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Fun family activities at LUX* Resorts Maldives

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Snorkelling, treasure hunts, gardening and surfing are just some of the activities that see families return to LUX* Resorts & Hotels in the Maldives every year.

These are our top 10 picks of kid-friendly activities, designed to enchant juniors and delight adults.

Collectable Experiences

Collectable Experiences allow LUX* guests to not just get a glimpse, but a full immersion into the most unique facets of the destination. Whether it is nature, food, culture, adventures, or wellness, these carefully curated Collectable Experiences will entertain, educate, and create unforgettable memories for families of all ages.

Messages in a Bottle

Let the children go off on a treasure hunt while the adults indulge in a spa treatment. Several bottles are hidden every morning in every nook and corner of the resort. These Messages in a Bottle offer special treats that guests can use during their stay from a complimentary homemade gelato, a pampering spa massage or a farm-to-fork cooking class.

Little Explorers

Every child is given a Little Explorers booklet upon arrival at LUX* South Ari Atoll, where they can collect stamps for every designated activity completed. Once all the activities are completed, they get to bring home a big local marine life plush as a well-deserved award.

Baking classes

Learn to bake with the resident pastry chef or create latte art and let the kids take over dessert duty for the next family dinner!

Snorkel with whale sharks

Always wanted to swim with sharks? Now is the chance to snorkel with whale sharks up close and personal at LUX* South Ari Atoll. These gentle giants are known to grow up to 18 meters long. Guests will be reassured to know they only feed on plankton.

LUX* Surf Break

Ride the waves at the exclusive LUX* Surf Break, just a stone’s throw from LUX* North Male Atoll. There are spots all around the resort suited for beginners to advanced surfers, and even a private sandbank for kite surfers to take off from.

PLAY Kids Club

PLAY Kids Club, for children between three and 12, ensure juniors never have a dull moment with a host of activities to choose from such as treasure hunts, bingo, gardening, coconut bowling and more. Those older from 13 to 17 can find their own space at Studio 17 and enjoy vintage arcade games, board games or read.

Learn camera tips, tricks

Pick up smart camera tips and tricks from the LUX* Photofanatics team who can provide both technical and creative guidance on the best ways to capture moments that matter. Guests can also hire the latest equipment and transform those precious memories into photobooks or printed gifts.

Junkart Gallery

Junkart Gallery is a place where old items get a new lease of life. Guests of all ages are invited to bring their most creative ideas and find their inspiration for upcycling materials to make one-off artworks and sustainable souvenirs.

Three-bedroom retreats

LUX* North Male Atoll Resort & Villas’ three-bedroom retreats are great for an extended family vacation, with a private pool and signature rooftop experiences from a private Cinema Paradiso under the stars, pampering celestial spa massages to a Chef de Maison cooking up a storm on the barbecue and even a mixologist to prepare out-of-this-world aperitifs as the sun sets.

Grandparents can lounge by the pool under a covered gazebo whilst watching the grandkids splash about. Private buyouts for multi-generational families looking to celebrate missed milestones can be arranged.

Enjoy a hassle-free, all-inclusive stay at both LUX* South Ari Atoll Resort & Villas (from $205 per adult and $100 per child) and LUX* North Male Atoll Resort & Villas (from $357 per adult and $180 per child) so you can fully relax with your family, not keep having to sign a tab.

Visit www.luxresorts.com or email stay@luxmaldivesresort.com to make a reservation.

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Simply summer at Milaidhoo: Invitation to slow living in the Baa Atoll

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In a destination often defined by excess, Milaidhoo Maldives offers a different summer narrative: one of restraint, rhythm and rare stillness. Introducing Simply Summer, a seasonal escape that celebrates the art of slowing down within the UNESCO-protected waters of the Baa Atoll.

An intimate island sanctuary, Milaidhoo is designed for travellers who value time as the ultimate luxury. Days unfold unhurriedly, beginning with relaxed oceanfront breakfasts and shaped entirely by choice, from sunrise yoga and snorkelling in pristine coral gardens to long, private hours spent within the calm of one’s villa. Evenings are defined by elegant à la carte dining, inspired by seasonal flavours and served with effortless grace.

The Simply Summer offer enhances this experience with considered privileges rather than excess. Guests are invited to explore the Maldives’ natural wonders through manta ray encounters in the legendary Hanifaru Bay, indulge in restorative rituals at the overwater Serenity Spa, or discover the atoll through curated island adventures, all with exclusive seasonal savings.

A chilled bottle of Ruinart Champagne awaiting guests in their villa sets the tone on arrival, while flexible early check-in and late check-out (subject to availability) ensures that time is never hurried. Dining remains a central pleasure, with daily breakfast and à la carte dinners at Ocean Restaurant, complemented by generous dining credits across the island’s culinary venues.

Available for stays from 1st May to 31st October 2026, with a minimum stay of four nights, Simply Summer is an understated invitation to experience the Maldives at its most refined, quietly luxurious, deeply personal and guided by the gentle pace of island life.

Simply Summer – Key Inclusions:

  • Daily breakfast at Ocean Restaurant
  • Daily à la carte dinner at Ocean Restaurant
  • USD 65 per person, per night dining credit (food-only) at other restaurants
  • 30% savings on manta ray snorkelling in Hanifaru Bay (group excursion)
  • 30% savings on selected treatments at Serenity Spa
  • 30% savings on curated group excursions and island experiences
  • Exclusive benefits when booking direct

Begin your Simply Summer at Milaidhoo.

