News
The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands celebrates 2023 ocean conservation highlights
Forming part of the coveted Fari Islands’ lifestyle concept, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands has been championing environmental education since its opening in 2021. A destination that’s fast become an iconic addition to the Indian Ocean, is also home to a hub of innovation when it comes to environmental conservation. The resort steps lightly in to 2024 celebrating its continued dedication to the protection of our natural world.
‘Eye in the Sky’ Drone Technology
Spearheaded by resort naturalists and a progressive research community, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands’ sophisticated ocean plastics’ monitoring program works to conserve one of the world’s most fragile ecosystems with the use of drones. In partnership with British PhD researcher Melissa Schiele, drone technology has been developed and deployed in and around the atoll to better understand the location and movement of ocean plastics, including discarded fishing nets (ghost nets). With immediate impact resort teams are able to locate and remove otherwise hard to find debris identified by drones.
In 2023 the resort’s naturalist team and dive network removed 19 ghost nets with an estimated weight of 1100kg. These ghost nets travel in to the east Indian Ocean via strong ocean winds and currents experienced in the region from mid-December. In 2023, the resort successfully rescued five olive ridley sea turtles found entangled in abandoned nets. Two turtles were released immediately, with three rehabilitated by the Olive Ridley Project’s veterinary team at the Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in Baa Atoll, before a successful reintroduction to the ocean. A rehabilitated turtle named ‘Muraka’, released on the 16th of August 2023, was fitted with a GPS tracking device to allow guests and followers to trace her journey.
Since opening, the resort has achieved 751 drone flights aiding critical research in to plastic aggregation, location of ghost nets and ongoing monitoring of wildlife. In a first-of-its-kind image collection and data processing project, impressive data from the drone initiative was drawn for collaborative use to inform, educate and drive positive change long-term. Over 21 ocean species were observed in 2023, from the Ornate Eagle Ray, Black Tip Reef Shark to Melon-Headed Whale.*
Jean-Michel Cousteau Ambassadors of the Environment program
Home to the Maldives’ first Jean-Michel Cousteau Ambassadors of the Environment program, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands continues to collaborate with the world-renowned oceanographic explorer and environmentalist to provide guest experiences with preservation of the planet at its core. In 2023 the program planted 40 coral frames as part of its coral regeneration initiative, using coral frags from the Pocillapora (Cauliflower corals) and the Acropora (Table coral). 25 of these abundant nursery frames, and successful new habitats for ocean life, can be seen by guests in the shallow waters of the resort’s welcome jetty on arrival.
The resort will welcome Jean-Michel Cousteau in 2024 from the 8th to 18th April. An inspired educational residency will include exclusive guest experiences and Q&As with the legendary explorer.
Community Footprints
As part of its Community Footprints’ programming, and with focus on environmental awareness for the planet’s future generations, the resort’s relationships with local schools enable visits with its naturalist teams to share research and educate. In 2023 five educational excursions to local islands took place including schools in Dhiffushi and Gaafaru. The visits took a deep dive in to ocean conservation, from the environmental impact of ocean plastics, insights from the resort community’s drone research and shared observations of wildlife in the surrounding atoll. Presentations of ground-breaking research from the resort’s ‘Visiting Heroes’ programme included the work of renowned shark scientist Gibbs Kuguru and his conservation work tagging Blacktip Reef Sharks.
Closer to home, the resort was proud to engage in ten global environmental dates. Educational and inspired activities worked to raise awareness surrounding key calendar dates including; World Shark Day, World Dolphin Day, Ocean Clean Up Day, and Earth Day. A continuation of its Community Footprints programming, 11 beach clean-ups invited guests to support ocean debris collection on resort shores and the local islands of Dhiffushi and Gaafaru.
Creating a Sustainable Environment for the Future
The resort continues to grow its commitment to sustainable practices in its day-to-day operations, from increasing its production of renewable energy via its solar power infrastructure, purification of still and sparkling drinking water at its dedicated plant, treating greywater for landscaping, and a robust composting programme for daily food waste.
With a considered approach to luxury living, guests can expect to use reusable glass water bottles, bamboo-based personal consumables, refillable jars of amenities, and bamboo and stainless-steel straws. Organic Bamford amenities, with shared sensibilities of living consciously and in harmony with nature, are replenished on-site, while the resort’s desalination plant reduces the amount of plastic imported into the country.
