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Discover 3 enchanting ways to celebrate festive season in Maldives with Marriott Bonvoy resorts

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Splendour at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, and JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa. From December 20, 2024, to January 9, 2025, each resort presents unique festive programming against the stunning backdrop of white-sand beaches, crystal-clear turquoise lagoons, and vibrant coral reefs, creating an idyllic tropical paradise.

Whether traveling with family, friends, or loved ones, discerning travellers can celebrate the festive season amidst the Maldives’ natural splendour by choosing from three luxury destination resorts. At The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, guests can marvel in a world of ‘EAU’, where the ethereal dreamscapes of water takes centre stage through spectacular performances and candlelit concertos in the moonlight. The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort reveals a captivating ‘Tale of the Tides,’ featuring a grand Christmas tree lighting, engaging activities for families, and exquisite culinary delights. Meanwhile, JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa showcases a ‘Symphony of the Sea,’ blending traditional Maldivian festivities with elegant celebrations and interactive experiences for guests of all ages.

Guests can embrace luxury island living in the resorts’ two- or three-bedroom overwater and beach pool villas, complete with 24-hour personalised signature ‘Aris Meeha,’ St. Regis Butlers, and ‘Thakuru’ butler services catering to their every need. Those who book by September 30, 2024, can take advantage of the Early Bird Special offers, including exceptional savings, dining credits, and exclusive member benefits.

The Ritz-Carlton Maldives Fari Islands: The Spirit of EAU

This festive season, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands invites guests to celebrate the elemental magic of water with an enchanting ‘EAU’ theme. Beginning December 22, guests can experience the resort’s oceanic home through a stunning display of liquid theatre at the renowned EAU Bar and spherical pool. Guests will be greeted with signature Sangu cocktails and a captivating lineup of events that highlight the beauty and power of water, running through January 9, 2025.

Throughout this magical period, nightly performances inspired by water’s beauty will captivate guests with music, dance, and ethereal shows, exploring themes of renewal and transformation. The culinary journey includes exclusive dining experiences at IWAU and Summer Pavilion, festive cocktail receptions, and a grand New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner. The resort offers a feast of gourmet treats and vibrant celebrations to elevate the holiday spirit.

In addition to these festivities, guests can savor daily breakfast at La Locanda, receive USD 300 in resort credits, and embark on a thrilling shark snorkeling experience with the ‘Festive Escape’ package. Luxurious spa treatments, engaging activities, and a special visit from Santa Claus will add to the allure. Located in the North Malé Atoll, the resort’s 100-villa sanctuary is accessible via a 50-minute yacht ride or a 10-minute seaplane flight from Malé International Airport. For a truly magical festive season at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, guests can book this package with a minimum seven-night stay and receive an additional 25,000 bonus points per stay from December 1, 2024, to January 31, 2025.

Visit the website at ritzcarlton.com/maldives or book your stay here.

The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort: Tale of the Tides

The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort unveils its ‘Tale of the Tides’ holiday celebration from December 20 to January 6. Guests are invited to the Maldives’ finest address to celebrate the season with a series of exquisite events, beginning with a grand Christmas tree lighting on December 20. Families will enjoy a variety of activities designed for children, including Christmas-themed crafts, a festive tea party, and New Year Fireworks Painting. Adults can savour luxurious culinary experiences across seven distinct dining venues, featuring Asian haute cuisine, modern Japanese Kaiseki, international gourmet, and Middle Eastern dishes.

Nestled within a 22-acre natural island paradise in Dhaalu Atoll, the resort offers two to three-bedroom villas that blend elegance and tranquility for groups and families. Each villa features a private pool, panoramic beach views, and refined amenities. At The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, guests can immerse themselves in a celebration of heritage through cherished St. Regis rituals, reimagined with a touch of Maldivian culture. Guests can revel in the daily Champagne Sabering ritual at The Whale Bar while sipping the Island Mary—a local twist on the Bloody Mary—marking the evening and celebrating tradition and togetherness with dramatic flair.

Guests booking the ‘Festive Celebrations’ package will enjoy 25% savings on the best available rate, daily breakfasts for two at ALBA, and complimentary creative arts and eco-adventure activities for children. Valid for stays form December 21, 2024 to January 10, 2025, this package also includes a range of complimentary services and the exceptional St. Regis Butler Service, ensuring bespoke attention and tailored experiences. A scenic 40-minute seaplane ride from Velana International Airport, the ultra-luxury resort offers an unparalleled blend of natural beauty and refined luxury.

For more information, visit the website at stregismaldives.com or book your stay here.

JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa: Symphony of the Sea

Located on Vagaru Island, Shaviyani Atoll, JW Marriot Maldives Resort & Spa presents an enchanting ‘Symphony of the Sea’ celebration for families to embark on a magical journey blending oceanic wonders with festive cheer. From December 20 to January 6, guests will step into a secluded natural island where the joy of the holidays meets the serenity of the sea.

On December 20, the festive season kicks off with a traditional Maldivian night featuring local cuisine and lively Boduberu performances. The New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner invites guests to an evening of elegance with the ocean’s rhythm as a stunning backdrop. Guests can indulge in a lavish dinner while enjoying entertainment from a lively band, dazzling fire dancers, and captivating illuminated LED performances. This unforgettable night offers a perfect blend of sophistication and excitement to ring in the New Year.

The luxury multigenerational resort features 60 spacious and luxurious beach and overwater villas, all with private pools, first-class amenities and a personal ‘Thakuru’ butler service. Eclectic dining experiences are offered throughout the resort’s five dining venues. Daily wellness activities from Spa by JW will harmonize body, mind, and spirit, enhancing the holiday experience with revitalizing treatments. Young guests can enjoy magical adventures at the FAMiLY by JW Little Griffins Kids’ Club, one of the largest kids clubs in the Maldives, featuring interactive, festive activities inspired by the underwater world and island life.

The ‘Festive Splendour’ package includes a daily buffet breakfast at Aailaa, complimentary non-motorised watersports, Thakuru service, and a one-time 30-minute photography session with a printed photo. This package promises a luxurious and memorable holiday at JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa, with the added benefit of earning up to 30,000 bonus points per stay from December 1, 2024 to January 10, 2025, with a minimum stay of four nights.

For more information, visit the website at jwmarriottmaldives.com or book your stay here.

Entertainment

Hard Rock Hotel Maldives welcomes British duo The Whiskey Brothers for live performances

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Hard Rock Hotel Maldives is turning up the volume this October as The Whiskey Brothers bring their signature live performances to CROSSROADS Maldives for two evenings of music, energy and island entertainment.

Known for their engaging performances and distinctive musical style, The Whiskey Brothers will bring their sound to two of the destination’s vibrant venues, creating memorable evenings against the stunning backdrop of the Maldives.

The duo will kick off their performances at Hard Rock Cafe Maldives on 27 October 2026. Open to the public, including local residents, expats, and visitors, the evening invites music lovers to come together and experience the electrifying atmosphere of Hard Rock Cafe, where great music, dining and entertainment take centre stage.

On 28 October 2026, The Whiskey Brothers will continue their island performance at The Elephant & The Butterfly, Hard Rock Hotel Maldives’ signature beachfront restaurant. This exclusive performance is reserved for resort guests, offering an intimate evening of live music in a relaxed tropical setting.

The performances reflect Hard Rock Hotel Maldives’ commitment to bringing its iconic music-inspired DNA to life through dynamic entertainment, engaging experiences and vibrant island programming.

Located within CROSSROADS Maldives, just 15 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, Hard Rock Hotel Maldives continues to celebrate the spirit of music, entertainment and island living.

Event Details:

  • 27 October 2026 | 9:00 PM – 9:45 PM Venue: Hard Rock Cafe Maldives; open to the public, including locals, expats and visitors
  • 28 October 2026 | 7:30 PM – 8:15 PM Venue: The Elephant & The Butterfly, Hard Rock Hotel Maldives; exclusive to resort guests
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Kandooma Maldives introduces experience-led all-inclusive holiday concept

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Kandooma Maldives has expanded what guests can expect from an all-inclusive Maldives holiday, with scuba diving, traditional sunrise line fishing, reef snorkelling, a sunset cruise and a spa treatment included in qualifying stays alongside 24-hour dining and drinks.

The 146-villa resort has transitioned to an experience-led all-inclusive offering under its new brand promise: Discover. Experience. Celebrate.

“We want family holidays to be easier, more enriching and considerably more fun,” says Andrew Drummond, General Manager of Kandooma Maldives.

“For us, all-inclusive shouldn’t just mean food and drinks. We want guests to be able to say yes to more of the Maldives. Go diving. Try traditional fishing. Get on the boom net at sunset. Get a massage and maybe join an activity they hadn’t planned. It’s about making it easy to get out there and enjoy the holiday.”

Recently named Leading Family Resort at the South Asian Travel Awards, Kandooma Maldives has designed the new offering to give guests more opportunities to experience the island and the South Malé Atoll, with many of the costs already taken care of.

