With less than one month to go until Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives becomes Kandooma Maldives, the South Malé Atoll resort has unveiled its new brand mark and shared details of a wider transformation focused on one thing: creating more memorable holidays.

Far more than a change of the name, the transition brings together investment in the resort by owners Hotel Properties Limited, reimagined and new dining and leisure concepts, new accommodation options and an experience-led approach to All-Inclusive.

The new brand mark takes its inspiration directly from Kandooma. Its three organic forms represent life in, on and under water, life on land and the vegetation that connects them, reflecting an island experience shaped by nature, the ocean and everything guests can do within it.

“We are shaping the guest experience around the island and what makes Kandooma special,” says General Manager Andrew Drummond.

“This isn’t about changing the sign above the door and calling it a new brand. We are looking at the whole customer journey and what our guests see, taste, hear and do, how they spend their time and, ultimately, what they remember when they go home.”

The resort team is reviewing that journey through the lens of five new brand signatures: Kandooma Blue, Kandooma Flow, Kandooma Table, Kandooma Social and Kandooma Ways. Together, they will shape experiences in and around the ocean, opportunities to move, play and recharge, memorable food, social connection and ways to discover more about the Maldives and island life.

“Our marketing director has a simple test,” adds Drummond. “If we can replace the name Kandooma with another resort name and the sentence still works, we need to start again. It keeps us focused on what makes this island different.”

Experience-led all-inclusive

Central to the new proposition is an experience-led All-Inclusive concept, moving beyond the traditional emphasis on meals and beverages to include more of what guests actually come to the Maldives to do.

Scuba diving will be among the experiences included, building on Kandooma’s long-established reputation as a dive destination and its location close to some of the Maldives’ most celebrated dive sites.

“All-Inclusive should be so much more than a meal plan,” says Drummond.

“People rarely go home talking about their room rate or listing what was included in their package. They remember swimming with a turtle, catching a wave, sharing an incredible meal, laughing with their children or trying something for the first time.

“Those are the memories people bank. That’s where we want to invest our energy.”

Kandooma’s extensive programme of diving, surfing and watersports will remain central to the island experience, complemented by greater emphasis on land-based activities, sustainability and new experiences for families and teenagers.

Investing in the island experience

The transformation extends across accommodation, dining and social spaces.

Some changes are subtle – new menus, furniture layouts, music and ambience – while others involve completely reimagining existing spaces, including the creation of a new Kandooma Beach Club.

The resort is also undertaking a phased refurbishment of guest villas, installing new private pools and upgrading key public areas while remaining open, with works carefully scheduled to minimise disruption.

Once completed, the resort will offer 146 villas, including new two-bedroom accommodation options providing greater flexibility for families, groups and multi-generational travellers.

“We’re taking everything people already love about Kandooma and making it better, while creating new reasons to come, new things to discover and new memories to take home,” says Drummond.

Established in 1984, Kandooma has built a loyal international following for its relaxed island style, surfing Kandooma Right, award-winning scuba diving, family holidays, and wellness at Kandooma Spa by COMO Shambhala. These experiences remain part of Kandooma’s DNA, with the new brand building on what has made the island special for more than four decades.

Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives will continue to operate under the Holiday Inn brand until the end of the month (30 September 2026), becoming Kandooma Maldives on 1 October 2026.

Further details of the new Kandooma Maldives experience will be revealed throughout September.

Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives will transition to Kandooma Maldives from 1 October 2026, operated by HPL Hotels & Resorts, a subsidiary of Hotel Properties Limited. Visit www.kandooma-maldives.com.

Sun Siyam has reached a major milestone in its sustainability journey, with all five of its resorts in the Maldives achieving Green Globe Certification.

The certification spans Siyam World, Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, Sun Siyam Olhuveli, Sun Siyam Iru Veli and Sun Siyam Vilu Reef, recognising the group-wide efforts being made to embed more responsible practices into everyday resort operations, from renewable energy and waste reduction to marine conservation, community engagement and the preservation of Maldivian culture.

More than a sustainability label, Green Globe is one of the travel and tourism industry’s established international certification programmes. Its standard for hotels and resorts assesses businesses against 44 core criteria supported by more than 400 compliance indicators across four key areas: sustainable management, social and economic responsibility, cultural heritage and environmental protection. Certification is independently audited and renewed annually, requiring properties to demonstrate continued progress.

For Sun Siyam, achieving certification across its entire Maldives portfolio represents an important step in a much longer journey. Through Sun Siyam Cares, the group’s sustainability programme, environmental and social responsibility is increasingly integrated into both resort operations and the guest experience. The programme focuses on reducing energy, water, plastic and food waste; protecting biodiversity; supporting local communities; creating opportunities for Maldivians; empowering women; and preserving the culture and heritage at the heart of the brand. Across the resorts, those commitments are taking increasingly tangible forms.

