News
Nova Maldives launches festive season experience inspired by connection and wellbeing
Nova Maldives will welcome the festive season with The Garden Within, a thoughtfully curated programme taking place from 19 December 2026 to 7 January 2027.
Inspired by Nova’s enduring spirit of connection, the festive programme brings together meaningful celebrations, restorative wellbeing, creative expression and shared experiences designed to feel warm, effortless and good for the soul, each one threaded with presence and the pleasure of feeling completely at home. From barefoot days and unhurried moments to joyful gatherings, the programme invites guests to reconnect with themselves, with others and with the natural beauty of island life.
Island Festivities at Twilight
The Magic of Christmas brings the island’s community together beneath twinkling lights for the Christmas Tree Lighting and Santa Claus’ arrival, setting the tone for a season of celebration.On Christmas Day, the celebrations continue with the storytelling, music and craft of the Grand Holhuashi, a tradition dating back to the seafaring villages of old Maldives, when communities gathered at day’s end to mark the moment together. As the year draws to a close, cocktail parties and gala dinners carry guests into New Year’s Eve, culminating in a spectacular firework display at midnight to welcome in the new year.
Throughout the season, live performances from resident bands Supremacy and The Kabans, fire shows on the beach, tiki nights at Wink, and an intimate Shisha & Cigar Lounge keep the island’s evenings alive with rhythm.

Wellness Inspired by the Cosmos
To tend to what’s within, EsKape Spa will welcome guests with limited-time rituals that encourage wellbeing during the festive season, including Reikilogy, blending Reiki with foot reflexology, and Abhyanga, a traditional Ayurvedic warm oil massage making use of rhythmic movements to bring about relaxation.
Beneath a canopy of stars, a quieter sensual invitation unfolds at the Soma Nāda Sound Journey, where soothing vibrations draw guests inward to sit with stillness and reflection beneath the Cold Moon of Christmas Eve. Visitors can also craft their own herbal potli in the Arogya Potli Workshop, held on Sunday mornings throughout the period, gathering fragrant herbs and spices into a small hand-tied pouch to bring a piece of Nova’s garden home.
Harvest from the Sea
Every evening, the treasures of the ocean garden make their way onto the table. In the day, leisurely Dim Sum & Sushi light bites keep peckishness at bay, while aspiring cooks at Soul Kitchen can trade recipes for hands-on secrets in the Truly Maldivian Flavours workshop. By night, diners can choose between two special menus at Mizu, Nova’s overwater restaurant: the Japanese feast Nova Sora Umi: Blooming Ocean, inspired by the collision of sky and sea (offered daily); and the six-course Umi no Sachi: Bountiful Harvest of the Sea, which lays out the ocean’s finest, course by course (offered on Christmas and New Year’s Eve).
Beyond the table, couples can opt for a beachside feast of grilled lobster and sparkling wine beneath the stars at a more private corner, or sail out to a sandbank to enjoy Prosecco and canapés on a Castaway experience, far from any menu, where candlelight, the tide and each other’s company are all that’s on offer.

