InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort has launched the Graffiti Club to mark World Art Day, introducing a team-led initiative focused on artistic expression, collaboration and storytelling through art.

The resort said the initiative brings together more than 18 team members from across different departments, reflecting a shared interest in creativity. As part of the project, selected back-of-house spaces have been turned into canvases, transforming staff areas into spaces for artistic work.

Inspired by the natural environment of the Maldives and the Maamunagau lagoon, the first set of artworks features marine life such as manta rays, whale sharks and sea turtles. The resort said the designs reflect the biodiversity of the destination and its connection to the surrounding ocean. Additional artwork is also being developed as the project continues.

InterContinental Maldives said the initiative is rooted in its brand culture and service philosophy, Inspire Incredible, and is intended to support creativity, collaboration and self-expression among team members.

Renuka Gupta, cluster director of learning and development, said creativity exists in every individual, regardless of role or background. She said the initiative was created to provide team members with a space to express themselves, connect with colleagues and contribute to the environment in which they work each day.

The resort said the Graffiti Club forms part of its wider approach to workplace culture, with a focus on creativity, wellbeing and personal expression alongside the guest experience.

Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives has completed its first quarterly waste collection of the year in partnership with Secure Bag Maldives, as part of the resort’s sustainability programme.

The resort said the latest weigh-in and collection reflected the progress of a partnership launched in August last year, under which discarded materials are recovered, processed and returned to the supply chain as new products.

Secure Bag Maldives operates with a focus on repurposing, reusing and reselling materials through sustainable lifecycle solutions. Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives said the partnership supports its environmental goals and aligns with IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Journey to Tomorrow framework.

Sharon Garrett, director of marketing and sustainability at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives, said both Secure Bag and the resort’s team believed that most resources retained value beyond their initial use. She said materials that might otherwise be discarded were being transformed through recovery methods into sustainable products.

Garrett said that while receiving payment for waste might appear unusual, the model was widely used internationally and reflected a shift towards circular resource management. She added that the resort was encouraged to see the approach gaining ground in the Maldives.

Through the partnership, the resort said it is able to manage a range of materials including metals, baled paper, batteries, motors, crushed glass, aluminium cans, air-conditioning components, used lubricants and cooking oils. These materials are sorted on the island before collection, with returns based on volume and category.

Garrett said she and the resort’s sustainability officer, Krisel, were encouraged by the volume of waste being diverted from landfill.

Over the past three months, the resort collected 3.7 tonnes of iron scrap, 1.4 tonnes of motor and compressor components, 544 kilograms of aluminium cans, 565 kilograms of air-conditioning parts, and 3,200 litres of used lubricants and cooking oils.

The resort said the initiative helps reduce environmental impact while supporting a circular economy in which materials are reused and assigned further value. Funds generated during the quarter totalled US$1,700, or MVR 26,592, and will be reinvested in sustainability initiatives on the island.

Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives also encouraged guests and partners to learn more about its environmental work through the Kandooma Green Book, which is available online.

At JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa, the natural world is never far away. The ocean is always visible. The garden is always in season. And the belief that true well-being begins with a deeper connection to the environment around us is woven into everything the resort does.

This Earth Day, that commitment finds a natural expression in two of the resort’s most beloved spaces: Spa by JW and the JW Garden. Together, they offer guests an unhurried opportunity to slow down, engage the senses, and spend the day in closer conversation with the island around them, through the quiet ritual of a hand-blended skincare masque and the grounded pleasure of cooking with ingredients gathered from the garden

Both experiences are guided by the same philosophy that underpins everything at JW Marriott: that genuine well-being is holistic, intentional and deeply connected to the world we inhabit.

Earth’ Radiance

Held within the serene surroundings of the Wellness Pavilion, Earth’s Radiance is a two-hour workshop that guides guests through the creation of their own bespoke skincare masque, blended by hand, using Earth’s finest natural ingredients, and tailored entirely to their skin and wellness needs.

Guided by the gentle expertise of Spa by JW artisans, guests are invited to pause and reconnect through a purposeful beauty ritual. This experience goes beyond the treatment room, offering a deep dive into the origins and skin-loving benefits of each hand-selected botanical. From the initial blending session to the restorative application in the Wellness Pavilion, every step is designed to foster a sense of quiet renewal. The ritual concludes with a gift, a take-home recipe and natural ingredients, allowing the tranquility of the Maldives to linger in the guest’s daily life.

From the Garden

The JW Garden stands as a flourishing heart at the centre of the island. From the peppery depths of Holy Basil to the bright, citrus notes of Lemon Basil, these botanicals form the soul of our garden-to-table philosophy, offering guests a fragrant journey through nature’s diverse palate. This Earth Day, the garden offers two experiences that together tell the full story of what it means to eat and drink with intention.

“These wellness-focused dishes are carefully crafted with local ingredients sourced within a zero-kilometre radius, highlighting the freshness of the Maldives and our passion for food and nature,” Executive Chef Bir Yadav said.

The Garden to Table experience begins with a guided walk through the JW Garden, led by Executive Chef Bir Yadav and the resort’s dedicated Herb Gardeners. Guests hand-pick the freshest herbs, fruits and vegetables of the season before moving to Aailaa restaurant, where Chef Bir leads a hands-on cooking class built entirely around what has just been gathered — paired with sustainably sourced seafood from the surrounding Indian Ocean waters.

Alongside Garden to Table, the resort introduces Garden to Glass, a natural extension of the JW Garden’s philosophy into the world of beverages. Led by the resort’s bar teams, this program invites guests to discover how the same herbs, fruits and botanicals growing in the garden can be transformed into nourishing garden tonics, botanical infusions, and thoughtfully crafted cocktails and mocktails.

Guests learn the techniques of cold pressing, botanical extraction and flavour pairing, working with lemongrass, passionfruit, tamarind, mango and other island-grown ingredients to create drinks that carry the story in every sip.

Earth Day is a moment to honour that connection in a more deliberate way. Through the Spa by JW workshop and the JW Garden experiences, guests are invited not simply to enjoy the island, but to engage with it. The reef, the garden, the ocean beyond: everything here is connected. Every experience curated at the resort is shaped by this awareness—a gentle, enduring commitment to living well and moving in harmony with the world around us.

For more information, visit the resort’s website.