Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives has been named Highly Commended for Best Long-Haul Family Stay in the Family Traveller Awards 2026, recognising the resort’s thoughtful approach to family and multigenerational travel, where considered design, generous space and experiences for every generation allow families to holiday together while enjoying the freedom to create their own time and space.

Organised by Family Traveller, the UK’s leading family travel publication, the awards attracted hundreds of entries across 19 categories. An independent panel of expert family travel journalists selected the finalists before thousands of public votes determined the winners and highly commended properties, announced at an awards ceremony in London on 11 September 2026.

Just 30 minutes by luxury speedboat from Velana International Airport, Kuda Villingili combines easy accessibility with an island experience thoughtfully designed for families. Its 75 private-pool villas and residences include spacious multi-bedroom Villas, Residences and Retreats particularly suited to extended and multigenerational stays. Individual bedrooms and living areas feature separate external entrances alongside internal connecting doors. This allows families to stay together while retaining a sense of privacy and independence – particularly useful for grandparents, parents, couples and older children travelling together.

For younger guests, Kuda Fiyo Kids Club offers its own expansive beach beside the island’s shallow lagoon, giving children space to explore while parents enjoy time of their own. With supervised outdoor adventures, creative activities, games and island discoveries, the programme encourages young guests to experience the island independently. The daily Kuda Villingili train ride has become a much-loved ritual for little explorers.

Family-friendly thinking continues throughout the island. The resort’s spectacular 150-metre swimming pool features dedicated shallow areas for younger swimmers, while the surrounding lagoon opens the door to kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and other ocean adventures.

Budding surfers can also take their first steps into the sport with certified surf instructors at Baby Chickens, the beginner-friendly section of the island’s renowned Surf Chickens break, where they can gradually build their confidence and skills in the ocean.

Older children and teenagers are equally considered, with tennis, padel, pickleball, futsal, volleyball, watersports, diving and other recreational experiences offering plenty of independence and adventure beyond the Kids Club years. Across eight distinctive restaurants, diverse cuisines provide something for every generation, with children under 12 dining complimentary, while parents can retreat to the overwater Spa or enjoy time of their own as younger guests explore the island.

This balance between togetherness and individuality lies at the heart of Kuda Villingili’s family experience. Families can share a villa without sacrificing privacy, pursue different experiences during the day, and come together again over dinner, beside the pool or for a Maldivian sunset – allowing each generation to experience the island in their own way.

Amjad Thaufeeg, Commercial Director of Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives, said: “We are incredibly proud to be Highly Commended for Best Long-Haul Family Stay by Family Traveller. At Kuda Villingili, we have always believed that a family holiday should give everyone the freedom to enjoy the island in their own way – whether that means children discovering new adventures, parents finding time to unwind, or several generations coming together to share memorable experiences. This recognition is a wonderful acknowledgement of our team and the experiences we strive to create for every family who stays with us.”

The accolade further highlights Kuda Villingili’s family-focused offering in the Maldives, where “Time and Space Redefined” takes on a special meaning: more time to reconnect, space for every generation, and experiences designed to become part of the family story.

For more information and reservations, visit www.kudavillingili.com or contact reservations@kudavillingili.com.

Following a planned period of island rehabilitation and enhancements, Cora Cora Maldives has officially reopened, welcoming guests back to its natural island paradise as scheduled.

Surrounded by the turquoise waters of Raa Atoll, the five-star Premium All-Inclusive resort has always celebrated the beauty and character of its natural setting. The temporary closure provided an opportunity to carry out essential improvements and refresh the island’s surroundings, reflecting the resort’s continued commitment to caring for its natural environment while enhancing the guest experience.

With the planned works completed, guests can once again enjoy the island’s white-sand beaches, lush tropical surroundings, and signature spirit of freedom. Reopening as scheduled also honours the commitment made to the resort’s valued travel trade partners, reflecting the trust and confidence built through its longstanding partnerships.

Vishen Mootoo , Commercial Director of Cora Cora Maldives, said: “Cora Cora Maldives is blessed with a beautiful natural island, and taking the time to care for it was an important investment in its future. This planned rehabilitation allowed us to address the needs of the island while further enhancing the experience we offer our guests. We are delighted to reopen exactly as planned and deliver on the commitment we made to our valued travel trade partners. Their trust and continued support throughout this period have meant a great deal to us, and we look forward to continuing our partnership as we welcome guests back to our island.”

The reopening comes at a particularly meaningful time as Cora Cora Maldives prepares to celebrate its fifth anniversary on 1 October 2026. Since opening in 2021, the resort has developed a distinctive approach to Maldivian hospitality through its Premium All-Inclusive offering, bringing together culinary discovery, cultural preservation, wellness, and experiences for all ages, while remaining committed to sustainability.

Five years on, the resort enters this milestone with renewed energy and a continued commitment to creating memorable experiences and meaningful connections. The anniversary is also an opportunity to celebrate the people, partnerships, and shared moments that have shaped its journey.

As Cora Cora Maldives begins its next chapter, it remains dedicated to preserving the beauty of its island home and delivering the heartfelt hospitality and sense of freedom that guests have come to know and love.

Paradise is calling. Again. It’s Freedom Time.

For more information and bookings, please visit the resort’s website.

When Frank and Heike Reestorff returned to Villa Nautica for the third time, they had one rather unusual plan for their 25th anniversary: to get married underwater.

The couple had mentioned the idea to the diveOceanus team during a stay the previous November. Both are divers, and what they had in mind was relatively simple: a small ceremony at a shallow site, with their family and closest friends alongside them.

For their return, the team settled on Maagiri Reef, where a sandy section of the top reef provided the setting.

The ceremony itself was built around a heart-shaped frame, with streams of bubbles rising around the wedding party from cylinders positioned nearby. As talking underwater was obviously out of the question, Frank and Heike’s wedding words were engraved onto wooden plaques in German.

Their son and his girlfriend joined them, as did two close friends who had never dived before. The pair completed Discover Scuba Diving with diveOceanus at Villa Nautica before the wedding so they could take part rather than watch from the boat. diveOceanus Villa Nautica is a PADI 5 Star Dive Resort, with programmes ranging from first-time scuba experiences through to further dive training.

Villa Nautica Dive Center Manager Mohamed Arzan officiated the ceremony underwater. Earlier this year, Arzan was named Diving Personality of the Year at the Hotelier Maldives Awards 2026, where he was recognised for his leadership of dive operations, marine knowledge, mentoring and service quality.

The wedding spread beyond the dive site. Back on the island, the Villa Nautica team helped prepare the boat for the occasion, arranged details for the couple’s return and made sure the day was recorded underwater and from the air.

For a resort used to honeymoons, anniversaries and weddings, the setting was new. This was Villa Nautica’s first underwater wedding.

It also came with a nice sense of continuity. Frank and Heike were not guests who had chosen the island from a wedding brochure; they had already stayed twice, had dived there before, and returned with an idea they had first discussed with people they already knew.

Villa Nautica’s romance credentials extend beyond this one ceremony. The resort has received three consecutive nominations for Indian Ocean’s Leading Honeymoon Resort at the World Travel Awards from 2023 to 2025, and was selected for National Geographic Traveller (UK)’s Luxury Collection 2025 and 2026. Its pool was also named Best Resort Pool in the Maldives at the Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific in both 2025 and 2026.

The couple’s verdict was shorter.

“Everything was simply perfect and beyond expectations.”

Heike was moved to tears when she saw the underwater setting. When the couple left Villa Nautica, the German wedding plaques and congratulations banner went home with them.

For the resort, it was a first. For Frank and Heike, it was how they chose to mark 25 years together.