Lifestyle
Through Foo’s eyes: Oaga Art Resort’s festive season celebrates soul of Maldives
This 2025-2026 festive season, Oaga Art Resort invites guests to experience the Maldives through the eyes of Foo, the island’s timeless and playful curator and storyteller. With every performance, every craft, and every meal, Foo brings the spirit of the islands to life, creating a celebration rooted in homegrown creativity, culture, and tradition.
A Celebration of Local Talent
Central to this year’s festivities is a line up of 100% Maldivian artists. From soulful solo performers and dynamic duos to vibrant bands and rhythm driven DJs, the resort’s programme showcases local creativity across multiple genres. This season, Maldivian artistry takes centre stage, allowing guests to connect with the islands’ authentic rhythm and spirit at every turn.
Flavours of the Maldives
Culinary storytelling forms the heart of the festive experience. Guests can savour local flavours and voyage around the Maldives through Mama’s Food Cart, a rotating palm leaf cart based at Kaa Kada, the main restaurant at Oaga Art Resort. Each week, a local woman from a different island shares her signature dish, bringing the unique tastes and traditions of her home to the table and offering a delicious journey across the atolls.
Hands On Cultural Experiences
In collaboration with Kiyavahi, a cultural studio dedicated to authentic Maldivian experiences, guests can engage directly with the living crafts of the islands. Workshops, open air installations, and interactive storytelling spaces bring traditional artistry to life, including kasabu gethun (embroidery), thundu kunaa (mat weaving), roanu veshun (coir rope making), fangi viyun (thatch weaving), and liyelaa jehun (lacquer work).
Beyond craft, the festive season comes alive with the rhythm of traditional Boduberu, presented in collaboration with Kiyavahi, giving guests a taste of Maldivian music and heritage.
Endless Artistry Across the Island
Oaga’s evolving Rahvehi artist team brings creativity to every corner of the resort. From visuals and dance to movement-based performances and more, guests will encounter pop-up shows throughout the festive period, each crafted to surprise, delight, and evoke the vibrant spirit of the Maldives. This multi-talented team ensures that artistry is not confined to a stage but woven into every step of the guest experience.
A Maldivian Story in Every Celebration
This festive season, Oaga Art Resort celebrates tradition and creativity with a Koadi-inspired Christmas Tree, a homage to Maldivian heritage. Koadi, a hand-crafted pole adorned with intricately woven palm leaves and flowers, is traditionally presented as an umbrella-like design during Eid Al -Adha. Alongside this, botanical Christmas trees across the island bring natural beauty and sustainability to the celebrations.
Guests can also look forward to a spectacular New Year’s Eve, with fireworks and a night-long celebration of music, performance, and storytelling. The festivities feature high-impact Boduberu and fire-led performances that feel both ancient and primal, theatrical dining experiences, and island storytelling that captivates and moves audiences. Curated musical nights and art-led shows create a rhythmic celebration where culture, creativity, and energy build continuously over the course of the season.
Step Into the Story
This festive season, Foo invites guests not merely to witness the Maldives, but to live it. Every melody, every handcrafted detail, and every culinary creation becomes part of a larger story, a celebration of individuality, creativity, and the timeless soul of the islands.
Some stories aren’t written. They are discovered, felt, and lived.
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 Dance Lab movement and dance experiences, savour Floating Meals through the day, embark on captivating excursions, enjoy thrilling motorised watersports, and so much more.
Nestled in North Malé Atoll, Oaga Art Resort is a 45-minute speedboat ride from Velana International Airport near Male’. This intimate island features 60 vibrant beach and overwater villas, unique cart-style dining experiences, and a spa deeply inspired by Maldivian traditional healing practices. Oaga Art Resort stands as a true creative hub, offering sensory-rich experiences thoughtfully curated by both local and visiting Maldivian artists and craftspeople.
Discover your next inspiration at www.oagaresorts.com and book your stay; an unforgettable artistic journey awaits!
Culture
Kuda Villingili presents family-focused Eid al-Fitr experience in Maldives
Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives has announced a three-day Eid al-Fitr 1447 AH programme, inviting guests to celebrate the occasion from 19 to 21 March 2026 in a tranquil island setting that brings together family, reflection, and shared moments.
Following the holy month of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr at the resort is designed as a gentle transition into celebration, offering guests the freedom to mark the festival at their own pace. The programme brings together families, couples, and friends through curated dining experiences, relaxed island gatherings, and moments of quiet connection by the Indian Ocean.
Culinary experiences form the centre of the Eid programme. Celebrations begin with the Kuda Eid Feast Buffet Dinner at The Restaurant, featuring Middle Eastern and Maldivian dishes served under the stars, accompanied by soft island music. Guests can also gather at Spice for the Kuda Eid Lunch Feast, a five-course Middle Eastern fusion menu by the Qureshi brothers, inspired by traditional flavours and designed for sharing in the spirit of Eid. Evenings continue at The Bar with an Arabic Shisha Night, combining live DJ music with a relaxed social atmosphere.
Eid mornings at the resort offer a calmer start to the day, with a Signature Floating Breakfast served in the privacy of each villa pool. Guests can also enjoy Eid Signature Mocktails, created with floral and spice notes that reflect the season’s sense of gratitude and renewal. An interactive Art of Shisha Making experience is also available, encouraging conversation and shared storytelling.
The Eid programme has been curated to include guests of all ages. Younger visitors are welcomed at Kuda Fiyo, where Eid-themed creative workshops, treasure trails, storytelling sessions, games, and movement activities are organised to create memorable experiences while reflecting the cultural significance of the occasion.
For families and adventure-seekers, the resort also offers Eid al-Fitr Ocean Adventures. A personalised Big Game Fishing experience provides an opportunity to spend time together on the open sea, combining quiet reflection with exploration of the surrounding waters.