All-inclusive stays are a minimum of four nights and include:

  • 24-hour dining, with an extensive choice across participating island outlets
  • One Sunset Splash Cruise per person, per stay
  • One Group Reef Snorkelling experience per person, per day
  • One Sunrise Fishing Trip per person, per stay
  • One Scuba Dive per day for certified divers
  • One 30-minute Back, Neck and Shoulder Massage OR 30-minute Foot Massage per person, per stay at Kandooma Spa by COMO Shambhala (Adults over 18 years)

Longer stays bring additional experiences and benefits, with selected inclusions resetting every four nights.

There is plenty more happening around the island too, with a changing daily programme of complimentary and bookable activities for adults and children.

A day at Kandooma can begin before breakfast, heading out onto the Indian Ocean as the first light appears on the horizon.

The included Sunrise Fishing Trip gives guests the chance to try traditional Maldivian line fishing, a simple technique that has been part of island life for generations.

The experience is part of Kandooma Ways, which connects guests with the Maldives, its people and culture. It is as much about being out on the ocean as the island wakes up as it is about seeing what might take the bait.

Later in the day, guests can head back out on the water for the Sunset Splash Cruise. As the sun drops and the sky changes through shades of gold, orange and pink, the choice is simple. Climb onto the boat’s boom net and feel the splash and spray of the Indian Ocean, or stay completely dry on deck with a refreshing drink and watch the sun go down. It’s a Maldives sunset, Kandooma style.

Kandooma Blue is all about getting guests into, onto and around the Indian Ocean. The included daily group Reef Snorkel is an easy way to discover what lies beneath the surface. Guests can explore coral formations, swim alongside schools of colourful tropical fish and keep watch for other marine life along the reef.

For certified scuba divers, there is much more to explore. Kandooma has a PADI 5-Star Dive Centre, with 28 dive sites accessible from the resort. Among them is renowned Kandooma Thila, approximately five minutes away by boat.

Depending on the site, season and conditions, divers may encounter colourful reef fish, turtles, rays and sharks while exploring reefs, channels, walls and thilas.

Certified divers staying on a qualifying all-inclusive package receive one scuba dive per day, making it possible to explore more of the South Malé Atoll throughout their holiday rather than limiting diving to a single excursion. 

Eat When You Want, Where You Want

Kandooma Table is about good food, choice and keeping things easy. As an All-inclusive resort, guests are not tied to the same restaurant for every meal, with dining available across multiple outlets around the island.

Kandooma Café is open 24 hours a day, covering everything from breakfast and leisurely lunches to late-night snacks, which is ideal for those with early morning departures and hungry guests arriving on the island late at night. 

The new Kandooma Beach Club brings a different flavour to island dining throughout the day. Mornings are all about casual bites and fun for tweens in the Arcade Zone, complete with billiards, ping pong, foosball and arcade games. Come lunchtime, guests can settle in for à la carte dining with beautiful beach views. And there’s another treat for all-inclusive guests: one dinner per person at Kandooma Beach Club is included for every four nights of their stay. By day, drinks are self-serve, think airport-lounge style, including beer on tap and wines by the glass. 

Bokkuraa Pool Deck offers casual poolside dining, while Baraveli Beach Bar is an easy spot for drinks and refreshments overlooking the Indian Ocean with your feet in the sand.

Then there’s the new Scoops Gelateria.

“No one is going to go hungry staying at Kandooma,” Andrew laughs. “We’ve even added a Gelateria because, really, who doesn’t love ice cream on holiday? And we’ve included soft-serve too.”

Guests can also upgrade their morning with a floating breakfast, served in the privacy of their villa pool. And for wine lovers, the new Wine Room offers premium wines by the bottle in addition to the all-inclusive wine selection served by the glass. Guests can choose something special for dinner or take a bottle back to their villa, with premium bottles charged to their room account.

Time to Slow Down

Kandooma Flow is the slower side of island life. Each qualifying guest can choose a 30-minute Back, Neck and Shoulder Massage OR a 30-minute Foot Massage at Kandooma Spa by COMO Shambhala. It’s a welcome chance to switch off after a day spent diving, snorkelling, swimming or exploring, or simply to make some time for yourself while on holiday.

Guests who want to linger a little longer can use their included 30-minute massage benefit to extend or combine with a paid treatment.  The Spa inclusion is strictly for adults (18+) only. 

Something Different Every Day

There is no need for two days at Kandooma to look the same.

The resort runs a changing programme of complimentary and bookable activities for adults and children, with plenty of opportunities to get active, head out on the water, join in with something social, try something new or simply spend the day at the beach.

Guests can pack their days with experiences or do very little at all. Both work perfectly well at Kandooma.

“We didn’t want families worrying about every extra cost or thinking about the bill at the end of their stay,” says Andrew.

“We want them to relax, try something new and make terrific memories. Go fishing at sunrise, discover the reef, dive somewhere incredible or have a massage. It’s their holiday, and we want to make it easy for them to enjoy it.”

