Connect with us

News

Seaside Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives and EnChroma partner to enhance colorful experiences for color blind guests

Published

on

In honor of International Colour Blindness Awareness Month, Seaside Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives, renowned for its vivid and captivating surroundings, has teamed up with EnChroma to offer color blind guests a groundbreaking opportunity to witness the Maldives’ dazzling landscapes in all their vibrant glory. This pioneering initiative includes the use of specialized glasses designed for color blindness, innovative snorkel masks, and EnChroma sunglasses, allowing visitors to experience the world in an entirely new light.

EnChroma, known for its patented lens technology, has developed these cutting-edge solutions, which are exclusively available at Seaside Finolhu.

A World First: Seeing the Maldives in Full Color

Among the groundbreaking innovations, EnChroma’s color blind glasses stand out, granting individuals with color blindness the ability to perceive the world in its true spectrum of colors. Additionally, snorkel masks have been crafted to enhance underwater adventures, enabling color blind guests to appreciate the Maldives’ vibrant marine life more vividly than ever before.

This remarkable offering is a world-first and can only be experienced at Seaside Finolhu.

Unlocking a World of Color

Color blindness affects approximately 350 million people globally, with 30 million residing in Europe alone. This condition predominantly affects men, with one in 12 individuals impacted. While those with normal color vision can perceive over one million shades and hues, color blind individuals typically see only about 10 percent of this range.

For red-green color blind individuals, colors may appear muted and indistinguishable from one another. Common color confusions include green and yellow, grey and pink, purple and blue, and red and brown. This limitation can hinder color-blind individuals from fully immersing themselves in vibrant experiences during their travels, affecting both work environments and social interactions.

A Colorful Paradise Beckons

At Seaside Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives, color blind guests not only have the opportunity to witness the myriad blues of the Baa Atoll but also to explore one of the most visually captivating hotels in the Maldives, with its kaleidoscope-inspired interiors.

Steven Phillips, General Manager at Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives, shared his excitement about the partnership: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with EnChroma on this exciting new initiative. Travelling the world is one of life’s greatest pleasures, but imagine doing so and only experiencing ten percent of color. That’s like only seeing two colors of the rainbow. Or not witnessing the true blue of the ocean or the hundreds of hues of a sunset.”

“As someone who is color blind myself, I know all too well the realities and impact this can have, so I’m delighted to see this collaboration come to life. We can’t wait to welcome color blind guests – both adults and children alike – to experience this unique technology and see our piece of paradise in all its glory!”

Erik Ritchie, CEO of EnChroma, expressed his enthusiasm about the project: “The Maldives, and Seaside Finolhu, are arguably two of the most breathtakingly beautiful and colorful places on earth. I’m a divemaster and have been SCUBA diving for most of my life, so I can appreciate how much more spectacular and special it will be for color blind divers to experience the amazing array of vibrant colors the ocean has to offer. We are also thrilled that color blind guests will be able to experience more color when they are not diving by borrowing our glasses at the resort.”

Seaside Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives and EnChroma are poised to make the Maldives’ vibrant beauty accessible to all, transcending the boundaries of color blindness and offering a life-changing experience for those who embark on this captivating journey.

News

Bohemian Reverie brings a new festive experience to Sun Siyam Iru Fushi

Published

on

This festive season, Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, the flagship resort within Sun Siyam’s Luxury Collection portfolio in the Maldives, has unveiled its 2026/27 festive programme, introducing a season inspired by ‘Bohemian Reverie’ that combines exceptional dining, immersive wellness experiences, family celebrations and curated island moments across one of the Maldives’ most established luxury resorts.

Screenshot

Curated Culinary Journeys

While the atmosphere embraces a subtle, bohemian decorations, the palate is awakened by a sublime array of culinary experiences. Highlights include lobster and seafood nights, a four-course Chef’s Kaiseki dinner, a Grand Wine Soirée, La Festa in Cucina, the Islander’s Brunch, artisanal barbecue lunches, and a Royal Roast buffet. Guests are invited to enjoy guided wine tasting sessions with a resident sommelier or select from a curated list of 66 wine labels included in the 24-Hour Premium All-Inclusive Dine Around.

Each Moment, A Celebration

Breakfast becomes a creative ritual, whether enjoyed in the lagoon with plant-based menus and detox elixirs, or served as a generous Maldivian breakfast tray by the pool. As the sun sets, the golden hours’ rituals become truly magical with boho-inspired pool parties, curated floating aperitifs with caviar and champagne, or intimate, romantic cocktails in the sunken seating of the Sunset Horizon Water Villas with Pool – all complemented by the multilingual butler service, available in every villa to personalise each experience.

The festive calendar includes traditional Christmas carols on 24 December, a visit from Santa with gift distributions for little travellers on 25 December, and, for New Year’s Eve, sophisticated gala menus at each of the resort’s restaurants, followed by a luminous countdown party featuring a DJ, dance floor, and fireworks.

Wellness and Restoration

At the spa, the team honours the healing power of nature through treatments using organic, regionally sourced ingredients, from coconut and herbal spice scrubs to Himalayan salt therapies. Ayurvedic offerings are enhanced by traditional herbal leaf poultice massages and the transcendent practice of Shirodhara, a meditative technique using a continuous flow of warm, herb-infused oil.

