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Four Seasons Resorts Maldives and “The Mosquito Lady” launch sustainable community mosquito control project

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Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru

Maldives.net.mv – This August, Four Seasons Resorts Maldives is engaging the support of one of the world’s leading bug-battlers to launch an environmentally responsible mosquito control initiative across 13 island communities in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Known as “The Mosquito Lady,” Trudy Rilling-Collins and her team will lead the pre-emptive six-week Baa Atoll Mosquito and Dengue Fever Control Project, initiated following the success of last year’s pilot program at Four Seasons two Resort islands, and five islands local to the Resorts.

Funded by Four Seasons Resorts Maldives, Trudy and her team of ten volunteers will visit each of the 13 designated Baa Atoll islands in turn, working closely with health officers, schools and other community members to implement effective and sustainable mosquito control solutions. The volunteer team will comprise seven students from the University of California at Santa Cruz and young Maldivian volunteers, who will help facilitate the successful establishment of the project among the local islanders.

The project chiefly involves the identification and eradication of mosquito-breeding sites. In addition to significantly reducing mosquito populations without the use of chemicals, it will also reduce the potential risk of infection from dengue fever (a virus carried by the Aedes aegypti and the Aedes albopictus species) amongst remote island communities.

Trudy was first enlisted by Four Seasons Resorts Maldives in 2011 to provide environmentally friendly solutions to unwanted monsoon-loving guests. Thanks to her highly targeted techniques, Four Seasons has been able to completely eliminate the use of fogging across both of its island Resorts, with the pilot community also experiencing significant reductions in mosquito populations.

The widely used technique of “fogging” – the spraying of harmful neurotoxin-filled insecticides – at best only deals with a small proportion of adult mosquitoes and at worst fails to tackle the more prevalent issue of incubating larvae. In contrast, Trudy’s innovative yet surprisingly uncomplicated methods tackle the root of the problem, eradicating mosquitoes’ watery lairs through regular clean-ups of waterlogged areas (such as stagnant water in tanks, drains and wells), the fitting of screens or filters, and even the addition of fish to wells. “Mosquito eggs can take as little as a week go from egg to biting adults,” Trudy advises. ”So 80-90 per cent of the problem can be solved by targeting breeding grounds.”

Trudy holds a diploma in Pest Management from University of California at Berkeley, and has extensive experience in biological research, and a fervent commitment to halting the toxic effects of pesticides in tropical regions. “The beautiful, ecologically sensitive marine life, essential for tourism, is being degraded by outdated and ineffective chemical-based pest management programs,” she warns. “Not to mention the long-term effects of fogging on human health.”

So far, The Mosquito Lady’s cost-effective common-sense approach has been widely welcomed by all who have experienced its efficacy and sustainability. She acknowledges, however, that the long-term success of her methods relies on the involvement of every individual in the project region. “We spend a lot of time raising local awareness and promoting sustainable health education,” she explains. “But each person will ultimately need to act responsibly for the good of their community.”

Four Seasons Regional Vice President Armando Kraenzlin commented: “Having reaped the benefits of Trudy’s staggeringly successful methods across our own island Resorts, we are delighted to be able to extend her expertise across the wider Baa Atoll community. As joint residents of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, it is essential that we work with our neighbouring islanders to implement methods of control that will help preserve both the natural beauty of the region and the long-term health of its inhabitants and visitors for generations to come.”

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Four Seasons Resorts Maldives blend family travel with marine discovery

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As family travel patterns continue to evolve, with multigenerational holidays and “schoolcations” becoming a growing part of the market, Four Seasons is positioning its Maldives resorts as destinations where families can combine leisure with learning, exploration and shared experiences. Through programmes at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, the brand is offering a Maldives-based approach to family travel that extends beyond the traditional resort stay.

In the Maldives, the focus is placed on experiences that allow families to spend time together while engaging with the natural environment in direct and practical ways. At Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, marine education forms a central part of the family offering. Children and teenagers can take part in hands-on initiatives alongside experts from The Manta Trust, learning about coral restoration, manta ray research and ocean conservation. The programme gives younger guests an opportunity to understand the marine ecosystems that define the Maldives while participating in activities linked to ongoing conservation work.

At Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, the family experience is also shaped by the surrounding lagoon and reef environment. Younger guests can take part in introductory diving, surfing and marine conservation activities designed to build early awareness of the ocean and its ecosystems. These experiences place the Maldives’ natural setting at the centre of the stay, allowing families to engage with the destination through activity as well as observation.

This emphasis on learning through travel reflects wider changes in family tourism, where parents are increasingly looking for holidays that combine recreation with educational value. In the Maldives, that approach has particular relevance, given the country’s dependence on marine ecosystems and its reputation as one of the world’s leading island destinations. By integrating conservation-focused experiences into resort programming, Four Seasons is presenting family travel not only as a period of rest, but also as an opportunity for younger travellers to develop a closer understanding of the environment around them.

The Maldives setting also supports multigenerational travel in practical terms. Resorts such as Landaa Giraavaru and Kuda Huraa are well suited to families travelling across age groups, where grandparents, parents and children may all be sharing the same holiday but looking for different forms of engagement. Accommodation, marine activities and wellness offerings can be structured in ways that allow families to spend time together while also catering to different interests and energy levels.

