Celebration
The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands reveals festive celebrations through ‘Eau’ theme
The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands has announced its festive programming for the upcoming season. This year’s celebrations, themed ‘Eau’, will honour the resort’s oceanic home and the elemental power and magic of water. The festivities aim to connect and awaken guests to the beauty of the ocean, showcasing interpretations of water in all its forms. Artfully curated moments will offer guests sensory experiences, including gourmet trails, once-in-a-lifetime undersea adventures, transformative spa journeys, and magical performances with aquatic twists.
The celebrations will commence on December 22nd with a sparkling evening that reimagines the resort’s EAU Bar and iconic spherical pool into a crystalline stage of liquid theatre for the season. Guests will kick off the festivities with signature Sangu cocktails in hand while the Christmas tree is lit, looking forward to a breathtaking lineup running until January 9, 2025.
Each night, guests will be immersed in awe-inspiring scenography featuring sunset shows of music, dance, and theatre inspired by interpretations of water, reflection, renewal, and transformation. Ethereal dreamscapes will host candlelit concertos in the moonlight, while the resort’s New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner will culminate in a spectacular showcase of culinary excellence and entertainment.
A journey of gourmet treats will provide unrivalled mastery across the destination’s dining venues, curated by the resort’s exceptional chefs. On December 23rd, the omakase venue IWAU will present an exclusive wagyu and sake feast, introducing the resort’s renowned Asian flavours to the festivities. The celebratory gastronomy will continue with a Christmas Eve cocktail reception at sundown, leading to a night of epicurean splendour at EAU Bar. Christmas Day will feature the acclaimed Singapore venue Summer Pavilion serving its Cantonese wok lunch, while Beach Shack will host its signature New Year’s Day barbecue prepared on an open grill by the beach.
Throughout the holidays, a decadent series of dining experiences will include exclusive Veuve Clicquot and Taittinger dinners, izakaya menus with sake pairings, oriental tea ceremonies, and Champagne raw bars. This year’s exclusive masterclasses will invite guests to create, bake, and decorate their own traditional gingerbread houses.
For those looking to learn, move, and explore, the festive programming will offer a breadth of activities. With Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment program, the resort’s marine naturalists will guide guests in exploring the ocean, including the Cities under the Sea and turtle snorkelling experiences. Above sea level, guests can embark on a luxury sunset cruise to explore sun-dappled waters at golden hour or engage in traditional fishing aboard a Maldivian Dhoni boat at dawn. On land, a sunset painting and champagne soirée will help guests capture lasting memories, alongside water-side acro-yoga and sunrise cardio tennis sessions on the resort’s high-spec tennis court to maintain festive fitness.
Harnessing the restorative power of water and the blue mind theory, the halo-shaped spa, perched serenely over the sparkling lagoon, will offer unadulterated wellness experiences with Bamford. In addition to a menu of holistic treatments, spa-goers will enjoy workshops to learn the art of gua sha self-massage, sound healing, and tapping therapy. To close out 2024 and welcome the new year, intention-setting practices and floating meditation will guide guests in formulating their resolutions, while sunrise yoga will take place in the Mystique Garden at the foot of the resort’s 98-foot-tall banyan tree.
For junior guests, Santa Claus will make a festive appearance on Christmas Day, leaving behind his merry legacy for the holidays. Ritz Kids programming, designed for children aged four to twelve, will be filled with water-inspired activities, from bubble parties to over-water piñata fun. Young visitors will delight in Ritz Kids’ futuristic indoor-outdoor space, which includes playgrounds, napping pods, an area for video games and movies, and a pool with jets and slides. Daily festive workshops will feature gingerbread house decorating, Christmas wreath making, and fascinating explorations of the micro-world of ocean organisms with marine scientists. A fashion show will invite young fashionistas to take to the catwalk, while teens can participate in beach paddleball, tennis tournaments, and kayak racing, alongside surf clinics to ride the waves into 2025.
