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Milaidhoo’s festive season: Crafting unforgettable island memories

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This festive season, the story of celebration unfolds on the soft shores of Milaidhoo, a natural island hideaway nestled in the heart of the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. From December 22nd, 2025, to January 6th, 2026, Milaidhoo extends a warm invitation to guests to step into its Season of Timeless Festive Stories, a thoughtfully curated programme of intimate experiences, vibrant traditions, and unforgettable island moments.

At Milaidhoo, festive magic is found in the gentle rhythm of the waves, the glow of candlelight on the sand, and the joy of sharing meaningful time with loved ones in one of the world’s most exquisite destinations. This is not merely a holiday; it’s a celebration of life’s most precious stories, written especially for each guest.

Adventure That Awakens the Soul

Guests can float into wonder as they dive into Milaidhoo’s crystalline waters. Sunrise or sunset cruises offer champagne as dolphins may dance nearby. Opportunities abound to snorkel Hanifaru Bay alongside graceful manta rays or try traditional Maldivian fishing, just as locals have for generations. This season, the ocean is woven into the celebrations, from The Christmas Cruise to A Farewell to 2025, ensuring every voyage is a memory waiting to be made. For those craving thrills, big game fishing awaits. Gentle discovery, bioluminescent night snorkelling, and paddleboarding by moonlight promise awe-inspiring moments.

Feasting with Heart and Flavour

At Milaidhoo, food is an experience to savour, and this festive season presents a culinary journey like no other. Guests can step into the Shoreline Fish Bazaar, where the catch of the day meets flames and flavour, or sample fresh-picked greens at the interactive Salad Project. Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are celebrated under starry skies with elegant beachfront gala dinners, where every dish is a tribute to taste and togetherness. Pop-ups like Smoked & Whisky and Taste of Tribes: Potjiekos & Braai bring delightful surprises, while a Lobster & Champagne Feast sets the tone for indulgence. The season concludes with an Orthodox Christmas buffet of oysters and champagne, a fitting finale to a season of epicurean delight.

Wellbeing, Naturally Inspired

Guests can reconnect with themselves through wellness rituals as tranquil as the island breeze. Each day can begin with sunrise yoga on a sandbank, surrendering to stillness in Cocoon Meditation, or floating into peace with aqua yoga in the turquoise lagoon. Beyond the body, the spirit can be nourished by exploring Maldivian skincare secrets, enjoying beach Zumba, or simply walking mindfully along the shore. Friendly beach volleyball or island Olympics with the Milaidhoo Family offer opportunities for playful engagement. As evening falls, live music drifts across the waves as stars scatter above.

Celebrate Under the Stars

On New Year’s Eve, guests can begin their day with a champagne Sunrise Cruise and end it in style at a barefoot cocktail soirée. Then, they can gather for a spectacular New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner at Ocean restaurant before counting down to 2026 with fireworks, live music, and their toes in the sand. As the new year dawns, guests can ease into it with a Recovery Brunch, a soulful Tibetan Singing Bowl session, and the symbolic New Year, New Reef activity, a promise for the year ahead.

The Story Continues

Festivities continue into January with joyful moments like a Nature Walk & Symbolic Tree Planting, more culinary adventures with the Taste of Tribes pop-up, and evenings beneath the stars at The Floating Cinema on Saima. This season at Milaidhoo is not just a series of events; it’s an immersive journey of reconnection, renewal, and celebration.

“We’re incredibly excited to present our Season of Timeless Festive Stories at Milaidhoo,” says Paul van Frank, Milaidhoo’s general manager. “Our team has created a program that blends the magic of the festive season with the beauty and authentic charm of the Maldives. We believe these bespoke experiences will create profound and joyful memories for our guests, allowing them to truly connect with their loved ones and the soul of this extraordinary destination.”

To reserve your place in paradise, please visit: Festive Programme or mail the resort at welcome@milaidhoo.com.

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Ayada Maldives unveils its 2025–26 festive season: sea, fire, light and magic

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Ayada Maldives is set to transform the holidays into an island celebration of sea, fire, light and magic for the 2025–26 festive season. Guests can expect signature dining moments, family-friendly activities and uplifting nightly entertainment in a barefoot-luxury setting just a few kilometres from the equator.

From the moment you arrive, the island wraps you in a sense of relaxed elegance. Here, festive charm mingles with tropical serenity, and every detail is designed to create lasting holiday memories, whether you are travelling as a couple, with family, or simply seeking a beautiful place to reconnect with yourself.

Festive Activities and Island Traditions

Ayada’s festive programme blends cultural authenticity with the joy of the season. Guests can take part in coconut leaf weaving, paint scenes inspired by island life, or join daily yoga and meditation sessions beneath the swaying palms. For something more energetic, aqua aerobics in the shimmering lagoon offers a refreshing start to the day.

Children are treated to a world of creativity and play at the Kids’ Club, where cooking classes, Christmas card-making, and colourful carnival games keep young minds and hands delightfully busy. Every activity is infused with a sense of discovery, making the season as magical for the youngest guests as it is for the adults.

Christmas Day Celebrations

On Christmas Day, the island comes alive with the arrival of Santa and his elves for the Santa Fest Carnival. The atmosphere is filled with laughter, games, and festive surprises for all ages. As evening falls, families and friends gather for a movie under the stars, watching a favourite film beneath the glittering Maldivian night sky – a perfect blend of holiday tradition and island romance.

Evenings of Entertainment and Fine Dining

As the sun dips below the horizon, Ayada begins its nightly transformation. Guests can enjoy captivating light shows, mesmerising fire performances, and live music at Zero Degree and other resort venues. The rhythm of the evening flows from spectacle to conversation, with the ocean always within sight and sound.