The family proposition is strengthened by the Maldives’ ability to combine relaxation with activities that are tied closely to place. Lagoon-based discovery, reef experiences and conservation work provide a clear alternative to more conventional beach holiday programming. Rather than limiting the stay to accommodation and dining, these activities allow the destination itself to shape the guest experience.

In this context, Four Seasons’ Maldives resorts reflect a broader shift in how luxury family travel is being positioned. The emphasis is no longer only on privacy and comfort, but also on engagement, shared discovery and experiences that carry value beyond the holiday itself. In the Maldives, where marine life and island environments remain central to the visitor experience, that model gives families a way to connect both with each other and with the destination.

Through Landaa Giraavaru and Kuda Huraa, Four Seasons is therefore presenting a Maldives offering that responds to changing family travel expectations. By combining marine education, outdoor activity and resort-based comfort, the brand is aligning its family travel strategy with the qualities that continue to set the Maldives apart. The result is a version of family travel that is shaped not only by where guests stay, but by what they are able to learn and experience together while they are there.

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COMO Cocoa Island blends wellness and ocean experiences for guests

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There is a moment, just after arrival at COMO Cocoa Island, when everything softens. Time loosens its grip. The horizon stretches and the only sound is the tide shifting gently beneath your villa.

At COMO Cocoa Island, experiences are not designed to impress, but to unfold. Each one invites guests to rediscover a slower rhythm—guided by water, light, and instinct.

Where the Ocean Becomes the Guide

The island’s house reef lies just steps from each villa—a living, breathing ecosystem that reveals itself gradually. Slip into the water, and the world shifts: parrotfish flicker past, reef sharks glide at a distance, and turtles move with unhurried grace.

Further afield, journeys into deeper waters bring guests face-to-face with nurse sharks in the nearby atolls—encounters that feel both grounding and quietly exhilarating.

For those who choose to dive, the surrounding sites offer dramatic topographies—caves, channels, and coral walls—each shaped by currents that have moved through these waters long before the first footprints touched the island.

Drifting Towards Stillness

Back above the surface, experiences take on a different pace.

A private sandbank emerges from the horizon—untouched, impossibly white. Here, lunch is served with nothing but the gentle rhythm of waves in the background. There are no interruptions, no schedules. Just a sense of being suspended between sea and open sky.

As the day fades, traditional dhoni boats set out across the lagoon. The light softens. The ocean reflects gold, then amber, then deep blue. Sometimes, dolphins appear—not as spectacle, but as part of the natural rhythm of the place.

Wellbeing, Without Boundaries

At COMO Cocoa Island, wellness is not confined within walls. It exists in the spaces between. Morning yoga unfolds overlooking the ocean. Breathing slows in time with the tide and sandbank meditation becomes instinctive—guided by wind, warmth, and the steady presence of the sea.

The COMO Shambhala Retreat complements this with therapies that are precise yet intuitive—designed not to transform, but to restore.

A Philosophy of Less, Perfected

“Cocoa Island has never been about doing more—it’s about feeling more, with less,”says Peter Nilsson, Managing Director, COMO Maldives. “What makes this island special is its restraint. We don’t try to fill every moment—we allow space for the ocean, for stillness, for genuine connection. Guests leave not because they’ve done everything, but because they’ve experienced something real.”

An Island That Stays With You

There are no grand gestures here. No overstatement.

Instead, COMO Cocoa Island offers something increasingly rare—an experience that lingers quietly, long after departure. Not defined by what you did, but by how it made you feel. Because here, in this small corner of the Maldives, the most meaningful moments are often the simplest ones.

For more information, please visit the resort’s website

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Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives introduces indoor mini golf experience

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Resort experiences are increasingly shaped by the need for flexibility, with guests seeking activities that can be enjoyed beyond peak sun hours, creating a natural demand for engaging indoor spaces and particularly in tropical destinations where brief, seasonal rain showers are part of the island rhythm.

Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives builds on this evolving guest preference with the introduction of its new 8-hole Indoor Mini Golf Centre, adding a playful and interactive dimension to the island’s leisure offering. The space was officially unveiled at a recent opening, where a guest was invited to mark the occasion, setting the tone for an experience centred around shared enjoyment and light-hearted moments.

The indoor mini golf course offers a relaxed, air-conditioned space where guests of all ages can take part, whether as a casual game between families, a friendly challenge among couples, or a fun addition to group stays. It provides a comfortable alternative to outdoor activities while maintaining the sense of energy and connection that defines time on the island, regardless of the weather.

The addition builds on the resort’s existing indoor facilities, including billiards, table tennis, and a dedicated kids’ playroom, creating a more rounded leisure experience that caters to different moods and moments. Outdoors, guests can continue to explore a wide range of activities, from beach volleyball and futsal to badminton, diving, and both motorised and non-motorised water sports.

As one of the first resorts in the area to introduce an indoor mini golf experience, Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives continues to evolve its offerings in line with how guests choose to travel today, blending activity, comfort, and shared experiences in a setting designed for both relaxation and discovery.

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