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Setting scene, bringing new taste: W Maldives brings chefs on fire festival’s first revelry in Asia

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W Maldives, the luxury playground located in the North Ari Atoll surrounded by one of the best house reefs in the country, is setting the scene once again by bringing Portugal’s famed food and music festival—Chefs On Fire—for the first time in Asia.

The festival is set to kick off and open its doors on 31 October and will go on until 5 November 2023, highlighting a series of dining events lead by Michelin-star Chef Alexandre Silva and music performances by the Lisbon-based and award-winning singer, song-writer, Dino D’Santiago.

Since 2018, Chefs On Fire is known as an innovative festival that invites and blends the best international chefs to cook exclusively with fire, smoke, and fire wood, with musical performances by emerging and celebrated artists and performers.

The festival is also known for their commitment in sustainability with their standard policies of zero plastic, usage of local produce and indigenous ingredients, low food waste, and firewood replanting. Encompassing three of the brand’s passion points — TASTE, SOUND, and STANCE — W Maldives is pleased to announce its collaboration with Chefs On Fire to present their unique and immersive experience or the first time to Asia.

Chef Alexandre Silva is the mastermind behind two of Lisbon’s celebrated restaurants—Loco and Fogo. He is a culinary virtuoso renowned for his innovative approach to gastronomy that provides captivating narratives of flavour, culture, and technique. In 2015, his Loco Restaurant was awarded with a Michelin star owing to his unique interpretations of traditional dishes and the chef’s profound connection to locally-sourced ingredients. His unique perspective in gastronomic experience will be present during Chefs On Fire at W Maldives and be amplified by the musical prowess of Dino D’Santiago.

A critically acclaimed and multifaceted music artist hailing from Portugal’s vibrant music scene, Dino D’Santiago has captivated audiences with his distinctive blend of genres. His signature sonic identity effortlessly fuse traditional Cape Verdean and Afro-Lusophone with contemporary sound that defies easy categorisation. Dino is set to bring his famed electrifying and charismatic stage presence that will awe audiences with his emotive vocals and musical storytelling throughout the inspiring collaboration.

“We are very thrilled to collaborate with Chefs On Fire to bring their famed food, fire and music festival our shores. Their commitment in providing a distinctive experience with sustainability in mind, perfectly matches with W Maldives’ stance in creating an inspiring and meaningful activations for our guests,” said Alexander Lopez, Resort Manager of W Maldives.

On their upcoming visit to Maldives, and the collaboration, Gonçalo Castel-Branco, executive producer of Chefs On Fire said, “We are very excited to bring Chefs On Fire experience to the Maldives, first time in Asia, and to be able to truly immerse ourselves in the ambience of the dream destination. This collaboration truly embodies the great commitment from both Chefs On Fire and W Maldives in serving both our audiences with a one-in-a-lifetime experience, and we hope this will be as inspiring for all the guests as it has for us.”

Chefs On Fire at W Maldives is set to be a special moment not only for the guests but also for the members of Marriott Bonvoy worldwide. W Maldives has also opened one special day for all members to bid on an exclusive Marriott Bonvoy Moments experience. Check in to the luxury playground for a three-night stay at one of the Fabulous Overwater Villas from 30 October 2023 and check out the Chefs on Fire Food & Music Festival as a VIP. The bid winners will kick start their adventure with an AWAY Spa session for two before immersing themselves in the back stage of the festival’s sustainable journey. Bid winners will get to participate in a fire pit cooking class, enjoy live music performances, and savour an exclusive dinner prepared by Michelin-starred Chef Alexandre Silva on the resort’s private castaway island, Gaathafushi.

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Gili Lankanfushi Maldives expands wellbeing offering with tennis pro, visiting practitioner

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At Gili Lankanfushi Maldives wellbeing is a deeply personal journey. This season, the award-winning eco-luxury resort is enriching that journey with the arrival of two exceptional specialists, each bringing a unique approach to helping guests reconnect with themselves through movement, mindfulness and transformative experiences.

