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Shangri-La’s Villingili launches cultural tours
Maldives Promotion House – Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa in Maldives has launched cultural tours inviting guests to experience another side to the paradise islands of the Indian Ocean.
The luxury resort’s new guided excursions include a range of cultural and recreational tours suitable for both couples and families designed to excite every interest, from historical and farming excursions to cycling tours and nature walks. Tours are led by resort guides ensuring that guests gain insight into local life on the Addu Atoll islands while discovering the natural beauty of the Maldives.
Addu City Tour by Bicycle
Unlike other resorts in the Maldives, Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa is close to a thriving Maldivian community who live in the surrounding Atoll. Guests have the opportunity to cycle into the Maldivian villages linked by a series of bridges in the surrounding area of Atoll where they can gain an insight into community life. Guests depart the resort to the islands of Feydhoo and Maradhoo and have the chance to visit local mosques, schools and the tuna landing site at Maradhoo harbour. Along the tour, guests will be able to see the traditional coral stone houses and buy fresh fruit at the local roadside stores. The tour then heads back to the resort via Gan Island to explore the local area by foot. Price: $50USD++ per person. Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes.
Historical Tour
The historical tour visits the Island of Gan, a former British Navy base during the Second World War, for an afternoon ramble among the remnants of the British occupation of Addu. Guests depart the resort via speedboat for Gan where sites include the residences once used by RAF servicemen, the Astra cinema and the British Memorial Site. To go one step further, qualified scuba divers can dive down to see the cargo boat ‘British Loyalty’ which was torpedoed by a German U-boat during the war. Price: $50USD++ per person. Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes.
Meedhoo Farms Tour
The farmers of Meedhoo Island have historically relied on agriculture as their main source of livelihood and the relatively recent development of tourism in Addu Atoll has presented the farmers with a new and attractive market for their traditional produce. This guided tour of Meedhoo local farms offers guests the opportunity to see first-hand the source of the locally grown produce used at the Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa restaurants. Guests take a 15 minute speedboat ride to the island and can sample local Maldivian home tea, farm fruit and fresh juice. Guests are able to expand on their local farm experience by indulging in a Chef’s Garden Dinner on the island as part of the Dine-by-Design offer. Price: $80USD++ per person. Duration: 3 hours.
Villingili Nature Walk
Guests can explore nature trails in Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa surrounding landscape made up of banyan trees, coconut trees, exotic plants and lagoons. The tour around the centre of the island is led by naturalist Peter Watt Pringle from the resort’s Eco Central. Local wildlife can also be spotted including the oriental garden lizard, land crabs and the giant Indian flying fox.
Complimentary activity. Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes.
The Maldives is famous for its white sand beaches and turquoise lagoons; however the Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa has taken the tourist experience a step further to offer luxury Maldivian escapes with an edge. Proud of the surrounding local culture and history, the resort’s new tours aim to give guests a more rounded and diverse experience in the Maldives.
Maldivian Journey package
Shangri-La invites you and your partner to explore the Maldives with from USD 815++ per couple per night on a bed and breakfast basis. Experience three nights at Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa in a two-person villa and one night at the Traders Hotel in Malé in a double room inclusive of a Dolphin cruise, Addu bicycle tour and Malé city tour. Terms and conditions apply, valid for new bookings for stays between 14 February 2013 and 23 December 2013 and does not apply for existing bookings. For reservations, visit shangri-la.com/male/villingiliresort/reservations.
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LUX Tennis joins St. Regis Maldives Vommuli to expand active lifestyle programme
St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort has announced a partnership with LUX Tennis, strengthening the resort’s established tennis offering and introducing plans for a new padel court. The collaboration expands the resort’s active lifestyle programme, with a particular focus on families and multi-generational travel.
The St. Regis brand draws on the legacy of the Astor family, founders of the original St. Regis New York, whose Gilded Age lifestyle celebrated refined leisure and sporting pursuits. Tennis, in particular, became a symbol of elegance within the Astor social circle, reflecting a culture shaped by hospitality, recreation and sophistication. This heritage continues across the St. Regis portfolio today, where classic sports remain an integral part of the brand’s identity.
Set within the resort’s private island environment, the enhanced LUX Tennis programme is designed to elevate on-island tennis experiences for guests of all ages and skill levels. The programme features expert-led coaching, bespoke clinics and visiting residencies by internationally recognised professionals, offering guests opportunities to train, play and engage with elite talent in an accessible and inspiring setting.
