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Celebrate rebirth, renewal this Easter at JOALI BEING

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JOALI BEING, the first wellbeing island retreat of its kind in the Maldives, has created an exciting programme this Easter to offer guests a week of experiences ‘to renew your spirit and revive your light’ and will once again be extending its offering to children for the school holidays.

Throughout the Easter season, JOALI BEING will have a range of new activities on offer for the whole family from 6th – 12th April 2023, based around folklore and cherished traditions.

Guests will also notice the robin will be used decoratively around the island through feathers, objects and imagery, as a symbol of rebirth, renewal and as a harbinger of spring.

Culinary experiences

To help create an unforgettable holiday experience for families this Easter, JOALI BEING will be hosting an array of culinary experiences, workshops and classes.

Unique culinary pop-ups will also be available, centred around fireside and grill charcoal cooking, all nourishing and bursting with flavour. Guests may also wish to ease inflammation and revitalise their internal health with Omega-3 rich foods through curated cooking sessions, led by JOALI BEING’s expert nutritionist.

For children, JOALI BEING will be offering a “Young Master Chef” cooking class throughout the Easter period. In these classes, young guests can learn easy culinary techniques, taste new flavours, and explore their creativity in the kitchen.

Wellbeing experiences and visiting practitioners

To help guests with their approach to wellbeing and skin-cell renewal this Easter, adults can learn to create all-natural skincare products with the use of herbs, flowers, and essential oils. Drawing on the traditional wisdom of apothecaries, JOALI BEING’s herbologists will teach guests how to make an organic facial scrub that supports skin-cell renewal.

Guided meditation with sound healing instruments is also on offer – these experiences are aimed at helping guests centre their mind and discover a sense of profound calm.

For something slightly more upbeat, exhilarating dance routine workshops will be available, combining a variety of styles and aimed to instantly lift any mood.

Outdoor exploration along the Sound Discovery Path is also available for children. Here, young guests can take an inspiring tour through JOALI BEING’s outdoor sound therapy oasis with a resident life coach.

While adults can take advantage of morning yoga at the Ocean Sala, JOALI BEING is also offering complimentary yoga classes for children throughout the day, during the Easter period.

JOALI BEING is also welcoming expert visiting practitioners this Easter, specialising in transformative healing, natural healing, sound healing and more. The practitioners will enable guests to take their wellbeing journeys to a new level, bringing them closer to experiencing the joy of weightlessness.

The following visiting practitioners will be at JOALI BEING during the Easter period.

Dr. Tara Swart Bieber – Dr. Tara Swart Bieber is a globally renowned PhD neuroscientist, Oxford University-trained medical doctor, professor at MIT Sloan, executive advisor and bestselling author on science and spirituality. Swart Bieber invites guests to maximise their stays by embarking on immersive experiences that will ready them to better re-engage with their everyday lives with renewed resilience and enable visitors to make better decisions and to think more clearly.

Javier De Prado Lizano – A master of craniosacral and Watsu therapies, as well as visceral manipulation and Osteothai techniques, De Prado Lizano will be inviting guests to experience a seamless merging of Eastern and Western healing traditions. De Prado Lizano’s transformative healing experiences include craniosacral therapy, visceral manipulation, Osteothai sessions, and Watsu.

Alexandra Demolling – An experienced naturopath and iridologist, Demolling will guide guests on a holistic pathway to mind and body balance using herbal and vibrational remedies to treat issues such as stress, inflammation, and food intolerances.

Active experiences and educational conservation talks

Adults and children alike can join a dolphin cruise, to marvel at the azure lagoons and magical sunsets, whilst pods of spinner and bottleneck dolphins leap around the boat.

JOALI BEING will also be offering snorkelling trips to both adults and children, led by the retreat’s resident Marine Biologist. SEABOB snorkelling will be available to adults, involving the world’s most advanced underwater scooter; and turtle snorkelling trips will be available to children to learn about the iconic creatures in their natural underwater habitat. Conservation and marine talks will also be led by JOALI BEING’s Resident Marine Biologist.

Other activities will also enable adults to explore the surrounding crystal-clear waters. These include the beloved Maldivian pastime of traditional sunset fishing, and parasailing. Parasailing at JOALI BEING is an experience like no other. Guests can observe spectacular views of the Gate of Zero, the Ocean Sala and the Island of Wellbeing from a completely new perspective.

