News
JOALI Maldives announces Wonders of Ocean Festive programming for 2023/2024
JOALI Maldives, the first and only art-immersive resort in the Maldives located in the Raa Atoll, invites guests to experience festive season on Muravandhoo Island with an underwater theme, visiting practitioners and unique lineup of daily offerings for the whole family on December 21, 2023 through January 10, 2024. The island will be transformed into a magical underwater world of vivid colours and lights throughout for an unforgettable holiday celebration.
“Each year during our festive season, there is a different type of magic at JOALI Maldives and we look forward to having our guests experience this with their loved ones and feel the joie de vivre or “Joy of Living” during this special time”, says Area General Manager Enver Arslan.
In addition to holiday celebrations such as a tree lighting ceremony, gingerbread house, visit from santa, and daily entertainment, the calendar of activities during festive season at JOALI will include:
- Culinary: Learn about mixology, whiskey and gin with various classes offered through festive season, in addition to Japanese, Levantine and holiday cooking workshops. JOALI will also feature Christmas and New Year’s brunch and gala dinners.
- Art Offerings: Enjoy ceramics and coral jewellery making at JOALI’s Art House
- Sustainability Focus: Guests can enjoy gardening workshops with the sustainability team, a coral nursery tour, talks with resident marine biologists, and more.
- For The Kids: With daily activities for kids of all ages, they will enjoy marine biology classes, stargazing, cooking classes, magic shows and art classes. Families can also enjoy Muramas Kids Club, discovering the true magic of the land through a number of tailored experiential opportunities, ranging from arts and crafts with sustainable materials, Maldivian language lessons, planting trees to understand JOALI’s corporate responsibility project, connecting with nature, and so much more.
- Wellness for All: From paddle board yoga and sound bowl healing to various yoga and meditation classes, daily wellness offerings during festive season are offered for all levels. For the whole family, JOALI will also host family fitness classes.
- Group Sports: Connect with guests by playing tennis, padel tennis, darts or taking part in JOALI’s Premier Football League together
JOALI will welcome visiting practitioner and renowned Kung Fu Master, Sifu Aniket. Master Sifu is a gold medalist with black belts in three different disciplines of martial arts and an expert in yoga and meditations. Sharing his knowledge and skills around the world, Master Sifu will be hosting a ‘Spirit of Martial Arts’ class during the festive season at JOALI, a comprehensive workshop on martial arts to increase stamina, strength, range of motion, and mind-body coordination, allowing guests to acquire self-defence skills while also reducing stress. Chef Nina Tarasova will also be joining JOALI Maldives as a visiting practitioner during the festive season. A pastry consultant, Chef Tarasova has more than 10 years experience in the culinary sphere, working in Russia and around the world conducting master classes and consulting for pastry shops and restaurants. Chef Tarasova will be hosting a dinner for JOALI guests.
Visitors during the festive season will enjoy JOALI Maldives’ 73 elegantly appointed and expansive guest accommodations with beach and over-water villas. Offering 11 different villa categories, guests may choose from one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom options, all of which come complete with a personal Jadugar, meaning ‘skilled magician’ in Dhivehi.
For further details and booking, please visit joali.com
News
Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa reimagines island experience with resort-wide makeover
Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa has announced an exciting new chapter with a comprehensive resort-wide refurbishment. The transformation reimagines accommodations, dining venues, public spaces, and guest experiences while preserving the lush island environment that has defined the resort for generations. To celebrate this transformation, travellers are invited to experience the renewed island retreat with an exclusive long-stay offer. For a limited time, guests who book five nights or more will enjoy complimentary round-trip speedboat transfers on any available package, making it easier to discover one of the Maldives’ most naturally abundant private islands, located just 15 minutes from Velana International Airport.
Long before the Maldives became one of the world’s most sought-after luxury destinations, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa had established itself as a place where genuine hospitality and nature coexist in perfect harmony. While many islands have been developed in recent years, Sheraton Maldives has had the rare privilege of allowing its landscape to flourish over time, creating a mature tropical sanctuary that cannot be replicated overnight. Today, the resort is building on that legacy with thoughtful enhancements that elevate the guest experience and preserve the character that has always made the island distinctive.

The island is home to nearly 200 varieties of tropical plants, 18 species of orchids, and more than 600 coconut trees, creating a vibrant ecosystem that welcomes guests from the moment they arrive. At its heart stands a magnificent banyan tree that has flourished for more than a century, a living reminder of the island’s rich heritage and enduring connection to the Maldivian landscape. The island’s tropical landscape has developed over decades and is home to native flora, abundant birdlife, and shaded pathways that distinguish it from many newer developments across the Maldives.
Alongside its ongoing sustainability initiatives, the resort’s current refurbishment has been carefully designed to enhance what guests have always loved about the island. Guestrooms and villas are being refreshed with contemporary design and enhanced comforts. Restaurants, bars, recreational facilities, the kids’ club, and public spaces are also being reimagined to create a more seamless and refined guest experience.

