Featured
Tropical-chic festive season at Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi
Set in one of the Maldives’ largest crystal-clear lagoons, Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi is the ultimate destination for a picture-perfect festive holiday.
After months of unrest and uncertainty, this Christmas guests are invited to reset, reconnect, rediscover and relieve in the otherworldly Maldivian setting.
The resort has organised a host of fun and educational activities both underwater and on land to keep its discerning guests entertained for the most awaited season of the year.
From Michelin-starred tasting menus to countless interactive initiatives to preserve and protect our environment, from world-class wellness visiting practitioners to mood-boosting fitness programs, there’s no limit to what one can experience on the island this Christmas.
Reset mind, body
At Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi, holistic and ancient wellbeing disciplines are combined with personalised treatments at the island-inspired Willow Stream Spa, exceptional fitness facilities, world-class coaches and new nourishing plant-based menus.
Those looking to develop a closer relationship with their inner self and the natural surroundings can join resident instructor Lamy for peaceful sunrise or sunset yoga sessions while fitness junkies can boost endorphin levels with the resort’s bespoke FIT programme, comprising of private personal training sessions and boxing lessons.
Tennis fans can release their inner Nadal on the island’s splendid court and improve their technique with the new private tennis clinics, while families can bond with a friendly match on the football pitch.
This festive season, gift yourself with peace of mind and embark on a journey of self-healing, emotional regeneration and personal discovery as part of the new visiting wellness practitioner series.
The series will continue throughout 2022 and will include world-renowned personalities from the worlds of fitness, holistic wellbeing, and aesthetic medicine.
Reconnect with nature
Built on an ethos of positive environmental impact, Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi enables eco-conscious travellers to reconnect with the surrounding nature while also protecting and preserving it.
Home to the world’s first and only coral regeneration project in the form of an underwater art installation, the Coralarium, Fairmont Maldives recently launched the Turtle Ranger programme.
Budding marine biologists can learn how to track critically endangered Hawksbill Turtles from the resort’s very own Resident Marine Biologist, Sam Dixon, who spearheads the island’s environmental projects. Sam oversees the children release hatchlings into the ocean, care for nests, plant crucial new coral and snorkel one of the most biodiverse reefs in the world.
Ready in time for the festive, Fairmont Maldives will be the first Maldivian resort to host a Sustainability Lab. A hub of eco-education, the Sustainability Lab will turn plastic waste into bespoke souvenirs and unique products, educate guests and empower local communities, helping the resort achieve its goal of being the first zero waste generating resort in the Maldives and becoming the main recycling centre in the North Malé region.
Boasting some of the world’s most pristine beaches and mesmerising marine life, Fairmont Maldives provides guests with a vibrant setting for a wealth of adrenaline-filled activities: from canoeing the lagoon to paddle boarding, from jet ski to kayak, recharge and boost your mood with a menu of water-based, upskilling experiences.
Intrepid guests can go on exciting diving and snorkelling excursions, exploring the 9km house reef and crystal-clear lagoon (seasonal activity). Only a short boat ride away from the beach, they will be enchanted by manta ray cleaning stations – where gliding rays stop to be cleaned by tiny fish – swim with guitar sharks and reef sharks while rubbing shoulders with the 40 resident turtles and a variety of vibrant reef fish.
Rediscover your zest for life
Thanks to the extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime experiences available at Fairmont Maldives, this festive season will be all about creating life-long memories.
Families can enjoy their favourite movies under the stars with a pop-up cinema experience at the Tented Jungle Villas – safari-style lodgings in the heart of the island’s jungle – or rekindle with their other half at the tranquil Willow Stream Spa.
Epicureans can feast on the mouth-watering creations of three passionate visiting chefs. Decorated with two Michelin stars, chef Mickael Viljanen will take over AZURE restaurant from 29th December to 3rd of January and serve up a 6-course tasting menu inspired by his awarded Dublin restaurant; the Greenhouse.
Acclaimed chef Alexandre Demard will bring to the island famed French delights, including his signature Onion Soup, topped with savory foamy cream, while diners at Onu Onu can taste the Thai-Balinese aromatic dishes of top female chef, Sojinda Tongtawin.
Culture vultures interested in discovering the local way of life can do so with carefully curated experiences by Fairmont Maldives.
Join the team for a fishing expedition as the sun disappears behind the water or hop aboard a boat with a picnic basket and snorkel-mask in hand, sailing to a deserted island for an otherworldly sandbank picnic.
Socially conscious travellers can visit one of the nearby inhabited islands and meet the local community to learn about their culture and experience their way of life (subject to local regulations).
Relieve
To welcome 2022 in style, the resort will host a tropical-chic masquerade party featuring music from the talented ABBA Tribute Band and a whole host of other sensational acts. A spectacular firework show will light up the beautiful Maldivian sky as the clock turns to midnight.
Thanks to the world-famous bespoke Fairmont service, state-of-the-art island facilities and thoughtfully designed packages, at Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi guests can enjoy the most seamless and carefree of stays.
With the new all-inclusive Limitless Festive Season package guests can enjoy sumptuous daily buffet breakfast and lunch at the island’s vibrant dining hub, Raha Market, and sip non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks around the clock.
For dinner, guests are free to choose between a three-course meal at the beachfront Onu Onu – the vibrant social heart of the resort – or a three-course sushi feast at the Japanese restaurant, Kata.