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Excursions

Manta season experience returns as InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau announces 2026 retreat

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InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort has announced the dates for its 2026 Manta Retreat, following the programme’s strong reception in recent years. The retreat will take place from 24 to 27 March 2026, coinciding with the Maamunagau manta season, when juvenile manta rays are commonly sighted in the resort’s lagoon just offshore.

The resort will once again partner with The Manta Trust, one of the world’s leading manta ray research organisations, to co-host the retreat and offer guests an immersive, educational experience centred on marine conservation. The programme is designed for travellers seeking purpose-led experiences and a deeper understanding of manta rays within their natural environment.

Located on the edge of a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve and adjacent to a known juvenile manta ray aggregation site, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau provides direct access to key research and observation areas. During the retreat, guests will be able to participate in guided reef snorkelling, manta excursions led by The Manta Trust, coral restoration and planting workshops, and a series of educational sessions. Participants will also have the opportunity to adopt and name a manta ray as part of the conservation initiative.

The partnership between InterContinental Maldives and The Manta Trust has been in place since 2019. The retreat will be led by The Manta Trust’s base leader, Meral Hafeez, who will guide guests through manta ray encounters while sharing insight into the organisation’s ongoing research and conservation efforts in the surrounding waters. The programme offers participants a behind-the-scenes look at the daily work of the research team, including observing and recording manta ray behaviour.

In 2023, Maamunagau Lagoon was recognised as an Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA), identifying it as a vital habitat for manta rays and a priority conservation site. The lagoon continues to serve as a key research area for The Manta Trust, allowing guests to observe manta rays in their natural environment within close proximity to the resort. Certified divers are also catered for, with access to dedicated dive sites where manta ray cleaning stations can be observed, highlighting the complex marine ecosystems of the Maldives.

Beyond the retreat activities, guests can enjoy the resort’s overwater villas, unwind at AVI Spa, or explore its range of dining experiences.

The participation fee for the Manta Retreat is USD 1,550++ per night, per room, based on double occupancy, with a minimum stay of four nights. The package includes one manta ray research trip, guided house reef snorkelling, manta ray adoption, educational workshops, and accommodation in a luxury villa or residence on a half-board basis.

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Featured

Ten years of turtle conservation: Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu and Olive Ridley Project milestone

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Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu, part of the boutique island resort collective Coco Collection, is marking ten years of partnership with the Olive Ridley Project (ORP), celebrating a decade-long commitment to marine conservation in the Maldives.

The partnership reached a significant milestone in 2017 with the opening of the Maldives’ first veterinary-led Marine Turtle Rescue Centre at Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu, pioneering specialised sea turtle care in the country. Since its establishment, the centre has treated and released 152 injured turtles, achieving a rehabilitation success rate of nearly 60 per cent. The facility plays a critical role in caring for turtles impacted by human activities, including entanglement in marine debris and ghost nets.

Beyond rescue and rehabilitation, the Olive Ridley Project leads long-term sea turtle research across the Maldives, collecting data on nesting activity, population trends and threats to marine life. This work contributed to the country’s first National Red List Assessment of Threatened Species, published in 2022. Supported by a network of citizen scientists, ORP’s Maldives research team has documented more than 45,000 sea turtle encounters nationwide. Over the past decade, Coco Collection has been a major contributor to this effort, recording nearly 3,500 encounters and reinforcing its position as one of ORP’s most significant research partners.

Guests at Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu are invited to engage directly with these conservation initiatives through weekly marine talks, educational sessions led by the resort’s resident Marine Educator, and opportunities to witness rehabilitated sea turtles being released back into the ocean.

Commenting on the milestone, Siraj Waseem, General Manager of Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu, said that celebrating ten years of partnership with the Olive Ridley Project was a source of pride for Coco Collection. He noted that what began as a shared commitment to protecting marine life has evolved into a long-term collaboration rooted in education, conservation and meaningful guest engagement, adding that the Marine Turtle Rescue Centre continues to grow in strength with ORP’s support.

Dr Martin Stelfox, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Olive Ridley Project, said the decade-long partnership reflects a pioneering collaboration and significant progress in sea turtle conservation in the Maldives. He highlighted advances in conservation medicine and research achieved together, as well as the impact of inspiring guests and Maldivian interns to care for and protect the country’s marine environment.

Over the past ten years, the ORP Marine Turtle Rescue Centre at Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu has hosted ten veterinary surgeons, each contributing to the development of sea turtle conservation medicine in the Maldives. Through the Sea Turtle Veterinary Trainee Programme, the resort and ORP have trained 29 veterinary professionals from 12 countries, helping to strengthen a global network of sea turtle clinical care across the Indian Ocean and beyond.

Alongside its conservation work, Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu continues to offer a wide range of experiences for guests, from water sports such as water skiing, surfing and parasailing to sailing, paddle-boarding and kayaking in the surrounding lagoon. Visitors can also explore Maldivian culture through curated Coco Experiences that highlight local island life and heritage. As the resort marks ten years of collaboration with the Olive Ridley Project, Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu continues to demonstrate how meaningful conservation efforts can coexist with memorable guest experiences.

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