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Soneva-funded lab at Maldives airport to offer coronavirus tests for tourists

Published

5 years ago

June 18, 2020

A laboratory to test tourists for the novel coronavirus is being established at an international airport in an ultra-luxury tourism zone in the northern part of Maldives.

Mohamed Rizvi, Managing Director of Island Aviation Services Limited (IAS), told a parliamentary committee Wednesday that Soneva, which owns luxury resorts in the Maldives, is building a lab at the airport located on the island of Maafaru in Noonu atoll.

The Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) lab will be completed by June 25 and be ready for testing as soon it is certified by the health ministry and Health Protection Agency (HPA), he said.

“Soneva is funding and overseeing the entire process of establishing the lab. This will be an added selling point for tourists,” Rizwi said.

Soneva currently runs two resorts in the Maldives: Soneva Fushi in Baa atoll and Soneva Jani in Noonu atoll. The world-leading luxury resort operator also operates luxury yacht Soneva in Aqua in Maldives, and Soneva Kiri resort in Thailand.

Despite a lab being established at the Maafaru airport, tests will be voluntary.

Authorities in Maldives have rolled back harsh restrictions, including mandatory on-arrival coronavirus testing and 14-day quarantine for all visitors, as well as fees proposed for reopening the country’s borders.

Meanwhile, the airport operator is readying the Maafaru airport for international arrivals in July.

The Abdu Dhabi-funded international airport was specifically developed to cater to high net worth individuals who want to arrive there directly and travel to one of the ultra-luxury resorts in the atoll for their holiday.

But the airport lacked the required equipment, as well as customs and immigration capabilities to handle international arrivals.

Aviation authorities in Maldives are exploring the possibility of allowing private jets to directly land at airports other than the main airport, as the island nation anticipates luxury travellers to be the first to visit when it reopens its borders in July.

Velana International Airport is the main port of entry for private jets at the moment, but once cleared they can fly to other airports that can cater to private jets.

The government has not singled out the other airports being considered for private jet landing, but it is likely that the Maafaru airport will be permitted to cater to jets.

The Maldives is preparing to reopen its borders to visitors in July.

The coronavirus outbreak has hit the Maldivian economy hard, as travel restrictions and other preventive measures affect the country’s lucrative tourism industry, which contributes the bulk of the island nation’s state revenue and foreign reserves.

All international airlines have suspended scheduled operations to the Maldives, as the island nation enforced a blanket suspension of on-arrival visa in late March in a bid to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Before the pandemic, the government had been bullish about tourism prospects, targeting two million, high-spending holidaymakers this year after last year’s record 1.7 million.

However, tourist arrivals saw a year-over-year decline of 22.8 per cent in the first 10 days of March. Officials say the number of tourist arrivals to the Maldives could drop by half in 2020.

With arrival numbers falling and the visa suspension in effect, several resorts across the Maldives had been closed.

Tourism has been the bedrock of the Maldives’ economic success. The $5 billion-dollar economy grew by 6.7 per cent in 2018 with tourism generating 60 per cent of foreign income.

However, the government is at present projecting a possible 13 per cent economic contraction this year — an estimated $778 million hit.

On March 8, Maldives reported its first cases of the novel coronavirus, as two hotel employees tested positive for Covid-19 at a luxury resort in the archipelago.

Eighteen more cases — all foreigners working or staying resorts and liveaboard vessels except five Maldivians who had returned from abroad — were later identified.

A six-case cluster of locals, detected in capital Male on April 15, confirmed community transmission of the coronavirus. Several more clusters have since been identified, bringing the total number of confirmed case in the Maldives to 2,120.

Eight deaths have been reported and 1,677 have made full recoveries.

The Maldives announced a state of public health emergency on March 12, the first such declaration under a recent public health protection law.

The public health emergency declaration allowed the government to introduce a series of unprecedented restrictive and social distancing measures, including stay-at-home orders in capital Male and its suburbs, a ban on inter-island transport and public gatherings across the country, and a nationwide closing of government offices, schools, colleges and universities.

Non-essential services and public places in the capital such as gyms, cinemas and parks were also shut.

Restaurants and cafes in the capital were asked to stop dine-in service and switch to takeaway and delivery.

A nationwide shutdown of all guesthouses, city hotels and spa facilities located on inhabited islands was also ordered.

These measures allowed authorities to contain the outbreak.

More than half of the people who contracted the virus have recovered and daily recoveries have over taken the number of new infections detected per day.

The restrictions are now being eased in phases, with the second phase lasting at least until June end.

Photo: An Airbus A321 aircraft operated by flag carrier Maldivian, which is owned by Island Aviation Services Limited (IAS), is seen parked at Maafaru airport on June 16, 2020. PHOTO/ IAS

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SO/ Maldives to host three-day wellness retreat with Anna Kanyuk

Published

22 mins ago

September 12, 2025

m@ldives

This September, SO/ Maldives will host SCULPT. STRETCH. SHINE., a three-day wellness retreat in collaboration with international wellness figure and founder of Top Stretching, Anna Kanyuk. The programme will take place in the setting of Emboodhoo Lagoon and aims to combine movement, mindfulness, and contemporary lifestyle elements within a luxury resort environment.

