News
Seaside Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives and EnChroma partner to enhance colorful experiences for color blind guests
In honor of International Colour Blindness Awareness Month, Seaside Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives, renowned for its vivid and captivating surroundings, has teamed up with EnChroma to offer color blind guests a groundbreaking opportunity to witness the Maldives’ dazzling landscapes in all their vibrant glory. This pioneering initiative includes the use of specialized glasses designed for color blindness, innovative snorkel masks, and EnChroma sunglasses, allowing visitors to experience the world in an entirely new light.
EnChroma, known for its patented lens technology, has developed these cutting-edge solutions, which are exclusively available at Seaside Finolhu.

A World First: Seeing the Maldives in Full Color
Among the groundbreaking innovations, EnChroma’s color blind glasses stand out, granting individuals with color blindness the ability to perceive the world in its true spectrum of colors. Additionally, snorkel masks have been crafted to enhance underwater adventures, enabling color blind guests to appreciate the Maldives’ vibrant marine life more vividly than ever before.
This remarkable offering is a world-first and can only be experienced at Seaside Finolhu.
Unlocking a World of Color
Color blindness affects approximately 350 million people globally, with 30 million residing in Europe alone. This condition predominantly affects men, with one in 12 individuals impacted. While those with normal color vision can perceive over one million shades and hues, color blind individuals typically see only about 10 percent of this range.
For red-green color blind individuals, colors may appear muted and indistinguishable from one another. Common color confusions include green and yellow, grey and pink, purple and blue, and red and brown. This limitation can hinder color-blind individuals from fully immersing themselves in vibrant experiences during their travels, affecting both work environments and social interactions.

