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Baa Atoll Manta Festival 2019 to take place in Eydhafushi island

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.
Featured
ELE|NA and VOYA unite for ocean-inspired wellness at THE OZEN COLLECTION

In celebration of World Ocean Day, ELE|NA Elements of Nature has announced an exclusive partnership with VOYA, the globally renowned organic seaweed skincare brand. Launching in July, this collaboration introduces a new era of ocean-inspired wellness at OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI and OZEN LIFE MAADHOO. Guests will experience a deeply immersive and personalised spa journey, rooted in the healing power of the sea.
The new spa menu is crafted around three core wellness pillars—REST, ZEST, and BALANCE—each designed to meet individual needs, from deep relaxation and stress relief to energy rejuvenation and emotional renewal.
Each guest begins their spa experience with a personalised consultation to align treatments with their wellness goals. The journey starts with a calming aromatic foot ritual and a mindful breathing ceremony, establishing a foundation for a meaningful and restorative session.
The spa menu features marine-inspired massages, facials, and body therapies that incorporate VOYA’s certified organic, seaweed-based ingredients, sustainably harvested from the Atlantic coast. Key offerings include:
- Massage Therapies: Deep Muscle Melter, Tranquil Touch, and the signature VOYAGER Massage Journey
- Marine Facials: Pro-Age, Skin Renewal, and Bespoke Touch Facials
- Marine Exfoliations & Wraps: Detoxifying body buffs, nourishing sugar polishes, and sun-soothing wraps
- Sleeping Rituals: Mindful Dreams Massage and Herbal Cocoon Wrap with singing bowls
ELE|NA extends the wellness experience beyond the treatment room through group sessions such as guided meditations, sea and sound therapies, and aroma-intent practices. Guests can also enjoy bespoke VOYA bathing rituals in-spa or in-villa, including Detoxifying Seaweed Baths and Warm Spiced Mud Baths.
Guests are encouraged to continue their wellness journeys at home with a curated retail collection of VOYA products, including body oils, essential oils, pulse point oils, and aromatic room scents—each inspired by the tranquility and vitality of the ocean.
With a shared commitment to sustainability, ELE|NA and VOYA honour the ocean through ethical sourcing and eco-conscious practices. This partnership goes beyond providing luxurious spa experiences—it pays tribute to the sea’s natural rhythms and healing energy.
As part of the World Ocean Day celebration, ELE|NA invites guests to reconnect with nature and their inner selves. The transformative power of the ocean is available starting this July at THE OZEN COLLECTION.
Featured
Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts introduces curated all-inclusive getaways in Maldives

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts is redefining stress-free travel with a trio of curated, all-inclusive offers across its Maldives properties. Each resort—Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives, Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa Maldives, and Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives—presents a unique experience, ranging from surfside excitement to secluded luxury, with every aspect of the stay carefully bundled for a seamless holiday.
At Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives, guests are invited to enjoy five nights of barefoot luxury, with packages starting at USD 3,499 nett for double occupancy in a Water Bungalow or USD 3,999 nett in an Over Water Suite. Tailored for travellers seeking a balance of adventure and relaxation, the offer includes:
- Return speed boat transfers
- A 4-course beach dinner featuring steak or seafood
- A 30-minute spa treatment
- Snorkelling and swimming experiences
- A local island visit
- Unlimited laundry services
- Premium All-Inclusive privileges
For those in search of tranquillity, the adults-only Platinum Wing at Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa Maldives offers a refined escape. With a minimum stay of seven nights in a Platinum Water Bungalow, the package is available at USD 6,999 nett for double occupancy and features:
- Return seaplane transfers with VIP lounge access
- A 4-course steak or seafood dinner by the beach
- A 45-minute spa treatment
- An island-hopping adventure
- A welcome bottle of wine, fruit basket, and bed decorations
- Unlimited laundry services
- Premium All-Inclusive privileges
At Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives, guests can indulge in serene overwater luxury with a seven-night stay starting from USD 6,999 nett for double occupancy in Water Bungalows and higher categories. The package highlights include:
- Return seaplane transfers with VIP lounge access
- Premium All-Inclusive privileges
- A 4-course steak or seafood dinner by the beach
- A 45-minute spa treatment
- An island-hopping adventure
- A dolphin-watching excursion
- Unlimited laundry services
These exclusive offers are available for stays between 1 June and 31 October 2025, with bookings now open.
Whether it’s catching waves at the iconic Pasta Point at Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives, enjoying a sunset over the tranquil lagoon at Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa Maldives, or exploring the pristine waters surrounding Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives, each resort promises a distinct and immersive experience. Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts delivers three unforgettable all-inclusive escapes, designed for effortless relaxation with every detail expertly managed.
Featured
Travel that matters: indulge in sustainability at Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu

With World Environment Day (5 June) and World Oceans Day (8 June) approaching, and Sir David Attenborough’s highly anticipated film Ocean igniting renewed interest in marine conservation, more travellers are seeking meaningful ways to turn environmental concern into impactful action.
Coco Collection, a leading luxury resort brand in the Maldives, demonstrates that responsible travel and indulgent island experiences can coexist harmoniously. At Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu, located in the UNESCO-listed Baa Atoll, guests are offered the opportunity to actively engage in ocean conservation efforts while enjoying a tranquil tropical retreat.
Far more than a scenic escape, the resort serves as a centre for daily, impactful sustainability work. Conservation initiatives at Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu include:
- Coral restoration projects, led by the in-house marine biologist to regenerate local reef ecosystems.
- Sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation, hosted at the Maldives’ first veterinary-run turtle rescue centre in partnership with the Olive Ridley Project. Visitors can tour the centre, observe turtle feedings, and register in advance to volunteer.
- Turtle hatching monitoring, involving the observation of protected nests to ensure hatchlings can be safely guided back to the ocean.
- Guided snorkelling and diving excursions in the Baa Atoll’s thriving marine ecosystem, which is home to tropical fish, vibrant coral gardens, and sea turtles.
Following World Turtle Day on 23 May, the resort also commemorates the beginning of turtle hatching season. Weekly marine talks and immersive conservation activities allow guests to deepen their understanding and connection to the ocean.
In 2024, the Olive Ridley Project’s Maldives Research team reported 168 new turtle nests, over 5,264 successful hatchings, and nearly 3,500 turtle sightings. Since 2013, the project has surpassed 40,000 recorded sea turtle encounters, with Coco Collection associates logging the highest number of turtle encounters in the Maldives.
In addition to marine conservation, the resort offers a broad range of water sports — including water skiing, parasailing, paddleboarding, and kayaking — along with cultural experiences through its Coco Experiences programme.
Recognised among the top resorts in the Indian Ocean by the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2024, Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu is celebrated for its authentic Maldivian heritage, breathtaking natural surroundings, and steadfast commitment to sustainability.
Whether visitors are nature enthusiasts, aspiring conservationists, or simply seeking a purposeful and mindful retreat, Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu provides a rare opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Sir David Attenborough and contribute to lasting environmental stewardship.
As sustainability-focused holidays approach, the resort is preparing a range of experiences for both guests and staff. Planned activities include tree planting, Saifodhu (a traditional Maldivian high tea accompanied by a display of homemade goods), a sustainable dining experience, and a sustainability presentation led by the resort’s Marine Educator and the ORP team in celebration of World Environment Day. For World Oceans Day, the island is also set to host various sustainability-driven events and experiences.
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