JOALI BEING, the transformative well-living island in the Maldives, has announced its recognition in the prestigious Condé Nast Traveler US Readers’ Choice Awards 2026, securing No. 8 in the Best Spa Resorts in the US & Around the World category.

Now in its 39th year, the annual Readers’ Choice Awards celebrate excellence in global travel, recognising the world’s most exceptional hotels, resorts, spas, destinations and travel experiences. This year, Condé Nast Traveler received more than 798,867 survey responses from readers across the United States, reflecting the experiences and preferences of discerning travellers worldwide.

Rooted in the philosophy of the Joy of Well-Living, JOALI BEING offers a transformative approach to holistic well-living, guided by its Four Pillars of Mind, Skin, Microbiome and Energy. Set amidst the natural beauty of Raa Atoll in the Maldives, the island brings together personalised well-living journeys, expert-led experiences, biophilic design and immersive nature-inspired rituals, inviting guests to reconnect with themselves and discover a renewed sense of balance.

Graeme Freeman, General Manager of JOALI BEING, commented: “We are incredibly proud to receive this recognition from the readers of Condé Nast Traveler. At JOALI BEING, we believe that well-living is a deeply personal journey, and our purpose has always been to create experiences that inspire meaningful, lasting change. This honour is a testament to the dedication of our team and the trust our guests place in us.”

This latest accolade further strengthens JOALI BEING’s position as a leading destination for transformative well-living, reflecting a continued commitment to thoughtful luxury, innovation and meaningful guest experiences.

A stay at JOALI BEING is a transformative journey where guests return home feeling lighter, happier and more energised.

Villas start from USD 2,442 per night for two guests sharing an Ocean Pool Villa on a B&B basis. For bookings and further information, please contact reservations.being@joali.com.

Machchafushi Island Resort & Spa Maldives, The Centara Collection, is set to host an exclusive underwater photography and media experience from 14 to 17 October 2026, in partnership with Youth Global Program in partnership with Nikon Middle East & Nikon India. The programme is supported by Lexar Middle East and Hollyland Middle East. Led by Nikon’s underwater photographers and welcoming select international media, the programme will offer an immersive exploration of Machchafushi’s exceptional marine environment and the underwater world of the South Ari Atoll.

Set within the South Ari Marine Protected Area (SAMPA), Machchafushi offers an exceptional setting for an exclusive underwater photography experience. The resort’s award-winning house reef, spanning more than five times the area of the island itself, creates an expansive underwater landscape shaped by vibrant coral gardens, diverse marine life, and a series of distinctive dive sites.

The experience will take Nikon underwater photographers and select media beneath the surface of Machchafushi, offering the opportunity to capture the island’s marine environment from a unique perspective. From coral formations and marine life to the deeper waters surrounding the island, the programme will showcase the diversity and character of the South Ari Atoll, including the renowned Kudhi Maa shipwreck, which rests between approximately 12 and 30 metres under the surface and has become an established artificial reef.

Together, Machchafushi’s award winning house reef, vibrant coral gardens, diverse marine life and Kudhi Maa create a compelling underwater canvas, offering visiting photographers and media an opportunity to experience and document a lesser seen perspective of the Maldives.

Beyond the reef, the programme will introduce participants to the wider Machchafushi experience, connecting the underwater environment with the island’s natural surroundings, dining, wellness and slower rhythm of island life. Together, these experiences offer a broader perspective of Machchafushi and its place within the South Ari Atoll.

The collaboration brings together Nikon’s expertise in photography and Machchafushi’s distinctive marine environment, creating an exclusive platform to showcase the underwater character of the South Ari Atoll through the lens of leading underwater photographers and international media, with support from Lexar Middle East and Hollyland Middle East.

Taking place from 14 to 17 October 2026, the experience will offer an opportunity to discover and document Machchafushi beyond the shoreline, from its award-winning house reef and vibrant marine life to the distinctive underwater landscapes surrounding the island. Through the photographers and media attending, the experience will bring a different perspective of the Maldives to audiences around the world.

