Featured

UK to close all travel corridors from Monday

Published

5 years ago

January 16, 2021

The UK is to close all travel corridors from Monday morning to “protect against the risk of as yet unidentified new strains” of Covid-19, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Friday.

From Monday at 4am, all travel corridors with the UK will be suspended – meaning that all international arrivals who have departed from or transited through any country outside the Common Travel Area in the previous 10 days will be required to both take a pre-departure test, and self-isolate immediately for 10 days on arrival. This includes British and Irish nationals.

This urgent action is in response to increasing concern over the transmissibility and virulence of new strains evolving internationally. It will also ensure that the government is able to protect the progress being made on the country’s vaccination programme.

This move will be supported by increased enforcement, both at the border and across the UK, with Border Force increasing the number of spot checks on passengers that have entered the country.

International travel corridors have been in place since July for countries and territories such as the Maldives where critical analysis suggests the risk of Covid-19 can be mitigated.

However, the level of risk associated with the emergence of new variants globally has now increased, requiring more stringent measures to block all potential avenues through which new strains of the virus could enter the UK while we consider how best to respond.

The new measures will be reviewed on February 15, while further work takes place to manage the threat posed by coronavirus variants.

“We are operating in a completely new environment in our fight against Covid-19, with several worrying new strains of the virus emerging across the globe,” Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said.

“Now more than ever, as we make strides vaccinating people up and down the country, we need to take advantage of all measures available to us – and these robust emergency precautions will help us protect the nation to ensure we continue to make progress.”

National restrictions for England introduced on January 6, 2021 remain in place, meaning that everyone must stay at home unless travelling for a very limited set of reasons.

The closure of all the UK travel corridors will ensure that for those returning from trips that fall into this limited set of exemptions, and for passengers arriving to the UK from abroad, there is a clear and robust set of measures to prevent cases of coronavirus entering the country.

Those in breach of the lockdown rules face penalties starting at £200, rising to a maximum of £6,400.

A number of exemptions to the travel corridor policy — including the need to travel for business — will be suspended from 4am on January 18, unless they are vital to maintaining the flow of critical goods, protecting essential services, protecting national security or facilitating government work.

Awards

Minor Hotels celebrates multiple wins at TTM Awards 2025

Published

3 hours ago

September 16, 2025

m@ldives

Minor Hotels, a global hospitality group operating nine resorts in the Maldives, has announced that three of its properties were recognised at the Travel Trade Maldives (TTM) Awards 2025. The annual awards celebrate achievements across 28 categories, with winners selected through votes cast by guests and travel partners.

Niyama Private Islands Maldives received the award for Best Family Resort. The property is known for offering experiences for all ages, with facilities including a playground, splash park, and gourmet kitchen at its children’s club, alongside an extensive schedule of activities. Young guests are provided with age-appropriate experiences such as snorkelling safaris, cooking classes, surf lessons, and outdoor cinema evenings.

Accommodation includes a variety of spacious villas and pavilions, such as the newly renovated Deluxe Family Beach Pool Villa. Combined with diverse dining options, recreational activities, and personalised service, the resort seeks to provide both adventure and relaxation for families.

Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort was named Best Beach Resort, reflecting its setting of white sands, turquoise lagoons, and coconut groves within Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The resort offers contemporary villas, including Beach Pool Villas and Two-Bedroom Beach Pool Villas, with direct beach access.

Since opening in 2023, Avani+ Fares has aimed to introduce a laid-back approach to Maldivian holidays, combining modern design with the natural environment. Guests can participate in activities ranging from water sports and wellness to dining and cultural programmes.

NH Collection Maldives Havodda Resort was awarded Best Dive Resort, recognised for its accessible house reef and marine biodiversity. Located close to the shoreline, the reef offers opportunities for snorkellers and divers of all levels, with frequent encounters with species such as reef sharks, turtles, rays, and tropical fish.

The resort also provides access to the dive sites of Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, where PADI-certified instructors guide guests through channels, thilas, and reef walls.

In addition to these three awards, Minor Hotels’ properties received 12 finalist nominations across seven categories. These included its newest addition, NH Maldives Kuda Rah Resort, which was shortlisted in three categories.

The group’s nominations at the TTM Awards 2025 were:

Best Beach Resort: Avani+ Fares and NH Collection Maldives Havodda
Best Family Resort: Niyama, Avani+ Fares, and NH Maldives Kuda Rah
Best Boutique Resort: NH Maldives Kuda Rah
Best Culinary Resort: Niyama
Most Picturesque Resort: NH Collection Maldives Havodda
Best Surf Resort: Niyama
Best Dive Resort: Avani+ Fares, NH Collection Maldives Havodda, and NH Maldives Kuda Rah

Featured

Sirru Fen Fushi unveils ‘Symphony of the Island’ festive celebrations

Published

3 hours ago

September 16, 2025

m@ldives

This festive season, Sirru Fen Fushi – Private Lagoon Resort, located in Shaviyani Atoll, Maldives, will host an extensive programme of events under the theme Symphony of the Island. Running from 22 December to 7 January, the schedule brings together globally acclaimed performers and specialists, from award-winning musicians and Michelin-starred chefs to a World Cup football champion, wellness practitioners, mixologists, and even a NASA astronaut.

