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Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives presents Active Escapes 2025

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Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives has announced the return of the Active Escapes retreats in 2025. The week-long Active Escapes Maldives Festival will be held from 27 April to 4 May 2025 at the private island resort. This event is set to be the largest Active Escapes event of the year, attracting those who enjoy combining energetic recreation with a serene holiday atmosphere. Prices for the retreat start from US$2,600++ per person, twin share.

Sharon Garrett, Director of Marketing at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives, expressed excitement about collaborating with Active Escapes again in 2025. “The week-long retreat-style festival offers a unique mix of adventure and relaxation. It’s perfect for individuals who prioritise health and fitness while on vacation or are looking to start fresh,” she said.

Garrett further noted, “It’s not a boot camp where you feel deprived of all the enjoyable aspects. On an Active Escapes retreat, guests can indulge in delicious cuisine prepared by the resort’s talented chefs and enjoy an impressive drinks list. The concept is to work out hard during the day and reward yourself in the evening.”

Active Escapes curates experiences that cater to a wide range of preferences, from water-based activities like snorkelling and kayaking to scuba diving and more. In addition to aqua-centric pursuits, there is also time for holistic well-being. This includes yoga sessions against the backdrop of breathtaking sunrises or sunsets, visiting the Kandooma Spa by COMO Shambhala in the resort gardens, or simply taking a moment to relax and reflect by the beach with the soothing sounds of the waves. Active Escapes emphasises both the thrill of leisure pursuits and group fitness activities, as well as the tranquility and balance that can be achieved by embracing nature’s beauty and being present in this island paradise.

The Active Escapes Maldives Festival 2025 is all about having fun and attracting people from all around the world. It’s not solely for fitness enthusiasts; on the contrary, it offers a welcoming environment where the goal is for participants to leave a bit fitter than when they arrived in the Maldives, although the ultimate decision on participation level is up to them. There are varying degrees of difficulty in the program to ensure that those seeking a more intense workout feel challenged, while those needing a less intense workout are well catered for.

Active Escapes are particularly popular with solo travellers, who make up half of their bookings globally. The main age group is 20-40 years, although there have been guests in their late 50s on occasion.

The seven-night Active Escapes Maldives Festival 2025 hosts have been confirmed as the highly popular Peter Day and Nathan Ryles. ‘Second Release’ Packages start from US$2,600 per person twin share (excluding flights) and US$3,500 for a single room, and include:

  • Shared speedboat transfer airport-island-airport (Day 1 and Final Day)
  • 7 nights accommodation at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives
  • Daily brunch at Kandooma Cafe (except on arrival day)
  • Nightly dinner at Kandooma Cafe (except on departure day)
  • Fitness, yoga, and other activities daily (starting on Day 2)
  • Choose your activity (surfing, SUP, shark snorkelling)
  • Snorkel Maldives Reef boat trip
  • Free scuba dive (certified divers only, terms and conditions apply)
  • Breath work and ice baths
  • Live music and DJs
  • Open mic night
  • Themed party day
  • Reverse raffle – lots of prizes to be won!
  • Photo package
  • Active Escapes welcome pack

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Fast, fun, and fearless: Jet Car rides arrive at Sun Siyam Iru Veli and Vilu Reef

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At Sun Siyam Iru Veli and Sun Siyam Vilu Reef, guests can now glide across the pristine turquoise lagoons aboard a sleek, high-performance Jet Car — a new water adventure that seamlessly blends excitement with elegance. This latest addition invites guests to experience the Maldives from an entirely fresh perspective, all while immersed in the refined comfort and distinctive style for which both resorts are renowned. A striking combination of speed, scenic beauty, and luxury, the Jet Car experience encapsulates the resorts’ dedication to delivering unforgettable moments for discerning travellers.

Powered by a high-performance Yamaha engine, the Jet Car offers a thrilling ride over the clear waters of the Indian Ocean. Guests may select from various packages, including guided excursions where a professional driver navigates the route, or private hire options that allow guests to take control, accompanied by a jet ski guide for added safety and assistance.

At Sun Siyam Vilu Reef, the experience is marked by a sleek white Jet Car that creates a dramatic contrast against the deep ocean hues, while Sun Siyam Iru Veli introduces a vibrant pink Jet Car that brings a playful splash of colour to the horizon. With intuitive controls, the Jet Cars cater to both seasoned water sports enthusiasts and beginners alike. Built-in Bluetooth speakers further personalise the journey, allowing guests to curate their own soundtrack for the ride.

To mark the launch of the Jet Car, both resorts are offering exclusive summer packages. At Sun Siyam Iru Veli, guests staying a minimum of seven nights will receive complimentary round-trip seaplane transfers for two, a veranda breakfast, a Lucky Dolphin Cruise, a USD 100 spa credit on selected treatments, and a welcome bottle of wine with signature bed decoration. Meanwhile, the offer at Sun Siyam Vilu Reef includes complimentary transfers, a sparkling wine and fruit basket on arrival, the choice of a floating or in-villa breakfast, a 30-minute couple’s spa treatment, a complimentary room upgrade (subject to availability), access to selected non-motorised water sports, and free accommodation for children under 12.

Available for bookings made until 31 August, these seasonal offers present a perfect opportunity for guests to pair barefoot luxury with exhilarating new experiences on the water.

