News
Shangri-La launches ‘Shangri-La Private Jet Journey’

Maldives.net.mv – Shangri-La , in cooperation with Ctrip’s top travel brand, HHtravel, and Private Jet Journeys, announced the launch of the “Shangri-La Private Jet Journey” programme providing a personalised, high-quality luxury travel experience to China’s high-end leisure travellers. In so doing, Shangri-La aims to create a new stage for strategic cooperation with high-end travel brands.
The first flight of the “Shangri-La Private Jet Journey” series is set for the Maldives—the most favoured destination of China’s affluent. The “Maldives Double Villa Luxury Journey” will take off on Golden Week in October 2013. It will be China’s first upscale travel group to enjoy a direct flight to a high-end island by private jet and the only group trip of its kind this year.
In the future, the program will introduce private jet journeys to Europe, the Americas and Australasia with travellers staying at Shangri-La’s global luxury hotels and savouring local cuisines and exploring the culture and heritage of the destinations. Among Chinese luxury travellers, Shangri-La was named the most preferred hotel brand for the second consecutive year in the 2013 Hurun Report – The Chinese Luxury Traveler.
“Shangri-La has had years of strong partnership with the industry’s leader, Ctrip,” said Kent Zhu, chief marketing officer of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts. “This time, we have teamed up with HHtravel, Ctrip’s subsidiary specialising in luxury travel services, to expand our cooperation to the field of high-end travel. We wish to provide our guests with more exclusive luxury experiences featuring meticulous, distinguished hotel services; high-end, customised itineraries, and a private jet experience. The Maldives trip is only the start of the ‘Shangri-La Private Jet Journey’ series. In the future, leveraging on the close cooperation with HHtravel and Private Jet Journeys, we will continue to launch more exciting private jet trips.”
Throughout the “Maldives Double Villa Luxury Journey,” guests will stay at Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa, Maldives. Boasting a six-kilometre coastline and two kilometres of fine white sand beach, it is the only hotel located in the southern part of the Maldives, nearest to the equator, and the only hotel in the entire country that has its own private executive airport terminal with an exclusive VIP lounge handling entry-exit and check-in procedures for guests. Guests will stay a few nights each in a Water Villa and Tree House Villa while at the resort.
The Water Villas are built on top of the resort’s lagoon. Offering panoramic views and fresh sea air, this private haven is connected to the island by a timber walkway, with azure waters in close proximity. In contrast, the hidden Tree House Villas are built on top of trees, over waters teeming with marine life, where guest can enjoy both the privacy and beautiful scenery with sweeping sea views unfolding like a canvas.
Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa, Maldives is also the country’s first hotel to have a nine-hole golf course, as well as the first to offer bike tours of the surrounding islands. Located in the southern part of Villingili Island, the golf course occupies an area of 7.5 hectares and offers breathtaking views.
A BBJ Boeing Business Jet is slated to be chartered for the Maldives trip. The jet aircraft is a high-performing derivative of a Boeing 737 and specifically designed for VIP customers; the 150 seats of a Boeing 737 are transformed into 26 seats allowing each customer a comfortable seating experience. Moreover, with no overhead luggage rack, BBJ Boeing Business Jet is more spacious both horizontally and vertically.
For the Maldives trip, the private jet will land directly on Shangri-La’s exclusive airport strip, where the hotel’s attentive staff will immediately help guests check in, saving them from the hassles of waiting in the terminal.
“The launch of the Maldives trip, the first private jet travel series product, jointly with Shangri-La, is another major innovation by HHtravel in China’s high-end tourism market,” HHtravel CEO Jack You commented. “With the experience of the Maldives private jet trip, HHtravel will launch more routes in the future. On this occasion, cooperation with Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts can be termed as a ‘perfect match’—both sides have harmoniously identified proper interconnection to satisfy respective brand needs, while providing optimal services and products to our guests. This is also an important part of HHtravel’s branding strategy.”
Celebration
Where time stands still: The Nautilus Maldives unveils unscripted holiday celebrations

This festive season, The Nautilus Maldives welcomes discerning travellers to leave the ordinary behind and step into a realm where time gently pauses and celebration flows without constraint. From 21 December 2025 to 6 January 2026, guests are invited to embark on Nomadic Journeys—an unhurried, soulful holiday experience set against the idyllic backdrop of the Maldives’ most liberating private island retreat.
Anchored in The Nautilus’s philosophy of boundless freedom and self-expression, Nomadic Journeys is an invitation to dreamers, seekers, and free spirits. The island transforms into a bohemian sanctuary where lanterns flicker in the ocean breeze, artisanal curiosities spark wonder, and barefoot sophistication blends with heartfelt connection.
The festive programme is a vivid mosaic of celebration, shaped by the universal languages of art, music, movement, and culinary discovery. Each element is crafted to awaken the senses and nourish the soul.
Evenings brim with artistic vibrancy, from the Christmas Boho Soirée to the Beachside New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner, where international flavours, captivating performances, and evocative music fill the night air. The Art of Bohemia brings together the rhythmic energy of traditional Maldivian Boduberu drumming and expertly mixed artisanal cocktails, complemented by live painting sessions that pay homage to island artistry.
Wellness is deeply woven into the journey, with sunrise yoga practices such as The First Flow and Stillness in Motion harmonising with the ocean’s rhythms. Meditative experiences include sound healing with crystal bowls, bespoke spa journeys like The Radiance of the Dunes, and elemental fire rituals such as Fireside Release, all designed to restore and renew.
Culinary exploration takes centre stage through a nomadic dining series curated by Executive Chef Christopher Terry and his award-winning team. Degustation dinners are paired with fine wines and tailored cocktails, with standout experiences including Chef’s Table by the Sea, Flavours of the Levant, and the Dom Pérignon Seafood Degustation at Zeytoun.
Families are also drawn into the spirit of connection, with activities such as family yoga, shared spa rituals, and the joyful arrival of The Wanderer in Red creating treasured holiday memories. Interactive workshops and live music sessions provide a creative platform for guests to shape their own festive narratives.
Throughout the season, The Nautilus embodies an eclectic spirit, celebrating individuality, culture, and imagination. From Maldivian handicraft sessions to Silk Road-inspired design, the island becomes a tapestry of contrasting yet harmonious expressions.
As General Manager Adan Gomez reflects, “This festive season is not a schedule. It’s a journey—a soulful escape crafted for those who dare to wander.” Guests are encouraged to explore freely, create meaningfully, and simply exist in a space where every moment feels spontaneous, personal, and unforgettable.
In a world that rarely slows down, The Nautilus Maldives offers a chance to pause, connect, and rediscover joy—inviting guests to find their rhythm, sanctuary, and story this festive season.
Celebration
Kandima Maldives unveils ‘Rhythms of the Eras’ festive celebration for 2025/26