The Limitless Festive Season package costs from $3326++ and can be booked until 30 November 2021 for stays between 21 December 2021 and 10 January 2022. For further information please visit https://www.fairmont-maldives.com/festive-season/
Action
Nova Maldives to host PADI AWARE Week this September
Nova Maldives will renew its partnership with PADI this September to co-host Project AWARE Week from 16 to 20 September 2026.
Organised by the resort’s marine team, the programme will give guests, from first-time snorkellers to experienced divers, opportunities to combine marine wildlife observation with practical conservation activities. The initiative is intended to turn time spent in the ocean into an educational experience while encouraging greater awareness of marine conservation.
This year’s AWARE Week coincides with PADI’s 60th anniversary and Nova Maldives’ fourth year of operation in South Ari Atoll. Now in its eighth global edition, PADI AWARE Week has developed into a citizen science movement within the diving community and has helped rescue more than 41,000 entangled marine animals to date.
Through its continued participation, Nova Maldives aims to encourage guests to become ocean advocates and remain engaged with marine conservation beyond their stay.
Guests staying at Nova during AWARE Week will be able to participate in a programme designed for different levels of ocean experience. Activities will include:
- Ocean immersion and storytelling: Sessions inspired by Blue Planet and other ocean documentaries, highlighting the diversity and vulnerability of marine life.
- Dive Against Debris: Underwater clean-up dives in the resort’s lagoon, during which participants will remove plastic and other waste before recording the findings in PADI AWARE’s global database.
- Whale shark snorkelling: Guided encounters that will allow guests to swim alongside whale sharks in the open waters of South Ari Atoll.
- Manta ray and turtle-spotting excursions: Guided boat trips to feeding and nesting areas where manta rays and turtles can be observed in their natural habitats.
- Coral restoration workshops: Practical sessions introducing guests to coral planting and the resort’s ongoing reef regeneration work.
“Some of the most meaningful work happens when you show up year after year. Four years into Nova’s story, we’ve learned that the health of the reef tells us a great deal about the impact we’re making, and that the guests who choose to return aren’t just here for the view,” said Abdulla Aboobakuru, General Manager of Nova Maldives.
“They’re here because Nova reflects something they already care about, including care for the ocean, a sense of community and a more thoughtful way of experiencing the places we visit. That’s what we hope Nova can inspire in new and returning guests alike: less a destination, more a calling.”
The resort’s marine conservation work continues throughout the year. Its coral nursery contains a growing collection of metal frames holding individually secured coral fragments, which are later transplanted onto the house reef. Guests are regularly invited to participate in the planting process, while the marine team monitors the young coral colonies as they develop.
Nova Maldives also maintains partnerships with the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme and Manta Trust. The resort is accredited as a Responsible Manta Tourism Operator, with the partnerships supporting its year-round approach to marine conservation.
Awards
Sun Siyam Vilu Reef secures Best House Reef title at TTM Awards
Renowned for its marine life and underwater experiences, Sun Siyam Vilu Reef, part of Sun Siyam’s Privé Collection, has been named Best House Reef at the Travel Trade Maldives (TTM) Awards 2026.
The award recognises the resort’s marine environment, which is accessible directly from its beaches and overwater villas. The annual TTM Awards and Gala brings together travel professionals and hoteliers from across the archipelago to recognise achievements within the Maldivian hospitality industry.
The island’s coral reef is home to marine species including resident sea turtles, reef sharks, tropical fish and eagle rays. Guests can explore the reef through guided excursions led by the resort’s resident marine experts, customised scuba-diving experiences and coral restoration initiatives designed to support the long-term preservation of the marine environment.
“Our reef is the living soul of Sun Siyam Vilu Reef, shaping every visitor’s journey from the moment they step into our turquoise lagoon,” said Masdhooq Saeed, Cluster General Manager. “To be named the Maldives’ Best House Reef is an immense honour, strengthening our commitment to nurturing this remarkable marine sanctuary so our guests can keep discovering its quiet magic beneath the surface.”
Travellers seeking underwater experiences can book directly with the resort to access exclusive benefits and guided marine excursions.
Featured
‘Eutopia: The Infinite Bloom’ comes to Sun Siyam Vilu Reef this festive season
Sun Siyam Vilu Reef, part of the Privé Collection within the House of Siyam, has announced its festive programme, “Eutopia: The Infinite Bloom”, which will run from 22 December 2026 to 7 January 2027.
The seasonal programme features activities and experiences for guests of all ages. Dining will take centre stage with Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve gala dinners by the water, exclusive Chef’s Table experiences and seafood barbecues on the beach.
The evening entertainment programme will include live acoustic performances, island DJ sets, aerial dance shows and Maldivian cultural performances.
During the day, guests will be able to explore the resort’s lagoon through activities such as house reef snorkelling, sunset Jet Car rides and sandbank excursions. The Spa will offer wellness rituals and couples’ therapies, while younger guests can take part in gingerbread decorating, a fashion show and Santa’s arrival on the beach.
“Eutopia is our invitation to celebrate and embrace nature, meaningful moments, and the relaxed luxury that defines Sun Siyam Vilu Reef through our festivities,” said Masdhooq Saeed, Cluster General Manager.
“From unforgettable ocean adventures to starlit beach celebrations, every experience has been thoughtfully designed to create lasting memories that will continue to flourish long after the season ends.”
The programme will culminate with a New Year’s Eve celebration on the beach on 31 December, featuring live music, midnight toasts and a fireworks display over the water.
The resort’s festive programme is available to view online, with bookings open for stays between 22 December 2026 and 7 January 2027.
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