Featured
Magical Baros tale: Festive highlights at Baros Maldives
Baros is celebrated for its idyllic ambience, alluring comfort and endless bewitching experiences. While we prepare to welcome the festive season, our blissful island invites guests to “A Magical Baros Tale” journey from 22nd December through to 7th January 2023.
Baros guests can take their loved ones to celebrate this festive season with unparalleled gastronomic highlights, exhilarating excursions and the freedom to relax at your home-away-from-home; this holiday season will be a tale to remember.
With the season’s itinerary filled with our carefully hand-selected collection of the best experiences, every moment invites guests to a spellbinding adventure. Serenity Spa has prepared an array of alleviating treatments for guests anticipating moments to heal and unwind. Whether it is being pampered in the comfort of their villa, joining a group aqua yoga session or simply delighting in a festive glow treatment, there are endless moments dedicated to creating the most rejuvenating holiday for guests.
The outstanding culinary experience at Baros presents numerous activities for guests to partake in. Spark the holiday spirit with the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at Palm Garden, and watch as the festive soul takes over the atmosphere. Gather with family and friends on Christmas Eve cocktails, while the evening will be enlightened by a Buffet style Gala Dinner at Lime restaurant or the lavish Christmas Eve Gourmet experience at The Lighthouse restaurant serving a six-course set dinner meticulously prepared by Chef de Cuisine Pasindu and his culinary team.
In addition to the delectable culinary experiences accompanied by live music, guests can also take part in multiple cooking classes with our award-winning chefs, offering the secrets of our mouth-watering dishes. For an untethered journey at Baros, where the romance never fades out, guests are welcome to witness the sunrise paired with a decadent breakfast at a private sandbank or dine under the stars surrounded by nothing but the blue lagoons at our private Piano Deck.
With activities like diving and snorkelling at the coral plantation, guests can witness the marine life and participate in eco-friendly activities designed to preserve and protect the underwater beauty. The world-class Baros house reef is open day or night for those keen on exploring the mesmerising world. The Baros Dive and Marine Centre has prepared a plethora of activities for guests seeking the rush of adrenaline on water. From coasting on the waters on a catamaran to admiring the Maldivian seas as they set sail at sunset, sunrise or during the twilight hours to fish, there are boundless opportunities to be mesmerised at Baros this festive season.
Every moment at Baros is designed to transform extraordinary moments into lasting memories. With our traditional New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner, the celebration of culinary delights and Gourmet Experience at The Lighthouse restaurant and an attractive lineup of a Maldivian live band and DJ performance, guests can say goodbye to 2022 and toast to 2023 in the most enchanting way – all night long.
“For this upcoming festive season, we have crafted an abundance of inspiring holiday experiences, exquisite culinary surprises curated by our award-winning chefs and served in timeless style, moments to unwind and heal, romantic moments, fun-filled underwater escapades and varied live entertainment that may bring our guests, families and friends together in joy and harmony,” comments Ibrahim Shijah, General Manager of Baros.
Featured
‘Unlimited Play – Eat. Sip. Repeat.’: New Premium All-Inclusive at The Standard, Maldives
The Standard, Maldives, the stylish and unconventional resort in Raa Atoll, announces the launch of its most generous offering yet: the Premium All-Inclusive package, timed to complement its highly anticipated Festive 2025 programme. Titled “Unlimited Play – Eat. Sip. Repeat,” the package is designed to provide guests with a hassle-free, elevated island experience, ensuring every moment is infused with fun and luxury without reaching for the wallet. The move reinforces The Standard’s commitment to offering unscripted fun and memorable stays in the Maldives.
The Premium All-Inclusive
The Premium All-Inclusive package covers all daily meals across four dining venues, including the signature specialty restaurants. At the heart of the offering is the unlimited premium beverage programme: guests can enjoy free-flowing Champagne; choose from over 50 premium wines, prosecco, and sparkling selections from around the world; and access top-shelf spirits with crafted cocktails and mocktails available all day and into the late-night hours at Todis and by the pool.
Beyond dining, the package includes further inclusions. Every villa receives a daily replenished, fully stocked mini bar featuring two bottles of premium wine, two spirits, and four beers. For stays of six nights or more, the Ultimate Indulgence is unlocked, granting each adult a complimentary 45-minute spa treatment—either a restorative massage or a DIY hammam experience. In addition, guests receive one complimentary Adventure Time excursion per stay, selecting from a sunset fishing trip, a lucky dolphin cruise, or a romantic sunset cruise.
