Food
Heritance Aarah: Dive into Maldives’ iconic floating breakfast trend

Heritance Aarah, a premier all-inclusive resort nestled in the Raa Atoll, a 40-minute scenic seaplane ride away from Male, offers an exceptional blend of opulence and tranquility. As a top-tier destination, it caters to those seeking a refined and peaceful retreat. Among its many distinguished culinary experiences, the floating breakfast stands out as a truly unique and indulgent way to begin your day.
Imagine starting your morning by lounging in your in-suite private lap pool, basking in the first rays of sunlight, while enjoying a breakfast spread that feels truly special. At Heritance Aarah, the floating breakfast experience pairs gourmet delights crafted by Culinary Olympians and award-winning culinary artists, coupled with stunning views, creating an immersive and serene way to enjoy your meal.
The American Floating Breakfast: A Hearty Start
For those who enjoy a traditional American breakfast, the American Floating Breakfast offers a delightful start to your day. Begin with a choice of freshly squeezed juices pineapple, orange, mixed fruit, or watermelon. Enjoy freshly baked viennoiseries and a charcuterie platter featuring assorted cheeses. Choose from a variety of cereals with almond or fresh milk, and select from a range of eggs, including omellets or fried eggs, paired with your choice of sausage and bacon. The breakfast also includes three slices of toast rye, sourdough, white, or multigrain served with butter, jams, and honey. Treat yourself to waffles topped with maple syrup, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, nuts, and berry compote. Complete your meal with freshly brewed coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. For an extra touch, a bottle of Champagne can be added to elevate the experience.
The Healthy Floating Breakfast: Nourishing Delights
For a lighter, health-conscious option, the Healthy Floating Breakfast offers a refreshing start to your day. Sip on invigorating fruit smoothies in banana, mango, or berry flavours, while enjoying a baker’s basket of chocolate croissants, fruit danish, and toast. Delight in Swiss muesli served with orange, banana, honey, and dried fruit. Indulge in smoked salmon accompanied by guacamole and capers or savour the classic Egg Benedict with poached eggs and chicken ham. Pancakes with berry coulis, whipped cream, and roasted nuts round out this wholesome breakfast. Enjoy freshly brewed coffee or hot chocolate, and if desired, add a bottle of Bollinger Champagne for a special touch.
The Sri Lankan Floating Breakfast: A Taste of Tradition
Embark on a flavourful journey with the Sri Lankan Floating Breakfast, celebrating authentic Sri Lankan cuisine. Start with young coconut and green herbal porridge (known as kola kenda) sweetened with jaggery. Enjoy traditional coconut roti or milk rice accompanied by fish ambulthiyal, dhal curry, seeni sambal, katta sambal, and pol sambal. A tempered boiled chickpea served in a half coconut shell adds an authentic touch. Relish coconut pancakes drizzled with kithul treacle, and finish with freshly carved tropical fruits. Complement your meal with tea, either with milk or plain ginger tea, and experience the essence of Sri Lanka in a serene floating setting.
The Russian Floating Breakfast: A Gourmet Journey
Immerse yourself in Russian culinary traditions with the Russian Floating Breakfast. Start with buckwheat porridge and a selection of fresh juices. Choose from poached, omelet, or fried eggs, paired with your choice of chicken or beef sausages and bacon. Enjoy rosti potatoes and rye bread topped with smoked salmon open sandwiches garnished with pickles, avocado, tomato, and jalapeno. Fresh fruit and pancakes with chocolate sauce complete this indulgent breakfast. Sip on tea or coffee while floating serenely over tranquil waters.
The Chinese Floating Breakfast: A Culinary Voyage
Experience the rich flavours of China with the Chinese Floating Breakfast. Begin with a selection of fresh juices and rice kanji, flavoured with soya sauce, Chinese black vinegar, spring onion, prawns, and fish. Delight in assorted dim sum with chili soya and sweet chili sauce and choose from fried or boiled eggs. Savour stir-fry egg noodles, sausages, bacon, and hash brown potatoes. Fresh fruits and a choice of tea or coffee add the final touches to this delightful floating breakfast, offering a charming culinary journey in a tranquil water setting.
The Indian Floating Breakfast: Spices and Flavors to Begin Your Day
For a vibrant and flavourful experience, the Indian Floating Breakfast offers a rich array of traditional dishes. Enjoy a mint sweet lassi alongside a selection of fresh juices. Indulge in dosas, poori, aloo paratha, and upma, complemented by sambar, aloo bhaji, red and green chutneys, coconut chutney, curd, pickle, and chili & onion. Fresh fruits and Indian masala tea complete this aromatic breakfast, providing an immersive culinary experience while you float serenely on the water.
In addition to its remarkable floating breakfast experiences, Heritance Aarah offers a diverse culinary experience. The resort boasts seven diverse restaurants and five bars, each offering a unique culinary experience. The resort’s all-day dine-around concept makes it the ultimate culinary destination in the Maldives. Guests can embark on a gastronomic journey with an extensive selection of global cuisines, from Asian delicacies and fusion dishes blending Sri Lankan and Maldivian flavors to vibrant street food from Tokyo and Bangkok, and sophisticated Mediterranean and French-inspired fare. This diverse offering is complemented by a premium collection of over 30 unique cocktails at each bar and over 80 premium spirits, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable dining experience throughout your stay.
Cooking
Savour July: Exceptional dining awaits at Barceló Nasandhura Male

