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Soneva launches new AquaTerra conservation centre in Maldives

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Soneva has launched the new AquaTerra center at Soneva Fushi in the Maldives’ Baa Atoll. The new, state-of-the-art conservation, education and science facility will further strengthen the resort’s focus on sustainability, supporting its ongoing efforts to understand, conserve and regenerate the surrounding natural environment, both at sea and on land.

Serving as the hub for the resort’s conservation efforts, including the Soneva Foundation Coral Restoration Programme, AquaTerra will educate Soneva’s guests about the local ecosystem through inspirational experiences, and host cutting-edge scientific research through partnerships with universities and visiting scientists.

“At Soneva, we will never stop striving to be more sustainable and continue to pioneer initiatives that protect our natural environment and precious resources,” says Sonu Shivdasani, co-founder and CEO of Soneva, who was recently honoured as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to tourism, sustainability and charity. “AquaTerra not only enables us to offer our guests a one-of-a-kind experience and a variety of learning opportunities around terrestrial and marine conservation, but also strengthens our own conservation efforts, enabling us to collaborate with scientists from around the world.”

AquaTerra is the nerve center for the Soneva Foundation Coral Restoration Program, which launched in 2021 and aims to restore the coral reef systems around Soneva Fushi and create a coral hub for the Maldives. Working in partnership with Swiss environmental organisation Coralive, the project uses Mineral Accretion Technology (MAT) to channel low-voltage electricity through submerged coral tables, which speeds up the corals’ growth rate. The new centre also houses a spawning and rearing laboratory, developed with the team from Coral Spawning Lab, to conduct assisted evolution and create heat-resilient super corals, and a 3D-Printing laboratory to produce coral substrate. Later in 2023, Soneva Foundation will also fund the installation of a micro-fragmenting laboratory, created with micro-fragmenting expert Dr David Vaughan, with 28 outdoor tanks that can produce up to 100,000 corals per year, as well as live streaming cameras with fish recognition software at the coral nursery, to combine with live data from a SmartBuoy.

The centre will also support the efforts of Soneva’s Terrestrial Biology team. This includes its ground-breaking work on eliminating mosquitoes at Soneva’s Maldivian island resorts using sustainable and environmentally friendly mosquito management traps, with no harmful chemical fogging. The team is also working on a new project to tackle the hairy caterpillars that live on the islands’ Indian almond trees. Soneva is collaborating with McGill University in Canada and the Canadian National Research Institute on a hyperspectral mapping project, with the aim of creating an algorithm that programs a T30 DJI Agricultural Drone to spray leaves with ultra-low volumes of neem oil, which will be the first of its kind in the world.

AquaTerra will be used as the location for a range of short educational courses for young Sonevians through the Soneva Academy, and will be hosting visiting scientists and Masters and PhD students to conduct part of their research at Soneva Fushi. To see the centre’s conservation efforts first-hand, Soneva Fushi’s guests can combine a behind-the-scenes tour of AquaTerra with a guided snorkel at the house reef or a tour around Soneva Fushi’s gardens and Eco Centro Waste to Wealth Centre. To support the Coral Restoration Program, guests are also able to adopt a coral table to help regenerate the reef over the next decade. Priced from US $1,000 per table, each table is personalized with a carved name tag, and sponsors receive a certificate and an exclusive photo of their coral table.

For more information about Soneva, visit www.soneva.com.

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Villa Nautica’s festive glow: Yoga at sunrise, fireworks at midnight

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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.

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JOALI BEING launches global campaign ‘Joyful Journeys of Well-Living’

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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.

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Coco Bodu Hithi wins Best Waterside Hotel at Condé Nast Johansens Awards 2026

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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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