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Marriott Bonvoy Resorts curate Maldives escapes for Saudi National Day holiday

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As the Saudi National Day holiday approaches, the Maldives offers an irresistible invitation to slow down and reconnect with the people who matter most.

Just a short-haul journey from the Kingdom yet a world away from everyday life, its turquoise lagoons, white-sand beaches, and private island settings provide the perfect backdrop for family gatherings, milestone celebrations, and well-deserved moments of relaxation. Whether traveling with children, extended family, close friends, or as a couple, guests can enjoy elevated stays defined by spacious villas, unparalleled privacy, bespoke experiences, world-class wellness, and thoughtful hospitality.

Across the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio, each resort brings a unique perspective to island living, from contemporary architectural retreats and family-focused sanctuaries to marine adventures, cultural discoveries, and wellness-inspired escapes. Together, these extraordinary destinations showcase the many facets of the Maldives, inviting travellers to create unforgettable memories this Saudi National Day.

Private Island Sanctuaries for Meaningful Gatherings

Set within the stunning Fari Islands archipelago, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands combines contemporary architecture, personalised service, and island tranquility. Designed by renowned architect Kerry Hill, its spacious villas are complemented by private pools and expansive indoor-outdoor living. Families and groups can retreat to generous two-bedroom villas, while The Ritz-Carlton Estate, a private four-bedroom oceanfront residence, creates an impeccable setting for milestone celebrations and multi-generational escapes. Dedicated Aris Meeha island butlers curate every detail of the stay, while the extended Saudi National Day celebrations feature Saudi Flag Art, a Traditional Henna Atelier, an Arabian Delights Dinner, and an exclusive SUSHISAMBA Dubai pop-up at EAU Bar. Located 50 minutes from Malé by luxury speedboat, the resort invites guests to experience privacy, culture, and elevated island living in an extraordinary island setting.

Framed by rainforest foliage and white-sand beaches, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort is one of the Maldives’ finest addresses for families seeking privacy, space, and exceptional service. Spacious two- and three-bedroom villas cater to multi-generational stays, while the newly reimagined Two-Bedroom Family Villa creates an inviting retreat for quality time together. For larger celebrations, the Caroline Astor Estate and the John Jacob Astor Estate, one of the Maldives’ largest overwater residences, deliver unparalleled space and exclusivity. Beyond the villa, guests can snorkel the vibrant house reef, embark on private yacht journeys aboard Norma, and renew mind and body at the award-winning Iridium Spa. At ALBA, international cuisine is complemented by Middle Eastern favourites, while the signature St. Regis Butler Service ensures every stay is tailored to individual preferences. The resort is reached via a scenic 45-minute seaplane journey from Malé.

A scenic 50-minute seaplane journey from Malé brings guests to JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa, where families can reconnect through meaningful moments designed for every generation. Spacious Overwater Duplex Villas and Two-Bedroom Duplex Beach Villas with Pool combine privacy, comfort, and intuitive Thakuru personal butler service. Young travellers can spend their days at Family by JW™ Little Griffins Kids’ Club, one of the largest in the Maldives, with more than 100 engaging activities. Families can come together through cooking classes using fresh ingredients from the JW Garden, traditional Boduberu evenings, and rejuvenating treatments at Spa by JW. Complimentary bicycles allow guests to explore the island at a relaxed pace, taking in the beauty of their tropical surroundings.

Adventure and Ocean Discovery

Situated on in North Ari Atoll, W Maldives is a vibrant private island retreat where luxury and adventure go hand in hand. Renowned for its award-winning house reef and guided excursions to encounter nurse sharks in their natural habitat, the resort is a favourite among marine life enthusiasts. Its 77 newly refreshed beach and overwater villas feature private pools and generous indoor-outdoor living spaces, while the two-bedroom Oasis Beach Villa with Slide is ideal for families and groups. Guests can enjoy private beach barbecues, sunset cruises, and exclusive escapes to Gaathafushi, the resort’s private island, where bespoke dining and intimate celebrations unfold in complete seclusion. Accessible via a 25-minute seaplane journey from Velana International Airport, W Maldives delivers a spirited and contemporary take on island living. 

Surrounded by a rare 360-degree lagoon in Lhaviyani Atoll, Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa brings together the glamour of the French Riviera and the beauty of the Maldives. Families and groups can choose from spacious beach and overwater villas, while the Three-Bedroom Thilamaafushi Villa presents an expansive retreat for larger gatherings. Guests can snorkel alongside sea turtles year-round, visit the Marine Conservation Hub, harvest ingredients at The Greenhouse, and take part in creative activities from padel matches to art workshops. Afternoons come alive at the Au Soleil pool party, while evenings reveal a different kind of wonder. Located at 5° north of the equator, the resort is uniquely positioned for guided stargazing, where constellations from both hemispheres illuminate the night sky above the Indian Ocean.