Located in the vibrant heart of Malé, Barceló Nasandhura is fast becoming a sought-after destination for dining, casual coffee catchups, and laid-back city experiences. This July, guests are invited to indulge in a series of exclusive promotions across the hotel’s distinctive food and beverage outlets, the perfect opportunity to discover what’s on offer.
At Oivaru, the hotel’s signature all-day dining restaurant located on the 3rd Floor, guests can treat themselves to an irresistible Chocolate Dessert Station, available during dinner service from 4th to 7th July only. A decadent addition to the renowned international buffet, it promises to satisfy every sweet tooth. To complement the dining experience, enjoy live music on selected evenings, creating the perfect atmosphere for a relaxed, flavorful night out.
To mark World Chocolate Day on 7th July, a special Chocolate Indulgence Station will be set up in the Nasandhura Lobby from 4 PM to 8 PM. Featuring free tastings and handcrafted desserts by the hotel’s renowned pastry chef, the experience is open to all guests and walk-ins. Guests can also purchase limited-edition treats while enjoying a beautifully styled chocolate-themed setup designed for sweet moments and social sharing.
Alimas Coffee Lounge is the ideal spot to escape the city heat. From 20th to 26th July, enjoy 10% off all ice creams, making it the perfect excuse to cool down with a sweet treat in style.
For those seeking elevated views and an unforgettable ambience, B.Heaven, the hotel’s rooftop lounge, offers signature mocktails and light bites, best savored with panoramic sunset vistas. On selected evenings, the energy rises with live DJ performances, making it the perfect setting to unwind, socialize, or celebrate under the stars.
This July, Barceló Nasandhura invites you to experience a taste of Malé’s most exciting culinary and social destination.
Featured
JOALI Maldives welcomes FIX’s iconic chocolate in first-ever global expansion