The resort’s New Year’s Eve celebrations will be headlined by Rami Jaffee, Grammy-winning keyboardist of the Foo Fighters, accompanied by violinist, cellist, and vocalist Jessy Greene (formerly Foo Fighters and Pink), and drummer and producer Erik Aldenius of Billy Idol. The All-Star Band will also feature Todd Morse, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter from The Offspring, and Bill Reynolds, Grammy-nominated bassist and producer, formerly of Band of Horses, creating a powerful line-up to welcome 2026.

Onu Onu Beach Bar will host award-winning bartenders throughout the festive period. On 30 December, Harrison Kenny, associated with the World’s 50 Best Bars, will present alongside Millie Tang, one of Australia’s leading bartenders. On 3 January, Pham Quoc Dat, Head Mixologist at The Haflington in Vietnam (Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024), will take over the bar with a signature showcase.

Culinary highlights include the arrival of Chef Valentino Cassanelli, Head Chef of Michelin-starred Lux Lucis in Italy, who will collaborate with the resort’s Executive Chef Girish Sharma on 8 and 10 December. Cassanelli will also host his own signature four-course dinner. On 3 January, Jean-Philippe Blondet, Chef Patron of Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, will present a four-hands dining experience at Azure alongside Chef Girish.

Sports and wellness sessions will be led by Christoph Kramer, Football World Cup Champion and television football expert, former professional tennis player and coach Alexandra Viktorovitch, Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncturist and trainer Josiah Ngai, and yoga instructor and sound healer Tamuna Lomidze. Guests will be able to book one-to-one sessions throughout the festive programme.

On 6 January, the resort will present a special performance by Daria Pavlenko, Principal Ballerina of the Mariinsky Ballet in St Petersburg.

NASA Astronaut and U.S. Navy officer Dominic Antoneli will share first-hand insights into life in space, recounting stories of exploration and discovery.

The season will begin on 22 December with the island illuminated by festive décor and Christmas Eve sunset drinks at Onu Onu Beach. On Christmas Day, celebrations will include a beach arrival by Santa in Maldivian style, followed by a festive brunch and a lobster and champagne dinner, with entertainment from fire dancers, magicians, and musicians.

The New Year’s programme begins with a sunset journey from Spa Beach to Central Park, before a gala dinner at RAHA Market. The evening will feature the All-Star Band, ballet performances, acrobats, and a fire and laser show, concluding with an after-party to welcome 2026. On 1 January, guests can enjoy a New Year’s brunch accompanied by live jazz and tropical rhythms.

Orthodox Christmas Eve on 6 January will include a gourmet buffet at RAHA Market, seafood dining at Azure, and a performance by ballerina Daria Pavlenko, followed by a beach party with international DJs. On 7 January, celebrations will conclude with a Cristal Champagne golden-hour sunset and beachside à la carte dining.

Featured

Wellness in Pink: Milaidhoo Maldives supports Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Published

4 hours ago

September 16, 2025

m@ldives

This October, Milaidhoo Maldives will mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month with Wellness in Pink — a curated series of experiences designed to encourage guests to slow down, reconnect, and explore the deeper dimensions of wellbeing.

Rooted in the island’s philosophy of mindful, barefoot living, the programme reflects Milaidhoo’s approach to quiet luxury and personal wellness. Each experience has been designed to restore the body and nourish the soul, creating opportunities for reflection and reconnection.

Set within the tranquil surroundings of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Baa Atoll, Wellness in Pink invites guests to pause, breathe, and share stories — both lived and unfolding.

Signature Experiences:

Sunset Serenity: A Couple’s Wellness Ritual: A 90-minute ritual held on the open-air deck of a private villa. The session begins with a calming full-body massage, followed by a refreshing facial, and concludes with a glass of chilled sparkling rosé. USD 380++ per couple | Advance reservation required
Rose Renewal Ritual: Special Edition: A 120-minute treatment created to support emotional balance and inner strength. The ritual combines an aromatherapy massage with rose essential oil, a rose quartz facial massage, and a grounding foot massage to restore energy flow. USD 240++ per person

On 23 October, guests may take part in a Zumba for Awareness session — a lively group activity celebrating vitality and community spirit.

On 24 October, The Pink Care Routine will be held at Milaidhoo’s overwater yoga pavilion. This guided session combines self-massage techniques, somatic body awareness, and breast health education, offering space for learning and gentle empowerment.

Milaidhoo emphasises that wellbeing is not a checklist but a feeling — of being cared for, of being seen, and of returning to oneself. Through Wellness in Pink, the resort seeks to honour those touched by breast cancer and to create space for healing in all its forms.