News
Sun Siyam Resorts presents five-star line-up of Christmas classics with tropical twist
Sun Siyam Resorts has unwrapped this year’s festive season programme, creating an ideal haven for those seeking to revel in the warmth and joy of the holidays. Across their five exquisite private island properties in the Maldives, guests are invited to exchange snowflakes for sandy shores this December and embrace a carefree Christmas castaway experience like never before.
Around the world at Sun Siyam Olhuveli
Sun Siyam Olhuveli will be making merry with an eclectic extravaganza of decadent musical delights and cultural activities from around the globe. Guests will be in for a treat when singer and songwriter Emma Ochia, talented musician, producer, Synthetic sax player Mikhail Morozov, and the mesmerising duo of belly dance sensations, Julia Anastasia Armellini and Kovijanic Nedeljkovic Tara perform during Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties promising unforgettable celebrations for everyone. Party goers can drop by the Wonderland Stage to experience a mesmerising performance by the world’s leading LED artists Dennis Kiss & Szulita Szekrényes for a performance like nothing you have ever seen before!
From ballads to floor-fillers, colour runs to Bollywood beach parties, and a Tour de Olhuveli cycling race to mini-Olympic Games, the world tour ends with a fireworks-filled crescendo on 31 December at the Around the World Gala Dinner, where a host of acclaimed DJs – including British House legend DJ Karno, a Pacha and Ministry of Sound regular and local Maldivian music band 2 Sense, who will encourage guests to dance the year away as they ring in the new year.
Royal blend of Christmas lights at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi
With dazzling fire and circus performances from the international talents of La Circocracia and fire queen PYRO to enjoy at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, guests will be invited to replace their traditional fireside Christmas for remarkable fire and lights shows guaranteed to make any stay merry and bright. Local DJ Watte will make sure every guest is in tune with what’s coming in 2024.
For the ultimate yuletide gift, there’s also a host of unforgettable experiences and flavoursome flavours – including rum pot-infused treats – on the menu at the luxury resort.
From private castaway breaks with your own secluded beach to romantic champagne cruises, and flyboarding to bespoke spa rituals – including a Majestic Prince and Princess option for guests aged 3-12 – the five-star boutique resort is sure to leave a trail of wonder in its wake.
Paradise on Bloom at Sun Siyam Iru Veli
Hoping to make every member of the family’s festive dreams come true this year, Sun Siyam Iru Veli has a host of activities certain to make the all-inclusive paradise the place where winter sun meets festive island fun. Felicity, popular Jazz- Saxophonist, and DJ Jeremiah graces Iru Veli with their exceptional talent at the Christmas and New Year’s Eve cocktail parties and celebrations. Guests will be captivated by Chandana and the Dancers Guild, a fusion dance group from Sri Lanka, and can enjoy a festive programme merging culture and tropical festivities with extraordinary performances set against the backdrop of magnificent sunsets.
From a playful programme of creative crafts and fun-packed beach activities to classic Christmas movies and carol karaoke, the Turtle Kids Club will keep younger guests entertained while adults find other ways to celebrate in seasonal style. From stargazing cruises to whale shark snorkelling trips, and sushi-making classes to traditional Maldivian BoduBeru dancing shows, guests are spoilt for choice with ways to take full advantage of the blue skies, clear waters and pristine beaches.
Time Traveller’s Ball at Siyam World
From aerial displays to sand art, fire shows to pool parties, and floating feasts to Great Gatsby themed gambling nights, Siyam World continues to strengthen its reputation as a carefree playground with this year’s enviable holiday line-up.
Promising the best seat in the house this New Year, the resort will be ringing in 2024 as it hosts the Time Traveller’s Ball on Arigato Beach. The instrumental countdown begins with ONEVIOLIN – the boundary-breaking Finnish violinist who performs well-known songs across musical genres, and uses his one violin to create everything from drums to melody – before DJ Jetro takes centre stage. Known for incorporating saxophone solos into his Ibiza-style sets, together they’ll get the party started with sets destined to see guests substitute dashing through the snow for dancing barefoot on the sand.
Midsummer Nights at Sun Siyam Vilu Reef
Holidaymakers in search of the ultimate beach bliss can swap tinsel for twinkling stars, mince pies for massages and stockings for snorkelling at Sun Siyam Vilu Reef this Christmas, with those booking the 23 and 28 December Vilu Festival receiving 25% on all activities.
As part of the festive entertainment, guests will be dazzled by the Double Power Show, an international LED and Laser Show duo from Russia acrobatics, who mesmerise their audience with their geometry display and harmonious fusion of power, elegance, and grace in their LED and laser show.
Being the season to be jolly, guests are also invited to join the Mixology Academy under the 27 December Full Moon for cocktails, mocktails and more, before embracing the new year bartending show where Snowballs will be replaced by a refreshing Sea Breeze.
Action
Sun Siyam Iru Veli expands reef restoration efforts with new coral planting programme
To mark World Environment Day on 5 June 2026, Sun Siyam Iru Veli, part the Privé Collection of House of Sun Siyam, has officially launched its coral-planting initiative, strengthening the resort’s long-term commitment to marine conservation and reef restoration in the Maldives. Introduced as part of the resort’s Ocean Week celebrations, this activity invites guests to play an active role in protecting and preserving the underwater ecosystems that make the Maldives one of the world’s most extraordinary marine destinations.

