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‘Tis the season to be jolly at JOALI Maldives

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JOALI Maldives, the first and only art-immersive resort in the Maldives, unveils its “Tis the Season to be Jolly” holiday theme alongside a robust calendar of festive offerings for the whole family to enjoy. From 21 December 2024 through 10 January 2025, the award-winning resort will transform into a magical Christmas island, bringing holiday cheer, nostalgia and yuletide splendour for an unforgettable holiday celebration.

From classic holiday traditions, including a festive tree lighting ceremony and visit from Santa Claus to an extravagant Christmas Eve Gala followed by a Christmas Day brunch, JOALI Maldives embraces the holiday season while keeping true to its art-immersive identity with an array of festive interactive activities for the whole family to enjoy including:

  • Holiday Ceramics: Guided by JOALI’s Resident Artist, guests can reignite their imaginations as they create one-of-a-kind ceramics and pottery with their own hands.
  • Christmas Tree Coral Planting: Guests can contribute to the JOALI Reef Restoration Project by attaching fragments of hope to a coral Christmas tree frame to be added to the resort’s onsite coral nursery.
  • JOALI Fashion Show: Guests and JOALI’s very own models will display the exclusive and signature JOALI lifestyle and capsule collections with Aquazzura and Frescobol Ciara on a joyful tropical runway.

JOALI Maldives will also welcome several globally recognised guest Chefs and experts over Festive to encourage guests to fully embrace the ‘Joy of Living’ this holiday season. The Festive Season line-up of artisans at JOALI Maldives include:

  • Chef Ekaterina Alehina: The first female chef in Russia to be awarded a Michelin star, her award-winning restaurant, Biologie, in Moscow is based on the concept of “circular gastronomy,” which brings together three biological realms: animal, plant, fungi and bacteria. Serving mindful recipes with a strong accent on sustainability, Chef Alehina will host an intimate wine-paired dinner inspired by her Biologie concept and menu.
  • Chef Nina Tarasova: With over 10 years of experience in the culinary sphere, Chef Tarasova is well-known for her confectionary skills. After completing her training in France, Chef Tarasova is now based in Russia where she frequently represents the country at various international festivals and forums. Chef Tarasova looks forward to creating magical festive desserts to accompany various dinners including one with visiting Chef Ekaterina Alehina and a sake-paired seafood and sushi dinner at Saoke.
  • Dr. Sanket Yadahalli: A naturopath with over a decade of hands-on healing experience, Dr. Yadahalli has taken his passion for evidence-based natural medicine across six continents, working with premier luxury resorts, wellness retreats and sports clinics. Employing an integrative approach by taking the best from acupuncture and manipulative practices to craft uniquely effective blends, guests are invited to discover long-lasting results with his personalised therapies designed to address concerns such as chronic muscle tightness, spine and joint pain, stress, sleep disorders, and digestive and hormonal imbalances. Dr. Yadahall will also guide a Tratak Meditation session, an ancient practice that will bring guests on a transformative journey of self-discovery to foster better focus, clarity and inner peace.
  • Gaia Pagnini: With a solid foundation in Exercise Science, Pagnini believes in understanding each client’s unique needs, goals, and challenges to create a customised fitness journey that is both effective and enjoyable. Pagnini’s passion for all things fitness and wellness has led her to collaborate with Technogym and Barry’s Bootcamp. Pagnini looks forward to bringing her personalised workout plans to JOALI while leading various fitness classes, including a Boot Camp by Gaia and Core & Balance class.

This season of gifting, guests can explore JOALI De Maison for one-of-a-kind capsule collections in collaboration with fashion houses such as Aquazzura and Frescobol Carioca. Handmade with the finest Italian craftsmanship, the Aquazzura collection features a sandal slide and matching clutch in white leather, with a refined beaded embroidered motif depicting pristine blue water, a cerulean sky with coconut palms, and the iconic arrival jetty. Frescobol Carioca presents JOALI-inspired menswear in blush pink and padel tennis equipment carrying tropical illustrations.

Lastly, across the other side of the world in New York City, Lysée, a pastry boutique by Michelin-Starred Pastry Chef Eunji Lee, will offer New Yorkers a taste of JOALI and the Maldives with a limited-time holiday dessert inspired by Chef Lee’s visit to the island in September. Redefining NYC’s dessert landscape, Chef Lee, who has an impressive resume having worked at restaurants like Le Meurice in Paris and Jungsik in New York, was named La Liste’s Pastry Talents of the Year 2023 as well as Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs of 2023. Combining Korean ingredients, French techniques and New York flavours, Lysée is inspired by Chef Lee’s love to make her pastries as edible art, with Lysée representing a sweet museum derived from the French word Musée.

This Festive Season, visitors will enjoy JOALI Maldives’ ‘Joy of Living’ philosophy with 73 elegantly appointed and expansive beach and over-water villas. Offering 11 different villa categories, guests may choose from one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom options, all of which come with a personal Jadugar, meaning ‘skilled magician’ in Dhivehi.

JOALI Maldives has villas from $9,800 per night based on two persons sharing a Beach Villa with Pool on B&B basis. For additional details on JOALI Maldives’ ‘Tis the Season to be Jolly Festive programming or to book, please visit www.joali.com/joali-maldives.

