Featured
JA Manafaru Maldives promises unforgettable tropical festive season
Festive season in the Maldives is a magical combination of both the traditional and the exotic, offering a joyous family escape full of festive cheer in fabulous weather.
JA Manafaru is an award-winning private island bringing a whole new meaning to festive celebrations – where enchanting tropical beauty sets the stage for Christmas and New Year’s festivities, and a choice of relaxing and exciting experiences add to the season’s revelry.
Tree lighting ceremony
On December 23, from 6pm onwards, guests may join the party in the Cellar Garden and feel the festive cheer as the oldest Banyan Tree on the island is lit up for Christmas.
With carols sung by resident musicians, as well as complimentary canapés and cocktails, JA Manafaru invites guests to kick off the festive season in style.
Christmas movies under the stars
From December 22-24 and on January 1, from 9pm onwards, guests will be surrounded by palm trees under a starry sky at the Infinity Pool, as they enjoy a festive movie classic such as Miracle on 34th Street Time and It’s a Wonderful Life.
Complimentary popcorn and a selection of gourmet snacks and beverages to share make this family experience to remember.
Santa’s arrival
On December 24, at 5.45pm, JA Manafaru offers a festive experience like no other – welcoming Santa as he arrives to the island via the jetty and makes his grand entrance, signalling the beginning of a tropical Christmas.
Christmas Eve barbecue
On December 24, from 7pm onwards, guests will experience Christmas Eve island-style with sharing feasts served directly on the beach and live grill stations serving a variety of fresh seafood, as chefs prepare delicacies on a traditional Maldivian style barbecue using coco husks and local marinades.
Christmas Day brunch
Guests will wake up to the endless blues of the Indian Ocean for a mesmerising Christmas Day brunch on December 25 from 8am.
A celebratory day for all, the brunch will feature Christmas classics and a mix of both traditional festive fare and island delicacies.
New Years Eve
On December 31, from 7.30pm onwards, guests are invited to dine at various international street food stations and join a whimsical walking tour of the island, with entertainment elements along the way including games, live music, and refreshments.
The party kicks off at the Coral Jetty, where a live band and DJ will ring in the New Year with a fiesta of music and dancing.
Orthodox Christmas
On January 6, from 7pm onwards, the al fresco Kakuni dining tables will be set in hues of green and red while the buffet will be filled with traditional Russian specialties.
Positioned at the most northern tip of Maldives in the beautiful Haa Alifu Atoll, JA Manafaru offers privacy, space and distance from other islands as it sits idyllically where the Arabian Sea meets the vast Indian Ocean.
The remote location is beyond the rest of the islands’ cluster, offering unspoilt natural landscapes to explore. The award-winning resort describes this as ‘the true Maldivian experience’, whereby guests have the sense of discovering a pristine natural landscape uninterrupted by an excess of tourists.
Fringed with exquisite powder beaches and crystal-clear waters teeming with exotic marine life, the chic enclave features 84 luxurious beachfront and over-water villas and residences, each with their own private pool and in some cases two.
The accommodation options range from 135 sqm to 1600 sqm, providing complete serenity, with even entry level options showcasing a larger area than most deluxe categories in the Maldives.
The lagoon-ringed island location reassures guests of its safety, as it is far and away from any hustle and bustle or large tourist or locally inhabited areas.
All properties within the JA Resorts & Hotels portfolio are following a full programme of safety and sanitisation which includes the #DubaiAssured government directives and the protocols of the World Travel & Tourism Councils #SafeTravels initiative.
Featured
Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa unveils family-focused Family Fun Summer package
Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa has introduced its Family Fun Summer offer, a family-focused package designed to encourage guests to spend time together through dining, leisure and recreational activities in a private island setting.
Located 15 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, the resort is offering the package as a year-round experience, despite its summer branding. The programme is intended for families seeking a stay that combines accommodation, meals and activities in a single offering.
The experience includes daily breakfast at Feast, where guests can access buffet selections for adults and children. Lunch is served as a three-course beachside meal, while evenings include buffet dinners, à la carte options and access to the resort’s speciality restaurants.