The retreat will span three days on the resort’s private island, offering participants a structured experience designed to support physical fitness, skincare, and overall wellbeing. Activities will include sunrise sessions on floating decks, evening programmes on the beach, and a series of workshops and classes delivered by Kanyuk and other experts.

Mornings will begin with workouts on the ocean-facing yoga deck, ranging from full-body flows and posture-focused core exercises to high-intensity cardio sessions. These will be followed by small-group workshops at the Pavilion at Hadaba, where participants can join sessions such as Kanyuk’s Facebuilding 101, skincare practices, and talks on nutrition, motivation, and lifestyle balance. In the evenings, activities will move to Lazuli Beach, where stretching, breathwork, and reflection will take place as the sun sets.

The retreat is designed not as a detox programme but as a curated approach to rebalancing and rejuvenation. Each session is intended to help participants enhance physical strength, improve skin health, and adopt practices to support mental clarity.

SO/ Maldives describes itself as a private-island fashion resort that combines avant-garde design with natural surroundings. Villas are located either overwater or within the island’s vegetation, with minimalist interiors, private pools, and wide lagoon or jungle views. Social and dining venues include Lazuli Beach Club, which offers a Mediterranean-inspired experience, and Hadaba, the resort’s signature Middle Eastern dining concept.

With its design-driven identity and wellness-focused philosophy, SO/ Maldives is positioning the retreat as an opportunity for guests to pursue wellbeing within a high-end leisure setting. SCULPT. STRETCH. SHINE. will be held as an intimate programme with limited participation available.

Featured

Summer Island Maldives rewards guests with 10th anniversary holiday giveaway

Published

2 days ago

September 10, 2025

m@ldives

Summer Island Maldives is celebrating a decade of barefoot charm and Maldivian hospitality with the launch of a special 10th Anniversary Giveaway. The award-winning resort is offering one winner and a companion the opportunity to enjoy 10 nights in paradise, entirely complimentary.

The Grand Prize Includes:

Ten nights for two in a Water Villa
All-inclusive meals and beverages
Roundtrip speedboat transfers from Velana International Airport
A Serenity full-body massage for two at Firuma Spa by Serena
A 10-dive package per guest with Diverland Maldives, or an Open Water certification course for beginners
Curated experiences including a Beach BBQ Dinner, Sandbank Picnic, Sunset Cruise, and non-motorised water sports

“This anniversary marks a decade of incredible memories and meaningful connections with guests from around the world,” said Mohamed Thaufeeq, Resort Manager at Summer Island Maldives. “As a way of saying thank you, we are inviting our guests to join the celebration and have the chance to experience everything that makes Summer Island so special.”

To enter, participants are required to:

Follow @summer.island.maldives on Instagram
Like the giveaway post
Tag two friends in the comments (the tagged friends must also follow the page)
Share the post on their Instagram story and tag the resort (private account holders must send a screenshot of the tagged story)

Key Details:

Open to all nationalities aged 18 and above
Travel period: 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2026 (blackout dates apply and bookings are subject to availability)
International flights are not included
Winner will be announced on 1 October 2025 via Instagram
Prize is non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash

The giveaway reflects the resort’s ongoing commitment to offering authentic, joyful, and eco-conscious holiday experiences.

Located just 45 minutes by speedboat from Malé, Summer Island Maldives is managed by Kaimoo Resorts and Hotels. The resort is recognised for its relaxed barefoot philosophy, sustainability initiatives, and warm hospitality. Its accolades include the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award 2024 and the TUI Global Hotel Quality Awards in both 2024 and 2025.

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Emilie Channon brings holistic healing residency to Baros Maldives

Published

2 days ago

September 10, 2025

m@ldives

Baros Maldives will host healer Emilie Channon from 18 September to 7 October 2025, giving guests the opportunity to take part in private sessions and workshops during her residency. Channon is an energy healer and transformational guide with more than a decade of international experience, supporting individuals in releasing emotional burdens, reconnecting with their inner resources, and working towards balance and clarity.

Her practice combines Reiki, Family Constellation Therapy, intuitive energy work and coaching to create personalised sessions. Over her career she has facilitated significant energetic shifts for clients across the world, with many describing her treatments as turning points in their personal journeys. She has also been recognised as a World Spa & Wellness Judge between 2020 and 2024 and was named Spa Leader of the Year in 2020.

Drawing on more than 15 years of involvement in luxury wellness, Channon has developed a distinctive approach that extends beyond relaxation, aiming to provide a reset for mind, body and spirit. Her work incorporates techniques such as energy alignment, transformative coaching and ancestral healing, guiding participants to dissolve blockages, release patterns and restore balance.

During her stay at Baros, she will offer a range of treatments including Reiki Healing and Chakra Crystal Balancing, Family Constellation Therapy, Access Bar, Transformational Coaching and Energy Clearing, as well as bespoke sessions designed to meet individual needs. These treatments combine conversation, energy work and practical guidance to support clarity, renewal and empowerment. Each bespoke session is structured following an intuitive consultation, drawing from multiple healing methods to address the guest’s specific requirements in the moment.

Through this residency, Baros guests will have access to personalised opportunities for reflection, renewal and transformation within a setting designed to support holistic wellbeing.