A 15-minute boat ride to Fari Marina Village will lead to The Fari Marina Night Market on January 4th, showcasing the best of the unique Fari Islands destination. Illuminated by artist James Turrell’s Amarta installation, the evening will feature gourmet delicacies from both The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, and the neighbouring Patina resort, along with an array of local crafts.
Guests can expect the festivities at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, to continue until January 9th, before welcoming in the lunar new year.
Celebration
Villa Park sets holiday line-up with sunset welcome, Santa visit and NYE gala
Villa Park has announced its Festive 2025–2026 programme, running from 20 December 2025 to 6 January 2026. The schedule moves from lagoon-side mornings to music-led evenings on the beach, beginning with a sunset welcome and continuing with beach barbecues, creative workshops, Christmas Eve dinner, Santa’s visit on 25 December, and a New Year’s Eve gala with a midnight countdown. The season concludes with programmes on New Year’s Day and Orthodox Christmas.
Daytime activities include chef demonstrations, shoreline art sessions, and live music. Evenings feature romantic tables, treetop dining for two, and simple set-ups that highlight the island setting. The programme is designed for couples, friends, and families to join as they wish.
Family programming centres on Park Players, presented as the Maldives’ largest kids’ club, with letters to Santa, gingerbread crafts, ocean-themed art, movement classes, story time, and film nights. Group sizes are kept small to ensure attentive supervision.
Villa Park’s family offering has been recognised beyond the festive season, with the resort named among the Best Resorts for Families in the Maldives at the Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2025, a reader-voted accolade reflecting guest feedback on space, programming, and flexible pacing.
Throughout the calendar, private experiences sit alongside larger celebrations, including candlelit beach dining, treetop tastings, floating breakfasts, and open-air cinema for two. Guests can set their own rhythm, whether opting for lively beach gatherings or quiet evenings under lanterns and palms, from sunrise through to the New Year countdown and beyond.
Celebration
Mindful festive escape: Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa focuses on connection and renewal
This festive season, Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa will welcome guests to a celebration of warmth, wonder and mindful connection. From 19 December 2025 to 7 January 2026, the resort will transform into a serene island sanctuary where nature, gastronomy and meaningful experiences come together in harmony.
Situated in one of the most untouched atolls of the Maldives, Huvadhu Atoll, Hadahaa embodies a refined simplicity that showcases the beauty of the natural world. Throughout the festive period, guests are invited to slow down, reconnect and rediscover the joy of being fully present, surrounded by turquoise waters, lush island greenery and Maldivian hospitality.
“The festive season at Hadahaa is more than a celebration — it’s a homecoming,” said Anshul Sharma, General Manager of Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa. “It’s a time to reflect, to celebrate togetherness and to embrace the island’s timeless rhythm where nature and joy coexist effortlessly.”
Highlights of the Festive Season:
- Holiday splendour and timeless traditions – From the twinkling lights of the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony to the New Year’s Eve Countdown by the Beach, each event is shaped by the understated elegance that defines Park Hyatt. Familiar festive traditions are reinterpreted with authentic island touches, creating celebrations that feel both comforting and renewed.
- Beneath the holiday surface – Adventure enthusiasts will be able to join Festive Snorkelling and Diving excursions, Turtle Quests and an Exclusive Christmas Night Dive. Each marine experience offers a deeper connection to the ocean’s vibrant ecosystem, enhanced by the festive spirit of exploration.
- Season of renewal – Guests can restore body and mind with holistic spa journeys at The Vidhun Spa, featuring Ayurveda-inspired treatments, island botanicals and festive rituals designed to support inner balance. The resort will also host Dr Jyoti Kodwani, founder of The Sacred Chakras, for a month-long Festive Wellness Residency offering transformative healing therapies.
- Festive flavours and family moments – From Barefoot BBQs by the Bay to elevated treehouse dining beneath the stars, dining experiences are designed to become lasting memories. Younger guests can take part in creative workshops, treasure hunts and Santa’s seaside arrival, ensuring special moments for families and guests of all ages.
