Featured
Flying sauces featuring Odette’s Julien Royer brings terroir to table at Soneva Fushi
Award-winning luxury resorts operator Soneva has partnered with Chef Julien Royer to bring Singapore’s acclaimed three Michelin-starred Odette restaurant to the Maldives. The modern French restaurant is guided by Royer’s lifelong respect for seasonality, terroir and artisanal produce. While underpinned by the principles of French cuisine, his years in Asia have infused his approach with a sense of place.
The exclusive 10-week residency at Soneva Fushi’s Flying Sauces will take place from now until April 15, 2022. Flying Sauces was launched in late 2021 and is the only fine dining zipline experience in the world where the evolving multi-course menu is enjoyed from an open treetop kitchen 12 metres above the ground, which boasts exceptional views of the island’s lush jungle and sparkling turquoise ocean.

Flying Sauces featuring Odette’s Chef Julien Royer will showcase produce at its seasonal peak reflective of the Odette experience, with an emphasis on native ingredients – without culinary pretence and handled with an astute, restrained touch.
Taking the helm for the 10-week residency is Odette’s Singaporean Chef de Cuisine, Naka Xiong, who brings his reverence for nature and affinity with seafood to realise a gastronomic experience infused with vibrant tropical flavours and an ingenious Southeast Asian identity, befitting of Soneva Fushi’s idyllic island setting.

The concept will offer both a pescatarian and a vegetarian menu to Soneva Fushi’s guests. Highlights include: the Soneva Garden Salad, featuring foraged or farmed ingredients from Soneva’s own organic gardens or the Maldives; Basmati Donabe, celebrating the importance of the humble grain across Southeast Asia, with herbs sourced from the island, accentuated with pomelo, sakura ebi, shallots and puffed wild rice; and Tuna Flower, with sustainably caught local tuna given a citrus kick from the yuzu kosho, tempered by a refreshing green grape and almond nage.
“We are honoured to welcome Chef Julien Royer and the Odette team to Soneva Fushi,” says Sonu Shivdasani, CEO and Co-founder of Soneva. “Chef Royer’s own culinary philosophy is the perfect complement to Soneva’s Slow Life ethos, which emphasises exquisite yet healthy cuisine, using the highest quality ingredients that are organic, sustainable and as local as possible. Alongside our world-class dining destinations and ongoing Soneva Stars calendar of renowned guest chefs, this new residency by Odette further underlines Soneva Fushi’s status as a gastronomic destination in its own right.”
“It is Odette’s greatest pleasure to share our experience with our friends at Soneva,” adds Julien Royer, Chef-Owner of Odette. “We’re delighted to take the heart of Maldives’ terroir to greater heights, with the show-stopping creativity of our Chef de Cuisine, Xiong.”

Naka Xiong Chef de Cuisine, Odette said “This menu will showcase the nostalgic Southeast Asian flavours that I’m familiar with. Surrounded by fresh produce from Maldivian waters and cooking among the lush treetops of Soneva is a dream come true for me.”

Founded in 1995, Soneva is an award-winning sustainable luxury resorts operator. At Soneva Fushi, Soneva Jani and Soneva in Aqua in the Maldives, and Soneva Kiri in Thailand, true ‘luxury’ is defined by peace, time and space. Each day, guests are encouraged to discover the Slow Life, reconnecting with themselves and the natural world through rare, unforgettable experiences that inspire and enthral.
Soneva is a pioneer for responsible tourism, combining a conscientious, proactive approach to sustainability with exquisite luxury and intuitive personalised service. Carbon neutral since 2012, Soneva launched its Total Impact Assessment in 2016, a first for the hospitality industry, measuring its social and environmental impacts. A mandatory 2% environmental levy is added to every Soneva stay, with proceeds going towards the not-for-profit Soneva Foundation to offset both direct and indirect carbon emissions from resort activities and guest flights. The Foundation funds a range of global projects that have a positive environmental, social and economic impact.
Featured
Villa Nautica’s festive glow: Yoga at sunrise, fireworks at midnight
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.
Featured
JOALI BEING launches global campaign ‘Joyful Journeys of Well-Living’
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.
Awards
Coco Bodu Hithi wins Best Waterside Hotel at Condé Nast Johansens Awards 2026
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.
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