For more information, visit ritzcarlton.com/Maldives and for real-time updates follow the resort on Facebook and Instagram.
News
Versa Hospitality unveils Versa Keys rewards programme for guests
Maldivian-owned group Versa Hospitality on Wednesday announced the launch of Versa Keys: a tiered loyalty programme designed to reward guests for their curiosity, loyalty and time spent across the group’s growing collection of destinations worldwide.
Versa Keys introduces a membership structure based on nights stayed, with four tiers–Member, Silver, Gold and Platinum–each unlocking a progressively richer range of benefits across all Versa Collection and Niva properties globally. The programme launches across all locations on 1 October 2026 and is central to Versa’s ambition to deepen guest relationships as the group continues to expand internationally. Each new destination will be fully integrated into the programme on opening, meaning members’ nights and benefits travel with them wherever Versa goes next.
Visha Mahir, CEO, Versa Hospitality, says: “Versa Keys reflects everything we believe travel should be. It rewards the moments that matter–the time guests invest, the experiences they seek out and the memories they leave with.As we grow, the programme grows with them: every stay across every destination counts, and every tier unlocks something more meaningful.”
A programme that grows with guests
Unlocking a lifetime of rewards with Versa Keys is easy. Simply stay across the Versa Hospitality portfolio to accumulate nights and unlock benefits, redeemable at any of Versa properties.
The four tiers are structured as follows:
- Member | 1-6 nights: Membership begins automatically from the moment you check in for the first time.
- Silver | 7+ nights: Receive enhanced arrival privileges, early check-in (subject to availability) and discounts on food and beverages, spa and excursions and laundry services.
- Gold | 48+ nights: Gold members unlock a curated experience for two once per stay, a guaranteed late check-out until 4pm and an additional 5% discount on top of Silver benefits across food, beverages, spa and excursions.
- Platinum | 84+ nights: The programme’s highest tier builds on everything Gold offers. Platinum members enjoy increased discounts on food, beverages, spa and excursions–an additional 5-10% on top of Gold–plus discounts on in-villa dining and minibar and a guaranteed late check-out extended to 6pm.
Simple to join, effortless to use
Guests are automatically enrolled from their first stay and nights accumulate naturally across all group properties. Resort teams are on hand throughout each stay to highlight earning opportunities, guide guests through their benefits and ensure the programme adds value at every touchpoint.
Versa Hospitality is the evolution of Universal Resorts–the pioneering force behind over 50 years of Maldivian hospitality. Today, Versa carries that legacy forward, shaping extraordinary destinations across the Indian Ocean and beyond.
The Versa portfolio is defined by two distinct yet complementary divisions: the lifestyle-led brand Niva, uniting six properties in the Maldives and Seychelles, and a curated collection of acclaimed resorts including Huvafen Fushi, Milaidhoo and Baros.
Action
Mason Ho confirmed for 2026 Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy
There are surfers who follow a game plan. And then there’s Mason Ho. A blend of style icon, surfing heritage and technical standout, Ho has built a career doing things his own way, usually at full speed, often upside down and regularly pushing the limits of performance across challenging reef breaks and unconventional equipment.
This is exactly why the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy feels like a natural fit.
For Ho, part of the appeal lies in the opportunity to surf through different eras of the sport – an event where adaptability matters as much as performance, where board choice can shape a heat, and where surfers are recognised not only for power but for style, flow and reading the moment.
From unlikely barrels to impossible lines, few surfers in the modern era have built a career on instinct in quite the same way. Whether riding single fins, twins, thrusters or something less conventional, Ho approaches surfing less as a fixed discipline and more as an open-ended exploration, a quality that continues to define his style and his impact on the sport.
“I try to approach it like I’m living in another time,” says Ho. “If it’s single fin day, I think about guys like Michael Peterson, my dad and Uncle D. Then when it’s twin fin day, I start thinking about MR and all the stories my dad used to tell me. That’s what makes this event so unique. You get to step into different eras of surfing throughout the week.”