This year, Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa’s festive programme captures the essence of renewal and joy, celebrating life’s simplest pleasures with a blend of sophistication and soul.
Celebration
Celebrating 30 years: Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru launches festive ‘Season to Return’
This festive season, Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru is inviting travellers to return to where the story of the “Original Maldives” began — a sanctuary of barefoot elegance, ocean tranquillity and heartfelt connection.
From 22 December 2025 to 10 January 2026, the island will celebrate its 30-year journey with the theme “A Season to Return” — a tribute to gratitude and renewal, where moments of wellbeing, community and culinary artistry come together.
The festive period at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru is designed as a time to slow down, restore balance and reconnect with what truly matters. Each day begins with sunrise yoga or meditation by the ocean, followed by regenerative spa rituals at the award-winning Banyan Tree Spa, recognised at the Travel + Leisure Asia Awards 2025.
Programme highlights include the New Year’s Yoga Awakening on the Lagoon Platform, Gratitude Meditation sessions and Herbal Massage Oil Workshops. Each experience reflects Banyan Tree’s holistic approach to wellbeing, harmonising nature, mindfulness and rejuvenation as the new year unfolds.
A celebration of global flavours with local inspiration will be presented across the resort’s three restaurants and two bars.
Each evening will offer a distinctive dining journey that highlights a sense of place. At Saffron, the Thai Degustation Dinner will showcase refined interpretations of Thai cuisine, while at the award-winning Madi Hiyaa, an elegant Omakase and Sake Pairing menu will be served, with each course crafted to tell its own story of flavour and artistry.

At Sangu Garden, themed evenings such as Maldivian Oasis and Fisherman’s Night will pay homage to the island’s vibrant heritage. The Orthodox Night, curated in honour of the Russian New Year, will bring additional warmth to the season with a candlelit dinner under the stars, featuring ocean-fresh delicacies and live music.
The programme will also feature indulgent tasting experiences, including Japanese Lobster and Champagne dinners and Lagoon Wine and Chocolate tastings, curated to inspire curiosity and delight. Hosted at Madi Hiyaa, the overwater restaurant overlooking the Indian Ocean, these evenings will unfold against a backdrop of tranquil lagoon vistas — a celebration of togetherness and the timeless beauty of the Maldives.
Guests interested in culinary creativity will be able to participate in a series of interactive classes. The Saffron Signature Cooking Class, Maldivian Curry Class and Island Barman Japanese Cocktail Workshop will offer opportunities to learn new skills under the guidance of the resort’s culinary team, combining technique with the simple joy of creation.
As the sun sets, the island will transform into a setting for connection and celebration. The festive line-up includes Christmas Eve Sunset Cocktails, a New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner with a Masquerade theme and a beachside countdown, complemented by traditional Bodu Beru performances under the stars. Each moment is designed to reflect Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru’s legacy of hospitality, nurturing a sense of connection, wellbeing and belonging.
In line with the brand ethos “Embracing the Environment, Empowering People”, the festive season will also be anchored in purpose. Guests will have the opportunity to join meaningful activities led by the resort’s pioneering Marine Lab — the first of its kind in the Maldives. Initiatives such as Christmas Coral Micro-Fragmentation Planting, “Save the Reef” snorkelling experiences, local reef clean-ups and educational marine talks will support the island’s long-standing conservation mission and encourage deeper engagement with the ocean environment.
With the theme “A Season to Return”, Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru’s festive programme reflects the spirit of the resort’s 30-year journey — a tribute to the people, culture and heritage that have helped define the Original Maldives for generations.
Travellers choosing to return to Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru for the 2025 festive season will enjoy exclusive benefits, including savings on villa stays for bookings of five nights or more, along with a range of additional privileges designed to inspire joy, balance and renewal.
As the year draws to a close, A Season to Return offers moments of gratitude and gentle anticipation for new beginnings — a celebration of love, romance and the enduring appeal of returning to where it all began.
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