As part of the package, adult guests receive a USD 45 dining credit per night, which can be used at selected outlets including Baan Thai and Sea Salt. The offer is designed to expand dining options within the resort’s full board arrangement.
The package also includes activities aimed at different age groups. Children have access to the Sheraton Adventure Club, while families can take part in pool activities, water sports, sunset dolphin cruises and guided snorkelling excursions.
For guests seeking wellness experiences, Shine Spa for Sheraton offers a range of treatments, with the package including 15 per cent savings on selected services. The resort has also introduced a spa experience designed for parent and child. Additional recreational options include sunrise beach yoga, as well as access to tennis and football facilities.
Other inclusions within the offer include a complimentary family photoshoot and dining benefits for children when eating with their parents.
Family Fun Summer is available for booking until 15 June 2026, for stays through to 20 December 2026. Through the package, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa is presenting a family-oriented resort experience centred on dining, recreation and shared time together.
Featured
InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau to mark Mother’s Day with wellness and dining offerings
InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort has announced a Mother’s Day programme centred on wellness, dining and family experiences, offering guests a range of activities designed to mark the occasion in Raa Atoll.
Set within the resort’s island setting, the programme will feature a series of experiences aimed at encouraging families to spend time together through relaxation, dining and shared activities.
At AVI Spa, the Mother’s Day offering will include signature treatments focused on rest and balance. Guests will also have access to holistic sessions led by visiting practitioner Dr Afsana Aradhana Ghyas, whose work focuses on integrative wellbeing and emotional balance.
Dining experiences will form a central part of the programme. These will include floating breakfasts served in private villas, interactive cooking sessions with the resort’s chefs, and private dining experiences ranging from sunset beach dinners to sandbank dining under the stars.
The resort will also offer family-focused activities for the occasion. These will include craft sessions for children, ocean-inspired guided art activities and a family photoshoot intended to capture the day’s experiences.
Through the Mother’s Day programme, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort is presenting a combination of wellness, dining and family activities shaped around personal and shared experiences in a resort setting.
Drink
W Maldives unveils The Wavemaker Edit with global talent collaborations
W Maldives has launched The Wavemaker Edit, a new ongoing series of curated collaborations with international talent, aimed at introducing a range of guest experiences across mixology, wellness, cuisine and music.
The series is designed as a rotating programme, with each edition bringing a different creative perspective to the resort. According to W Maldives, the initiative is intended to create a continuing calendar of experiences that combine social, cultural and wellness-led elements.
The first edition of The Wavemaker Edit will run from 3 to 14 June 2026 and will feature two themed chapters, titled Island Alchemy and The Restore Ritual.
Island Alchemy will focus on mixology. On 3 June, Kwok will lead a guest shift at SIP, presenting three cocktails that explore contrast and balance, including a bespoke creation inspired by the Maldives. The collaboration will continue on 6 June at WET Deck, where a poolside day party will feature a curated cocktail menu.
The second chapter, The Restore Ritual, will centre on wellness and movement in recognition of Global Wellness Day. Led by Mumbai-based yoga and movement educator Samiksha Shetty, the programme will include sessions focused on breathwork, mindfulness and alignment-based practice.
The wellness programme will include Sunset Yoga sessions at FIRE Beach on 12 and 14 June, as well as a morning meditation session at AWAY Spa on 13 June. The main event within this chapter will take place on 13 June, when guests will be able to join a Sunset Yoga session aboard the Horizon Yacht. This bookable experience will also include healthy refreshments and a 60-minute massage at AWAY Spa.
W Maldives said future editions of The Wavemaker Edit will expand into culinary, music and art-led experiences under a number of themed series, including Flavors Unscripted, Sound Wave and Make A Scene.
Commenting on the launch, General Manager Amila Handunwala said the initiative reflects the resort’s approach to continuously evolving the guest experience through collaborations with international talent.
W Maldives is positioning the series as part of its broader effort to offer more structured and experience-led programming for guests. In addition, the resort is promoting its Original Wavemaker package, which includes seaplane transfers and a half-board meal plan for two adults with a minimum stay of four nights.
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