Featured
Family glamour or crimson couples: Celebrate sparkling festive season in Maldives with Centara
Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, is inviting couples and families to end the year in paradise with a joyous festive vacation at a choice of award-winning resorts in the Maldives. With two world-class island retreats, glittering dinners, immersive activities, sparkling parties and much more, every guest can enjoy a heavenly holiday season with Centara!

Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives is a breath-taking five-star retreat in the South Ari Atoll that is perfectly suited to families. With spacious accommodation including Family Overwater Villas with bunk beds and PlayStations, plus tennis, volleyball, water sports, snorkelling and diving, six restaurants, bars and lounges, a Spa Cenvaree and more, all surrounded by pure white sands and turquoise lagoons, this is the perfect destination for multi-generational festive vacations.
This holiday season, all ages are invited to a season of “Ritz & Glitz” with a wealth of exciting experiences. Starting with the “Christmas Tree Lighting” on 22nd December, which will be marked with carol singing and canapés, the festive calendar of activities will run all the way through until the first Friday of 2023, on 6th January.
Highlights include the “Classical Christmas Gala Dinner” with live music and carols on 24th December, “A Treasured Christmas Morning” with a visit from Santa, and a traditional “Christmas Lunch” at Reef Restaurant (25th December), “Light Up the Night”, a funk-house DJ party at Coral Bar on Boxing Day (26th December) and “Bedazzled Summer Beach Party” on 29th December. Then on the last night of the year, guests can dress up for a glamorous Great Gatsby-themed “Ritzy-Glitzy Affair Gala Dinner,” with electrifying performances to end 2022 in style – including a line-up of internationally-renowned Thai musicians!
Families can come together and kickstart 2023 with a “Rise & Shine” New Year’s Day breakfast and “Gastronomical Holiday Lunch” on 1st January, plus beach games and Pilates. To ensure that the resort caters for all guests, an “Orthodox Christmas Buffet” will be staged on 6th January, and revellers can get their groove on with a “First Friday of 2023” beach party. Throughout the season, Camp Safari will host a daily line-up of exciting activities, from Christmas craft sessions to meetings with Santa, kids’ discos and even special dinners!

Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives, the exclusive adults-only island sanctuary in the North Malé Atoll, is inviting couples and friends to its “Crimson Tales” celebrations this December. This serene retreat houses a collection of beautiful beachfront and overwater villas, seven restaurants and bars, a Spa Cenvaree, water sports, diving and much more. For 10 fabulous days, the resort will raise the tempo with a full calendar of experiences, ranging from “Tai Chi”, “Yogalates” and “Tranquility & Meditation” sessions during the day to exhilarating after-dark events, including “Cuban Duo Beats” every evening!
The festivities commence on 22nd December with the “Christmas Tree Lighting” at Waves Beach and “Santa’s Arrival” on 24th December. The “Christmas Eve Gala Dinner” will feature a full range of traditional fare and “East meets West” flavours at Waves Beach. The week between Christmas and New Year will be marked with a series of spectacular culinary occasions, including “Masterchef Culinary Secrets” on 26th December and a “Seafood BBQ” on 27th December. Then, as the sun sets over the Indian Ocean for the last time this year, couples can ring in 2023 at the “New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner” – a sensational celebration of international cuisine, cultural dances, traditional bodu beru drums and Cuban beats!
For a truly unforgettable vacation, travellers at both resorts can also go parasailing or diving in a Santa hat – a unique photo opportunity that will create memories that last a lifetime. The therapists at Spa Cenvaree will also be giving guests a holiday glow with a choice of revitalising therapies that embrace the shimmer and sparkle of the season.
Whether you’re seeking an inspiring island escape with your loved one or a fun-filled vacation with friends and family, the “Winter Getaway” package will make your festive season even more magical. Enjoy up to 35% discounts at either of Centara’s world-class resorts in the Maldives, plus a bottle of wine and fruit basket upon arrival, and 20% off spa treatments. Guests booking a pool villa for four nights or longer will also be treated to a floating or in-villa breakfast and late 4pm check-out (subject to availability). Book between 15th November and 15th December 2022 and receive triple Centara The1 points! Not a member yet? Click here to join for free!