JOALI BEING invites guests to reconnect with themselves and with the beauty of nature. Based on the belief that understanding is the key to creating and sustaining wellbeing, the island’s Learning Centre offers a series of educational workshops and experiential classes with wellbeing experts, culinary maestros, and herbalists. This distinctive wellbeing retreat is home to a total of 68 exclusive guest villas with pools, consisting of 33 beach villas and 35 water villas. With 13 categories to choose from, guests can opt for one-, two-, three- or four-bedroom villas and residences. JOALI BEING features unique transformational spaces that allow guests to immerse in elemental therapies and healing experiences. Nature is at the centre of life at JOALI BEING, with the retreat being completely committed to nature immersive and responsible travel – the pathway to true “weightlessness”.

Rates: JOALI BEING has villas from $2,675 per night based on two persons sharing a Grand Beach Pool Villa on a B&B basis. Wellbeing Programmes start from $1,693 per person based on a five-night programme. For further details and booking, please visit joalibeing.com. For further details and booking, please visit joalibeing.com.

For more information and bookings, please visit https://www.joalibeing.com.

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Centara Hotels & Resorts marks Valentine’s Day with island-wide celebrations in Maldives

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Centara Hotels & Resorts is marking Valentine’s Day across its four Maldivian resorts with a collection of curated experiences designed to reflect different expressions of romance, from wellness and gastronomy to shared adventure and quiet celebration. Set within the Maldives’ natural environment of open horizons, white-sand beaches and private island settings, each property presents a tailored programme for couples seeking time together in a relaxed and intimate atmosphere.

Centara Grand Lagoon Maldives

Centara Grand Lagoon Maldives will mark Valentine’s Day on 14 February with a programme of romance-themed experiences set within its island surroundings at The Atollia by Centara Hotels & Resorts. The day is designed around shared activities and curated moments intended to encourage connection and creativity.

Evening celebrations begin at Coco Drift with the Salaan Galaan Valentine’s Soirée, followed by a four-course beachfront dinner accompanied by selected beverages, personalised cocktails, live entertainment and musical serenades. The celebrations conclude with an intimate sip-and-paint session under the night sky.

Couples may also unwind with the Grand Valentine’s Ritual at Spa Cenvaree, a 105-minute treatment comprising a massage and body wrap designed for shared relaxation. Guests can further personalise the occasion by arranging fresh floral bouquets through the front office.

Centara Mirage Lagoon Maldives

At Centara Mirage Lagoon Maldives, Valentine’s Day is presented through a full-day programme of shared experiences set in North Malé Atoll. Activities include sunrise yoga, a tree-planting ceremony and henna art, offering couples a blend of relaxation and meaningful engagement.

The evening programme centres on a mixology masterclass, followed by a candlelit dinner at Sailhouse Beach featuring seafood, Asian-inspired dishes, desserts and free-flowing beverages. The night concludes with an outdoor movie screening beneath the stars.

Spa Cenvaree complements the celebrations with a Valentine’s Indulgence ritual, a 120-minute couples’ treatment that includes a body scrub, massage and bath ritual paired with sparkling beverages. Floral arrangements may also be arranged through the front office.

Machchafushi Island Resort & Spa Maldives

From 10 to 14 February, Machchafushi Island Resort & Spa Maldives will host a series of Valentine’s experiences designed to reflect personal moments and shared celebration. Highlights include vow renewal ceremonies at Reef Beach and private canapé and champagne experiences at Aqua Bar.

On Valentine’s Day, couples may begin with a floating breakfast served in-villa, followed by a choice of dining experiences ranging from international buffet dining to a four-course gourmet dinner at the Love Hut, complete with sparkling beverages and floral arrangements. Additional options include a three-course beachfront dinner at Reef Beach, a relaxed BBQ and movie night at North Beach, and an evening DJ programme at Coral Lounge.

Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives

Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives, an adults-only resort in North Malé Atoll, will host a refined Valentine’s celebration on the evening of 14 February. The highlight is a seven-course beachfront dinner at Waves Beach, paired with sparkling beverages and accompanied by live music.

The evening continues with an after-dinner beach gathering, extending the celebrations in a relaxed setting. Guests may also opt for a package that includes an in-villa breakfast with sparkling beverages the following morning.