December is a time for indulgence, and Ayada’s festive dining reflects that spirit. The Christmas Feast brings together global holiday flavours with the freshest island ingredients, while New Year’s Eve is celebrated with a lavish gala dinner. Guests can expect a luxurious evening of fine dining, mini-cabaret performances, and live entertainment from Firestorm, leading up to a midnight toast under the stars.

Your Festive Escape Awaits

At Ayada Maldives, the holidays are more than a date on the calendar – they are an experience to be cherished. Light-draped gardens, ocean-view feasts, and heartfelt performances create an atmosphere that lingers in memory long after your stay. The combination of tropical beauty and warm, attentive service ensures that your festive season is not just celebrated, but elevated.

Travellers planning to visit during the holidays are encouraged to book early to secure their place at this island celebration. From curated activities to unforgettable dining experiences, every detail is designed to make your Maldivian Christmas or New Year truly remarkable.

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Haunted island awaits at Canareef this Halloween night

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This 31st of October 2025, Canareef Resort Maldives transforms into a Haunted Island for an unforgettable Halloween celebration like no other. From eerie shipwrecks to glowing palm trees, guests are invited to immerse themselves in a night of spine-tingling fun, island rhythms, and festive feasting.

The evening begins with a Halloween-themed buffet at Kilhi Restaurant from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm, where guests can indulge in a feast curated by our chefs. Expect spooky culinary creations—from “Witch’s Cauldron Soup” to “Graveyard Platters” and tropical twists like “Cursed Coconut Cream.” Wines and beers will flow freely as the live in-house band sets the mood against a backdrop of cobwebs, skeletons, and pirate ghosts.

As night deepens, the celebration continues at Dhoni Beach from 9:00 pm till 1:00 am with a thrilling Dine, Drink & Dance party. Guests can enjoy creative cocktails such as the Zombie Lagoon and Haunted Rum Punch, while dancing to DJ beats under glowing jellyfish lanterns and misty fog effects.

The night will feature fire dancers, ghostly skits, and even a Thriller dance performance, ensuring plenty of chills and thrills. Guests are encouraged to dress up, with a Best Halloween Costume contest adding extra fun to the festivities. Children are not forgotten, activities like pumpkin (or coconut!) carving and glow-face painting will make it a magical night for all ages.

With eerie soundscapes, themed photo booths, and interactive games like mummy wrapping and broomstick relays, Halloween Night at Canareef promises to be both spooky and spectacular—a one-of-a-kind island celebration under the stars.

So, grab your costume and get ready to join Canareef this Halloween as the island brings the legends of haunted seas and ghostly sailors to life.

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Meet Foo: Oaga Art Resort’s playful curator of 2025-26 festive season

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This festive season, Oaga Art Resort invites guests to step into a living comic book, told through the eyes of Foo, the island’s spiritual curator and timeless soul.

Foo is Oaga’s invisible co-creator, weaving himself into art, cuisine, performances, and stories. Foo doesn’t take centre stage. Instead, he creates space for wonder, curiosity, and connection.

This year, Foo shares the Maldives as he has felt and remembered it over centuries, brought to life in the vibrant, animated aesthetic of a living comic book. From the women who feed islands to the artists who remember how sound feels, this is a story of individualism through tradition.

Guests can expect an unforgettable blend of culture, creativity, and joyful discovery:

  • A 100% Maldivian line-up of artists takes the stage, curating music that’s authentic and soulful, and bringing together a celebration of rhythm and tradition – celebrating authenticity, creativity, and homegrown talent.
  • The heart of festive dining is the local flavours, served from a dedicated local ‘Voyage Around Maldives’ cart with dishes homemade with love from cooking talent scouted across the atolls and islands.
  • Cultural workshops in kasabu gethun, roanu veshun, thundu kunaa, fangi viyun, and liyelaa jehun, curated in partnership with Kiyavahi. Surprise comic panels, flash performances that weave magic into each day.
  • A botanical Christmas tree crafted from island vines and plants, celebrating sustainability and the spirit of creating for the island, from the island.
  • Multi-talented artists-in-residence, Jaime Brown and Karim Jabbari, return for their third visit to host artistic workshops and creative masterclasses.

Every performance is authenticity, emotion, and individuality, ensuring guests experience the Maldives as a living story.

Oaga’s festive season remains an unforgettable celebration, just reimagined with Maldivian soul.

Apart from the main festive highlights, guests staying at Oaga during the season can look forward to a range of exciting new experiences:

  • Samaasaa new show; The First Coconuts: a new theatrical dining show where cuisine and performance bring Maldivian myth to life debuts in October 2025 and available for guests to experience during their stay during festive season.
  • Veyoge Gallery Villa Exhibition 25–26 – Maldives: A Simple Story: 15 local artists transform Veyoge Gallery Villas into exclusive gallery spaces, each villa hosting original works exploring Maldivian life, folklore, and culture. The new exhibition is set to launch in November 2025.
  • A long-stay perk from the newly introduced Sobi à la carte menu: Guests staying 7 nights or more can enjoy complimentary dining at Sobi à la carte during their stay.

Through Foo’s eyes, even the familiar feels new. This season, Oaga Art Resort invites guests not just to celebrate, but to become part of a timeless Maldivian story that is playful, poetic, and unmistakably alive.

Some stories aren’t written. They are discovered.

For art lovers and creative souls seeking a Maldivian escape, Oaga Art Resort’s Greatest All-Inclusive Plan re-defines the very essence of an all-inclusive holiday. Dive into Free Flow art sessions, find your rhythm with Take Notes music experiences, savour Floating Meals, embark on captivating excursions, enjoy thrilling motorised watersports, and so much more.

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