Rates start from USD 350++ per night at Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives and USD 300++ per night at Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives.
For more information about Centara Hotels & Resorts and to book your “Winter Getaway” in the Maldives, please visit www.centarahotelsresorts.com/winter-getaway.
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.
Awards
Sun Siyam Iru Veli earns top wedding destination honour at TTM Awards
Fresh from being named Best Honeymoon Destination in 2025, Sun Siyam Iru Veli was recognised as Best Wedding Destination at the Travel Trade Maldives Awards & Gala 2026, held at Crossroads Maldives on 27 August. The award further reinforces the resort’s commitment to celebrating romance in all its forms.
Surrounded by turquoise lagoons and white-sand beaches, Iru Veli provides a natural setting for couples seeking an intimate island retreat. Every villa features a private pool, while secluded beaches, private sandbanks and a 24-hour all-inclusive dine-around experience offer guests privacy and flexibility throughout their stay.
The resort hosts celebrations of different scales, ranging from barefoot ceremonies by the ocean to larger events encompassing the entire island. Dedicated wedding planners work closely with each couple to personalise every element, ensuring that both the ceremony and the wider stay reflect their individual story.
This flexibility extends beyond the resort’s wedding packages. Simple Romance, Grand Gesture and Sandbank Magic provide couples with a starting point, with each celebration customisable through décor, dining, wellness, entertainment and island experiences. For occasions requiring complete exclusivity, full-island buyouts allow the resort experience to be tailored around the couple and their guests.
The celebrations can continue beyond the ceremony through candlelit dinners beneath the stars, spa rituals for two, sunset cruises and time spent together across the island. These experiences enable couples to shape the occasion around their preferences, with personal moments unfolding throughout their stay.
“Every couple arrives with a different story and a different vision for their celebration. There is no template here. From intimate ceremonies for two to full-island celebrations with family and friends, our role is to create moments that feel completely personal. That is exactly what our team does. They listen first and then create a ceremony that truly reflects the couple. This award is a testament to the dedication and care they put into making every moment memorable,” said Masdhooq Saeed, Cluster General Manager of Sun Siyam Iru Veli and Sun Siyam Vilu Reef.
The annual TTM Awards & Gala brings together travel professionals and hoteliers to recognise achievements across the Maldivian hospitality industry. Iru Veli’s latest award further strengthens its position among the Maldives’ leading destinations for weddings and romantic escapes.
Action
Chef Jake Norman and Molly O’Donoghue join Niva Dhigali for November programme
Niva Dhigali Maldives will welcome visiting chef Jake Norman and British pickleball champion Molly O’Donoghue for a curated programme of island experiences this November, bringing together dining and active wellbeing in the Maldives.
Norman began his culinary career making pizza in the markets of Guadalajara, Mexico, before working in several London restaurants, including St John, Ottolenghi and Sabor. He now leads the kitchen at Updown Farmhouse in Kent, where his cooking focuses on seasonal ingredients, live-fire techniques and Mediterranean influences.
On 18 November, Norman will host an exclusive dinner at Faru, presenting a menu that combines Mediterranean flavours with influences from Mexico and the Middle East, while incorporating ingredients sourced from the Maldives.
The shared dining experience will feature Indian Ocean produce, grilled dishes and smoky flavours, with a menu designed to reflect the setting and encourage guests to dine at a relaxed pace.
The programme will also include pickleball sessions hosted by British champion Molly O’Donoghue. A national champion in mixed and women’s doubles, as well as a European champion in mixed doubles, O’Donoghue first discovered the sport while studying in Australia. She has since competed internationally and worked to introduce the sport to players around the world.
At Niva Dhigali, O’Donoghue will conduct beginner sessions and advanced coaching, giving guests of different skill levels the opportunity to learn, play and develop their technique.
Located in Raa Atoll, Niva Dhigali Maldives is surrounded by tropical vegetation, a lagoon and the Indian Ocean. The November programme, featuring Norman’s dining experience and O’Donoghue’s pickleball sessions, forms part of the resort’s approach to offering guest experiences centred on food, wellbeing and the island environment.
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