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Fushifaru Maldives blends cultural experiences with new in-house activities

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Fushifaru Maldives has introduced a refreshed programme of guest activities and experiences as it enters 2026, combining cultural elements with new forms of entertainment across the resort.

The boutique resort has expanded its in-house activities to cater to a wide range of age groups. New offerings include circus-style sessions for children, hula hoop classes, aerial performances, fire shows and CYR wheel displays, aimed at providing structured entertainment for both families and adult guests.

The resort marked the end of 2025 with a Gatsby-themed farewell event, featuring a cocktail evening where guests were invited to dress in period-inspired attire. New Year’s Eve celebrations centred on a dinner service prepared by the resort’s culinary team, with a menu that included beef ribs, roasted turkey, grilled lobster, salmon and oysters, alongside seafood selections, Japanese dishes, Asian and Mediterranean cuisine, and live cooking stations. The evening concluded with desserts and tropical fruit offerings.

For 2026, Fushifaru Maldives has also updated its daily activity schedule. Themed dinner nights continue to form a core part of the guest experience, with a Maldivian-themed dinner held every Friday. This includes a live cooking demonstration based on traditional Maldivian preparation methods, highlighting the step-by-step process of making local curries.

According to the resort, the updated programmes are designed to strengthen guest engagement while maintaining links to Maldivian heritage. The focus remains on offering structured experiences that reflect both cultural practices and contemporary resort entertainment.

Fushifaru Maldives stated that it plans to continue developing its activity and dining concepts throughout the year, with further updates to be shared with guests and industry partners.

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Niyama Private Islands enhances surf lifestyle with stylish new surf venue

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Niyama Private Islands Maldives now offers what is considered the most luxurious surf experience in the Maldives, enhanced by the introduction of its new Surf Shack — a stylish beachfront hangout serving gourmet bites, drinks, sunset views and lively parties.

Known as Nature’s Playground, the resort has long attracted surf professionals from around the globe. Located in the southern Maldives, where swells are at their strongest, it is a preferred base during peak surf season. Waves break directly on shore, with additional surf spots accessible within minutes by speedboat.

Niyama’s signature waves roll in at Vodi Point, situated on the westernmost tip of its twin islands. It is here that the resort has unveiled the new Surf Shack, designed to make time off the waves equally appealing. The thatched-roof venue encourages a barefoot, relaxed atmosphere, offering an upper deck for sunset viewing and picnic-style seating below. Reflecting Niyama’s sustainability ethos, Area Chief of Engineering Michael Patrick Slevin notes that 75 per cent of construction materials were repurposed, blending beach casual with environmentally conscious design.

Guests can enjoy gourmet dishes served from service windows, with a menu inspired by iconic surf destinations worldwide: Australian fish and chips, Indonesian satay, Mexican nachos and Japanese takoyaki. The drinks list pays tribute to rum, featuring an extensive collection and signature cocktails inspired by renowned surf breaks.

While the Surf Shack maintains a laidback feel during the day, the beachfront transforms at dusk as the tides shift and the DJ elevates the atmosphere. The resort’s rum and reggae Sundays have already become a celebrated weekly event.

Surfers at Niyama can design their days as they wish — chasing waves or relaxing ashore. The Surf Centre offers equipment and guidance, while Drift by Niyama provides recovery treatments to soothe muscles, repair sun-exposed skin and restore energy. Resident professional surfers remain available to advise on technique and wave conditions.

“The new Surf Shack forms part of the renewed Niyama experience, which includes significant refurbishments across the resort, inventive culinary additions and a greater emphasis on active living and wellness,” said Hafidh Al Busaidy, General Manager of Niyama Private Islands Maldives. “With more developments on the way, we look forward to sharing what comes next.”

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Intimate island experiences shape Valentine’s Day at InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort

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This Valentine’s Day, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort invites couples to celebrate love through a collection of carefully curated experiences designed to unfold in intimate moments across the island.

Framed by the natural beauty of Maamunagau Island, the resort’s Valentine’s programme centres on a series of limited-edition dining and wellness experiences created exclusively for the occasion. From private beachfront dining and moonlit dinners along Café Umi Beach to an elevated Valentine’s evening at the signature Lighthouse venue, romance is conveyed through setting, atmosphere and thoughtful detail rather than elaborate gestures.

Culinary experiences sit at the heart of the celebration, with bespoke Valentine’s menus intended to be savoured slowly, paired with curated wines and accompanied by uninterrupted ocean views. Each dining experience is crafted to feel personal, whether enjoyed beneath the night sky or in one of the island’s more private spaces.

Beyond dining, couples are encouraged to reconnect through shared wellness experiences at AVI Spa. Signature rituals and indulgent treatments offer a quieter expression of romance, giving guests the opportunity to unwind together in a calm, oceanfront environment. Those seeking complete privacy may opt for bespoke in-villa treatments, allowing the occasion to be marked within the comfort of their own surroundings.

Throughout Valentine’s Day, subtle touches across the resort—from crafted cocktails to curated wine moments—enhance the celebration without overwhelming it, reflecting InterContinental Maldives’ belief that genuine luxury is rooted in balance, intention and authenticity.

At InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort, Valentine’s Day is shaped not by excess, but by considered, enduring moments that create shared memories long after the day has passed.

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