Confirmed visiting professionals include Angelique Kerber, three-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one, who will visit from 29 to 31 March 2026, and Feliciano López, former Spanish champion with a career-high singles ranking of world number 12, scheduled from 16 to 17 May 2026.
The expanded tennis programme is designed to integrate seamlessly with island life, offering everything from relaxed family matches and junior-friendly coaching to more focused sessions for experienced players. Activities are structured to complement time spent at the beach, spa experiences and family dining.
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort features 77 beachfront and overwater villas, each with a private pool, alongside facilities such as the John Jacob Astor Estate, the largest overwater three-bedroom villa in the Maldives. Guests also have access to the award-winning Iridium Spa, six dining venues and a private yacht available for charter, reinforcing the resort’s positioning as a destination for both leisure and active pursuits.
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InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort launches ‘Swim with Nurse Sharks’ experience
Nestled in the pristine waters of the Raa Atoll, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort introduces Swim with Nurse Sharks, a new guided marine experience offering guests a rare opportunity to encounter these gentle creatures in their natural lagoon habitat.
Located just minutes from the island, the calm, shallow waters provide ideal conditions for observing nurse sharks at rest and in motion. The one-hour experience operates three times a week by speedboat and is designed for small groups, making it suitable for families and confident swimmers seeking a meaningful connection with the ocean.
Guided with care and respect for the environment, the experience reflects the resort’s ongoing commitment to marine awareness and responsible interaction with wildlife. Guests gain insight into the behaviour of nurse sharks while exploring one of the region’s few accessible snorkelling sites dedicated to this species.
Available at USD 95++ per person, with special rates for children under 12, Swim with Nurse Sharks adds a distinctive new chapter to the resort’s immersive ocean experiences.
For more information on “Swim with Nurse Sharks” at InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort, please visit the resort’s website.
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Avani+ Fares Maldives to host Michael Owen’s football camp for second year
Michael Owen’s Football Camp is returning to Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort for a second year, running from 31 March to 3 April 2026 as part of the resort’s Easter holiday programme. Following a strong debut in 2025, the camp will once again see children and teens join the former England striker for hands-on coaching sessions on Fares Island in Baa Atoll.
Designed for kids and teens aged 5 to 13, the four-day camp combines daily training sessions, skills development and team challenges, led by Michael Owen. The programme ends on a high with a celebratory finale, with certificates, medals and jersey signings for every participant. The camp is complimentary for all guests staying at Avani+ Fares Maldives during the event, and each registered participant will receive an official Football Kit, including two sets of customised jerseys, shorts and socks.

Building on the strong response from families last year, the 2026 Football Camp sits within Avani+ Fares Maldives’ broader Easter line-up, pairing structured sports sessions with relaxed island time. Beyond the pitch, younger guests can dip in and out of island adventures at AvaniKids and the Teens Club, with creative arts and crafts and dedicated spaces designed around their age group. Mealtimes are part of the fun too, with Petit Bistro, the resort’s kids-only restaurant, created just for younger guests.
For families keen to get out on the water together, Avani+ Fares Maldives is set within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll, with snorkelling along the house reef right off the island and a full menu of water sports and dive experiences at this award-winning dive resort.
Commenting on the upcoming camp, Michael Owen said: “Coming back to Avani+ Fares Maldives feels like a natural next step after the energy and enthusiasm we saw at the first camp. It is a special environment for families and the camp is all about helping kids build confidence, develop their skills and most importantly enjoy the game together. I am really looking forward to being back on the island in 2026.”

Avani+ Fares Maldives is designed with families in mind, with a wide mix of accommodation styles to suit different group sizes and travel plans. Options range from interconnecting Pavilion rooms for easy togetherness, to Beach Pool Villas with outdoor space for daytime downtime, alongside over water villas set above the lagoon. For families travelling as a bigger group, the resort also offers spacious two and three bedroom Over Water Pool Residences, with generous living areas and room to spread out between activities.
Package rates start from USD 3,500 for a family of four, including accommodation, seaplane transfers and football camp registration. Based on two adults and two children sharing on a bed and breakfast basis, includes taxes and fees. To book, visit www.avanihotels.com/en/fares-maldives, email fares@avanihotels.com or call +960 660 1660.
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