Sun Siyam Iru Veli has established designated coral propagation and planting areas within its lagoon following the renewal of its coral planting licence. These are locations where guests can also snorkel with the resort’s Sun Diving team to witness the growth of the corals planted. The initiative focuses on creating new habitats for marine life while supporting the natural regeneration of coral communities surrounding the island. Beyond conservation, the experience offers guests a meaningful connection to the ocean, allowing them to contribute directly to the reef’s future health through the island’s Adopt a Coral programme.

The coral planting launch formed the culmination of Ocean Week at Sun Siyam Iru Veli with a programme of experiences designed to celebrate and raise awareness of the marine environment. Throughout the week, guests were invited to explore the Maldives’ underwater world through educational and hands-on activities.
A dedicated Marine Night introduced guests to the rich biodiversity found within Maldivian waters, offering insights into the species encountered during snorkelling and diving adventures. From colourful reef fish, sea anemones, and nurse sharks inhabiting the resort’s house reef to the majestic whale sharks and graceful manta rays found beyond the atoll, the session highlighted the importance of protecting these ecosystems.

Guests and team members also came together for a reef and lagoon clean-up initiative, helping to remove debris from surrounding marine environments while promoting responsible ocean conservation. As the Maldives enters a seasonal monsoon transition, the initiative serves as a timely reminder of the importance of constantly caring for reefs and lagoons that surround us.
Ocean Week at Sun Siyam Iru Veli coincided with several globally recognised environmental observances, including World Reef Awareness Day, World Environment Day, and World Oceans Day, reflecting the resort’s broader commitment to sustainability through the Sun Siyam Cares programme.

“The Maldives is inseparable from the health of its oceans, which is why protecting and restoring our marine ecosystems remains a key priority for us,” said Chaminda Upul Kumara, Group Sustainability Manager at Sun Siyam. “Through initiatives such as coral planting, we aim to give guests the opportunity to engage directly with conservation efforts and leave a positive impact on the destination they are visiting. Every coral planted contributes to the resilience of our reefs and helps preserve the beauty and biodiversity of the Maldives for future generations.”

