News
Kuda Villingili Resort wins Best Wellness Resort title at Global Wellness Day 2024
Kuda Villingili Resort, Maldives has announced its victory in the Best Wellness Resort competition held during Global Wellness Day 2024. The highly anticipated event, endorsed by the Ministry of Tourism and sponsored by COSMERC, took place on June 8, 2024. This accolade is a testament to Kuda Villingili’s commitment to wellness and its innovative approach to embracing nature.
The competition saw participation from 73 resorts, with 15 finalists presenting their celebrations to a panel of esteemed judges. The judges included industry experts and representatives from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Tourism. The evaluation criteria focused on the event’s outline, relevance to the #MAGENTANATURE theme, activity engagement, guest interaction, and the quality of event documentation through videos and photos.
Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives’ Global Wellness Day 2024 celebrations embodied the theme “Living in Harmony with Nature,” inviting guests and ambassadors to reconnect with the natural world. The three-day programme, from June 8 to June 10, offered a variety of activities designed to enhance physical and mental well-being while fostering a deep connection with nature.
The celebrations began at sunrise on June 8 with a beach yoga session, allowing guests and ambassadors to breathe in the ocean air and soak in the morning sun. This was followed by healthy drinks and an elevated organic breakfast buffet at The Restaurant. Guests and ambassadors participated in an immersive nature walk, learning about the island’s flora and its benefits to both humans and the environment. From hugging a banyan tree to estimate its age and discussing the many spiritual beliefs in different cultures related to the banyan tree to drinking freshly picked coconut from the island’s many coconut palms, the nature walk was a major highlight. The walk concluded with tree planting at Thundi Beach, which commemorated GWD 2024. A total of 8 different trees were planted, including a waterapple (Jamburoalu), beach heliotrope (Boashi gas), frangipani (Gulchampaa), iron wood (Kuredhi) and beach gardenia (Uni gas)making the already green paths of Kuda Villingili even more lush and soothing.
The spa team instructed guests and ambassadors on how to prepare Maldivian scrubs and talked about the advantages of using ocean water, coconut oil, and natural herbs in traditional Maldivian medicine. The fitness team hosted an outdoor fitness bootcamp, and expert yogis led outdoor yoga sessions. For children, the Kuda Fiyo Kids Club offered well-being walks, nature scavenger hunts, mini-Olympics, and nature-inspired arts and crafts.
Dr. Jayantha Karunarathne, Senior Medical Officer, Wellness Speaker, and Wellness Coach, praised Kuda Villingili’s efforts: “The team at Kuda Villingili truly embodied the concept of ‘Living in Harmony with Nature.’ Their impressive dedication and innovative approach set them apart, making them well-deserved winners of this competition. I look forward to seeing their continued success in the 2025 Global Wellness Day Best Resort event.”
Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives takes pride in this recognition and remains committed to delivering exceptional wellness experiences for both its guests and ambassadors. Following this win, the Kuda Villingili Resort celebrated with a barefoot walking marathon for the ambassadors and a special dinner, lifting the team’s spirits and emphasising the importance of a healthy ambassadors team that diligently serves and delivers its guests with exceptional, high-quality, luxury service. This award underscores the resort’s commitment to sustainable luxury and holistic well-being and also motivates it to further enhance and establish more wellness services and facilities on its sunny shores.
Love
Angsana Velavaru unveils Valentine’s Day experiences
This Valentine’s Day, Angsana Velavaru invites couples to experience a romantic Maldives getaway designed for intimacy, connection, and unforgettable moments. Set within a private lagoon in the pristine South Nilandhe Atoll, the resort offers an idyllic Valentine’s Day escape for couples seeking privacy, wellbeing, and meaningful shared experiences.
On 14 February, Angsana Velavaru presents Valentine’s Day Under the Stars, a beachfront dining experience created exclusively for couples. Set along the shoreline, this elegant five-course dinner combines refined cuisine with ocean views, candlelit ambience, and personalised service, making it one of the most romantic Valentine’s Day dinners in the Maldives.
Beyond the evening celebration, the resort extends Valentine’s experiences throughout February with a curated programme of couples’ wellness and spa offerings. Designed to encourage relaxation and reconnection, these experiences include shared spa treatments at the award-winning Angsana Spa, private yoga sessions by the beach, and holistic rituals that promoted balance and wellbeing for couples.
Couples can enjoy sunset walks along white-sand beaches, floating breakfast in private pools, or tranquil time together in the resort’s signature beachfront and overwater villas. The iconic InOcean villas, offer exceptional privacy and panoramic ocean views, making them ideal for honeymooners and couples celebrating Valentine’s Day in the Maldives.