Dubai-based artisanal brand FIX Dessert Chocolatier, renowned for its viral chocolate creations, has partnered with JOALI Maldives – the Indian Ocean’s first art-immersive luxury island resort. Starting 2 July 2025, guests at JOALI Maldives will have the exclusive opportunity to indulge in FIX’s signature creation, The Original Dubai Chocolate, marking the first time the coveted dessert will be available outside the UAE.
Famed for its bold creativity, intricate layering, and unforgettable textures, FIX has redefined the modern dessert experience. This collaboration brings together two worlds of sensory delight – the imaginative world of FIX and the refined, story-driven luxury of JOALI Maldives.
As part of this partnership, FIX introduces Time To Mango, a brand-new chocolate bar inspired by tropical fruits, warm breezes, and the playful spirit of summer. Blending mango-forward flavours with nostalgic childhood treats and a whimsical touch of popping candy, the creation delivers a multi-sensory experience wrapped in rich chocolate.
FIX Dessert Chocolatier’s signature artistry and innovative flavour combinations align seamlessly with the philosophy of JOALI Maldives, a resort celebrated for its immersive art, sublime design, and curated experiences. According to FIX co-founder Sarah Hamouda, “This collaboration is about more than flavour – it’s about sparking wonder and delivering delight in unexpected ways. Seeing our creation featured at JOALI Maldives feels like the perfect match of storytelling and indulgence.”
Guests at JOALI Maldives will encounter FIX’s chocolates across various curated settings – from the private airport lounge and the resort’s artisanal ice cream shop to bespoke in-villa amenities and select evening turndown rituals. Every piece is hand-crafted in Dubai, carefully transported, and presented under the Maldivian sun as a true edible work of art.
Commenting on the partnership, Semiha Askin, Global Director of Sales and Marketing at JOALI, stated, “At JOALI, we embrace art in all its forms – from visual and spatial to culinary. Partnering with FIX Dessert Chocolatier allows us to extend that ethos into the realm of artisanal sweets. Their chocolate is more than a dessert – it’s an immersive experience our guests will remember, one bite at a time.”
This marks FIX’s first international placement, making JOALI Maldives the only destination outside of the UAE to offer the brand’s signature chocolate. The collaboration exemplifies a shared dedication to luxury, creativity, and culinary innovation.
Located in one of the largest and deepest atolls in the world, JOALI Maldives offers 73 elegantly appointed beach and over-water villas, each accompanied by a personal Jadugar (meaning “skilled magician” in Dhivehi). The resort is a sanctuary of sustainability, immersive programming, and next-level wellbeing offerings, including the JOALI BEING Cure – the first outpost of sister retreat JOALI BEING, the Maldives’ pioneering wellness island.
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Jumeirah Olhahali Island welcomes Shimmers’ Chef Emanuele for exclusive culinary residency this July

Jumeirah Olhahali Island has announced a culinary residency in collaboration with Chef Emanuele De Leo, Head Chef of the award-winning Shimmers at Jumeirah Mina Al Salam in Dubai. Taking place from 7 to 10 July 2025, this exclusive experience will bring the vibrant flavours of the Mediterranean to the Maldives through a specially curated tasting-style menu.
Following a stint as Sous Chef at L’Olivo at Al Mahara, the two Michelin-starred restaurant at Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, Chef Emanuele took up his position as Head Chef at Shimmers in 2023. There, he leads the kitchen, where his menu pays homage to his Sicilian heritage, while embracing bold, contemporary interpretations of classic Mediterranean cuisine. Under his direction, Shimmers has earned recognition from Gault&Millau UAE in 2025, a testament of the restaurant’s elevated dining experience and Chef Emanuele’s distinctive culinary vision. With a strong focus on seasonality, he draws inspiration from the freshest market produce, transforming each ingredient into flavour-driven, elegantly presented creations.

For his residency at Jumeirah Olhahali Island, Chef Emanuele has crafted a bespoke menu that fuses Greek influences with his Sicilian roots, showcasing refined coastal flavours and thoughtfully sourced seasonal ingredients. In true Shimmers fashion, the evening will be presented as a series of small, shareable plates, designed to bring guests together around the table. Highlights include a fresh cauliflower salad, zingy tuna tartare, and grilled octopus with Santorini fava. These are followed by indulgent mains such as slow-braised beef cheek paired with celery purée and red wine jus, alongside orzo with red prawns, lemon, and caviar. The experience concludes, with a duo of desserts: Greek yoghurt ice cream and orange crème brûlée, offering a refreshing and indulgent finale.
The exclusive dinner experience with Chef Emanuele is priced at USD 195 plus taxes per person. For more information or to reserve, visit the Jumeirah Olhahali Island website here.
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