Joining the resort as Resident Tennis Pro, Nikola Vučković offers bespoke tennis lessons tailored to players of all ages and abilities. With more than 15 years of international coaching experience, Nikola combines technical expertise, tactical insight and personalised guidance to help guests build confidence and elevate their game. His distinguished career includes coaching players to success at European Championships, ITF tournaments and national-level competitions. In partnership with Tipsarevic Luxury Tennis, the personalised lessons cater to all skill levels, providing professional instruction and expert guidance to help guests improve their technique, develop their confidence and enhance their overall game. Whether stepping onto the court for the first time or refining advanced skills, guests can enjoy a rewarding and engaging tennis experience in a relaxed island setting.

Complementing the resort’s active lifestyle experiences is Dr Aradhana, a visiting wellness practitioner in residence until the end of September. With more than a decade of experience in holistic wellbeing, she offers a nurturing and personalised approach designed to help guests restore balance between the body, mind and emotions. Through bespoke therapies and immersive wellness sessions, Dr Aradhana creates a supportive space for relaxation, self-discovery and renewal, encouraging guests to reconnect with themselves and cultivate a deeper sense of wellbeing that extends beyond their stay.

Guests can also take part in E-Motion Flow: Moving Body to Release Emotions, a complimentary wellness session led by Aradhana that combines movement and breathwork to support emotional release, inner balance and overall wellbeing.

Together, these experiences reflect Gili Lankanfushi’s belief that luxury travel should nourish both body and soul. Whether discovering the joy of tennis, embracing holistic wellness practices or simply taking time to reconnect with oneself, guests are invited to embark on a journey that is as restorative as it is inspiring.

By bringing together experts from the worlds of sport and wellness, Gili Lankanfushi continues to create meaningful experiences that encourage guests to return home feeling refreshed, empowered and renewed.

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Awards

.Here Baa Atoll recognised for landscape and suite design at AHEAD Asia 2026

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.Here Baa Atoll has been named a winner in two categories at the AHEAD Asia 2026 Awards, receiving honours for Landscaping & Outdoor Spaces and Suite. The recognition celebrates the private island retreat’s distinctive approach to hospitality design, where architecture, interiors and landscape have been conceived as a unified response to one of the Maldives’ most extraordinary natural settings.

The wins follow .Here’s selection among the 2026 AHEAD Asia shortlist, which was drawn from a record field of more than 220 entries from across the region. The project was recognised alongside its creative collaborators Kulör Group, Muza Lab and Topo Design Studio.

Set within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll, .Here takes an intentionally intimate approach to island hospitality, comprising just nine expansive residences across two natural islands, Somewhere and Nowhere. Rather than treating the landscape as a backdrop, the design places it at the centre of the experience, creating an architecture that responds to light, movement, material and the changing relationship between land and ocean.

The architectural vision was conceived by Christopher Chua of Kulör Group, with interiors by Inge Moore of London-based Muza Lab. The two disciplines were developed around a shared principle: spaces should feel grounded in their environment rather than imposed upon it. Indoor and outdoor areas flow into one another, while natural materials, muted tones and tactile layers create interiors that are deliberately restrained. Views towards the horizon, lagoon and sky become part of the composition, with architecture serving to frame rather than compete with the landscape.

That dialogue with nature extends through the residences themselves. Carefully considered proportions balance openness with intimacy, while transitions between beach and ocean, shade and sunlight, and interior and exterior spaces are designed to feel fluid. The architecture follows the contours of the islands, with residences positioned to maximise views and the experience of sunrise and sunset. Passive cooling strategies and responsibly sourced materials also form part of the project’s environmentally sensitive approach.

Inside, Muza Lab draws on the maritime character of the Maldives through bespoke furnishings, artisanal detailing and natural textures. References to traditional dhonis, celestial navigation and the shifting colours of the Indian Ocean are interpreted subtly rather than literally, creating spaces that feel contemporary while retaining a strong sense of place. Even the names of .Here’s residences look beneath the waterline for inspiration, referencing the coral reefs and marine formations that shape the ecosystem of Baa Atoll.

