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Veligandu Island Resort: where even the sun comes to recuperate
By Hamza Khaleel
Maldives Promotion House – In the traditional Maldivian language of Dhivehi, the word “Veligandu” means gathered sand or sand dune. In the pretext of Veligandu Island Resort it signifies the white sandy, elongated beach of the island resort. Veligandu is a picturesque example of natural island beauty of Maldives, that is not rivaled anywhere else in the world.
The moment you take off from the seaplane at the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, the aerial sights of Maldivian islands greet you. After the 15 minute ride your plane sets down at the floating dock of Veligandu.
Walking along the jetty and towards the front office you cannot but notice the white sandy beaches stretching across, with crystal clear waters pampering it, with gentle waves. When you get to the reception, it is a cozy traditional roofed counter where the staff are extremely well spoken and warm. The rooms of your choice from Beach Side rooms to Water Villas to Jacuzzi Water Villas are available for your choosing.
The resort of Veligandu has the most laid back and relaxing environment that one would dream of sitting in a busy office, somewhere in the western hemisphere. The coconut palms and beach side greenery surrounds the, lean but long, island of Veligandu. Since the island is so narrow, the gentle sounds of breaking waves can always be heard in the background, where ever you are on the island. Maldives is proud to boast warm sunny weather (except for monsoon season) through out the year, hence Veligandu offers you sunny sunbaths, wonderful snorkeling,exciting scuba diving, adrenaline pumping water sports and just laziness, simply lying on the beach experience; for the busybodies on holiday.
The sports and recreational facilities of Veligandu are more than adequate to fill up your day with some outdoor or indoor games activities. The indoor games room offers pool, Foosball, table tennis and much more. If you wish to do a little shopping for friends and family, there is a small gift shop that offers a wide range of traditional handicrafts, jewelery, ornaments and the odd gifts.
On the island of Veligandu you simply cannot complete the relaxation experience unless you have been to the Spa. The Spa has 5 treatment rooms that over look the vast ocean and a sauna and shower facilities. The treatment rooms offer the choice of enjoying it with your partner and spouse or all by yourself, if that is what you desire. The body heals not with the oils and the gentle massaging techniques of the professionals alone, but also with the site of nature and the tranquility the island offers.
The resort also has a lovely swimming pool located on the beach on the east end of the island, along with a kids pool nearby. If the salt water is too much or if you simply wish to lie in the sun with a drink at hand the poolside offers deck chairs and sun beds. It is the ideal place to read that favorite book you just had not had time for.
Veligandu is located in the North Ari atoll of Maldives,which has some of the best scuba dive spots to offer. An hour and half away, is the famous “Maya Thila”, which hosts hammerhead sharks during certain periods of the year. Diving might not be for everyone but anyone with basic swimming skills, with snorkeling gear on, can enjoy a lovely afternoon splattering across the house reef watching diverse species of mysterious fish and colorful coral gardens.
For the full-board guests (which most guests prefer) breakfast lunch and dinner is laid out in the main restaurant on the eastern beach of the island. The restaurant overlooks the main swimming pool and gazes into the distant horizon. Guests are served tables on a first come first serve basis, so that the early bird, can get a closer view to the ocean or sit in the sun beside the pool. The food on Veligandu is quite reminiscent of a larger establishment, and the menu more diverse than the average resort. Enjoying your favorite drink at the bar that overlooks the long stretching southern sandy tail of the island with the sun setting, one can easily immerse in the depth of relaxation. At night there is crab racing where you can succumb to your chances to win a free drink by guessing the winning crab or sit at the bar enjoying soothing music or simply sit by the pool and count the endless stars.
The beautiful island of Veligandu definitely is great value for money. While it might not be the upper class luxury resort, what it does offer, is the natural beauty of Maldives, served with the cultural traditions of good hospitality and wonderful memories of a life time. The dedication of the management, to service the rooms and facilities regularly is key for Veligandu to always guarantee the perfect room for the guest. Veligandu offers a taste of warmth and hospitality with affordable prices and a simplistic but natural approach, that is signature to the Maldivian island resort, leisure experience.
Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort has announced the return of former England striker and Ballon d’Or winner Michael Owen for a third Kids’ Football Camp, scheduled from 14 to 17 October 2026.
The four-day programme will be open to children aged five to 13 of all skill levels, with sessions combining football coaching, skills drills and games alongside beach activities and island experiences. The camp will conclude with a Grand Finale on 17 October, when participating children will receive medals and certificates.
Participation in the camp will be complimentary for guests staying at Avani+ Fares Maldives during the event period.
The October programme will mark Owen’s third football camp at the Baa Atoll resort and his second visit to the property this year, following an Easter edition held in late March and early April. The resort first introduced the programme in October 2025.
The inaugural camp ran from 20 to 23 October 2025, followed by a Grand Finale on 24 October. Owen led coaching sessions on the resort’s football pitch, with the programme designed to give young guests opportunities to learn from the former England international while focusing on football skills, teamwork and participation. The first edition was complimentary for eligible children staying at the resort.
Following the response to the first camp, Avani+ Fares brought Owen back for its Easter programme in 2026. More than 30 children and teenagers participated in the second edition, taking part in daily sessions led by Owen and assistant coaches. Training covered areas including dribbling, passing, positioning and teamwork, with sessions adapted for different ages and ability levels.
The second camp also formed part of a wider programme for families, incorporating activities for children and teenagers beyond the football pitch. Participants concluded the programme with certificates and medals, while opportunities were also provided for meet-and-greet sessions, autograph signings and photographs with Owen.
Owen won the Ballon d’Or in 2001 and represented England during an international career that included appearances at three FIFA World Cups. At club level, he played for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City. His involvement in the Avani+ Fares programme has been centred on introducing younger players to football through training and activities within a resort holiday setting.
The third edition will retain the programme’s focus on children aged five to 13, combining coaching with recreational activities during the October school holiday period. According to the resort’s announcement, the camp will include expert coaching, drills for different skill levels, beach games and island adventures before the final session and awards ceremony on 17 October.
Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort is located on Fares Island in Baa Atoll, within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and close to Hanifaru Bay. The property offers 176 rooms, pavilions, beach and overwater villas and residences, together with seven dining and bar venues. Its family facilities include AvaniKids, a Teens Club and Petit Bistro, a restaurant dedicated to younger guests.
The resort also provides access to snorkelling and diving on its house reef, alongside water sports, tennis, fitness and spa facilities. Avani+ Fares was named Best Beach Resort at the Travel Trade Maldives Awards 2025, following its Best Dive Resort recognition in 2024.
The return of Owen for a third camp continues Avani+ Fares Maldives’ use of sports-led programmes as part of its family offering, bringing the former England striker back to Fares Island less than seven months after his previous camp.
Following the success of her 2025 freediving retreat at Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort, eleven-time freediving world-record holder and ocean conservationist Hanli Prinsloo will return to Baa Atoll this September with an expanded programme across two Minor Hotels resorts.
Hanli will begin with a Family Freediving Retreat at Avani+ Fares Maldives from 7 to 10 September before continuing to NH Collection Maldives Reethi for Into the Blue, a four-night retreat running from 14 to 18 September. Together, the two experiences offer different ways to explore the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, from a playful introduction for families to a more immersive programme for beginners and experienced freedivers aged 16 and above.
At Avani+ Fares, Hanli will introduce parents and children to freediving through breathwork, floating, snorkelling, gentle duck dives and underwater games. The focus is not on depth or competition, but on helping families build confidence in the water, understand their breathing and experience the ocean together at a comfortable pace.
The Family Freediving Retreat will open the resort’s annual Ocean Aware Month, a September programme dedicated to marine discovery and conservation. Activities will include coral conservation and planting workshops, underwater photography and videography sessions, beach clean-ups and PADI speciality courses.
