Family
JOALI Maldives reveals enchanting Easter 2025 festivities
JOALI Maldives, the first and only art-immersive island in the Maldives, has announced its 2025 Easter theme, ‘Where Wonders Soar.’ Drawing inspiration from the Painted Lady Butterfly, known for its migration to hidden corners of the world, the resort invites guests to embark on their own journey of freedom and transformation. From April 11th to 21st, 2025, JOALI Maldives will offer a series of festivities designed to inspire curiosity, creativity, joyful bonding, and connection.
For this Easter celebration, JOALI Maldives will host world-renowned pastry chef and chocolatier Chef Gonzo Jimenez, star of Netflix’s ‘Bakesquad.’ Recognised for his exquisite chocolate artistry and commitment to sustainability, Chef Jimenez will conduct a week-long residency from April 16th to 23rd. Guests will have the opportunity to explore the art of chocolate making, indulge in decadent desserts inspired by the Painted Lady Butterfly, and participate in masterclasses designed for both children and adults. A limited-time dessert crafted by Chef Jimenez will add an extra layer of delight to the Easter celebrations.
Additionally, the resort will welcome back acclaimed Visiting Chef Alex Webb, known for his innovative culinary expertise and his winning dishes on BBC’s ‘MasterChef: The Professionals.’ Chef Webb will present a specially curated five-course set menu, combining bold flavours and inventive techniques for a memorable dining experience. The ‘Flavours of Joy Gourmet Dinner’ will be available from April 19th to 21st.
Beyond gastronomy, a diverse calendar of daily ‘Where Wonders Soar’ Easter activities will be offered from April 11th to 21st, featuring:
- Creativity and Art: As the Maldives’ first and only art-immersive island, JOALI integrates art throughout its offerings. Guests can participate in art classes focusing on recycling and sustainability, including ceramic crafting, hand-painting repurposed glass bottles, exploring butterfly sanctuaries through a Spring Reflections class, fluid painting, and traditional Easter egg and chocolate bunny decorating.
- Culinary Explorations: Alongside Chef Webb’s five-course menu, guests can enjoy a celebratory Easter breakfast and a Joyful Easter Feast buffet-style dinner featuring signature JOALI dishes paired with classic holiday favourites. Other specialty dining experiences throughout the week include a Good Friday breakfast, a Sundowner Reception, Sushi by the Sea, the Old World Wine Dinner, The Love of Levant six-course wine-paired dinner, the Street Food Fiesta market-style buffet, and Tastes of Soake, a five-course experience at the resort’s over-water Japanese-Peruvian restaurant.
- Land & Sea Adventures: Guests can embrace the vibrant nature of spring with a range of outdoor experiences, including a Seas of Gold sunset cruise, jet-ski adventures, eFoil electric board rides, family fitness challenges, and an Easter Football Cup match.
- Wellness: The Easter theme of rebirth, wonder, and transformation is reflected in an array of mindful wellness experiences. Guests can partake in gratitude meditation, a cacao ceremony, and various yoga classes, including aerial yoga, core activation, and Yin Yoga, all within the serene environment of JOALI BEING Cure.
For families, the Muramas Kids Club will offer engaging activities designed to foster creativity and adventure, including:
- Rainbow Doodles: Easter Decoration – A fun-filled Easter-themed doodling session where children can decorate eggs, bunnies, and seasonal symbols using vibrant colors.
- Easter Bunny Quest: Family Easter Egg Hunt – A lively egg hunt featuring the Easter Bunny, bringing excitement and laughter to the whole family.
- Floating Fun: Bubble Party – A beachside bubble celebration where children can chase and pop shimmering bubbles under the Maldivian sun.
- Galactic Explorers: Stargazing – An educational session led by an in-house astronomer, allowing children to observe stars, constellations, and distant planets.
- Movie Under the Stars – An open-air cinema experience on the beach, where families can watch a movie under the starry sky with the soothing sound of ocean waves in the background.
General Manager Shifaz Hassan expressed excitement about welcoming new and returning guests to the ‘Island of Joy’ during the Easter season. He highlighted JOALI Maldives’ unique approach to hospitality, where art, creativity, and adventure come together to offer an unparalleled experience for guests of all ages.
Family
Outdoor adventures, football sessions planned for Velaa Kids Week
Velaa Private Island will host Velaa Kids Week from 3 to 9 August 2026, bringing together outdoor activities, team challenges and sports sessions for young guests.
The programme will be delivered in partnership with Sharky & George, which specialises in activities and experiences for children. It has been designed to encourage creativity, curiosity and confidence through games and island-based exploration.
Activities will include outdoor adventures, interactive games, team challenges and opportunities to discover the resort’s natural surroundings. The programme will also provide children with opportunities to form friendships and develop teamwork skills during their stay.
World champion freestyle footballer Tobias Becs will join this year’s event, adding a sporting component to the programme. Becs will conduct sessions and demonstrations in which children can learn freestyle football skills, take part in physical activities and try new techniques.
His involvement is intended to introduce young guests to freestyle football in an accessible format, with sessions combining demonstrations, participation and play.
Velaa Kids Week forms part of the resort’s family programming and will offer a scheduled series of activities throughout the seven-day event.
Family
Where families come together: Alila Kothaifaru Maldives’ luxury villa experience
As travellers increasingly prioritise meaningful time together, multi-generational holidays and private group escapes are reshaping the luxury travel landscape. Responding to this growing demand, Alila Kothaifaru Maldives, a Hyatt resort, offers thoughtfully designed two-bedroom accommodations that combine generous living spaces with the resort’s signature understated luxury, creating an idyllic setting for families and friends to reconnect amidst the natural beauty of the Maldives.
While the Maldives has long been synonymous with romantic escapes, today’s travellers are embracing a different kind of luxury—one centred on shared experiences, quality time, and the freedom to travel together without compromising privacy. At Alila Kothaifaru Maldives, the Two-Bedroom Beach Pool Villas and the exclusive Boduge Residence have been designed to support these evolving travel preferences while remaining deeply connected to the island’s pristine environment.

