For months, families have been cooped up together inside, quarantined and isolated.

Looking ahead to spring, and with vacations optimistically once again on the horizon, Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa, located in the secluded Raa Atoll and a five-star member of The Leading Hotels of The World, is launching new fun-filled and inspiring activities for families: from pizza making and gelato classes, to meditation and yoga lessons designed for kids, there are a wide range of opportunities, all included within the resort’s new Family Offer.

Pizza, gelato making classes

Leveraging Emerald’s Italian heritage, kids and adults can learn to master mouth-watering Italian classics – such as pizza and gelatos – with the help of the resort’s Italian Chef Aldo.

Aldo will teach families how to prepare the perfect pizza from scratch: from preparing the dough to choosing the best combination of toppings.

For dessert, guests can learn how to make real-deal Italian gelato, using delicious local ingredients such as fresh coconut and papaya.

Organised in the beautiful Ocean-facing ambience of Aqua restaurant, the two-hour classes are bookable upon request and open to a maximum of two adults and four children.

Yoga for kids

With the belief that one is never too young to adopt mindfulness, build strength and reconnect with nature, Emerald has developed a yoga series for little ones this year.

The resort’s ‘Yoga for Kids’ is included in the Deluxe All-Inclusive offering and once per week the young yogis are invited to have fun while increasing their flexibility, and coordination.

Taking place in the lush garden of the Dolphin Kids’ Club – one of the most extensive and well-equipped children’s facilities in the destination – the classes are hosted by experienced professionals, who will design each session including age-appropriate games, animal sounds and creative names for poses.

Those wanting to embark on a family wellness journey and create long lasting memories can book a private family yoga session ($55++ per person) to be organised directly in their Family Villas, which boast private gardens and patios overlooking the Ocean.

Plant your heart in Maldives

While sustainable travel was the buzzword in 2020, this year will surround the concept of regenerative travel; how as tourists we can improve the local environment.

Emerald strives to encourage the regeneration of the Maldives’ ecosystem by allowing guests to plant their very own palm tree (75$++) and contribute to the safeguard of the local biodiversity while also creating a long-lasting bond to the resort and the destination.

A perfect activity for the whole family, the planting process starts by choosing their favourite young coconut tree, then dig up the soil and plant the seed, which will be then covered and watered.

Once guests have left the resort, Emerald’s team will continue to take care of the plant and update guests via photos and videos of the growing tree, until the guests’ next holiday to the Maldives.

Emerald’s special family offer

Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa is currently running a family offer: 20 per cent off on the best available rate for a minimum of seven night’s stay for a maximum of two adults and two children, applicable for all bookings received before February 28.

Offer includes deluxe all-inclusive package, complimentary weekly ‘Yoga For Kids’ and all Dolphin Kids Club activities, complimentary 60 minutes massage for two adults or one cooking class for the whole family and one in-room family breakfast.

Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa is developed by the Emerald Collection, an Italian company renowned for its construction and management of luxury all-inclusive resorts across East Africa, the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean.

The new five-star, deluxe all-inclusive Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa officially opened in December 2019.

Located in the Raa Atoll, the resort is surrounded by 1.5km of soft white sand and boasts 120 luxurious villas, both contemporary and tropical in design, divided into 60 beach villas and 60 overwater villas. There are 11 different villa categories available.

The resort offers guests a choice of four restaurants, in addition to a Sunset Pool Café and Sunrise Café.

The Emerald SPA offers Balinese and Thai treatments in 10 air-conditioned bungalows, and comprises a jacuzzi, sauna and Turkish baths.

The resort also features a Kids Club, Technogym, two tennis courts, two paddle courts, plus a water sports centre and five-star diving centre.

A member of the Leading Hotels of the World, Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa has been the first hotel in the Maldives to achieve the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR accreditation for having implemented the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention, in October.