Featured
Grand Park Kodhipparu: setting new standards with Green Globe Gold Certification
Grand Park Kodhipparu, Maldives, has achieved Green Globe Gold certification for its commitment to environmental, social, and sustainability engagement. This prestigious certification marks five consecutive years of recognition for the resort.
The resort has proudly announced its re-certification by Green Globe for 2024, representing another milestone in its ongoing commitment to sustainability, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility. Since first receiving Green Globe certification for sustainable tourism in 2020, Grand Park Kodhipparu has consistently demonstrated leadership in sustainable operations and practices, ensuring that every guest experience aligns with its core values of protecting and preserving its unique ecosystem.
Grand Park Kodhipparu has consistently exceeded benchmarks for sustainable tourism. In the latest Green Globe onsite audit, the resort achieved 87% compliance, showcasing its dedication to sustainable hospitality.
Key achievements and initiatives for 2024 include:
- Elimination of Single-Use Plastics: In line with its goal to reduce plastic waste, Grand Park Kodhipparu has completely eliminated single-use plastics. The resort’s transition from plastic to reusable straws since 2018 has resulted in the reduction of approximately 450,000 plastic straws over five years. Additionally, the on-site bottling plant, operational since 2019, has saved over 117,000 plastic bottles in 2023 alone, conserving valuable resources and reducing waste.
- Coral Reef Restoration: The resort’s active coral reef restoration project aims to increase coral abundance and diversity naturally. Through careful monitoring and innovative line nurseries, which have shown a 99% success rate, Grand Park Kodhipparu is dedicated to enhancing the resilience of its house reef. In 2023, over 35 coral colonies were successfully transplanted to the reef, contributing to the vibrant underwater ecosystem that guests enjoy exploring.
- Wildlife Conservation and Biodiversity: Grand Park Kodhipparu has made significant progress in cataloguing the flora and fauna on the island, identifying over 115 species of trees and plants. In collaboration with the Olive Ridley Project, resident turtles are monitored, fostering a deeper connection between guests and local marine life.
- Solar Power and Energy Efficiency: To reduce its carbon footprint, the resort launched a solar power system on Earth Day 2021, which now supplies over 10.56% of its electricity needs, saving approximately 150,000 litres of diesel annually. This commitment to renewable energy is complemented by energy-efficient lighting, water conservation measures, and environmentally friendly amenities throughout the resort.
- Environmental Education and Awareness: The resort’s Resident Marine Biologist plays a crucial role in educating guests and team members on marine conservation and sustainability. Regular talks, guided snorkelling tours, and awareness sessions are conducted to foster a deeper understanding of the delicate marine environment and the steps that can be taken to protect it.
Grand Park Kodhipparu places great importance on its team members and local communities. The resort prides itself on its diverse workforce, with employees from 22 nationalities, and a commitment to equitable employment opportunities. Training and development programs ensure that every team member is equipped to grow professionally and contribute meaningfully to sustainability efforts.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives extend beyond the resort team to embrace local traditions and international celebrations, fostering a sense of community and inclusiveness. Events such as World Oceans Day, Earth Day, and various cultural festivities underscore a dedication to cultural appreciation and environmental advocacy.
Looking forward to 2025, Grand Park Kodhipparu remains steadfast in its commitment to sustainability, guided by its comprehensive Sustainability Management Plan. The resort will continue to innovate and lead in responsible tourism, setting new standards for environmental conservation and social responsibility in the Maldives.
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.
Featured
Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas introduces season of wellness with three practitioners
Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas is inviting guests to embark on a holistic journey guided by three visiting wellness practitioners, each specialising in distinct approaches to healing. Drawing on traditional knowledge and contemporary practice, the practitioners will offer therapies at the resort’s overwater spa designed to align body, mind, and spirit in a tranquil Maldivian setting. Disciplines include Ayurveda, energy-based therapies, sound healing, and mindful movement, with personalised consultations and bespoke treatments available.
A fifth-generation Ayurvedic physician, Dr Jithurag continues a 300-year family lineage rooted in holistic balance. Trained within the Rameswaram Tantric tradition, he blends Ayurvedic principles with elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine, integrating marma therapy and acupuncture with Reiki and Pranic Healing. Using wellness screening technologies to assess biomarkers, he designs tailored treatment plans. Guests may book a complimentary consultation and choose from signature therapies such as TCM Acupuncture, Cupping Therapy, Marma Abhyanga, and Back Restoration Therapy.
Holistic therapist and Ayurvedic healer Sharath Ram brings more than 16 years’ experience in supporting physical, mental, and spiritual balance. His work combines Ayurveda with energy practices and therapeutic yoga to encourage both recovery and transformation. His specialities include Chakra Inner Energy Balancing, Ayurveda Deep Fusion Therapy, Visceral Manipulation, Maderotherapy, and Mind-Body Healing. He will also lead complimentary workshops, including The Art of Breathing and Dynamic Meditation, focusing on breathwork and movement to promote calm and clarity.
From Kerala, India, Vinod Narayanan offers over a decade of experience in Ayurveda, yoga, and holistic healing across Europe, Africa, and Asia, including service as a personal physician to dignitaries. At Anantara Kihavah he will provide therapies such as Himalayan Sound Healing Massage, De-Armouring Body Therapy, Abdominal Detox, Access Bars Energy Healing, and Gut-Brain Rewiring. Using vibration, touch, and energy alignment, his sessions aim to release emotional blockages, improve circulation, and support the body’s natural rhythm. Complimentary consultations are available, alongside sound-based journeys that seek to harmonise body and spirit.
Together, the practitioners complement Anantara Kihavah’s wellbeing philosophy, extending from Ayurvedic traditions to sound therapy. Guests are invited to the overwater Anantara Spa for bespoke treatments, meditative workshops, and one-to-one consultations that encourage connection with self and nature.
Further enhancing the experience, the resort has introduced reimagined Beach Pool Villas featuring natural textures, open-plan spaces, and private pools set within tropical greenery.
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.
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