Explore the Underwater Garden
For ocean-lovers, Whale Shark Snorkelling and Manta Quest outings offer front-row seats to South Ari Atoll’s gentle giants and manta ray’s silent ballet, while beginner-friendly scuba tours welcome first-timers into the deep. To encourage travellers to give back to the ocean, guests can participate in reef clean-ups, and become a patron in the resort’s Coral Garden Sponsorship, where they’ll be able to plant a coral frame of their own under Nova’s marine team’s guidance.
“The Garden Within reflects something Nova has always stood for – meaningful connection that honours presence and wellbeing,” says Abdulla Aboobakuru, General Manager of Nova Maldives. “Festive season here is a planting season. Through moments spent moving, resting and creating together, we hope every guests leave feeling they have grown closer to themselves, their loved ones, and the world around them, returning home with space within them for something new to grow.”
Travellers can let their soul take root at Nova this festive season, with villas sleeping up to three people from £457 per night on Full Board when booked direct at www.nova-maldives.com.
Entertainment
Silent DJ brings music and movement to Madifushi Private Island
Madifushi Private Island has introduced a new Silent DJ experience, inviting guests to enjoy an evening of music, movement and connection in a way that remains true to the resort’s serene island character.
Set within the resort’s dedicated Silent DJ and Karaoke Lounge, the experience gives each guest a wireless headset and the freedom to choose between multiple music channels. Guests can switch channels whenever they wish, dance to their own soundtrack or tune into the same channel and share the beat with family and friends.
With the music delivered directly through individual headsets, there is no need for amplified DJ sound to fill the surrounding area. The concept therefore allows participating guests to immerse themselves in the energy of the evening while helping to minimize ambient noise and preserve the calm enjoyed by others across the island.
“Madifushi Private Island is known as the Island of Serene Wonders, and every new experience we introduce should complement that promise. Silent DJ gives our guests the freedom to celebrate, dance and enjoy music together while respecting the tranquility that makes the island so special. It is lively on the inside, peaceful on the outside, and unmistakably signature to Madifushi Private Island,” said Mohamed Hilmy, General Manager, Madifushi Private Island.
The room also offers a dedicated Karaoke experience. Using wireless microphones and a curated song library, guests can perform solo, sing together as a group or combine Karaoke with Silent DJ for a more varied private event.
The introduction of Silent DJ reflects Madifushi Private Island’s wider approach to thoughtful luxury: creating memorable experiences that feel personal and joyful while remaining sensitive to the setting. It also offers an inventive response to noise disturbance, showing that entertainment and tranquillity can comfortably coexist when an experience is designed with intention.
Meditation
COMO Resorts Maldives brings marine experts, artists and wellness specialists to its islands
For the remainder of 2026, COMO Maalifushi and COMO Cocoa Island will offer an inspiring calendar of COMO Journeys and visiting practitioner residencies, bringing together leading experts, artists and wellness specialists from around the world.
Rooted in ocean stewardship, artistic expression and holistic wellbeing, each programme is thoughtfully crafted to reflect the distinctive character of its island setting. Through immersive experiences and expert-led encounters, guests are invited to discover the Maldives in new ways, deepening their appreciation of the natural world while cultivating creativity, balance and personal renewal.
At COMO Maalifushi, COMO Journey with Guardians of the Reef will take place from October 20th to November 2nd 2026, with Sharks4Kids. Led by marine biologist Jillian Morris and Emmy Award-winning cinematographer Duncan Brake, the family-focused programme explores the world of sharks through guided reef adventures, marine education, citizen science and underwater storytelling.

The resort will also feature two visiting practitioners, the first, “Holistic Reset for Body and Mind” will take place from September 21st to October 5th 2026, and will include personalised treatments by physiotherapist and osteopath Martina Wegscheider. These treatments will combine osteopathy, craniosacral therapy, energy alignment, and mindful movement.
The second residency, “Balance and Harmony” is scheduled from December 1st to January 10th, 2027. Wellness practitioner Kimberly Rose Kneier will lead this program, which will integrate various holistic practices, including acupuncture, Qi Gong, breathwork, and craniosacral therapy.

At COMO Cocoa Island, COMO Journey with Ocean Culture Life takes place from October 19th to October 31st 2026. This event will be led by award-winning photographer Matt Porteous and environmental advocate Tamsin Raine, who are the founders of Ocean Life Culture. The residency will combine photography, ocean film, storytelling, and conservation efforts. Guests will have the opportunity to participate in photography workshops, youth sessions, marine capture experiences, film nights, and discussions that explore the connection between people and the sea.

The island will host “The Art of Japanese Healing”, featuring practitioner Yuki Nishikubo from November 16th to December 27th 2026. With over 25 years of experience, Nishikubo will provide personalised Japanese acupuncture and Shiatsu treatments to promote relaxation, balance, and overall well-being.
The final event of this year’s creative programme is “From Sea to Self”, a COMO Journey featuring acclaimed artist and Paralympian Gregory Burns, taking place from December 8th to December 27th 2026. Through open studios, intimate conversations and hands-on workshops, Burns will explore the relationship between art, nature and personal transformation. The programme will culminate in an exhibition showcasing the works created during his residency.

“Meaningful travel is about creating experiences that stay with you long after you leave. Through our COMO Journeys and residencies of visiting practitioners, we hope to give guests a deeper connection to the Maldives, whether through the ocean, creativity, conservation or wellbeing, while celebrating the people and ideas that make each experience unique,” says Peter Nilsson, Managing Director of COMO Resorts, Maldives.