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Excursions

OBLU NATURE Helengeli by SENTIDO hosts Dive Month for female journalists

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PADI Women’s Dive Day, observed globally on 19th July, serves as an invitation for more women to engage with the underwater world, gain new skills, and become stewards of the ocean. At OBLU NATURE Helengeli by SENTIDO, this vision was extended into a month-long celebration, welcoming solo travellers, adventurous women, and families to take part.

As part of its inaugural International Women’s Dive Month, the resort hosted seven international female journalists for three days of scuba diving, storytelling, and shared experiences. The initiative was held in collaboration with dive centre TGI Maldives and ELE|NA Ayur Spa, a leader in wellness within the Maldives.

Alain Trefois, General Manager at OBLU NATURE Helengeli by SENTIDO, noted the significance of the occasion, stating that the belief in diving being accessible to all was brought vividly to life. He described the gathering of journalists from London to Almaty as a powerful meeting of East and West, united by encouragement and camaraderie both above and beneath the waves—an atmosphere the resort strives to cultivate.

Set against the backdrop of a vibrant house reef just steps from the shore and world-renowned dive sites nearby, Helengeli provides an ideal environment for both novice and experienced divers. For many of the visiting journalists, it marked their first time experiencing life beneath the surface—and it was only the beginning. Through a thoughtfully curated programme blending scuba diving with ocean-inspired wellness treatments, rejuvenating spa rituals, and insightful marine conservation talks, the resort created an immersive and holistic journey that left a lasting impression.

The heartfelt hospitality, expertise, and dedication of the resort’s operations team played a central role in the experience, ensuring that every element ran seamlessly and with sincere warmth.

Joining the journalists on their dives was Greta Marcelli, Operations Manager at TGI Maldives, who reflected on the joy of witnessing first-time divers. She described diving with such a diverse and pioneering group of women as profoundly inspiring and shared that Women’s Dive Month was introduced not only to celebrate women in diving but to foster connection, confidence, and a sense of community.

The media group, comprised entirely of women, brought together voices from across Europe and Central Asia. Among them were Ms. Dorothee Elisabeth Pfaffel of Augsburger Allgemeine and Allgäuer Zeitung (Germany), Ms. Camilla Rocca of Forbes and StyleCorriere (Italy), Ms. Irina Buchnaya of STEPPE (Kazakhstan), Ms. Míra Németi of Marie Claire (Hungary), Ms. Ivana Bednářová of Prestige Magazine (Czech Republic), Ms. Tamara Rybicka of Zwierciadlo (Poland), and UK-based freelance journalist Ms. Monica Daisy Meade. Their varied backgrounds in luxury, lifestyle, travel, and culture journalism brought a rich and global perspective to the occasion.

As the final dives came to a close, it was clear that the gathering had evolved beyond a press trip. It became a movement, a meaningful moment, and a memory in motion—one that each journalist will carry forward, with salt in their hair, stories in their hearts, and a lasting connection to the sea.

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Tribute to tradition: Milaidhoo Maldives introduces ‘Set Sail with Captain Ibbe’

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Milaidhoo Maldives, the exclusive boutique island nestled in the heart of the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, has launched a deeply immersive new offering: Set Sail with Captain Ibbe. More than a typical sunset fishing trip, this thoughtfully curated experience invites guests to reconnect with the rhythm of Maldivian island life, guided by tradition, sustainability, and heartfelt storytelling.

Reflecting Milaidhoo’s philosophy that true luxury lies not merely in what is seen or served, but in what is felt, this new experience captures the essence of the brand’s “reinvented luxury” and “island-inspired” ethos. Guests are invited to discover the soul of the Maldives through its most enduring and elemental force—the sea.

At the helm is Captain Ibbe, a proud Maldivian and long-standing crew member at Milaidhoo. Hailing from the island of Kendhikulhudhoo in Noonu Atoll, the sea has been an intrinsic part of his life from early childhood. For Captain Ibbe, time on the water feels like a return home. With his ever-warm smile and deep-rooted knowledge of the ocean, he guides guests through time-honoured Maldivian fishing techniques, such as trolling and jigging, relying solely on line and instinct passed down through generations.

But the journey does not end with the day’s final catch.

As the sun sets below the horizon, guests are transported to a secluded, untouched sandbank, where an unforgettable scene unfolds. Welcomed by the rhythmic beat of Bodu Beru drums and bathed in the golden light of dusk, guests are treated to a private beachside barbecue. Here, a chef transforms the fresh catch into a traditional Maldivian feast, cooked over an open flame and wrapped in banana leaves, just as the islanders have done for generations.

With cocktail in hand and toes in the sand, guests enjoy a magical evening beneath the stars—far removed from the demands of the world, surrounded only by the gentle lapping of waves and the whisper of the ocean breeze.

The Set Sail with Captain Ibbe experience is more than a simple excursion; it is a celebration of sustainability, authenticity, and connection. From age-old fishing methods to a dinner inspired by local traditions, every detail reflects Milaidhoo’s dedication to preserving and sharing the rich cultural heritage of the Maldives.

At Milaidhoo, the greatest luxury lies in meaningful moments—where nature envelops you and every experience tells a timeless story.

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