Connect with us

Featured

Top plant-based chef to visit Amilla Maldives

Published

on

Amilla Maldives Resort and Residence is set to host vegan culinary wizard, Kirk Haworth, from November 11th to 25th.

He will be joined by his sister, Keeley Haworth, who co-founded with him the prestigious plant-based restaurant, Plates London.

The siblings will offer Amilla’s guests the opportunity to dine on delicious vegan dinners at special gala events. They will also hold cooking master classes during their two-week residency at the five-star resort. 

Amilla Maldives invited Kirk and Keeley to visit because their culinary and sustainability ethos aligns closely with theirs.

The Baa Atoll resort is located on a private island, miles from any cities, but offers a wide range of contemporary international cuisine. It includes Amilla’s groundbreaking Wellness Your Way menus. These menus offer guests a comprehensive variety of wellness dishes at all of the resort’s restaurants, including vegan/vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free and keto/paleo/low-carb.

Amilla Maldives also has extensive fruit and vegetable gardens, from which Kirk will gather the freshest of ingredients to enhance his creations. 

Kirk leads the kitchen at Plates with unparalleled passion, inspired by his personal wellness journey in addition to 16 years of perfecting his craft in Michelin-starred restaurants around the world. After winning the North West Young Chef of the Year award at 17, Kirk went on to work under the world’s top chefs at The French Laundry, Restaurant Sat Bains, The Square, The Quay and The Northcote.

In 2016, a diagnosis of Lyme Disease led him to overhaul his lifestyle and explore a plant-based diet in pursuit of optimum health. After discovering that an anti-inflammatory diet without meat, gluten, refined sugar or dairy reduced the intensity of his symptoms, the Plates food ethos was born.

“Plates now follows my personal journey, a chef’s journey, into 100% plant-based eating and cooking,” says Kirk. 

His team focuses on balance and well-being, without compromising on taste or creativity. Taking all that nature has to offer, he delivers modern, plant-based food with high-end execution.

Kirk and Keeley’s visit will be hot on the heels of Dr Tejas Sameer’s appearance at Amilla as visiting wellness practitioner. The Fermentista (fermented foods expert) will hold workshops in cooperation with the resort’s culinary team on making plant-based cheese and fermented vegetables.

For more information, email stay@amilla.com.

Featured

Villa Nautica’s festive glow: Yoga at sunrise, fireworks at midnight

Published

on

Villa Nautica will embrace the festive spirit from 20 December 2025 to 6 January 2026, offering guests an easy island rhythm that flows from bright mornings by the water to music-filled evenings on the sand. The season begins with illuminated beaches and relaxed barbecues, gradually building through creative afternoons and live performances. Christmas Eve will feature a gala dinner, followed by Santa’s arrival on 25 December. The celebrations will culminate in a vibrant New Year’s Eve countdown with fireworks, before settling into a calm reset on New Year’s Day and concluding with Orthodox Christmas.

The programme balances practicality with a relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere. Mornings will bring sunrise yoga, family pool activities, and interactive cooking sessions, while evenings will feature poolside soirées, wine-paired dinners, and sunset cruises. With simple yet photogenic settings, the lagoon and sky take centre stage in shaping the mood. Guests—whether couples, friends, or families—can participate freely without losing the island’s easy pace.

For younger visitors, the festivities will centre around the kids’ club, where cookie and cupcake decorating, beach games, origami and craft sessions, storytelling, and cosy movie nights will take place. Small groups and attentive care ensure that creativity and play remain the focus, allowing parents to enjoy uninterrupted moments around the island.

A highlight of the season will be the Champagne Lucky Draw & Disco. From 1 to 31 December, each bottle of champagne purchased at resort bars or restaurants will serve as an entry to the draw. Guests are advised to keep their entry stubs for the live draw, held at 01:00 during the New Year’s celebration, where the prize will be a seven-night stay in a Water Villa for two.