Every enhancement aims to meet the evolving expectations of today’s travellers while maintaining the warmth, authenticity, and natural charm that define Sheraton Maldives. Guests can relax on powder-soft beaches, snorkel vibrant coral reefs, enjoy diverse culinary experiences, and unwind at Shine Spa for Sheraton. Every stay balances timeless island charm with modern luxury.
“At Sheraton Maldives, our story has always been about bringing people together in an extraordinary island setting,” said Greg Allan, General Manager of Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa. “Our refurbishment is an investment in the future of the resort, ensuring our guests enjoy modern comforts while preserving the island’s extraordinary natural beauty and the heartfelt hospitality that have defined Sheraton Maldives for decades. We are excited to welcome returning and first-time guests to experience a timeless destination that continues to evolve while staying true to its roots.”

To mark this exciting new chapter, guests who book for five nights or more will receive complimentary round-trip speedboat transfers on any available package. Whether choosing a bed and breakfast escape or a curated dining package, every eligible booking includes this exclusive benefit. The offer provides added value and convenience from the moment they arrive in the Maldives.
Guests can be among the first to experience the next chapter of Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa by booking directly through the resort’s official website at www.sheratonmaldives.com or by contacting the reservations team at Sheraton.Maldives@sheraton.com.
Action
Sun Siyam Vilu Reef introduces guest-led coral restoration initiative
Surrounded by one of the Maldives’ most vibrant house reefs, Sun Siyam Vilu Reef, is inviting guests to leave behind more than memories. This World Nature Conservation Day (28th July 2026), the boutique island retreat officially launched its signature ‘Adopt-a-Coral’ initiative, giving travellers the opportunity to play an active role in restoring one of nature’s most precious underwater sanctuaries.

Driven by Sun Siyam Resorts’ overarching sustainability program, Sun Siyam Cares, this initiative provides a hands-on opportunity to safeguard the fragile aquatic landscapes of the South Nilandhe Atoll. Guests become active participants in the restoration process, carefully attaching live coral fragments onto specially designed nursery frames under the guidance of the resort’s marine experts. These structures are then carefully placed in nursery zones across the lagoon to flourish and rebuild vital habitats.

To commemorate the launch, guests enjoyed an interactive morning event featuring bespoke refreshments and a symbolic frame planting ceremony. Long after returning home, guests continue receiving personalised updates, allowing them to witness the growth of the very coral they helped restore, creating a lasting connection with the island and its surrounding waters.

“Our reef is the heart of our island, and protecting it is a responsibility we proudly share with every guest who visits us,” said Masdhooq Saeed, Cluster General Manager. “By giving our guests the opportunity to plant coral, we offer them a meaningful way to leave our sanctuary even better than when they arrived. It is a genuine privilege to empower our visitors to play a direct role in building a more resilient ecosystem while forging a lifelong bond with the Maldives.”
The Adopt-a-Coral initiative forms a key part of Sun Siyam Vilu Reef’s long-term sustainability vision, seamlessly combining luxury island hospitality with meaningful conservation efforts, guest participation, and community engagement. The resort’s spectacular house reef is home to an extraordinary diversity of coral formations, tropical fish, turtles, and countless other species, making its protection essential for future generations.
Action
Fushifaru Maldives offers access to Lhaviyani’s manta ray hotspot
One of the Maldives’ most anticipated marine spectacles has arrived – manta ray season is returning to Lhaviyani Atoll. As plankton-rich waters attract these gentle giants, the atoll transforms into a haven for unforgettable underwater encounters. Graceful, curious and inspiring, manta rays can often be spotted gliding effortlessly through the turquoise waters, creating magical moments for both snorkelers and divers.
Whether you’re taking your first plunge beneath the surface or you’re a seasoned ocean explorer, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of swimming alongside these incredible creatures in their natural habitat. Think vibrant coral reefs, abundant marine life and crystal-clear lagoons. Manta ray season offers an unforgettable experience that captures the true wonder of the Maldives.
One of Lhaviyani Atoll’s most renowned manta ray sites is Fushifaru Thila, located just three minutes by boat from Fushifaru Maldives. This protected dive site is home to a natural manta cleaning station, where cleaner wrasse and other small reef fish remove parasites and dead skin from the mantas. Watching these gentle giants gracefully circle the cleaning station as they pause for their underwater “spa treatment” is a truly remarkable sight and one of the highlights of diving in the Maldives.
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