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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.

Awards

Ifuru Island Maldives wins Best Premium All-Inclusive Resort at Golden Travel Awards 2025

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Ifuru Island Maldives has been officially named Best Premium All-Inclusive Resort Maldives 2025 by the prestigious Golden Travel Award, recognising the resort’s exceptional guest experience and innovative all-inclusive offering. The resort distinguished itself through its commitment to redefining the premium all-inclusive concept with a bold combination of curated adventures, gourmet dining, and a true sense of luxury.

Marcel Sawyer, General Manager of Ifuru Island Maldives, expressed pride in the recognition, noting that it celebrates the dedication and passion the team invests in creating unforgettable moments for every guest. He emphasised that the resort’s experience is designed to offer guests the freedom to relax, explore, and feel truly at home, all within the comforts of a premium all-inclusive package.

Ifuru Island Maldives has quickly established a strong reputation with its thoughtfully crafted ‘Exclusively Yours’ Premium All-Inclusive package. With a fresh approach to luxury and authenticity, the resort continues to resonate with modern travellers who seek both comfort and meaningful connections.

This acknowledgment from the Golden Travel Award further solidifies Ifuru Island’s growing reputation as one of the Maldives’ most distinctive and experience-driven destinations.

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Float & Flow Yoga debuts at Holiday Inn Kandooma Maldives

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Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives now offers guests a unique wellness activity: Float & Flow Yoga. Set amidst the picturesque surroundings of crystal-clear waters, this innovative session blends balance, movement, and mindfulness on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP), fostering a joyful connection with nature.

Designed to accommodate both experienced yogis and beginners, Float & Flow Yoga provides a 60-minute session on the resort’s SUP Yoga Dock. This specially designed floating platform, shaped like a flower, features eight “petals,” each securing a SUP board around a central space designated for the instructor. Participants are guided through gentle yoga sequences that emphasise balance, breath, and flow.

Courtney Chambers, the resident Yoga Instructor at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives, describes the activity as a joyful and liberating experience. She notes that SUP yoga encourages participants to embrace the playful side of the practice while reconnecting with nature.

Classes take place every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday at 10:00 am, with a maximum of eight participants per session to maintain an intimate and supportive atmosphere. A minimum of three guests is required for each session. The class fee is priced at US$45 per person, inclusive of taxes and service charges.

Additionally, a professional drone photo and video package is available for US$25 per person, providing guests with a memorable keepsake of their experience.

Participants are advised to wear comfortable swimwear or yoga attire and to arrive 10 minutes early at the Perfect Wave Surf Shop for a pre-session briefing.

Whether the goal is mindfulness, gentle movement, or simply a splash of fun, Float & Flow Yoga at Kandooma offers an unforgettable opportunity to reconnect with both self and sea.

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Five-course Indian fine dining by Atrangi to feature at Jumeirah Olhahali Island’s June pop-up

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Jumeirah Olhahali Island has announced an exclusive culinary pop-up in collaboration with Atrangi by Ritu Dalmia, the renowned Indian restaurant located at Jumeirah Al Qasr in Dubai. Scheduled from 7 to 12 June 2025, this special event will feature Atrangi’s Head Chef, Aniket Chatterjee, who will partner with the resort’s culinary team to present a refined five-course dining experience. This unique collaboration aims to reinterpret regional Indian dishes through a contemporary perspective.

Atrangi, inspired by the vision of acclaimed chef and restaurateur Ritu Dalmia, is celebrated for its bold and eclectic approach to Indian cuisine. Ritu Dalmia, a self-taught chef, began her culinary journey by launching Delhi’s first standalone Italian restaurant at just twenty-two. Over the years, she has established a portfolio of acclaimed restaurants across India and Europe, earning her widespread recognition in the culinary world. Representing her creative vision in the Maldives, Chef Aniket Chatterjee brings a modern sensibility and a profound respect for Indian culinary traditions, promising a dining experience that is both sophisticated and soulful.

For this special occasion, Chef Aniket has curated a bespoke menu that masterfully blends traditional Indian techniques with global influences. Guests will be treated to intimate oceanfront dinners and relaxed beach grills under the stars, with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian tasting menus available.

The dining journey will commence with a playful twist on the nostalgic chilli cheese toast, followed by pickled doodhi and smoked dahi. Main course offerings include Malvani chicken tikka with confit garlic, or for vegetarians, paneer peeli mirch tikka accompanied by spring onion curry. A whipped butter board will serve as a palate cleanser before guests savour dishes such as kappa meen curry or satu pulao with dalma, parwal, and burnt tomato chutney, celebrating the rich diversity of Indian flavours. The meal will conclude with an indulgent Indian sweet, followed by mignardise featuring pistachio soan papdi and a mini jalebi with rabri.

Chef Ritu Dalmia expressed her excitement about the event, stating, “The Maldives has always been a special country for me, having visited several times. It is a thrill to bring Atrangi to Jumeirah Olhahali Island, where we can showcase community-inspired dishes while celebrating the best produce the Maldives has to offer.”

The beach grill dinner at Shimmers Beach on 10 June will be priced at USD 225 plus taxes per person. On other evenings, the five-course set menu will be served at a designated ocean-view location for USD 195 plus taxes per person.

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