With its blend of romantic dining, couple’s spa experiences, and secluded island living, Angsana Velavaru offers one of the most distinctive Valentine’s Day resort experiences in the Maldives. Whether celebrating new love or deepening a lifelong bond, couples are invited to mark Valentine’s Day in a setting where romance feels natural, personal and timeless.
For more information on Valentine’s Day experiences and romantic stays at Angsana Velavaru, please visit the resort’s website.
News
COMO Maalifushi introduces new all-inclusive experience, Simply COMO
COMO Maalifushi, the only resort in the unspoiled Thaa Atoll, has announced the launch of a new all-inclusive plan – Simply COMO – available from February 1, 2026. Designed for depth over excess, this elevated experience brings together COMO Hotels and Resorts’ renowned culinary philosophy, transformative wellness, and bespoke ocean adventures into one effortless, thoughtfully curated journey.
Simply COMO reshapes the conventional all-inclusive approach. Dining spans multiple venues — from Mediterranean flavours at Thila to Japanese at Tai and the wellness-driven COMO Shambhala Kitchen — complemented by weekly chef-led themed dinners, beach BBQs and a curated beverage list including more than 50 labels of wines, variety of spirits, cocktails and non-alcoholic options, complemented by a daily restocked in-villa private bar. Offering oceanfront dining, barefoot lunches and dinner under the stars, each culinary experience showcases the resort’s dedication to quality, simplicity, and naturally sourced ingredients.
Simply COMO includes an enriching selection of island and marine activities that reveal the beauty and unique surrounding COMO Maalifushi including:
- Dolphin Sunset Cruise – a spectacle of nature creating a moment of wonder for guests they’ll never forget
- Splash Boat Cruise – a must for the family at sunset to hop onto our dhoni’s splash net and experience the thrill of being towed through the ocean
- Guided turtle and reef snorkeling safaris to experience the rich house reef in this remote atoll
- Offshore sunset drop-line fishing, for a moment of calm as the sky turns gold (one per guest)
Wellness forms the heartbeat of Simply COMO, with inclusion of a signature COMO Shambhala massage per guest as well as daily movement classes – ranging from yoga and stretching to meditation and functional strength – all supported and enhanced by COMO Shambhala Kitchen, for those guests looking to enrich their wellness experience.
For families, Play by COMO offers younger guests a world of discovery, with dedicated supervision that gives parents complete peace of mind. Children can dive into purposeful, creative play including treasure hunts, fort building, yoga sessions, and conservation projects, while parents embrace the island’s natural beauty and curated barefoot rituals. Thoughtful touches, from handcrafted afternoon tea to an all-day ice-cream bar, add a gentle sense of indulgence for little ones too.
Designed to meet the needs of every type of traveller, Simply COMO brings people together across generations – appealing to couples seeking privacy and reconnection, families looking for effortless bonding, and wellness seekers drawn to restorative practices – while inviting everyone to explore the Maldives’ extraordinary marine life and unique position of COMO Maalifushi.
“With Simply COMO, we focused on creating an experience that feels effortless yet elevated,” says Peter Nilsson, Managing Director, COMO Maldives. “Every element — from cuisine and wellness to our ocean-led adventures — has been crafted to feel distinctly COMO.”
Simply COMO all-inclusive plan is available to book now for stays from February 1, 2026, offered alongside the resort’s existing Half Board meal plan to provide guests with flexible choices tailored to their style of travel.
Cooking
Meera Sodha to host plant-forward dining experience at Kurumba Maldives
Kurumba Maldives has announced an exciting culinary collaboration with acclaimed food columnist and cookbook author Meera Sodha. Scheduled from 13 to 15 February 2026, this partnership brings Meera Sodha’s celebrated plant-forward cooking philosophy to the coral shores of Kurumba for a series of curated dining experiences.
This special activation sees Sodha join forces with Kurumba’s own esteemed culinary team. Together, they’ll craft and present a collection of dishes inspired by her acclaimed cookbooks ‘Fresh India’ and ‘Made in India’, which champion bold, vibrant, and accessible vegetarian and vegan cuisine. The collaboration promises to deliver an authentic Gujarati experience that will delight guests, food enthusiasts, and discerning travellers alike.
Throughout her residency, guests at Kurumba Maldives will discover plant-based dishes that reflect Sodha’s signature style. The event showcases the versatility of plant-based ingredients, presented through a series of thoughtfully crafted dining experiences including a Sunset Canapé Evening at Athiri Beach Bar on 15 February 2026.
The collaboration represents a significant moment for the Maldivian culinary scene – a rare chance to experience the creations of one of the UK’s most influential food writers in an iconic island setting. Travellers with a passion for creative and flavourful food will discover a fresh and inspiring take on vegetarian and vegan dining.
For more information or to make a booking, visit www.kurumba.com.
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