News
Theatre, dining and creativity shape festive season at JOALI Maldives
JOALI Maldives, the Maldives’ first art-immersive resort, has announced its 2026 festive theme, Life is a Theatre – The Island Takes the Stage. Inspired by the grandeur, artistry and enchantment of historic theatres, the island will transform into a living stage for a season shaped by spectacle, emotion and creative living.
From 20 December 2026 to 10 January 2027, each corner of the island will reveal a new scene: candlelit gatherings and theatrical feasts, celebrated visiting experts, hands-on creativity, marine conservation, wellbeing rituals and joyful adventures for every generation. Guided by JOALI Maldives’s philosophy of the Joy of Creative Living, the programme invites guests to step beyond the everyday and become part of an unfolding festive story beneath the Maldivian sky.

The opening acts: treasured festive traditions
The season begins with the island’s first illumination at the Christmas Tree Lighting, followed by the opening of the Gingerbread House and Santa’s much-anticipated arrival. These cherished traditions lead into a series of signature celebrations, each interpreted through the language of theatre and brought to life with JOALI Maldives’s distinctive sense of artistry and togetherness.

Three gala celebrations take centre stage
Christmas Eve Gala Dinner | 24 December. Inspired by the splendour of grand European theatres, Christmas Eve unfolds as an opulent celebration of exquisite cuisine, live performance and heartfelt connection.

New Year’s Eve Gala | 31 December. The year reaches its cinematic finale through a film-noir-inspired evening of mystery, glamour and allure. Dramatic monochromes and glimmers of gold set the scene for exceptional dining, live entertainment, fireworks and a thrilling countdown to midnight.

Orthodox Christmas Gala | 6 January. Regal traditions inspire an elegant island gathering featuring global flavours and a warm, luminous setting in which guests can come together and cherish the spirit of Orthodox Christmas.

World-class expertise, from the court to restorative touch
Former World No. 1 and Grand Slam champion Ana Ivanović will host exclusive master tennis classes on select days, helping guests refine technique, agility and confidence while experiencing the precision and joy of world-class tennis.

Visiting practitioner Zoa Aviño Hernandez will guide guests through deeply restorative therapies informed by healing traditions from Bali, Thailand and Mexico. From Reiki and reflexology to Kobido, each treatment brings intuitive care and refined technique together to release tension, restore balance and support freedom of movement.

A culinary programme made for the spotlight
Dining becomes a performance of its own through intimate chef-led journeys and generous family-style feasts. Seasonal highlights include Sparkle O’Clock, Mediterranean Dream, The Pasta Performance and Once Upon a Sake, inviting guests to discover new tastes while sharing familiar favourites.
Throughout the stay, themed cocktail invitations will appear across the island, setting the scene for speakeasy evenings, jazz gatherings, island sundowners and other spirited moments designed to surprise and delight.

Island creations with purpose
At the Ceramics Studio, guests can work with JOALI Maldives’s Resident Artist to shape raw clay into a personal artwork inspired by their time on the island. The festive programme also continues the resort’s Christmas Corals tradition, inviting guests to add coral fragments to a Christmas tree-shaped frame and participate in JOALI Maldives’ ongoing commitment to protecting and restoring the Maldivian marine ecosystem.

Movement, wellbeing and the natural theatre of the ocean
Beyond the headline celebrations, guests can find their own island rhythm through padel, holistic treatments at JOALI BEING Cure and an extensive collection of ocean adventures. Snorkelling, private marine excursions and exhilarating experiences above and across the lagoon reveal the natural beauty surrounding Muravandhoo Island.
The Sunset Dolphin Cruise presents the ocean as nature’s theatre, as playful dolphins flip, spin and glide beneath the glow of the setting sun. Families can also join spirited challenges designed around agility, memory, teamwork and creativity, or form a team for Santa’s Football League and compete in a joyful series of holiday matches.
A festive world for younger guests
Muramas Kids Club will host a daily programme of festive crafts, games, parties, sports and colourful adventures centred on four themes: Create, Play, Discover and Move. Young explorers will also meet Pico the Heron, Mermie the Mermaid and other island friends as they connect with nature, express their creativity and celebrate together.
Guests planning a festive escape can enjoy a selection of exclusive benefits for stays from 21 December 2026 to 10 January 2027. Guests staying seven nights or more in any Overwater category will receive 5% off the applicable room rates, alongside an Early Bird saving of 10% for bookings confirmed 120 days prior to arrival, or 5% for bookings confirmed 60 days prior to arrival.
Additional benefits include complimentary return seaplane transfers for children aged 0–6 years on stays of seven nights or more. For stays of 12 nights or more, complimentary return seaplane transfers are extended to two adults and children aged 0–6 years.
The offer is available to book until 10 October 2026. A minimum stay of seven nights applies to all Beach categories, while five nights applies to all Overwater categories.
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