Across its Maldivian portfolio, Centara Hotels & Resorts presents Valentine’s Day as an opportunity for couples to celebrate through shared experiences, thoughtful dining and time spent together in distinctive island settings.

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Art, wine and storytelling take centre stage at Milaidhoo Maldives

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Milaidhoo Maldives is hosting a four-day creative residency this March that brings together art, wine and storytelling in a series of intimate island experiences guided by internationally recognised curator Vera Alkhova.

From 25 to 28 March 2026, the resort will present the Art Spirit Residency, welcoming Alkhova, founder of Art Spirit, to its private island setting in the heart of the Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The residency is designed as a relaxed exploration of creativity, taste and inspiration, set against Milaidhoo’s natural surroundings.

An art consultant, curator and educator, Alkhova is known for making contemporary art accessible through storytelling rather than theory. Through Art Spirit, she curates immersive experiences that encourage dialogue and personal interpretation, including her established programme How to Read Contemporary Art. Her residency at Milaidhoo is structured around conversation-led sessions rather than formal lectures, with the aim of sharing art in an engaging and approachable way.

Taking place during the same month as International Women’s Day, the residency also reflects on the creative contributions of women. This theme is most clearly expressed in the opening experience, Women in Art, which highlights female voices and influence within contemporary artistic expression.

The programme also aligns with Milaidhoo’s focus on gastronomy and fine wine. Each experience is paired with carefully selected wines and hosted within the resort’s restaurants, where the evening themes are reflected in ingredient-led menus. The format is intentionally informal, in keeping with the atmosphere of the boutique island resort.

Programme highlights include:

  • Wednesday, 25 March – Art Stories & Wine Tasting | Women in Art
  • Friday, 27 March – An Artist’s Table | Wine and Art Dinner | Love of the Painter and His Muses
  • Saturday, 28 March – Art Stories & Wine Tasting | Marine Life

With Alkhova’s curated insights and Milaidhoo’s considered hospitality, the Art Spirit Residency brings together art, wine and shared conversation in a setting designed to encourage reflection and connection.

Milaidhoo Maldives is accessible via a 35-minute seaplane transfer from Velana International Airport, or by a 15-minute domestic flight to Dharavandhoo Airport in Baa Atoll followed by a 15-minute speedboat journey to the island.

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St. Regis Maldives Vommuli welcomes Glynn Purnell for Tastemaker Series

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Glynn Purnell, the Michelin-starred chef, restaurateur and television personality known as “The Yummy Brummie”, will bring his modern British cooking to the Indian Ocean this April as part of the Tastemaker Series at St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort.

With a career spanning more than 35 years, two Michelin-starred restaurants and a long-standing presence on British television, Purnell’s residency will take place from 3 to 6 April. His ingredient-led approach will be presented through a curated programme that includes a signature tasting dinner, an intimate cooking class and a closing experience hosted at The Whale Bar, offering guests the opportunity to engage with his cuisine in an informal setting.

Purnell began his culinary career at the age of 14 through a hotel kitchen work placement before refining his skills at the Metropole Hotel and at Simpson’s Restaurant, where he contributed to the restaurant’s first Michelin star. His professional training also includes working alongside chefs such as Gordon Ramsay, Gary Rhodes and Claude Bosi, as well as experience in Michelin-starred kitchens across Europe. Purnell later made history by earning Birmingham’s first Michelin star for Jessica’s in 2005, followed by a Michelin star for Purnell’s, which the restaurant has retained since 2009.

In addition to his restaurant work, Purnell is a well-known figure on British television. He has won Great British Menu twice and has returned to the programme as a mentor. His television appearances also include Saturday Kitchen, and he co-presented My Kitchen Rules UK alongside Rachel Allen on Channel 4.

Recognised for combining technical precision with an approachable style, Purnell’s residency forms part of the St. Regis Maldives’ 2026 Tastemaker Series, a programme designed to showcase international culinary talent through immersive guest experiences. His emphasis on seasonal, responsibly sourced ingredients and sustainable practices aligns with the resort’s broader commitment to considered luxury and culinary quality.

Set on Vommuli Island, the residency offers guests the opportunity to experience contemporary British gastronomy in a distinctive island setting, with rare access to one of the UK’s most influential chefs.

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