On 17 September, Avani+ Fares will celebrate World Manta Day with marine-inspired art workshops for all ages and snorkelling excursions to Hanifaru Bay, known for its seasonal gatherings of manta rays.
“Baa Atoll keeps calling us back,” said Hanli Prinsloo. “Following last year’s retreat at Avani+ Fares, I am excited to return with a full family programme and to continue the journey at NH Collection Maldives Reethi. At Avani+ Fares, we will make freediving playful and approachable for parents and children. At Reethi, guests will have more time to develop their skills through breathwork, training and exploration. Both retreats are about building confidence in the ocean and understanding why this remarkable environment deserves our care.”
In addition, Hanli will host the four-night Into the Blue retreat at NH Collection Maldives Reethi. Open to guests aged 16 and above who are comfortable swimming, the programme combines yoga, meditation and guided breathing with house reef snorkelling, rope freediving and drift dives. Beginners and experienced freedivers can train together while progressing at their own pace.
The retreat will also include an excursion to Hanifaru Bay, approximately 15 minutes from the resort. At Reethi, guests can continue exploring from the island’s house reef, which supports marine life including angelfish, clownfish, reef sharks and sea turtles.
The three-night Family Freediving Retreat at Avani+ Fares Maldives starts from USD 3,160 per person, based on single occupancy. The package includes accommodation, full board, return seaplane transfers and all retreat sessions. Ocean Aware Month activities are complimentary for resort guests, subject to availability.
The four-night Into the Blue retreat at NH Collection Maldives Reethi starts from USD 4,333 net per adult, inclusive of accommodation on full board, return seaplane transfers and the full retreat programme.
For details and reservations, visit world.nh-hotels.com/en/nh-collection-maldives-reethi, email reservations.nree@nhcollection.com or call +960 660 2626.
JOALI Maldives has announced two exclusive tennis residencies with Grand Slam champions Elena Rybakina and Ana Ivanović, bringing world-class tennis to the island across November and the festive season.
Designed for both adults and younger players, the residencies offer guests the rare opportunity to step onto the court with two of the sport’s most accomplished athletes through intimate clinics and camps that combine technique, confidence, discipline and the joy of the game.
Set within JOALI Maldives’ philosophy of Creative Living, the programme brings a dynamic sporting dimension to island life, creating meaningful opportunities for guests to learn directly from champions while enjoying a highly personalised experience in the Maldives.
Game. Set. Inspire. with Elena Rybakina | 17–23 November 2026
Wimbledon Champion and Australian Open Champion 2026 Elena Rybakina invites guests to experience the game through the eyes of a Grand Slam champion.
Known for her powerful serve, precision and calm determination, Elena made history as Kazakhstan’s first Grand Slam singles champion when she claimed the Wimbledon title in 2022, before adding the 2026 Australian Open title to her achievements. She also reached a career-high ranking of World No. 2 in women’s singles.
Through two exclusive workshops for adults and younger players, guests will have the rare opportunity to train alongside one of the world’s leading athletes while discovering the discipline, focus and joy behind championship-level tennis.
Play Like a Champion with Ana Ivanović | 22–27 December 2026
Former World No. 1 Ana Ivanović brings her passion for tennis and Grand Slam-winning legacy to JOALI Maldives for an exclusive festive-season residency. Celebrated for her powerful forehand, competitive spirit and elegant style of play, Ana captured the 2008 French Open title before becoming World No. 1 in women’s singles and earning global acclaim as a modern tennis icon.
Guests will be invited to share the court with Ana across two exclusive workshops. The 60-minute Tennis Clinic for adults, ages 16 and above, focuses on the techniques, strategy and discipline that shaped her career. The 60-minute Tennis Camp for children ages 4 to 15 offers a lively introduction to tennis, helping young players develop skills, build confidence and find their rhythm on court.
From November through the festive season, the two residencies bring together championship-level sport and JOALI Maldives’ distinctive approach to meaningful guest experiences. With programming created for adults and families alike, guests can discover tennis in an intimate island setting while learning directly from two Grand Slam champions.
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