Nestled within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll, The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort is a wellness retreat surrounded by some of the Maldives’ richest marine ecosystems. Guests can discover more than 250 species of coral, seasonal manta ray aggregations, and unforgettable encounters with whale sharks. Spacious family beach and overwater villas foster privacy and relaxation, while the two-bedroom Heavenly Beach Residence serves as a luxurious sanctuary for larger groups. Wellness remains central to every stay, from the signature Heavenly® Bed and Sleep Well rituals to restorative yoga sessions, 24/7 access to the WestinWORKOUT® Fitness Studio, and healthy dining through the Eat Well menu. Whether exploring the underwater world or relaxing with loved ones, the resort inspires a sense of balance, renewal, and connection.

Effortless Island Escapes Within Easy Reach from Malé

Set on the natural island of Furanafushi, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa combines accessibility, authentic island charm, and family-friendly programming. Following a comprehensive resort-wide transformation, accommodations, dining venues and public spaces have been thoughtfully reimagined while preserving the island’s tropical character. Accommodation ranges from interconnecting guest rooms to spacious beachfront villas, including the Ocean Pool Villa with uninterrupted ocean views, a private plunge pool, and expansive indoor-outdoor living spaces. Days can be spent participating in the Adopt-a-Coral conservation initiative, enjoying Maldivian Journey cultural immersion, snorkelling, dolphin cruises, and nurse shark encounters. Beyond seven dining venues serving Mediterranean, Thai, and international cuisine, guests can savour destination dining experiences ranging from a leisurely Furanafushi Picnic to a romantic Sunset Dinner on the beach. Just 15 minutes by speedboat from Malé, Sheraton Maldives is one of the destination’s most convenient family escapes.

Located in Kaafu Atoll, JW Marriott Maldives Kaafu Atoll Island Resort brings together residential-style luxury, cultural immersion, and family-friendly activities. Spacious two-bedroom beach and overwater villas, along with the three-bedroom Ocean Residence, create a sophisticated setting for families and groups. The Ocean Residence features a private gym, spa treatment room, and waterslide leading directly into the lagoon. Guests are welcomed by dedicated Safeeru ambassadors, while younger travellers can discover creativity and adventure at the Family by JW™ Kids’ Club. Adventures range from dolphin cruises and nurse shark snorkelling to culinary journeys across seven distinctive dining venues inspired by Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, South American, and Nikkei cuisine. Meaningful moments of connection and discovery bring families together, creating cherished memories to take home.

Marriott Bonvoy members can seamlessly earn and redeem points on stays and experiences at the resorts. To know more about the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of resorts in the Maldives, please visit marriott.com/maldives.  

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Four Seasons Resorts Maldives honoured for 25 years of marine conservation efforts at HICAP 2026

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Four Seasons Resorts Maldives has won the 2026 Sustainable Hotel Award for Biodiversity Action & Education from Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP). The award recognises 25 years of conservation, research and training at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa (since May 1998) and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru (since November 2006).

Winners are selected by an expert judging panel for innovative sustainability practices that can be replicated across Asia Pacific. The Biodiversity Action & Education category emphasises measurable conservation and practical learning. Four Seasons Resorts Maldives was recognised for connecting sustained conservation and scientific advances with hands-on learning for guests, local schoolchildren and young Maldivians.

The resorts’ Reefscapers partnership, launched at Kuda Huraa in 2001, encompasses more than 9,000 coral frames across one of the Indian Ocean’s largest artificial reef restoration projects. Decades of monitoring have supported peer-reviewed, AI-assisted research into coral survival, informing restoration methods as environmental pressures increase. Corals on mature frames now reproduce naturally, while spawning and larval-settlement research advances methods to repopulate damaged reefs and increase diversity.

That research also supports practical conservation education. Since 2023, Landaa has hosted the Baa Atoll Marine Biology Internship Programme, a three-stage, three-year initiative introducing students across the atoll to marine science.

Furthermore, the resorts’ government-accredited Apprenticeship Programme has produced 1,058 Maldivian graduates since 2001 and currently offers 14 career pathways, including Marine Conservation. A new, fully funded four-year Marine and Environmental Science apprenticeship with Maldives National University combines academic study with fieldwork at both Kuda Huraa and Landaa Giraavaru. The pathway progresses towards a bachelor’s degree.

“This award belongs to the people who keep doing the work,” says Armando Kraenzlin, Regional Vice President and General Manager. “Our marine biologists, conservation partners, gardeners and trainers turn years of experience into knowledge others can use. Guests and young Maldivians contribute too, learning alongside our teams and helping carry that work forward.”

Science that informs action

Marine Savers, the resorts’ conservation programme, operates from Marine Discovery Centres at Kuda Huraa and Landaa Giraavaru, working with long-term partners including Reefscapers and The Manta Trust.