This festive season, Kandima Maldives invites guests to embrace a celebration that breaks away from convention with ‘Rhythms of the Eras – A Festive Journey Through Time.’ This island-wide event, running from 21 December 2025 to 7 January 2026, offers a vibrant fusion of musical nostalgia and Kandima’s signature lifestyle experience. Spanning the jazz glamour of the 1920s to the pulsing beats of contemporary EDM, the festival reimagines holiday celebrations as an immersive journey through the most iconic periods in music history.
Designed for today’s experience-driven traveller, Rhythms of the Eras presents a bold, nostalgia-fuelled celebration that encourages guests to relive the soundtrack of their lives—decade by decade. According to Dermot Birchall, General Manager at Kandima Maldives, the event is “not your average festive programme,” but a “full-sensory journey through sound, style, flavour, and movement.” He adds that the celebration is rooted in music as a powerful expression of culture, memory, and joy—revived with the island’s playfully chic DNA.
Among the standout experiences are themed culinary pop-ups and curated festive dining events. Guests can savour smoky flavours accompanied by live music at Smokin’ Blues and BBQ Grooves, or step into the retro charm of The King’s Diner. Edgy offerings like the Hip-Hop & Grunge Street Food Cart at Breeze Beach further amplify the festival’s nostalgic appeal. A series of indulgent tastings and celebrations—including Chocolate & Whisky Pairings, Caviar & Prosecco Sunsets, a dazzling Christmas Day Brunch, and a lavish New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner—round out the season’s gourmet highlights.
Wellness seekers can journey through time at the EsKape Spa, which has curated an era-themed menu of treatments. From the floral serenity of the Flower Power Bliss Ritual inspired by the 1970s, to the decadent elegance of The Gatsby Glow Journey, complete with gold facials and pearl manicures, the spa offers a sensory escape. Hands-on workshops, such as island soap making and aromatic candle crafting on Boxing Day, add a creative touch to the wellness programme.
Families are well catered for at Kandiland, where little ones can enjoy elf workshops, glow-in-the-dark parties, and even Santa’s arrival by the beach. Meanwhile, adults can join in cocktail mixology classes or belt out tunes at beachfront karaoke sessions.
Entertainment pulses through the island each evening, with themed parties ranging from the smooth rhythms of RnB Nights to the fiery flair of Latin Fire, nostalgic throwbacks at Rock ‘n’ Roll Revivals, and chart-topping hits at the Retro Christmas Party. For thrill-seekers, high-speed action awaits at Fast Track, Kandima’s e-go-kart arena, where guests can join the Time Attack Race or Rudolph’s Rapid Rally. Those in search of a slower pace can explore local creativity at the KULA Art Festival or toast the sunset aboard a luxury lagoon cruise.
The festivities culminate on New Year’s Eve with a beachfront celebration featuring a live band, fireworks display, and a late-night buffet that keeps the party going well into 2026. As the first sunrise of the new year emerges over the Indian Ocean, guests are invited to continue the celebration with a relaxed New Year’s Day brunch—welcoming the next chapter in unmistakable Kandima style.
Featured
Circus meets sorcery: Halloween celebrations at Sun Siyam Vilu Reef

This Halloween, Sun Siyam Vilu Reef is set to transform into a vibrant, circus-inspired wonderland from 29 October to 1 November, offering a curated celebration of magical experiences and playful illusions. The resort will come alive with themed performances, immersive décor, and captivating entertainment designed to delight guests of all ages, culminating in a headline appearance by master illusionist Yollin Lee. Each evening promises an atmosphere of enchantment beneath the Maldivian stars.
The festivities will include a lively line-up of events such as a DJ-led party, carnival-style cocktails, face painting, and a dazzling Grand Masquerade Gala Dinner accompanied by a live band. A special open-air movie night will add to the charm, while guests can also enjoy exclusive discounts on Halloween cocktails and the gala dinner, heightening the celebratory mood.
A key highlight will be the appearance of Yollin Lee, an internationally acclaimed magician recognised for his technically intricate manipulation skills. With more than ten prestigious awards to his name, Lee has captivated audiences across the globe. Known for his “exceptionally wondrous” performances and “charismatic, delightful charm,” the Korean-born, London-based illusionist is set to deliver an unforgettable show.
Children will be well catered for, with activities such as Halloween mask painting and a dedicated kids’ party featuring games and a magical performance by Yollin Lee, ensuring the younger guests are fully immersed in the Halloween spirit.
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