire personal growth.

Joyful Journeys of Well-Living serves as an invitation to travellers seeking meaningful change and renewal. The campaign narrates stories of individuals discovering joy through purposeful living, mindful connection, and immersive well-being experiences at JOALI BEING.

The visuals capture the island’s tranquil landscapes and nurturing spaces — from oceanfront sanctuaries to treetop villas and transformative healing sessions led by resident experts. The campaign presents JOALI BEING as more than a destination; it is a journey towards well-being, creativity, and self-transformation.

Each guest journey at JOALI BEING is founded on the resort’s Four Pillars of Well-Being — Mind, Skin, Microbiome, and Energy. Through tailored programmes, guests can embark on integrative wellness experiences encompassing sound therapy, movement and fitness, hydrotherapy, nutritional guidance, and energy-healing sessions curated by specialists.

The island features a series of advanced well-being spaces, including:

  • CORE: a movement and fitness zone
  • AREKA: a transformative treatment centre
  • KAASHI: a hydrotherapy hall
  • SEDA: a sound-healing room
  • Ocean Sala: an open-air meditation and relaxation deck

Each space is designed to nurture a profound connection with nature and the self.

The Joyful Journeys of Well-Living campaign has been conceptualised and produced by JOALI BEING’s in-house team in collaboration with creative partners and visual storytellers from across the globe. The multi-platform campaign integrates film, digital, and print media to convey JOALI BEING’s ethos — a celebration of joy, transformation, and harmony.

The visual narrative draws inspiration from the natural beauty of the Maldives, reflecting JOALI BEING’s immersive design philosophy. The imagery captures the rhythm of the ocean, the play of light, and the flow of energy that define the spirit of the island.

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Coco Bodu Hithi wins Best Waterside Hotel at Condé Nast Johansens Awards 2026

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Coco Bodu Hithi has been recognised on the global stage, winning Best Waterside Hotel (Riverside, Lakeside, Seaside) at the Condé Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence 2026, held on 3 November 2025 in the UK. It is the second consecutive year the resort has been honoured by the publication, following last year’s win for Best Service, reaffirming its focus on heartfelt Maldivian hospitality and refined island living.

Described by Condé Nast Johansens as an “over-water, over-indulgent Maldivian island outpost,” Coco Bodu Hithi offers an intimate retreat of comfort and calm. The resort’s 32 Water Villas and 24 Coco Residences, each measuring 184 square metres and featuring private pools, provide secluded spaces set above the lagoon, where nature, design, and comfort come together to reflect the island’s romantic ambience.

Known for contemporary design infused with Maldivian heritage, the resort continues to welcome travellers seeking time by the sea, complemented by culinary collaborations with celebrity and Michelin-starred chefs. The experience balances privacy and comfort throughout a guest’s stay. With turquoise waters, quiet spaces, and experiences designed for connection and shared discovery, the resort presents a considered take on island living.

Located 35 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, the island combines accessibility with seclusion—close enough for convenience, yet removed for privacy and serenity. As part of Coco Collection, the resort offers bespoke experiences, attentive service, and sustainable practices, shaping stays that feel personal and reflective of relaxed, authentic island life.

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