Reefscapers achieved a Maldives first by collecting coral reproductive cells in the wild, then fertilising them and settling larvae under controlled conditions. During severe bleaching in 2024, teams relocated 28,000 corals to deeper, cooler waters.

The Turtle Rehabilitation Centres at Kuda Huraa and Landaa Giraavaru have cared for over 500 sea turtles. To date, of the many injured by ghost fishing nets carried into Maldivian waters by wider Indian Ocean currents, more than 280 have been released.

Both resorts also support manta research, with studies by Landaa’s onsite Manta Trust scientists identifying the world’s largest-known reef manta population. Their research contributed to Baa Atoll’s designation as the Maldives’ first UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 2011.

Learning through participation

Guest coral sponsorship funds restoration, with guests transplanting fragments alongside marine biologists and following their development on MarineSavers.com.

Marine Discovery Centres connect guests and local schoolchildren with this conservation work. At Kuda Huraa, the Junior Marine Savers introduces younger children to ocean conservation through hands-on marine discovery activities. Landaa’s one-to-one Trainee Marine Biologist Programme gives teenagers practical experience across six specialist modules, while garden tours connect cultivation with food, wellness and composting.

All of the resorts’ research, field reports and findings are shared with the Maldives wider resort community, students, researchers and a global audience via MarineSavers.com. The Reefscapers programme’s selection as a World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance case study further extends its relevance to the hospitality industry.

For more information and ways to participate in award-winning biodiversity conservation and education at Four Seasons Resorts Maldives, visit MarineSavers.com or contact the Resorts at reservations.mal@fourseasons.com or call +960 66 00 888.

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Siyam World Maldives adds JetCar Cinema to collection of island experiences

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At Siyam World, part of the Lifestyle Collection of Sun Siyam, even movie night comes with a twist. The resort has introduced its latest experience. JetCar Cinema, taking the classic drive-in concept off the road and straight into the lagoon. Because apparently watching a movie from a normal seat was never going to be enough.

The experience invites guests to hop into a JetCar, cruise across the lagoon and settle in for a film on a floating big screen, surrounded by the warm Maldivian waters and open night sky. Yes, you drive to the cinema. On the water. Part JetCar adventure, part drive-in cinema and completely Siyam World, it is a movie night with a rather different kind of front-row seat.

Then again, doing things differently is hardly new territory for Siyam World. Home to the Maldives’ largest floating waterpark, the country’s first in-resort horse ranch and its very own electric go-kart track the resort has built a reputation for turning the familiar holiday experiences into something entirely unexpected. JetCar Cinema is simply the latest addition to an island where ordinary has never been part of the plan.

Whether it is a date night with a difference or another holiday story worth bringing home, this is one cinema experience where the journey is just as much fun as the movie itself.

Lights, camera, splash. Movie night just found a new address.

JetCar Cinema welcomes up to four guests per session, with the film, drinks and popcorn all part of the experience. Ready to experience your own lagoon-side movie night? Discover the latest offers here. After all, at Siyam World, even a quiet night in comes with a little more going on.

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Awards

Atmosphere Core wins Leading Resort/Hotel Brand and Hospitality Development Company titles at SATA 2026

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Atmosphere Core has been recognised with two prestigious honours at the South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) 2026, receiving the titles of Leading Resort/Hotel Brand and Leading Hospitality Development Company.

The recognition reflects Atmosphere Core’s continued contribution to the hospitality landscape across the Maldives and beyond, and its commitment to creating distinctive guest experiences through thoughtful hospitality, strong brand identities and responsible development.

With a growing portfolio spanning the Maldives and international destinations, Atmosphere Core continues to build a diverse collection of hospitality brands, each shaped by its own identity and approach to guest experience. As its brands expand, the company continues to evolve its portfolio while staying grounded in its philosophy of delivering heartfelt hospitality.

The Leading Hospitality Development Company title further recognises Atmosphere Core’s development journey, which has expanded beyond its established Maldivian portfolio into new destinations and concepts. Most recently, the company marked its debut in Europe with the opening of BORGO MONCHIERO HERITAGE by Atmosphere in Italy, while continuing to develop its pipeline of new hospitality projects across key markets.

Commenting on the recognition, Salil Panigrahi, Managing Director at Atmosphere Core, said: “We are honoured to receive these two recognitions at the South Asian Travel Awards 2026. They reflect the dedication of our teams across our resorts, offices and development projects, and the trust of our guests, partners and industry colleagues. As we continue to grow, our focus remains on creating meaningful hospitality experiences while developing brands and destinations with a clear sense of identity and purpose.”

The South Asian Travel Awards are among the region’s recognised platforms celebrating achievements across the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors. The 2026 awards recognise organisations and individuals demonstrating excellence and contribution to the industry across South Asia.

The two SATA 2026 recognitions add to Atmosphere Core’s growing list of industry accolades and mark another milestone in the group’s continued development as an international hospitality company.

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