With its expansive island layout, eight dining destinations, and the Maldives’ largest swimming pool, Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives presents an Eid al-Fitr celebration that blends tradition with contemporary island living, offering space, privacy, and a relaxed setting for guests seeking a meaningful Eid experience in the Maldives.
The full Eid al-Fitr 2026 programme can be viewed here. More information about the resort is available from the resort’s website.
Entertainment
Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort sets stage for first music festival in May 2026
Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort will host Your Paradise Maldives from 11 to 16 May 2026, as the boutique, destination-led Your Paradise music festival makes its Maldives debut with a curated roster of global electronic tastemakers. Marking the resort’s inaugural music festival, the award-winning Avani+ Fares Maldives sets the stage for a lifestyle-led escape that pairs sun-soaked sets with easy-going island living.
Designed around the island’s natural rhythm, Your Paradise – with past editions in Fiji and a strong international following – will unfold across a series of open-air stages and social spaces, shifting from golden-hour sets by the lagoon to pop-up beach parties and after-dark sessions with seamless transitions from day to night.
The phase one line-up features Ayybo, Arielle Free, Coco & Breezy, Double Touch, Jordan Brando & William Kiss, Low Steppa, Melé, Niiko x Swae, Sarah Story, Sasha Spielberg, Tom & Collins and Tori Levett, with further names to be announced. Delivering everything from feel-good house through to deeper club sounds, the festival is a limited-ticket experience with dedicated travel packages available.
Set on the natural island of Fares on the western edge of Baa Atoll’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort is ideal for festival crews, solo travellers and couples, with a mix of Beach Pool Villas and Over Water Villas, plus Two and Four-Bedroom Pavilions for groups of up to eight. For those going all in, the resort also offers two 287 sqm Two-Bedroom Overwater Pool Residences and a 368 sqm Three-Bedroom Overwater Pool Residence, each with an oversized terrace, infinity pool and seamless indoor-outdoor dining made for a private after-party. For sundowners with a local twist, the resort’s Ambaa Adventure sees a traditional dhoni cruise the lagoon, delivering handcrafted cocktails and mocktails direct to guests’ overwater pool decks.
Between sets, guests can lean into island life with watersports, diving and snorkelling on the house reef, then reset with sunrise yoga and meditation at AvaniFit and post-party recovery at AvaniSpa. The resort also offers easy access to the atoll’s marine highlights, including Hanifaru Bay, one of the world’s most celebrated manta ray hotspots.
Avani+ Fares has built strong momentum since opening in 2023, named Best Beach Resort 2025 at the TTM Awards, following its Best Dive Resort win in 2024, with General Manager Judd Rabbidge recognised as Resort Manager of the Year 2025 at the Global Hospitality ON Awards.
Rates for Your Paradise Maldives start from USD 2,599 per person, with solo, couple and group packages available. Each package includes five nights at Avani+ Fares Maldives on a half board basis, main stage performances and exclusive parties, as well as group yoga and meditation sessions. For more information and to book, visit www.avanihotels.com/en/fares-maldives, email fares@avanihotels.com or call +960 660 1660.
Entertainment
Award-winning singer Nicole Scherzinger to appear at One&Only Reethi Rah’s New Year’s Eve celebrations
One&Only Reethi Rah, the all-villa resort in the Maldives, has announced the international star and award-winning singer Nicole Scherzinger will make an exclusive live appearance during the resort’s iconic New Year’s Eve celebrations, welcoming guests into 2026 with a special musical performance as part of the countdown.
Renowned for her magnetic stage presence and powerhouse vocals, Nicole Scherzinger originally rose to fame as a member of one of the best-selling female groups of all time, the Pussycat Dolls, before pursuing her career as a solo musician, a judge on various television shows, and a stage actress in theatrical work such as in Cats and Sunset Boulevard. Throughout her career, Scherzinger has received numerous nominations and awards, including the 2024 Laurence Olivier Award and the 2025 Tony Award, both for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in Sunset Boulevard.
Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Indian Ocean, the resort’s annual New Year’s Eve celebrations take place on 31st December 2025 at the Believe Ball, the Festive program’s main event featuring a refined beachside cocktail reception before unfolding into a joyous evening of epicurean discovery and thrilling entertainment. As the year draws to a close, Scherzinger will take the stage for a highlight live performance as part of the countdown, bringing the New Year’s celebrations to new heights with glamour, energy, and musical prowess.
“We are thrilled and honoured to welcome Nicole Scherzinger to One&Only Reethi Rah for our New Year’s Eve celebrations,” said Jan Tibaldi, General Manager of the resort. “Her global appeal, extraordinary talent, and dynamic energy make her the perfect artist to be part of our most iconic evening of the year, setting the scene for a remarkable welcome to 2026.”
The Festive season at One&Only Reethi Rah invites guests to embrace the spirit of the season with this year’s theme of Believe, centered on celebrating the joy, wonder, and magic of the holidays. From Christmas family traditions and world-class culinary experiences to quiet moments of deep wellbeing and exciting sports tournaments, the resort’s Festive program promises an array of unforgettable moments designed to delight guests of all ages and interests. Scherzinger’s special live appearance will be the highlight of the program, culminating with an exciting countdown to welcome the New Year.
The Festive season at One&Only Reethi Rah commences on 20th December 2025 with the traditional Tree Lighting Ceremony & Cocktail and ends on 13th January 2026 with the Orthodox New Year Gala Dinner.
Reservations and pre-bookings are recommended for most of the Festive events. For inquiries and bookings, please contact the VIP Services team at reethirah.festive@oneandonlyreethirah.com. For bookings, please call +960 664 8800 or contact the Reservations team at reservations@oneandonlyreethirah.com.
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