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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.”
Minor Hotels, a global hospitality group operating nine resorts in the Maldives, has announced that three of its properties were recognised at the Travel Trade Maldives (TTM) Awards 2025. The annual awards celebrate achievements across 28 categories, with winners selected through votes cast by guests and travel partners.
Niyama Private Islands Maldives received the award for Best Family Resort. The property is known for offering experiences for all ages, with facilities including a playground, splash park, and gourmet kitchen at its children’s club, alongside an extensive schedule of activities. Young guests are provided with age-appropriate experiences such as snorkelling safaris, cooking classes, surf lessons, and outdoor cinema evenings.
Accommodation includes a variety of spacious villas and pavilions, such as the newly renovated Deluxe Family Beach Pool Villa. Combined with diverse dining options, recreational activities, and personalised service, the resort seeks to provide both adventure and relaxation for families.
Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort was named Best Beach Resort, reflecting its setting of white sands, turquoise lagoons, and coconut groves within Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The resort offers contemporary villas, including Beach Pool Villas and Two-Bedroom Beach Pool Villas, with direct beach access.
Since opening in 2023, Avani+ Fares has aimed to introduce a laid-back approach to Maldivian holidays, combining modern design with the natural environment. Guests can participate in activities ranging from water sports and wellness to dining and cultural programmes.
NH Collection Maldives Havodda Resort was awarded Best Dive Resort, recognised for its accessible house reef and marine biodiversity. Located close to the shoreline, the reef offers opportunities for snorkellers and divers of all levels, with frequent encounters with species such as reef sharks, turtles, rays, and tropical fish.
The resort also provides access to the dive sites of Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, where PADI-certified instructors guide guests through channels, thilas, and reef walls.
In addition to these three awards, Minor Hotels’ properties received 12 finalist nominations across seven categories. These included its newest addition, NH Maldives Kuda Rah Resort, which was shortlisted in three categories.
The group’s nominations at the TTM Awards 2025 were:
- Best Beach Resort: Avani+ Fares and NH Collection Maldives Havodda
- Best Family Resort: Niyama, Avani+ Fares, and NH Maldives Kuda Rah
- Best Boutique Resort: NH Maldives Kuda Rah
- Best Culinary Resort: Niyama
- Most Picturesque Resort: NH Collection Maldives Havodda
- Best Surf Resort: Niyama
- Best Dive Resort: Avani+ Fares, NH Collection Maldives Havodda, and NH Maldives Kuda Rah
This festive season, Sirru Fen Fushi – Private Lagoon Resort, located in Shaviyani Atoll, Maldives, will host an extensive programme of events under the theme Symphony of the Island. Running from 22 December to 7 January, the schedule brings together globally acclaimed performers and specialists, from award-winning musicians and Michelin-starred chefs to a World Cup football champion, wellness practitioners, mixologists, and even a NASA astronaut.
The resort’s New Year’s Eve celebrations will be headlined by Rami Jaffee, Grammy-winning keyboardist of the Foo Fighters, accompanied by violinist, cellist, and vocalist Jessy Greene (formerly Foo Fighters and Pink), and drummer and producer Erik Aldenius of Billy Idol. The All-Star Band will also feature Todd Morse, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter from The Offspring, and Bill Reynolds, Grammy-nominated bassist and producer, formerly of Band of Horses, creating a powerful line-up to welcome 2026.
Onu Onu Beach Bar will host award-winning bartenders throughout the festive period. On 30 December, Harrison Kenny, associated with the World’s 50 Best Bars, will present alongside Millie Tang, one of Australia’s leading bartenders. On 3 January, Pham Quoc Dat, Head Mixologist at The Haflington in Vietnam (Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024), will take over the bar with a signature showcase.
Culinary highlights include the arrival of Chef Valentino Cassanelli, Head Chef of Michelin-starred Lux Lucis in Italy, who will collaborate with the resort’s Executive Chef Girish Sharma on 8 and 10 December. Cassanelli will also host his own signature four-course dinner. On 3 January, Jean-Philippe Blondet, Chef Patron of Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, will present a four-hands dining experience at Azure alongside Chef Girish.
Sports and wellness sessions will be led by Christoph Kramer, Football World Cup Champion and television football expert, former professional tennis player and coach Alexandra Viktorovitch, Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncturist and trainer Josiah Ngai, and yoga instructor and sound healer Tamuna Lomidze. Guests will be able to book one-to-one sessions throughout the festive programme.
On 6 January, the resort will present a special performance by Daria Pavlenko, Principal Ballerina of the Mariinsky Ballet in St Petersburg.
NASA Astronaut and U.S. Navy officer Dominic Antoneli will share first-hand insights into life in space, recounting stories of exploration and discovery.
The season will begin on 22 December with the island illuminated by festive décor and Christmas Eve sunset drinks at Onu Onu Beach. On Christmas Day, celebrations will include a beach arrival by Santa in Maldivian style, followed by a festive brunch and a lobster and champagne dinner, with entertainment from fire dancers, magicians, and musicians.
The New Year’s programme begins with a sunset journey from Spa Beach to Central Park, before a gala dinner at RAHA Market. The evening will feature the All-Star Band, ballet performances, acrobats, and a fire and laser show, concluding with an after-party to welcome 2026. On 1 January, guests can enjoy a New Year’s brunch accompanied by live jazz and tropical rhythms.
Orthodox Christmas Eve on 6 January will include a gourmet buffet at RAHA Market, seafood dining at Azure, and a performance by ballerina Daria Pavlenko, followed by a beach party with international DJs. On 7 January, celebrations will conclude with a Cristal Champagne golden-hour sunset and beachside à la carte dining.
This October, Milaidhoo Maldives will mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month with Wellness in Pink — a curated series of experiences designed to encourage guests to slow down, reconnect, and explore the deeper dimensions of wellbeing.
Rooted in the island’s philosophy of mindful, barefoot living, the programme reflects Milaidhoo’s approach to quiet luxury and personal wellness. Each experience has been designed to restore the body and nourish the soul, creating opportunities for reflection and reconnection.
Set within the tranquil surroundings of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Baa Atoll, Wellness in Pink invites guests to pause, breathe, and share stories — both lived and unfolding.
Signature Experiences:
- Sunset Serenity: A Couple’s Wellness Ritual: A 90-minute ritual held on the open-air deck of a private villa. The session begins with a calming full-body massage, followed by a refreshing facial, and concludes with a glass of chilled sparkling rosé. USD 380++ per couple | Advance reservation required
- Rose Renewal Ritual: Special Edition: A 120-minute treatment created to support emotional balance and inner strength. The ritual combines an aromatherapy massage with rose essential oil, a rose quartz facial massage, and a grounding foot massage to restore energy flow. USD 240++ per person
On 23 October, guests may take part in a Zumba for Awareness session — a lively group activity celebrating vitality and community spirit.
On 24 October, The Pink Care Routine will be held at Milaidhoo’s overwater yoga pavilion. This guided session combines self-massage techniques, somatic body awareness, and breast health education, offering space for learning and gentle empowerment.
Milaidhoo emphasises that wellbeing is not a checklist but a feeling — of being cared for, of being seen, and of returning to oneself. Through Wellness in Pink, the resort seeks to honour those touched by breast cancer and to create space for healing in all its forms.
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