Featured
Fari Islands Festival debuts with global creatives and unforgettable experiences
Patina Maldives and The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, have partnered to launch the inaugural Fari Islands Festival – a celebration of culture, creativity, and conscious living – taking place from 19-22 September 2025. This first edition will bring together internationally renowned contemporary creatives and thought leaders, including Canadian poet and illustrator Rupi Kaur, British DJ Kim Turnbull, and Tokyo-born fine food movement Wagyumafia. The Fari Islands Festival is set to establish itself as a distinctive new moment on the Indian Ocean’s cultural calendar.
This unique collaboration unites two leading resorts in a shared commitment to fostering an inspired and mindful Maldivian experience, set within the serene and forward-thinking Fari Islands archipelago.
Designed not as a spectacle but as an experience of resonance and reflection, the Fari Islands Festival invites discerning guests to immerse themselves in a world of ideas and artistry.
The four-day programme has been thoughtfully curated to offer guests opportunities to connect with contemporary thought leaders, creators, and innovators in immersive, considered, and wholly original ways.
- Creative Artistry: Internationally celebrated poet Rupi Kaur will lead the festival’s creative discourse, delivering a series of intimate readings and reflective dialogues that explore language, emotion, and personal truth.
- Body, Mind, and Soul: The Bamford Experience, hosted by wellness expert CJ Jones-Leake alongside sustainability advocate and former professional athlete Anthony Mullally, offers a daily rhythm of grounding rituals, including breathwork, movement, and integrative therapies.
- Nature Amplified: National Geographic Explorer and shark scientist Gibbs Kuguru, in partnership with the Olive Ridley Project, will guide a series of explorations designed to deepen awareness of the Maldives’ marine ecosystems. Guests will be invited into a renewed relationship with the ocean through guided snorkelling trips, conservation workshops, and reflective discussions.
- Sonic Immersion: British DJ and creative force Kim Turnbull will curate the island’s sonic identity, shaping ambient soundscapes and live performances that align with the gentle cadence of the natural environment.
- Culinary Exploration: Gastronomy will become performance with Wagyu Mafia’s celebrated Kobe beef ritual, presented through a limited series of curated dinners. Meanwhile, award-winning cocktail studio Nutmeg and Clove will reimagine the island’s bar culture through sensorial storytelling and spirited artistry.
The festival will be hosted across the Fari Islands, a rare example of architectural clarity and community-led design. At the heart of the archipelago lies Fari Marina Village, a shared destination that seamlessly connects both resorts through curated experiences in dining, design, and the arts.
The Fari Islands is the only destination in the Maldives where two distinct resort philosophies coexist in effortless harmony. Patina Maldives embodies transformative luxury and artistic curiosity, encouraging guests to look beyond the moment and create lasting memories. In gentle contrast, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives embodies heritage, craft, and natural flow, guided by the principle of the Circle of Life.
Together, the two resorts offer a fluid experience of rare depth, inviting guests to cross between both resorts and engage in a dynamic yet intimate cultural programme crafted to nourish both inner and outer worlds.
According to Anthony Gill, General Manager of Patina Maldives, “Patina Maldives was created as a place of purposeful presence, where guests are invited not only to passively experience but to participate. This festival extends that vision, encouraging guests to connect actively and meaningfully with ideas, artists, and the natural world.”
Oscar Postma, General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, adds, “At The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, we honour the rhythm of nature and the richness of human connection. The Fari Islands Festival reflects that ethos, a gathering where culture, creativity, and community come together with intention. It is an invitation to slow down, to listen deeply, and to be moved by the beauty of meaningful exchange.”
Easter celebrations have been taking place at Amilla Maldives, centred around the presence of Paddy the Travelling Bear, who has featured in a series of activities designed for families and younger guests.
The programme began on 1 April and continues until 12 April. Throughout this period, Paddy has appeared daily across the island, leading activities such as Easter egg hunts, treasure trails and creative sessions held in various outdoor settings. The character has provided continuity across the programme, with families engaging in scheduled activities over the course of the celebration.
Additional elements, including themed poolside activities and mermaid experiences, have been incorporated into the programme, offering interactive experiences for younger guests.