Throughout the festive period, private experiences will feel as memorable as the larger celebrations. Guests may enjoy candlelit dinners on the sand, floating breakfasts, or early morning snorkelling sessions to begin the year anew. Whether seeking a lively shoreline celebration or a quiet evening stroll beneath lanterns and palms, Villa Nautica offers an atmosphere where every festive moment can glow in its own way.

Continue Reading

Featured

JOALI BEING launches global campaign ‘Joyful Journeys of Well-Living’

Published

on

JOALI BEING, the world’s first well-being island, has announced the launch of its new global brand campaign titled “Joyful Journeys of Well-Living.” The campaign celebrates the art of self-discovery, inviting travellers to reconnect with their inner selves through bespoke and transformative experiences.

Building upon JOALI BEING’s core philosophy of the “Joy of Weightlessness,” the campaign embodies the essence of harmony between mind, body, and spirit. It encourages guests to explore holistic pathways designed to restore balance and inspire personal growth.

Joyful Journeys of Well-Living serves as an invitation to travellers seeking meaningful change and renewal. The campaign narrates stories of individuals discovering joy through purposeful living, mindful connection, and immersive well-being experiences at JOALI BEING.

The visuals capture the island’s tranquil landscapes and nurturing spaces — from oceanfront sanctuaries to treetop villas and transformative healing sessions led by resident experts. The campaign presents JOALI BEING as more than a destination; it is a journey towards well-being, creativity, and self-transformation.

Each guest journey at JOALI BEING is founded on the resort’s Four Pillars of Well-Being — Mind, Skin, Microbiome, and Energy. Through tailored programmes, guests can embark on integrative wellness experiences encompassing sound therapy, movement and fitness, hydrotherapy, nutritional guidance, and energy-healing sessions curated by specialists.

The island features a series of advanced well-being spaces, including:

  • CORE: a movement and fitness zone
  • AREKA: a transformative treatment centre
  • KAASHI: a hydrotherapy hall
  • SEDA: a sound-healing room
  • Ocean Sala: an open-air meditation and relaxation deck

Each space is designed to nurture a profound connection with nature and the self.

The Joyful Journeys of Well-Living campaign has been conceptualised and produced by JOALI BEING’s in-house team in collaboration with creative partners and visual storytellers from across the globe. The multi-platform campaign integrates film, digital, and print media to convey JOALI BEING’s ethos — a celebration of joy, transformation, and harmony.

The visual narrative draws inspiration from the natural beauty of the Maldives, reflecting JOALI BEING’s immersive design philosophy. The imagery captures the rhythm of the ocean, the play of light, and the flow of energy that define the spirit of the island.

Continue Reading

Awards

Coco Bodu Hithi wins Best Waterside Hotel at Condé Nast Johansens Awards 2026

Published

on

Coco Bodu Hithi has been recognised on the global stage, winning Best Waterside Hotel (Riverside, Lakeside, Seaside) at the Condé Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence 2026, held on 3 November 2025 in the UK. It is the second consecutive year the resort has been honoured by the publication, following last year’s win for Best Service, reaffirming its focus on heartfelt Maldivian hospitality and refined island living.

Described by Condé Nast Johansens as an “over-water, over-indulgent Maldivian island outpost,” Coco Bodu Hithi offers an intimate retreat of comfort and calm. The resort’s 32 Water Villas and 24 Coco Residences, each measuring 184 square metres and featuring private pools, provide secluded spaces set above the lagoon, where nature, design, and comfort come together to reflect the island’s romantic ambience.

Known for contemporary design infused with Maldivian heritage, the resort continues to welcome travellers seeking time by the sea, complemented by culinary collaborations with celebrity and Michelin-starred chefs. The experience balances privacy and comfort throughout a guest’s stay. With turquoise waters, quiet spaces, and experiences designed for connection and shared discovery, the resort presents a considered take on island living.

Located 35 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, the island combines accessibility with seclusion—close enough for convenience, yet removed for privacy and serenity. As part of Coco Collection, the resort offers bespoke experiences, attentive service, and sustainable practices, shaping stays that feel personal and reflective of relaxed, authentic island life.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright all rights reserved by Maldives Promotion House 2023.