That thinking is summed up in three words:  Discover. Experience. Celebrate.

The resort’s all-inclusive brochure can be found here or visit www.kandooma-maldives.com for more information.

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Meditation

Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives launches ‘Remember the Quiet’ wellness journey

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Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives has introduced Remember the Quiet, a new signature wellbeing journey, ideally experienced over three to four nights, created for travellers who increasingly arrive on holiday needing something more than a change of scenery — they need space to slow down.

Designed around a simple idea — remember what quiet feels like — the experience responds to the realities of modern travel and everyday life: long journeys, jet lag, busy schedules, constant notifications and the feeling of always having something demanding attention.

Rather than creating a traditional wellness retreat filled with treatments, appointments and tightly scheduled activities, Grand Park Kodhipparu has taken a different approach. Remember the Quiet intentionally leaves space between experiences, allowing guests to settle naturally into the rhythm of the island.

It is particularly suited to travellers coming from fast-paced city life, guests looking to reset after a demanding period, and those who want wellbeing to feel restorative rather than like another schedule to complete. It also offers an alternative for travellers who may not consider themselves traditional wellness guests, but simply want to return home feeling more rested, present and refreshed.

A Journey Shaped by the Island

At the heart of Remember the Quiet is not a single treatment or ritual, but a gradual shift into a slower rhythm — shaped through movement, meditation, water, nature and stillness.

What makes the experience distinctive is what happens beyond the Spa itself and how these moments unfold across the island, rather than within one dedicated wellness space.

The resort’s overwater Spa, yoga studio, lagoon, swimming pool, bicycles, sunset views and quiet corners of the island are brought together as different chapters of one connected experience.

Moments of Stillness introduces a dedicated guided meditation at the yoga studio, creating space for guests to pause, quiet the mind and reconnect with the present moment.

Intentionally simple and unhurried, the experience allows stillness itself to become part of the journey. Henna sits at the heart of Carry the Quiet, with other mindful creative activities including woodblock painting and canvas painting also available. A personalised henna ritual in a peaceful island setting becomes one of the journey’s most distinctive mindful moments, followed by unhurried time to enjoy the lagoon and sunset.

The final stage remains intentionally light: Pockets of Peace. The designated Pockets of Peace reveal some of the island’s often-overlooked hidden gems — carefully identified spots where guests can escape the bustle, enjoy a moment of solitude and reconnect with nature at their own pace.

The spaces between these moments are equally intentional — time to swim, cycle around the island, watch the lagoon, rest in the villa or simply have nowhere they need to be.

“Across the world, we are seeing a growing interest in wellbeing retreats that embrace nature as an essential part of the experience. At Grand Park Kodhipparu, we have the privilege of a private island setting where the ocean, lagoon, tropical surroundings and natural rhythms of island life provide the perfect environment to slow down and reconnect with ourselves”, explains Liz Smailes, Director of Marketing.

“With Remember the Quiet, we wanted to go beyond traditional spa and wellness offerings, inviting guests to rediscover the simple pleasure of doing less. By connecting the natural beauty of our island with moments of stillness, gentle movement and mindful experiences, we hope guests leave not just feeling rested, but with a renewed sense of calm they can carry home with them.”

A Different Kind of Signature Stay

This deliberately spacious structure is what differentiates Remember the Quiet from a conventional wellness package. Instead of combining a collection of standalone spa and fitness inclusions, the journey connects existing elements of island life around one emotional purpose: helping guests move from arrival fatigue towards a calmer state of mind.

The philosophy reflects Grand Park Kodhipparu’s wider approach to contemporary boutique luxury, where the value of a stay is increasingly defined not simply by what guests are given to do, but by how the destination allows them to feel.

While guests are free to enjoy Remember the Quiet for any length of stay, three to four nights are recommended to fully embrace the journey, allowing time for its experiences to unfold naturally, without the pressure of a fixed schedule.

Remember the Quiet Includes:

  • One-hour relaxation experience at the resort’s overwater Spa
  • Complimentary guided Moments of Stillness sessions
  • Complimentary 1-hour daily sunrise and sunset yoga
  • Slow Lagoon Hour as evening settles over the island
  • Pockets of Peace located around Kodhipparu
  • A mindful Carry the Quiet art and handcraft experience with a henna hand painting, woodblock or canvas painting to take home
  • Complimentary bicycles for exploring the island at an unhurried pace
  • Welcome amenities upon arrival

Rather than asking guests to escape from their holiday for a wellness treatment, Remember the Quiet allows the holiday itself to become the wellbeing experience.

It is a signature stay shaped not by how much guests can fit into their stay, but by how differently they can feel at the end of them.

It is remembering how it feels to have nothing demanding your attention.

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