The Landscaping & Outdoor Spaces award places particular emphasis on another important element of the project: the relationship between the built environment and the existing island landscape. Working alongside Kulör Group and Muza Lab, Topo Design Studio approached the landscape as an extension of the architecture, retaining native vegetation and shaping pathways, gardens and shared spaces around the connection between land, sea and sky.

The Suite award, meanwhile, recognises the residential experience at the heart of .Here. Rather than conventional hotel accommodation, the retreat is composed entirely of large-scale private residences designed around space, privacy and a close relationship with the ocean. Across the project, architecture and interiors move between expansive living areas and quieter, more intimate spaces, allowing the experience of the surrounding landscape to remain ever-present.

The two awards mark a progression from .Here Baa Atoll’s earlier recognition as an AHEAD Asia finalist across multiple design disciplines and underscore the strength of the collaboration between Seaside Hotels & Resorts, Kulör Group, Muza Lab and Topo Design Studio. The official AHEAD shortlist credits the same project team across .Here’s Landscaping & Outdoor Spaces and Suite entries.

With the Asia winners now advancing to compete with winning projects from other regions, .Here Baa Atoll will progress to the next AHEAD Global edition, where the programme’s worldwide champions will be determined.

For .Here, the recognition ultimately reflects a design philosophy that is intentionally quiet: architecture that gives precedence to its surroundings, interiors informed by place rather than decoration, and a landscape allowed to retain its own identity. The result is a retreat where the experience of design is inseparable from the experience of Baa Atoll itself.

To learn more about .Here Baa Atoll, visit www.here-maldives.com.

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Awards

Three years, three wins: Siyam World retains Most Innovative Resort title at TTM Awards

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Siyam World Maldives, part of the Lifestyle Collection at Sun Siyam Resorts, a collection created for travellers looking for something less traditional. It probably explains a few things about us.

Apparently, once was not enough. Or twice.

For the third consecutive year, Siyam World Maldives has been named Most Innovative Resort at the TTM Awards 2026. We must be on to something here.

Three consecutive wins is starting to look less like a coincidence and more like a habit.

With one of the most extensive collections of experiences in the Maldives, there is a lot going on here. Guests can spend their entire holiday doing absolutely nothing.

They can also spend it doing almost everything.

The choice is rather the point.

Siyam World is home to 16 different villa categories, from Beach Villas with Pool to Over Water Villas with Slides, giving guests plenty of ways to find their own version of island life. Then there is the food. Guests can move around from one dining experience to another without feeling like they are eating at the same place twice. Different cuisines, different settings and enough choice to make deciding where to have dinner feel like a game of roulette.

And then there are the experiences.

This is where the Most Innovative Resort title starts to make a little more sense.

Siyam World is home to the largest floating water park in the Maldives, the first and only horse ranch in the country, and an ever-growing line-up of experiences that are not exactly what you would expect to find on a Maldivian island. There’s a Jetcar, a first-of-its-kind electric go-kart track, extensive sports facilities, overwater villas with slides and pools, and a 24-hour premium all-inclusive concept designed to keep the choice going long after dinner.

Even the reef has become part of the story, with the new Shipwreck project bringing together an unusual mix of adventure and reef restoration.

And the innovation does not stop at what is already here. Football camps have become a regular part of life at Siyam World, bringing international football legends to the island to work with young guests. The idea has always been bigger than a photo opportunity. It is about creating experiences that guests, especially the little ones, will actually remember.

Innovation at Siyam World has never been about introducing something new just for the sake of saying it is new. It is about asking what a Maldivian holiday could be if we stopped assuming there was only one way to do it.

Three years. Three wins.

Still doing things differently.

But an award for innovation comes with an interesting question.

What are they doing next?

With Halloween around the corner, the festive season already taking shape and another line-up of football camps on the horizon, one thing is certain, Siyam World is already busy dreaming up its next big idea.

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