Angsana Velavaru invites guests to welcome the Lunar New Year with a vibrant two-day celebration inspired by togetherness, prosperity and new beginnings. Taking place from 16 to 17 February, the programme marks the Year of the Horse with cultural rituals, festive dining, ocean adventures and family-friendly experiences across the island.

Set within a private lagoon in the South Nilandhe Atoll, Angsana Velavaru provides a setting where tradition blends naturally with island life. The Lunar New Year programme is designed to balance meaningful cultural moments with relaxed celebration, encouraging guests of all ages to connect, explore and share in the spirit of renewal.

Festivities unfold throughout the island with a diverse line-up of experiences. Mornings begin with water aerobics at Kuredhi Pool Bar and gentle interactions with the island’s resident lovebirds, while afternoons invite creativity through dumpling-making workshops, kite flying along the shore and friendly beach volleyball matches. Ocean enthusiasts can enjoy snorkelling cruises, citizen-science reef explorations and discover scuba diving sessions, offering a closer look at the resort’s marine environment.

Evenings are dedicated to indulgence and celebration. Guests can take part in curated cocktail experiences, including tropical arrack, rum and mojito mixology, before gathering for festive dining that reflects abundance and togetherness. Highlights include a Lunar New Year beach BBQ with premium selections, a celebratory banquet featuring festive flavours, and a gala evening at Kuredhi Pool Bar with cultural performances, live entertainment and DJ sets continuing late into the night.

Families play a central role in the celebrations, with young guests welcomed at the Ranger’s Club for a dedicated children’s programme. Activities include festive crafts, nature walks, scavenger hunts and hands-on experiences inspired by Lunar New Year traditions, allowing children to engage with the celebrations while families enjoy the programme at their own pace.

Throughout the two days, the symbolism of the Year of the Horse—associated with vitality, movement and positive momentum—is reflected across the island. From shared meals and ocean adventures to quieter moments watching kites drift across the sky, the celebrations are designed to honour new beginnings in a festive yet effortless way.

This Lunar New Year, Angsana Velavaru invites guests to welcome the year ahead surrounded by natural beauty, cultural richness and warm island hospitality.

At The Nautilus Maldives, time is guided by personal rhythm and creativity is free from constraint. From 3 to 5 April 2026, the ultra-luxury private island resort will welcome Gregor Zimmermann, Switzerland’s State Chef and Executive Chef of the Bellevue Palace in Bern, for an intimate Easter culinary residency that brings Alpine heritage to the shores of the Indian Ocean.

During the three-day residency, guests will be invited to take part in a series of unhurried and immersive dining experiences. Two exclusive gourmet evenings at Zeytoun will feature tasting menus that create a refined dialogue between the flavours of the Swiss Alps and Maldivian produce. The programme also includes a Chocolate Masterclass, offering an interactive introduction to Switzerland’s celebrated chocolate-making traditions, where Zimmermann will share techniques, cultural heritage and the artistry behind the craft, allowing guests to create and enjoy their own confections.

The residency will extend into the island’s Easter celebrations, with Zimmermann’s creations appearing as special canapés during Nautilus Rising at the Naiboli Beach pop-up. These moments will serve as a prelude to the festive programme, blending culinary artistry with the relaxed rhythm of island life.

A member of the prestigious Le Club des Chefs des Chefs, the international association of chefs serving heads of state, Zimmermann is the trusted culinary custodian for visiting presidents, royalty and official delegations in Switzerland. His career includes cooking for figures such as President Emmanuel Macron and members of European royal families. In recognition of his contribution to gastronomy and his commitment to excellence, he was awarded the Officier du Mérite Agricole by the French President.

Zimmermann’s cuisine is defined by clarity, restraint and emotion. Rather than adhering to a fixed signature style, his cooking reflects stories of origin, landscape and memory, weaving Swiss Alpine traditions with global influences in a technically precise yet expressive approach. He has described his work as a continuous reinterpretation of rustic Swiss recipes, while remaining faithful to their roots.

Adan Gomez, General Manager of The Nautilus Maldives, said that Zimmermann’s residency reflects the resort’s commitment to artistic freedom and authenticity. He noted that the Masters for Masters series invites respected global talents to create without boundaries in an environment shaped by individuality and unhurried living.

Set within the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the Easter residency at The Nautilus will bring together Swiss craftsmanship and Maldivian serenity in a celebration of purity, artistry and cultural exchange. The programme is designed to offer guests moments shaped by mastery, experienced entirely on their own terms.

The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort has unveiled an intimate celebration of love through an exclusive collaboration with IVAR Jewellery, bringing together craftsmanship, emotion, and timeless romance in a refined island setting. Rooted in shared values of artistry and enduring beauty, the partnership invites guests to experience love as something continuous, evolving, and deeply personal.

Central to the collaboration is IVAR’s Infinity Collection, inspired by the circle as a symbol with no beginning and no end. Each piece reflects a quiet and enduring expression of love, designed to preserve fleeting moments in lasting form. The collection speaks to intimacy, connection, and the promise of forever, offering jewellery that is both meaningful and timeless.

IVAR’s creations draw on the rich traditions of Indian craftsmanship, reinterpreted through a contemporary design approach. Crafted by skilled artisans using time-honoured techniques, each piece balances heritage with modern elegance. Designed for daily wear and long-term appreciation, the jewellery is intended to accompany life’s most significant milestones and be treasured across generations.

Inspired by this philosophy, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort has curated a series of romantic experiences that reflect the elegance and symbolism of the Infinity Collection. At Iridium Spa, couples are invited to enjoy a Romantic Spa Escape, an immersive sensory journey infused with rose geranium and rose quartz. Each treatment is designed to restore balance, deepen connection, and create moments of calm intimacy that extend beyond the spa.

As evening approaches, romance continues with Valentine’s dining experiences set beneath open skies and framed by the island’s natural beauty. Soft lighting, refined menus, and an unhurried atmosphere encourage couples to linger, connect, and celebrate togetherness. Every detail is composed to honour shared moments and the quiet luxury of presence.

For couples preparing to begin their next chapter, IVAR’s Solitaire Collection offers a classic expression of commitment. Defined by diamonds of exceptional brilliance and clarity, each piece reflects the purity of the promise it represents. Set within the surroundings of The St. Regis Maldives, weddings become personal celebrations where elegance, emotion, and artistry come together.

Through this collaboration, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort and IVAR Jewellery invite guests to experience a love that is both effortless and profound, fleeting yet enduring, creating memories inspired by the infinite symbol that lies at the heart of the partnership.