A Colorful Paradise Beckons
At Seaside Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives, color blind guests not only have the opportunity to witness the myriad blues of the Baa Atoll but also to explore one of the most visually captivating hotels in the Maldives, with its kaleidoscope-inspired interiors.
Steven Phillips, General Manager at Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives, shared his excitement about the partnership: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with EnChroma on this exciting new initiative. Travelling the world is one of life’s greatest pleasures, but imagine doing so and only experiencing ten percent of color. That’s like only seeing two colors of the rainbow. Or not witnessing the true blue of the ocean or the hundreds of hues of a sunset.”
“As someone who is color blind myself, I know all too well the realities and impact this can have, so I’m delighted to see this collaboration come to life. We can’t wait to welcome color blind guests – both adults and children alike – to experience this unique technology and see our piece of paradise in all its glory!”
Erik Ritchie, CEO of EnChroma, expressed his enthusiasm about the project: “The Maldives, and Seaside Finolhu, are arguably two of the most breathtakingly beautiful and colorful places on earth. I’m a divemaster and have been SCUBA diving for most of my life, so I can appreciate how much more spectacular and special it will be for color blind divers to experience the amazing array of vibrant colors the ocean has to offer. We are also thrilled that color blind guests will be able to experience more color when they are not diving by borrowing our glasses at the resort.”
Seaside Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives and EnChroma are poised to make the Maldives’ vibrant beauty accessible to all, transcending the boundaries of color blindness and offering a life-changing experience for those who embark on this captivating journey.
Love
Valentine’s every day: Month of Love at Kandooma Maldives
This February, Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives invites couples to celebrate romance as part of its fourth annual Month of Love celebration, where it is Valentine’s Day every day. A thoughtful combination of romantic dining, wellness experiences, proposals and adventures set against the natural beauty of the Maldives awaits. Island Romance packages are available from US$548++ per villa per night for two.
At Kandooma, romance is approached in a modern and personal way. Whether marking a proposal, renewing vows, or simply taking time to reconnect, February’s Month of Love offers couples the freedom to shape their experience according to what matters most to them. From intimate beachside moments to unique underwater proposals (starting from US$3,500++ per couple) and elopements by the sea (from US$950++ per couple), each experience is designed to feel meaningful, unhurried, and true to the couple’s story.
Dining sits at the heart of the Month of Love. Throughout February, couples are invited to enjoy a range of romantic dining experiences, including candlelit beachfront dinners, Chef’s Tasting Menus, sunset wine tastings, and playful cocktail creations crafted for two. Thoughtful details, relaxed settings, and carefully prepared menus transform each meal into an opportunity to slow down, connect, and celebrate time together.
The programme also embraces wellness as a shared journey. Couples can unwind with dedicated spa rituals at Kandooma Spa by COMO Shambhala created for two, including the Sweetheart Spa Experience (US$275++ per couple), which combines time in the steam bath with restorative massages and private moments to relax together. Beyond the spa, wellness continues through a curated programme of movement and relaxation experiences such as sunrise and sunset yoga, paddleboard yoga sessions, and the immersive Salt & Sound therapy, designed to encourage deep relaxation, balance, and renewal throughout the Month of Love.
True to the spirit of the island, the Month of Love also celebrates connection through movement and adventure. Couples can experience sunset Jet Ski tours, practice yoga on paddleboards at sunrise or sunset, or escape on private boat journeys to explore the surrounding reefs and lagoons. From parasailing above the turquoise waters to secluded sandbank picnics, these shared adventures add a sense of play, freedom, and discovery to the celebration.
Capturing these moments is an integral part of the Month of Love experience. Couples can choose to preserve their time together through professional photography, drone imagery, and underwater videography, including a dedicated couples’ beach photoshoot lasting approximately 45 minutes and captured across selected island locations. Photography experiences are available to book separately, with packages starting from USD 225++ per couple.
Accommodation options cater to couples seeking both privacy and comfort, from the resort’s popular overwater villas set above the lagoon, offering open ocean views, direct access to the water, and signature hammocks suspended above the sea, to beachfront villas and beach houses nestled among the island’s lush greenery. These spaces provide a relaxed and inviting base for couples to enjoy the Month of Love at their own pace, surrounded by the sights and sounds of the island and opportunities for close encounters with the marine environment.
The Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives Island Romance package is designed to offer couples a seamless romantic island escape. The package includes accommodation with daily dining for two at Kandooma Café, the resort’s international buffet restaurant, along with in-villa welcome amenities and a selection of romantic experiences such as a beach picnic lunch, breakfast in bed, and a private beachfront dinner set-up during the stay. For couples who enjoy the ocean, the package also includes dive experiences for certified divers, adding an adventurous element to the celebration. Island Romance packages start from US$548++ per villa per night for two, with a minimum three-night stay.
Celebrate the Month of Love at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives, where it’s Valentine’s Day every day in February and where romance is expressed through shared experiences, meaningful moments, and the freedom to define love in your own way.
Click here for the online brochure and visit the resort’s website for bookings.
Action
Ataraxis Grand & Spa hosts integrated work-and-dive corporate retreat in Fuvahmulah
Ataraxis Grand & Spa recently hosted a week-long, closed corporate offsite in Fuvahmulah for a US-based artificial intelligence company, highlighting the island’s growing suitability for integrated work-and-experience retreats. The retreat brought a group of 36 international professionals to the property, which was reserved exclusively for the programme.
Designed as a private company offsite, the stay combined structured daily work sessions with guided diving and beginner-friendly surf experiences, creating a balanced format that blended focused collaboration with physical reset.

A notable component of the programme was dive training and certification. During the retreat, 17 participants completed their Open Water certification, while a further six undertook the Advanced Open Water course, with training and dives scheduled alongside work sessions as part of the integrated itinerary.
Throughout the week, participants worked on-site using dedicated shared spaces supported by reliable high-speed internet, allowing meetings, informal collaboration and scheduled activities to take place within a single, uninterrupted environment. This setup enabled teams to move seamlessly between work periods and organised ocean activities without leaving the property.

Fuvahmulah’s natural and operational advantages formed a key part of the retreat’s appeal. As one of the Maldives’ largest inhabited islands, it offers immediate access to pelagic dive sites, internationally recognised shark diving and surf breaks suitable for instruction, alongside the infrastructure required to support extended group stays.