A key event was held on 5 April, when a character known as Bunny arrived on the island by jet ski and joined Paddy for a series of activities. The event brought together guests for a shared Easter celebration.
The programme has been structured to include a mix of workshops, cultural activities and evening gatherings. Activities will continue until 12 April as part of the resort’s Easter programme.
The Indian Ocean provides consistent surf conditions throughout the year, but each September, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa hosts the Surfing Champions Trophy at the Sultans break. The event is scheduled to return from 4 to 11 September 2026, bringing together professional surfers, guests and spectators.
Now in its 14th edition, the Surfing Champions Trophy is an invitation-only event featuring professional surfers competing across three board disciplines: single fin, twin fin and thruster. The competition takes place at Sultans, a reef break in North Malé Atoll, with Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa serving as the base for participants, officials and attending guests.
The line-up for the 2026 edition will be announced in stages in the coming months.
The event was first held in 2011, with Mark Occhilupo winning all three divisions and the Grand Champions Final. Since then, previous winners have included Damien Hardman (2012), Taylor Knox (2013), Dave Rastovich (2014), Shane Dorian (2015), Taj Burrow (2016, 2017 and 2024), Josh Kerr (2018 and 2019), Kelly Slater (2022), and Joel Parkinson (2023).
Over the years, the competition has also featured a range of international surfers, including Carissa Moore, Maya Gabeira, Tom Curren, Rob Machado, Layne Beachley, Bethany Hamilton, Mikey February, Jeremy Flores and Jadson Andre.
The 2025 edition saw Tahitian surfer Michel Bourez secure victory despite sustaining a hamstring injury during the event. He won both the thruster division and the Grand Champions Final, achieving the only perfect score of the competition in the closing moments of the final. Other participants included Owen Wright, Jesse Mendes, Craig Anderson and Maldivian wildcard Ismail Rasheed.
In parallel with the event, the resort offers the “Surf’s Up” package, which includes coaching sessions with Tropicsurf professionals, guided surf trips, daily yoga sessions, spa treatments, and accommodation with transfers. The package is available to guests seeking to participate in surf-related activities during the event period.
Updates on the 2026 competition, including participant announcements, will be released through official channels of the Surfing Champions Trophy and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa.
JOALI has announced a partnership with retired footballer Fara Williams, who will visit JOALI Maldives and JOALI BEING this April to lead a series of football-related activities for guests and the local community.
Fara Williams is among the most capped players in English football history, with 172 international appearances for the England women’s national team. Over the course of her career, she represented clubs including Chelsea and Charlton Athletic, and captained Everton to victory in the Premier League Cup in 2008 and the FA Women’s Cup in 2010.
As part of the initiative, Williams will host a football workshop for girls from Dhuvaafaru Island on 11 April 2026. The session is intended to support the development of women’s football in the Maldives and reflects JOALI’s engagement with communities in Raa Atoll.
In addition, family-focused football sessions will be held for resort guests on 13 April at JOALI Maldives and on 17 April at JOALI BEING. These sessions will provide children and families with the opportunity to participate in football activities guided by Williams.
JOALI Maldives offers villas starting from USD 3,256 per night for two guests sharing a Water Villa with Pool on a bed and breakfast basis. At JOALI BEING, villas start from USD 3,162 per night for two guests sharing an Ocean Pool Villa on a bed and breakfast basis.
-
Action1 week agoSix Senses Kanuhura participates in international COASTS Project on blue carbon ecosystems
-
Cooking1 week agoAnantara Veli Maldives continues Michelin guest chef series with female lineup
-
Action1 week agoBaros Maldives introduces ‘Lines of Respect’ fishing programme
-
News1 week agoReethi Faru Resort joins global Earth Hour campaign with conservation efforts
-
News1 week agoSun Siyam Iru Veli introduces new treatments at Ocean Spa
-
Awards1 week agoVilla Park recognised with CHECK24 Top Hotel Award
-
Cooking5 days agoSun Siyam Iru Fushi hosts Michelin-starred Chef Robin Pietsch
-
News1 week agodusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives observes Earth Hour with sustainability efforts