Festive Season 2025
As the year draws to a close, The Standard, Maldives invites guests to join the Festive 2025 celebrations, an immersive programme that transforms the island into a lively setting of parties and bespoke gastronomy. From Christmas Eve through the New Year, the resort’s playful spirit will feature uniquely Standard activities, decorations, and a curated line-up of entertainment for guests of all ages.
Highlights of the Festive 2025 calendar include exclusive themed beach parties, culinary journeys crafted by international chefs, and dedicated events for families. The celebrations will culminate in a high-energy New Year’s Eve gala with performances, fireworks over the lagoon, and dancing to ring in 2026 in The Standard’s signature style.
“At The Standard, we believe true luxury means freedom; freedom to play, indulge, and live in the moment without a second thought. Our new Premium All-Inclusive is all about that: seamless, generous, and fun. From Champagne breakfasts to late-night cocktails, it’s the easiest decision guests will ever make on holiday,” said Justin Swart, General Manager, The Standard, Maldives.
The Standard, Maldives aims to offer a celebratory experience this year by coupling the convenience of the Premium All-Inclusive with its Festive 2025 programming, setting the stage for a holiday season where preferences are catered to from the first welcome bubbles to the last dance of the New Year.
Cooking
VARU by Atmosphere unveils Teppanyaki Over Water and Cellar at NÜ
Celebrating the spirit of modern Maldivian hospitality, VARU by Atmosphere has expanded its culinary offering with two new dining venues: Teppanyaki Over Water and Cellar at NÜ. Designed for both first-time and returning guests seeking authentic, inventive experiences, the additions broaden the resort’s gastronomic landscape.
At Teppanyaki Over Water, seasoned chefs transform the art of teppan grilling into a live culinary performance above the lagoon. Premium seafood, wagyu and sushi are prepared with precision and flair, complemented by sake cocktails and fine soju. The speciality restaurant delivers dishes straight from the grill to the plate, in an ambience that reflects the spirit of Japanese hospitality.
As sunset draws over the Indian Ocean, Cellar at NÜ offers an elegant overwater wine-degustation lounge where evenings unfold with sophistication. Guests can explore rare vintages and special selections paired with curated chocolate, cheese and charcuterie platters. The centrepiece is a six-course Royal Wine Pairing Dinner.
“At VARU, our cuisine, design and service are intuitive and inventively curated,” said Maurice Van Den Bosch, General Manager of VARU by Atmosphere. “We continue to evolve in meaningful ways. With Teppanyaki Over Water and Cellar at NÜ, we’ve created culinary journeys that are intimate, enriching and true to the island’s generous spirit — offering guests new reasons to return, season after season.”
For special occasions, romantic evenings or those wishing to discover new cuisines, the two overwater venues add an extra layer of indulgence and celebration beyond the VARU Plan™, and are available for guests to pre-book.
Located in North Malé Atoll, VARU by Atmosphere has been recognised in Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best 2025, ranking among the top 1% of listings worldwide. Its signature restaurant, Kaagé, has also received the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award 2025 for the fifth consecutive year, underscoring the resort’s reputation for dining excellence. With these thoughtfully introduced experiences, VARU by Atmosphere invites guests to embrace an unforgettable, Naturally Maldivian island adventure.
Celebration
Villa Park sets holiday line-up with sunset welcome, Santa visit and NYE gala
Villa Park has announced its Festive 2025–2026 programme, running from 20 December 2025 to 6 January 2026. The schedule moves from lagoon-side mornings to music-led evenings on the beach, beginning with a sunset welcome and continuing with beach barbecues, creative workshops, Christmas Eve dinner, Santa’s visit on 25 December, and a New Year’s Eve gala with a midnight countdown. The season concludes with programmes on New Year’s Day and Orthodox Christmas.
Daytime activities include chef demonstrations, shoreline art sessions, and live music. Evenings feature romantic tables, treetop dining for two, and simple set-ups that highlight the island setting. The programme is designed for couples, friends, and families to join as they wish.
Family programming centres on Park Players, presented as the Maldives’ largest kids’ club, with letters to Santa, gingerbread crafts, ocean-themed art, movement classes, story time, and film nights. Group sizes are kept small to ensure attentive supervision.
Villa Park’s family offering has been recognised beyond the festive season, with the resort named among the Best Resorts for Families in the Maldives at the Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2025, a reader-voted accolade reflecting guest feedback on space, programming, and flexible pacing.
Throughout the calendar, private experiences sit alongside larger celebrations, including candlelit beach dining, treetop tastings, floating breakfasts, and open-air cinema for two. Guests can set their own rhythm, whether opting for lively beach gatherings or quiet evenings under lanterns and palms, from sunrise through to the New Year countdown and beyond.
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