Space Designed for Togetherness
Set along the island’s powder-soft shoreline, the Two-Bedroom Beach Pool Villa offers 265 square metres of thoughtfully planned indoor and outdoor living. Featuring one king bedroom and one twin bedroom, spacious living and dining areas, an enclosed bathroom with separate bathtub and shower, and a lush private garden with swimming pool and sun deck, the villa provides ample room for families to spend quality time together while enjoying moments of quiet retreat. Every stay is complemented by the attentive service of a dedicated villa host, ensuring a seamless and personalised island experience.

A Private Residence for Life’s Special Gatherings
For milestone celebrations, extended family holidays, or intimate group escapes, the Boduge Residence offers Alila Kothaifaru Maldives’ most exclusive accommodation.
Spanning 395 square metres (4,251 sq ft), the residence features 235 square metres (2,530 sq ft) of elegant indoor living space with two beautifully appointed bedrooms—a king-bedded master suite, a twin bedroom and a dedicated service room with twin bedding, expansive living and dining areas, a kitchenette, maid’s room, premium amenities, and dedicated villa host service.

Its 160-square-metre (1,722 sq ft) outdoor sanctuary is designed for effortless island living, complete with a 45-square-metre private pool, spacious sun deck, outdoor dining area, wooden swing, and poolside BBQ—inviting guests to linger over shared meals, celebrate special occasions, or simply enjoy uninterrupted time together beneath the Maldivian sky.
For larger groups, the Boduge Residence can seamlessly connect to a neighbouring villa, creating a spacious three-bedroom retreat while preserving the privacy and tranquillity that define the Alila experience.
“Luxury today is increasingly defined by the quality of time we spend with the people who matter most,” says Thomas Weber, General Manager of Alila Kothaifaru Maldives. “Our two-bedroom accommodations were created to give families and groups the space to reconnect naturally, while immersing themselves in the calm, simplicity, and extraordinary beauty of our island. It’s an experience that reflects Alila’s philosophy of thoughtful luxury—where every detail is intentionally designed to foster meaningful moments.”

Rooted in Nature, Guided by Design
Home to 81 private pool villas, including 41 Beach Pool Villas, 36 Overwater Pool Villas, three Two-Bedroom Beach Pool Villas, and the exclusive Boduge Residence, Alila Kothaifaru Maldives is defined by architecture that complements rather than competes with its surroundings.
Designed by Singapore-based Studiogoto, the resort embraces clean architectural lines, natural materials, and open spaces that blur the boundaries between indoors and out. Every accommodation has been carefully integrated into the island landscape, reinforcing Alila’s long-standing commitment to sustainability, mindful hospitality, and a deep respect for place.

Beyond the Villa
Surrounded by the vibrant marine life of Raa Atoll, guests enjoy direct access to exceptional snorkelling and diving, immersive wellness experiences at Spa Alila, and thoughtfully curated Alila Moments that celebrate Maldivian culture and nature.
Families can also enjoy quality time beyond the beach through the resort’s padel tennis court, outdoor game area, and Play Alila activities designed for younger guests, creating fun shared experiences for every generation.

Whether discovering local traditions, exploring the island’s rich biodiversity, or enjoying the resort’s signature Shack Sundowner on a secluded sandbank, every experience is designed to encourage genuine connection—to the destination and to one another.
For more information or to book your stay, visit www.alilahotels.com/kothaifaru-maldives.
Awards
Fashion Travel Awards name Villa Park Maldives’ best family island resort
There are family resorts, and then there are islands that seem to understand how families actually travel. Villa Park, set in the whale shark waters of South Ari Atoll, belongs firmly to the latter. Named Best Family Island Resort in the Maldives at the Fashion Travel Awards 2026, the resort has been recognised for an experience that feels generous, unforced and made for every generation.
Organised by Fashion TV Russia, the awards took place in Moscow in aboard the Radisson Royal Flotilla, bringing together tourism leaders, media, tastemakers and international travellers to celebrate standout names in global hospitality.
At Villa Park, the luxury is not only in the setting, though there is plenty of that. It is in the space to spread out, the ease of moving through the day, and the rare feeling that no one has to compromise. Children have the world of Park Players Kids’ Club, teens can cycle, snorkel or head out on the water, while parents find their own rhythm between the beach, Araamu Spa, long lunches and quiet moments by the pool.
Set on one of the largest natural islands in the Maldives, Villa Park has the scale to keep a holiday interesting and the softness to make it feel simple. Days move from palm-lined cycling paths to white-sand beaches, from watersports to whale shark excursions in the marine protected waters of South Ari, from casual family meals to evenings by the ocean. Polished, but never precious.
The recognition reflects Villa Park’s growing reputation as a Maldivian resort that does family travel with both style and substance, creating holidays that feel adventurous, easy and deeply shared.
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