The offsite reflects a growing preference among technology and knowledge-sector teams for small-scale retreats that prioritise concentrated work environments and team cohesion over traditional conference formats. Such programmes typically involve longer stays and higher per-capita spend, aligning with sustainable, quality-driven tourism models.
The retreat also demonstrates how locally operated properties such as Ataraxis Grand & Spa are supporting this shift by delivering unified environments where accommodation, workspaces, connectivity and curated experiences operate as a single programme rather than separate services.

As organisations continue to explore alternative formats for strategy sessions, team resets and creative offsites, Ataraxis Grand & Spa’s experience positions Fuvahmulah as an increasingly viable destination for integrated corporate retreats.
Ataraxis Grand & Spa offers work-and-dive retreat programmes in Fuvahmulah that combine accommodation, dedicated workspaces, high-speed connectivity and organised diving and surfing.

Further information on retreat formats and dive-inclusive stays is available via the Ataraxis Grand & Spa website.
Love
Love by the lagoon: Sheraton Maldives presents Valentine’s romantic journeys
Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa invites couples to celebrate love in its most enchanting form with a collection of thoughtfully curated Valentine’s Romantic Packages. Designed to transform meaningful moments into lifelong memories, these bespoke experiences artfully blend refined dining, serene wellness, marine discovery, and intimate island settings into journeys crafted exclusively for two.
For couples drawn to a timeless expression of romance, Crystal & Candlelight sets an elegant tone with a four-course candlelit dinner at Sea Salt, complemented by a printed keepsake photo and romantic turndown amenities. As gentle waves whisper along the shore and candlelight dances beneath the stars, the evening unfolds into a classic celebration of intimacy and grace.
Those wishing to intertwine wellness, nature, and romance may choose The Enchanted Escape. This beautifully paced experience begins with a rejuvenating couple’s massage at Shine Spa, followed by guided coral planting alongside the resort’s marine biologist. The day then flows into a sunset dolphin cruise, before culminating in a romantic beachfront dinner under the night sky.
For a day devoted entirely to togetherness, Cupid’s Delight offers an immersive journey from morning to evening. Couples awake to a romantic in-villa breakfast with sparkling wine, indulge in a soothing spa ritual, take part in coral restoration, witness dolphins at sunset, and conclude the day with a candlelit beach dinner enhanced by thoughtful romantic touches.
Elevating the celebration further, The Grand Romance introduces a series of refined indulgences. These include a floating breakfast, a hand-tied flower bouquet, a signature couple’s massage, coral planting, a dolphin cruise, and an exclusive five-course private beach dinner paired with sparkling wine. Elegant turndown décor and keepsake memories ensure every detail is orchestrated with care.
For the ultimate expression of love without limits, Endless Love presents the resort’s most luxurious romantic journey. From a Champagne floating breakfast and picturesque lagoon lunch to spa serenity, marine discovery, a dolphin cruise, and a five-course private beach dinner paired with Champagne, this experience is designed for couples seeking to celebrate their connection in the most extraordinary way.
Each package is thoughtfully crafted to combine privacy, luxury, and authentic island experiences, while reflecting the resort’s commitment to marine conservation through guided coral planting, allowing love to leave a lasting imprint.
For couples planning a Valentine’s romantic escape and beyond, the Endless Summer offer is available for booking through February 28, 2026. The offer includes up to USD 150 in resort credit, daily meals at selected restaurants, and special dining credits at signature venues Baan Thai and Sea Salt. Additional privileges include wellness savings at Shine Spa and a selection of recreational experiences, allowing each stay to be personalised with ease, comfort, and meaningful moments together.
At Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa, romance extends far beyond a single day. It is woven into every experience, every setting, and every memory waiting to be created.
For reservations and more information, email Sheraton.Maldives@sheraton.com or visit www.sheratonmaldives.com.
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