At Siyam World, the Maldives’ first resort-based Plastic Upcycling Centre of its scale is turning discarded plastic into useful new products. Developed in collaboration with CLEAN Maldives, the facility transforms materials including used containers and plastic drums into items such as outdoor furniture and planters, creating a circular solution to waste that would otherwise need to leave the island.

Beneath the surface, marine conservation has become another important part of Sun Siyam Cares. Dedicated marine biologists across the resorts lead coral restoration and reef conservation projects, with guests invited to take an active role through coral planting and adoption initiatives. Most recently, Siyam World launched Wreck to Reef, an ambitious long-term conservation project centred around a 66.36-metre former Maldivian tuna freighter, now resting beneath the waters of Noonu Atoll. Through natural coral growth and dedicated restoration, the wreck is being transformed into a living reef, creating new habitats for marine life while giving guests the opportunity to plant coral fragments directly onto the structure and become part of its evolution.

On land, Sun Siyam is equally focused on reducing its footprint through renewable energy. One of the group’s most significant investments to date is the rollout of large-scale hybrid solar systems at Siyam World and Sun Siyam Olhuveli, combining solar generation with battery storage and real-time energy monitoring. Together, the installations have a combined capacity of 4,110 kWh and are expected to generate more than six million kWh of clean energy annually, reducing CO₂ emissions by more than 4,458 tonnes each year while significantly cutting reliance on diesel-generated power.

Waste reduction is being tackled from several directions. In-house water bottling, the elimination of single-use plastics, waste segregation and composting are complemented by the group’s PLEDGE zero food prevention programme, designed to reduce food loss and improve resource efficiency throughout resort operations.

The commitment also extends beyond the resorts themselves. As a 100% Maldivian-owned hospitality company, Sun Siyam continues to invest in local employment, apprenticeships and training opportunities for young Maldivians, while working with island communities and women’s development committees to create sustainable sources of income and strengthen local supply chains.

Preserving the culture behind the destination remains equally important. Through Sun Siyam Cares and the group’s wider Home of Maldivian Spirit philosophy, guests are encouraged to discover the Maldives beyond its beaches through local island visits, storytelling, traditional performances, celebrations and experiences that keep Maldivian heritage part of the modern resort experience.

“Achieving Green Globe Certification across all five of our Maldives resorts is something we are incredibly proud of, but for us this is not the finish line. Sustainability has to be part of how we operate every day, from the energy we use and the waste we produce to how we protect our reefs, support our communities and create opportunities for the next generation of Maldivians. This recognition belongs to our teams across the islands, whose commitment has made this milestone possible,” said Chaminda Upul Kumara, Group Sustainability Manager at Sun Siyam.

Behind the certification is a collective effort involving resort teams, Sustainability Champions, marine biologists, engineering and operations teams, management and colleagues across the group, all working towards shared sustainability objectives.

Guests can also become part of that journey. Through Sun Siyam Cares, a voluntary US$10 contribution per villa, per stay can directly support sustainability projects and activities across the portfolio, alongside opportunities to participate in initiatives including coral restoration, tree planting and conservation experiences during their stay.

Green Globe Certification across all five Maldives resorts marks an important chapter for Sun Siyam, while setting the direction for what comes next: measurable progress, greater transparency and a long-term commitment to protecting the natural environment and communities that have shaped the company since its beginnings in the Maldives.

Barceló Nasandhura has announced the launch of BMarket, Malé City’s premier rooftop market experience, debuting this Friday, 11 September, at the B.Heaven Rooftop from 17:30 to 22:30 .

Designed to elevate the capital’s social scene, this landmark event brings together gastronomy, local craft, and community, perfectly complemented by live musical performances throughout the night.

The event seamlessly blends culinary artistry with authentic Maldivian creativity. Guests can indulge in interactive food stalls featuring an exclusive Unlimited Tacos experience at just MVR 399 nett per person, alongside other gourmet Mexican delicacies starting at MVR 99 nett per person.

While enjoying the rooftop ambiance, visitors will have the unique opportunity to explore pop-up retail showcases. For its grand debut, BMarket features two of the Maldives’ most celebrated creative brands:

• The Clay Studio will present handcrafted with an exclusive complimentary Taster Wheel Throwing Class for two.
• Island Bazaar will showcase its signature line of modern artisan apparel, lifestyle accessories, and heritage-inspired lifestyle products.

“With BMarket, we are introducing a completely fresh destination concept for Malé City, one that brings world-class hospitality and local culture together in an elevated rooftop setting,” said Enric Reina, Hotel Manager at Barceló Nasandhura Malé. “By collaborating with exceptional local suppliers and creative talent, we are providing a sophisticated platform that takes Maldivian craftsmanship and lifestyle to new heights.”

Barceló Nasandhura Malé aims to establish BMarket as a signature recurring fixture on the city’s social calendar.