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Jumeirah Olhahali Island unveils year-end visiting practitioners programme
Jumeirah Olhahali Island has unveiled its year-end programme of visiting practitioners, welcoming a series of internationally recognised experts to guide guests through tailored journeys of renewal. Hosted at the resort’s overwater Talise Spa, the residencies are designed to support physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, complementing a wider calendar of seasonal experiences curated to inspire balance and rejuvenation.
From 15 September to 30 October, Portuguese osteopath Odete Cruz will bring over 15 years of experience in structural, craniosacral, and visceral techniques. Her treatments are individually tailored to improve circulation, enhance mobility, and ease muscular tension, while reflexology sessions aim to encourage detoxification, balance, and relaxation.
Between 1 and 30 November, Dr Tridendra Shakya will join the resort, offering nearly two decades of global experience. A graduate in Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences, with advanced training in acupuncture and psychology, he combines traditional healing with contemporary wellness practices. Guests will be able to explore acupuncture, reflexology, cupping, therapeutic yoga, yoga nidra, and stress management, alongside Ayurvedic marma therapy, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong. His sessions are designed to promote pain relief, detoxification, rejuvenation, and long-term vitality.
The final residency of the year will be led by Satya Morillas Mir, from 3 December to 1 January. Through her ‘Global Balance Method’, she integrates traditional Chinese medicine, craniosacral therapy, Chi Nei Tsang, reiki, yoga, and meditation. Her approach, which also incorporates breathwork and energy healing, encourages self-reflection, renewal, and reconnection—providing guests with an enriching way to embrace the festive season and begin the year ahead.
In addition to the visiting practitioners, Jumeirah Olhahali Island has curated a series of seasonal experiences to mark the final months of the year. These include full moon wellness rituals featuring guided meditation and vibrational sound healing, as well as workshops and spa journeys aligned with international wellness days such as World Mental Health Day, Menopause Awareness Day, and World Heart Day.
October will also mark the introduction of new treatments developed in collaboration with GROUND Wellbeing. These include The Grounding Ritual and The Balancing Ritual, designed to support mental and hormonal health.
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ELE|NA marks World Asthma Day with guided wellness experiences
ELE|NA marked World Asthma Day with a series of wellness activities across its properties, focusing on the role of breath in overall wellbeing.
The programme was designed to highlight the connection between breathing, movement and daily health practices. According to the company, the initiative aimed to position respiratory health as an integral part of routine wellness rather than a purely clinical concern.
Activities began with guided breath awareness sessions combined with stretching exercises. These sessions focused on controlled movement and breathing techniques intended to improve mobility and support more regulated breathing patterns. The approach was structured to help participants reduce tension and restore a steady physical rhythm.
The programme also included Floating Sound Healing sessions, where participants were positioned on water while exposed to therapeutic sound frequencies. The sessions were designed to support relaxation and mental focus through controlled sensory input.
The overall programme combined breathwork, movement and sound-based therapy as part of a structured wellness approach. ELE|NA indicated that these practices were intended to support awareness, relaxation and physical balance.
The company operates across 12 properties, including OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI, OZEN LIFE MAADHOO, OBLU SELECT Sangeli, OBLU SELECT Lobigili, OBLU XPERIENCE Ailafushi, VARU by Atmosphere, OBLU NATURE Helengeli by SENTIDO and RAAYA by Atmosphere, as well as properties in India.
Through the initiative, ELE|NA presented its wellness framework as extending beyond spa treatments, incorporating routine practices centred on breathing, movement and relaxation.
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Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives offers Dive Free programme
Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives is offering guests access to a range of dive sites in South Malé Atoll through its Dive Free programme, aimed at divers seeking structured and accessible diving experiences during their stay.
Located approximately 45 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, the resort provides proximity to multiple dive sites within a 10 to 30-minute boat radius. The surrounding waters are known for varied reef structures, current-driven channels and regular marine life encounters, allowing for multiple dives per day.
The Dive Free programme is available to guests staying three nights or more, offering up to two complimentary scuba dives per day for up to two certified divers per villa.
According to Dive Centre Manager Ibrahim Shaan, the location enables access to a range of dive environments within a short distance, including reef and channel dives. He noted that sites such as Kandooma Thila can be reached within minutes, while additional sites offering different conditions are accessible within half an hour.
Director of Marketing and Sustainability Sharon Garrett stated that the programme is designed to integrate diving into the overall guest experience, reducing both time and cost considerations for certified divers.
Water conditions in the area remain suitable for diving throughout the year, with visibility often exceeding 20 metres. The dive sites accessible from the resort include:
- Kandooma Thila, a coral-covered pinnacle known for sightings of reef sharks and eagle rays
- Guraidhoo Corner, a channel dive site with strong currents attracting schools of fish and larger species
- Cocoa Corner, featuring reef walls and drop-offs with occasional pelagic encounters
- Kuda Giri Wreck, a sheltered site with a wreck and reef supporting reef fish and macro life
- Kandooma Caves, characterised by overhangs and reef formations with diverse marine species
Additional nearby sites include Manta Point, Lhosfushi, Medhu Faru and Waggiri, offering a mix of reef and channel diving, with seasonal manta ray sightings.
The resort operates a PADI five-star dive centre with guided excursions and access to multiple sites within short travel distances. The Dive Free programme is positioned as an option for divers seeking to maximise time in the water without the need for domestic transfers, providing direct access to dive locations from a single island base.
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Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives unveils Eid al-Adha experience
Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives has introduced a curated Eid al-Adha offering aimed at travellers seeking a structured yet flexible way to mark the occasion in a resort setting.
Branded “Island Celebrations: Eid – Connect in Paradise”, the experience is positioned for guests from the Middle East, North Africa and Asia, with a focus on shared experiences, personal time and engagement with the surrounding environment.
Located approximately 20 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, the resort is accessible for short-stay and family travel during peak holiday periods. The property features 120 beach and overwater villas, alongside an overwater spa, house reef and multiple dining outlets.
The Eid experience will begin with an in-villa welcome offering, including Arabic sweets, dates and fruit. The programme is structured around a series of optional activities rather than a fixed schedule. These include lagoon-based experiences, daily yoga sessions at sunrise and sunset, spa treatments, sunset cruises and dining options designed for private or shared settings.
The resort has indicated that the programme is intended to allow guests to engage with activities at their own pace, rather than follow a defined itinerary.
In line with the preferences of Muslim travellers, the resort has incorporated halal-friendly dining options, flexible meal arrangements and an expanded range of non-alcoholic beverages. Villa layouts are also designed to support privacy.
Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives has reported guest ratings of 9.2 out of 10 on halal travel platforms, reflecting demand within this segment.
The introduction of the Eid programme aligns with broader trends in the Maldives tourism sector, where travel experiences are increasingly structured around personalisation, cultural considerations and smaller-scale experiences.
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