Magic Beneath the Surface

Snorkelling in the Maldives is an essential experience. The “Blue Light Snorkelling” allows guests to explore the underwater world under the cover of darkness, revealing a peaceful, colourful perspective of the reef. Families may also enjoy vibrant experiences such as the family scooter snorkelling or the “Golden Hour Jet Car,” with the option to have this moment captured by drone.

For the Little Travellers

Children will engage in a programme inspired by craft, nature, and culture, featuring activities such as bohemian crown making, island perfume blending, coconut painting, jungle treasure hunts, family pool parties, henna tattoos, Bodu Beru music, and traditional Maldivian storytelling.

“For this year’s festive season, we are looking beyond the spectacle to honour the soul of the celebration. The traveller’s profile has evolved; our guests no longer seek performative excess, but rather the restorative power of space, stillness, and genuine human connection. It is a heartfelt homage to our island’s landscape and the sincerity of our people, a sanctuary where every detail is curated to ensure our guests are not merely observing the season, but deeply, purposefully experiencing it,” said Pasan Wijewardana, Cluster Director of Sales & Marketing.

Discover Sun Siyam Iru Fushi’s festive brochure here.

Continue Reading

Cooking

Constance unveils Escapade Gourmande 2026 in Maldives with Michelin-starred chef and winemaker

Published

on

From 17 to 22 August 2026, Constance Hotels & Resorts invites you to the Maldives with Escapade Gourmande, a culinary journey unfolding between two islands that exist in dreamlike stillness: Constance Moofushi and Constance Halaveli.

Here, the ocean does not simply surround the experience; it becomes part of it. Salt air, warm sand, candlelight, and the quiet rhythm of waves set the stage for a celebration where gastronomy is not performed, but felt.

This year, Constance Hotels & Resorts has the pleasure of welcoming three remarkable artisans of taste: French three-Michelin-starred chef Jérôme Banctel, whose cuisine speaks in precision and emotion; South African winemaker Donovan Rall, whose wines carry the quiet intensity of landscapes and sun; and Italian pastry chef Cesare Murzilli, whose creations linger like soft memories at the end of a journey.

Together, they will compose moments rather than menus, an unfolding dialogue between fire, fruit, soil, and sea.

At Constance Moofushi, the atmosphere is unhurried, barefoot, almost whispered. On 17 August, guests drift into experiences shaped by light and ocean breeze with a sandbank tasting and aperitif cocktail around the wines from Donovan Rall, where the horizon dissolves into infinity.

The following evening, on 18 August, a wine dinner by Jérôme Banctel and Cesare Murzilli meets the expressive depth of Donovan Rall’s South African wines.

Then the journey deepens at Constance Halaveli, a setting where refinement takes centre stage on 21 August with a special breakfast imagined by Cesare Murzilli.

On 22 August, guests are invited to the exceptional wine pairing dinner, an elegant encounter between Banctel’s culinary precision, Murzilli’s delicate artistry, and Rall’s expressive wines.

Framed by Constance Halaveli’s extraordinary wine cellar, home to more than 22,500 bottles and over 1,600 references, the evening promises a celebration where gastronomy, wine, and island beauty meet in perfect harmony.

More than a programme, Escapade Gourmande becomes a fleeting island language, one spoken through textures, aromas, silence, and shared wonder. It is also a passing of knowledge, as Donovan Rall guides Constance sommeliers through masterclasses that refine not only technique, but sensibility.

In the end, it is not simply a celebration of food and wine. It is a moment where the Maldives feels less like a destination, and more like a state of taste, memory, and light.

Continue Reading

Awards

Grand Park Kodhipparu receives dual recognition at World Travel Awards 2026

Published

on

Grand Park Kodhipparu, Maldives has been nominated in two prestigious categories at the 2026 World Travel Awards, receiving recognition for Maldives’ Leading Boutique Resort and Indian Ocean’s Leading Villa Resort.

The nominations recognise the resort’s continued commitment to service excellence, guest satisfaction and innovative hospitality experiences, while highlighting the dedication of the team that has helped establish Grand Park Kodhipparu as one of the Maldives’ leading boutique resorts over the past nine years.

Located in North Malé Atoll, just twenty minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, Grand Park Kodhipparu combines contemporary design with authentic Maldivian hospitality, an award-winning house reef and a collection of personalised guest experiences that continue to attract travellers from around the world.

General Manager Raffaele Solferino said the nominations were a reflection of the people behind the resort.

“These nominations recognise the commitment, professionalism and passion shown every day by our team. Hospitality is ultimately about people, and this recognition belongs to every colleague who has contributed to the guest experience throughout the past nine years, as well as our loyal guests and valued industry partners,” he said.

The recognition follows another successful year for the resort, which has also received honours in the Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2026 and continues to strengthen its international reputation as one of the Maldives’ leading boutique private island destinations.

Grand Park Kodhipparu is part of Singapore-based Park Hotel Group and remains committed to supporting the Maldives’ tourism industry through sustainable practices, meaningful guest experiences and the ongoing development of local hospitality talent.

Voting for the 2026 World Travel Awards is now open, with travel professionals and guests invited to support the resort through the official World Travel Awards website.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright all rights reserved by Maldives Promotion House 2023.