Hosted by Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, the invitation-only event brings together six of surfing’s most celebrated athletes to compete across three iconic board divisions: single fin, twin fin and thruster. Set against the clean, high-performance walls of Sultans, the format rewards adaptability as much as power, style as much as strategy, and timing as much as talent.
“Mason brings a completely unique energy to this event,” says Mark Winson, Event Director. “You genuinely never know what he’s going to do next – whether it’s on a wave, on a board, or in the channel between heats. But underneath all of that personality is one of the most naturally gifted surfers on the planet.”
Ho, who returns for his second Surfing Champions Trophy appearance, said the experience of competing in the event once before has only increased his anticipation for 2026.
“Last time I didn’t really know what to expect,” he says. “This year I’ve got a slight clue, which makes me even more excited to come back healthy. The waves have been super fun the last few years, the resort is amazing and there’s always a really cool crew around. I can’t wait to get back out there.”
Mason joins Kai Lenny as the first two athletes announced for this year’s event. The remaining 2026 competitor line-up will be revealed in the coming weeks, with updates shared across surfingchampionstrophy.com and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa channels.

Where Champs Come to Surf
First staged in 2011, the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy has become one of surfing’s most distinctive invitation-only events, bringing six celebrated athletes to Sultans to compete across single fin, twin fin and thruster divisions. Past names include Mark Occhilupo, Taj Burrow, Josh Kerr, Kelly Slater, Joel Parkinson, Michel Bourez, Carissa Moore, Maya Gabeira and more. After Bourez’s dramatic 2025 win, complete with a comeback from injury and the event’s only perfect 10, this edition has plenty to live up to. With Kai Lenny and Mason Ho now confirmed, it is already shaping up to be beautifully unpredictable.
The Garden-Island Base at Kuda Huraa
Just 25 minutes by speedboat from Malé, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa gives the event its warm, garden-island base, with easy access to North Malé Atoll’s best breaks and a longstanding collaboration with Tropicsurf. Between heats at Sultans, guests can expect post-surf stories, recovery rituals, sunset gatherings and the rare chance to swap board talk with world champions in boardshorts. Serious surfing, very unserious tan lines.
To reserve a stay during the 2026 Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy and enquire about the Surf’s Up package, contact reservations.mal@fourseasons.com or call +960 66 00 888.
Family
Four Seasons Maldives expands focus on prenatal wellness and couples’ retreats
Four Seasons Resorts Maldives has been highlighted as a key destination in Four Seasons’ latest collection of babymoon experiences across Asia, offering a range of wellness, relaxation and personalised treatments designed for expectant parents.
The initiative brings together experiences across the company’s resorts in Asia, with Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa and Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah featured prominently for their focus on prenatal wellbeing and holistic wellness.
At Landaa Giraavaru, the resort’s AyurMa wellness centre offers programmes rooted in Ayurvedic principles, yoga therapy and naturopathy. Treatments are designed to promote relaxation and wellbeing through personalised wellness plans tailored to individual needs.
Meanwhile, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa offers wellness journeys beginning with a naturopathic consultation at ŪRJĀ. Expectant parents can access customised experiences including sound healing, breathwork and mineral-based facial treatments.
For guests seeking a more private retreat, Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah offers exclusive-use accommodation and bespoke wellness experiences. Among the offerings is the Ocean of Consciousness Experience, which combines meditation, exfoliation, massage and breathwork in a treatment designed to encourage relaxation and mindfulness.
According to Four Seasons, the growing demand for babymoon travel reflects a desire among expectant parents to take time away from daily routines before welcoming a new child. The company said its resorts across Asia are focusing on wellness, mindfulness and meaningful experiences that allow couples to reconnect and prepare for parenthood.
Beyond spa and wellness programmes, the Maldives properties also provide opportunities for guests to enjoy private dining experiences, personalised services and uninterrupted time together in secluded island settings.
The Maldives resorts form part of a broader Four Seasons Asia collection that includes destinations in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Palau. The collection combines wellness treatments, culinary experiences and cultural activities designed to help couples slow down and create lasting memories before the arrival of their child.
“Together, Four Seasons Resorts of Asia redefine the babymoon as more than a getaway — it is a purposeful pause,” the company said in a statement. “In a world of constant connectivity, these experiences offer the rare luxury of being fully present, allowing expectant parents to reconnect, restore, and step into parenthood with intention.”
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