At Sun Siyam Iru Veli, sustainability is woven into the guest experience through a growing range of conservation initiatives, with the coral planting programme marking another important step. For those looking to experience the Maldives while contributing to its preservation, this programme offers a meaningful way to leave a positive impact beneath the waves.
Discover the initiatives helping to protect natural environments and support local communities across Sun Siyam by visiting the Sun Siyam Cares website.
News
From Barefoot Luxury to Bare Luxury: Soneva charts a new chapter
Soneva, the resort group behind Soneva Fushi, Soneva Jani and Soneva Secret in the Maldives, has long set the global standard for a mindful approach to luxury hospitality. With the opening of its first property in 1995, Soneva pioneered Barefoot Luxury, grounded in the then-radical belief that true luxury means freedom from the unnecessary, coupled with a duty of care. Shoes came off and the idea took root.
Today, Soneva announced the evolution of its founding vision: Bare Luxury. This bold philosophy is not a reinvention, but a distillation.The result of three decades of listening, editing and refining.

Bare Luxury is not minimalism, nor absence. It is the deliberate removal of everything that does not serve to reveal Just What Matters: nature in its raw wildness, space for joy, presence and connection.
Soneva finds itself once again at the forefront of a profound shift in travel, as luxury travellers seek conscious, intentional and immersive experiences grounded in purpose, connection and wellbeing.

“Soneva’s founding spirit is more relevant now than it was thirty years ago,” said Neil Gallagher, Chief Executive Officer of Soneva. “Fast consumption, constant stimulation, the growth of AI and the pressure we all feel to optimise every hour has made the case for something quieter and more human. Bare Luxury is Soneva returning to its original instinct:that the most remarkable thing we can offer our guest is not more, but truer.”

The evolution signals both a deepening and a homecoming. What doesn’t change are Soneva’s founding values. What changes is the clarity and intention with which that spirit is expressed across every dimension of the guest experience.

It begins with the visual: a refined Soneva logo and the Soluna monogram, derived from the Latin Solis (sun) and Lunae (moon), symbolising wholeness. From there, this conviction shapes every decision, from villa design that supports wellbeing, to restaurant concepts that invite play, to menus led by the garden rather than the other way around.
What emerges is Just What Matters: not just a new tagline but Soneva’s promise to every guest, that nothing exists without purpose and nothing that matters is missing.

Bare Luxury is also a blueprint for what comes next, not just for the industry but for Soneva itself.
Awards
Huvafen Fushi becomes Maldives’ only Condé Nast Traveller Triple Crown property
Maldives resort Huvafen Fushi has been named a Condé Nast Traveller Triple Crown property, one of the rarest and most prestigious distinctions in global hospitality. The resort is also the only Maldivian property to have achieved the honour within Condé Nast Traveller’s Middle East and Indian Ocean category, further cementing its position as one of the region’s most celebrated luxury destinations.
To qualify, a hotel must have won all three of Condé Nast Traveller’s flagship awards at some point in the past 30 years: the Hot List, which recognises the world’s best new hotels; the Gold List, compiled by the publication’s editors as their definitive selection of favourites; and the Readers’ Choice Awards, voted for by the publication’s global audience and widely regarded as one of the most trusted endorsements in travel.
Winning one is a significant achievement. Winning all three places a hotel in a category of its own. The recognition cements Huvafen Fushi’s place among the world’s most celebrated hotels and reflects nearly two decades of pioneering luxury in the Maldives.
Since opening in 2004, the resort has consistently redefined the island escape, from launching the world’s first underwater spa to creating deeply personal experiences that have earned the loyalty of guests, editors and travel experts alike.
Condé Nast Traveller describes the natural island resort as defined by its setting–white sands, palm groves, azure waters and a technicolour house reef–alongside an exceptional thakaru butler service, two overwater restaurants, the world’s first underwater spa-aquarium designed to ensure nothing interrupts the view to the Indian Ocean horizon and the Maldives’ first underground wine cellar, holding an impressive collection of 6,000 bottles.
Huvafen Fushi–whose name translates from Maldivian as Dream Island–sits just a 30-minute speedboat ride from the airport in the North Malé Atoll, with a house reef rated among the best in the atoll, featuring dramatic coral walls and rich marine life. More than a resort, Huvafen is a trailblazing escape, crafting transformative travel experiences that inspire and redefine aspirational travel.
For reservations and further information, visit huvafenfushi.com.
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