JA Manafaru, the private Maldivian island resort located in Haa Alifu Atoll, has earned a place in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide hotel selection, bringing international recognition to the island retreat of Dubai-born JA Resorts & Hotels. On this island in the northern Maldives, hospitality takes its character from the destination: Maldivian flavours served among the branches of a living banyan tree, days spent exploring the surrounding waters, and a team whose personal welcome brings guests into island life.

Independently selected by MICHELIN Guide inspectors for its global hotel collection, JA Manafaru offers an experience shaped around privacy, space, and attentive service. Its 84 villas and residences with private pools sit alongside distinctive dining venues, extensive leisure facilities, and a secluded spa sanctuary, with new residences and treetop restaurant Kuriadding fresh dimensions to the stay. The inclusion follows the resort’s Forbes Travel Guide Recommended recognition in the 2026 Star Awards, securing a second notable international acknowledgement this year.

Ralph Porciani, Chief Executive Officer, JA Resorts & Hotels, commented: “JA Manafaru’s selection in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide is a proud achievement for our entire group. Following its Forbes Travel Guide Recommended recognition earlier this year, it is a meaningful acknowledgement of the quality and consistency our island team delivers. Our story began in Dubai in 1981, and seeing that hospitality recognised internationally is particularly special. We continue to invest in our destinations, but it is the care of our people, their knowledge of the island, and the personal experiences they create that give JA Manafaru its character.”

The resort’s new residences expand its appeal for families and groups. Among the highlights is the Three Bedroom Royal Beach Residence, spanning 5,800 square metres across two levels. With two private pools, a dedicated spa pavilion featuring steam and sauna facilities, private cabanas, generous living areas, and personal butler service, it offers an expansive retreat for multigenerational holidays and special celebrations.

Food and a sense of place come together at Kuri, an intimate treetop restaurant within the canopy of a living banyan tree. Meaning “treetop” in Dhivehi, Kuri welcomes up to four guests for a five-course tasting menu led by Executive Chef Moosa Nazeeh. Its 0km philosophy draws on ingredients sourced from the surrounding atoll, including reef fish, coconut, pandan and screwpine, interpreting traditional Maldivian flavours through a contemporary lens. Handcrafted ceramics from JA Manafaru’s own on-island clay studio complete the setting.

Elsewhere, guests can enjoy wine-paired dinners at The Cellar, carved into volcanic rock beneath the island, beachfront dining at Ocean Grill, and Japanese cuisine at White Orchid. Maldivian cooking classes offer a hands-on introduction to the destination’s culinary traditions.

Across the island, experiences balance discovery with time to slow down. Snorkelling, diving and excursions to nearby islands reveal the surrounding marine environment, while kayaking, paddleboarding, and castaway island picnics offer different ways to enjoy the ocean. Guided nature trails introduce guests to the island’s landscape, complementing days spent on the water.

Wellbeing is woven into the stay through treatments and rituals at Calm Spa Sanctuary, nestled within tropical greenery, alongside yoga and fitness sessions. Tennis, cycling, and family activities complete an offering that allows guests to shape their holiday around their own interests, whether seeking adventure, rest or time together.

Roberto Garrone, General Manager, JA Manafaru, added, “This inclusion is a recognition of what the team at JA Manafaru lives every day. Our island offers a rare combination of privacy, natural beauty, and space, but it is the people who bring the experience to life. To see the resort included in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide hotel selection is a significant moment for our team and a wonderful reflection of the destination we are proud to call home.”

For JA Resorts & Hotels, the recognition brings international attention to a hospitality legacy established in the UAE more than four decades ago. At JA Manafaru, that legacy finds its own island expression through warm service, Maldivian culture, and experiences rooted in the destination.

For more information and bookings, visit the resort’s official website.