
Beyond the Beach: Experiences That Redefine Island Travel in Maldives
Last Updated:
Whether you're diving into your potential, reconnecting with your body's wisdom, or tasting the true spirit of the land, these standout moments in Maldives are great
A whole new Maldives is waiting to be discovered, where purpose, empowerment, and soulful indulgence take center stage. These islands are no longer merely about picture-perfect beaches and turquoise lagoons; they are evolving into immersive playgrounds of meaning, where every experience leaves a lasting imprint. Whether you're diving into your potential, reconnecting with your body's wisdom, or tasting the true spirit of the land, these standout moments will make you rethink what a Maldivian escape can be.
This July, OBLU NATURE Helengeli by SENTIDO shines a spotlight on women divers with a month-long celebration of courage and community. In collaboration with marine biologist Luca Melodia and TGI Maldives, the resort expands PADI Women's Dive Day into 31 days of empowerment, learning, and deep-sea discovery. Expect discounted dives, guided reef explorations, wellness rituals, and marine talks—framed by Helengeli's award-winning house reef. Whether you're a first-timer or a seasoned diver, this is your call to dive deeper—into the ocean and into yourself.
When: July 2025
What: PADI Women's Dive Month
Harvest, Connect, Feast: Seb's Farm
At RAAYA by Atmosphere, sustainability becomes a celebration. Seb's Farm, the island's lush, working micro-farm, invites guests to engage in a hands-on farm-to-fork experience rooted in freshness and connection. Begin the day by harvesting sun-kissed produce, then return at sunset for a sublime dinner where every bite tells a story of season, soil, and sea. With vegan-forward menus and the island's daily catch, this is barefoot luxury that nourishes both body and soul.
When: Summer 2025
It's time to talk about menopause with grace, strength, and honesty. From June 5–9, 2025, OBLU XPERIENCE Ailafushi hosts The Art of Graceful Change, a soulful four-night retreat created for women navigating life's most profound transition. Grounded in ELE|NA's Wellness Your Way approach, the programme offers science-backed therapies, mindful movement, and unfiltered conversations in a nurturing island setting. Just 15 minutes from Malé, it provides a safe, serene space for reflection, healing, and celebrating a new phase of power.
When: June 5–9, 2025
What: The Art of Graceful Change – A Menopause Retreat
First Published:
June 01, 2025, 09:16 IST
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News18
2 days ago
- News18
Beyond the Beach: Experiences That Redefine Island Travel in Maldives
Last Updated: Whether you're diving into your potential, reconnecting with your body's wisdom, or tasting the true spirit of the land, these standout moments in Maldives are great A whole new Maldives is waiting to be discovered, where purpose, empowerment, and soulful indulgence take center stage. These islands are no longer merely about picture-perfect beaches and turquoise lagoons; they are evolving into immersive playgrounds of meaning, where every experience leaves a lasting imprint. Whether you're diving into your potential, reconnecting with your body's wisdom, or tasting the true spirit of the land, these standout moments will make you rethink what a Maldivian escape can be. This July, OBLU NATURE Helengeli by SENTIDO shines a spotlight on women divers with a month-long celebration of courage and community. In collaboration with marine biologist Luca Melodia and TGI Maldives, the resort expands PADI Women's Dive Day into 31 days of empowerment, learning, and deep-sea discovery. Expect discounted dives, guided reef explorations, wellness rituals, and marine talks—framed by Helengeli's award-winning house reef. Whether you're a first-timer or a seasoned diver, this is your call to dive deeper—into the ocean and into yourself. When: July 2025 What: PADI Women's Dive Month Harvest, Connect, Feast: Seb's Farm At RAAYA by Atmosphere, sustainability becomes a celebration. Seb's Farm, the island's lush, working micro-farm, invites guests to engage in a hands-on farm-to-fork experience rooted in freshness and connection. Begin the day by harvesting sun-kissed produce, then return at sunset for a sublime dinner where every bite tells a story of season, soil, and sea. With vegan-forward menus and the island's daily catch, this is barefoot luxury that nourishes both body and soul. When: Summer 2025 It's time to talk about menopause with grace, strength, and honesty. From June 5–9, 2025, OBLU XPERIENCE Ailafushi hosts The Art of Graceful Change, a soulful four-night retreat created for women navigating life's most profound transition. Grounded in ELE|NA's Wellness Your Way approach, the programme offers science-backed therapies, mindful movement, and unfiltered conversations in a nurturing island setting. Just 15 minutes from Malé, it provides a safe, serene space for reflection, healing, and celebrating a new phase of power. When: June 5–9, 2025 What: The Art of Graceful Change – A Menopause Retreat First Published: June 01, 2025, 09:16 IST

Pink Villa
19-05-2025
- Pink Villa
5 unique Bollywood-inspired proposals for your partner; Sidharth Malhotra used Shershaah lines for Kiara Advani
From reel to real, B-Town couples have painted it red with their romance. We're talking about some of the most adored married duos whose love stories inspire others. Here's revisiting 5 iconic proposals by Bollywood actors that were truly magical. Ranbir Kapoor proposed to Alia Bhatt amid the forests of Masai Mara Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt tied the knot in April 2022, but just before that, they took an adventurous trip to Masai Mara's grasslands. It was there that Ranbir, known for his role in Barfi, got down on one knee and surprised Alia with a heartfelt proposal. While Alia was overwhelmed with emotion, Ranbir had thoughtfully planned every detail, including photographers to capture the unforgettable moment. Sidharth Malhotra's Roman proposal to Kiara Advani gift wrapped with lines from Shershaah The couple, who announced their 'permanent booking' in February 2023 and are soon to be parents, enjoyed a surprise trip to Rome just before the news. After a candlelight dinner at a Michelin-star restaurant, Sidharth led Kiara for a walk up a hill, where a violinist appeared from the bushes. He then proposed using memorable lines from Shershaah, leaving Kiara laughing out loud. Vicky Kaushal's last-minute dreamy proposal to Katrina Kaif in Ranthambore Katrina Kaif left a billion hearts fluttering after marrying Vicky Kaushal. The couple, who kept their relationship private for long, had a last-minute proposal. Vicky revealed it happened during a private dinner at their Ranthambore hotel, just a day before their wedding. In a surreal, nostalgic moment, he went down on one knee and asked Katrina to be his wife. Ranveer Singh proposed to Deepika Padukone in a Maldivian private island Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone tied the knot by Lake Como in November 2018 in a private ceremony attended only by close friends and family. During a season of Koffee With Karan, Ranveer revealed he proposed to Deepika on a private island in the Maldives. He surprised her with a stunning ring, making the moment deeply emotional for the diva. Priyanka Chopra was proposed by Nick Jonas on her 36th birthday eve in Greece Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas got married in December 2018, but their proposal happened a few months earlier during her 36th birthday celebration in Greece. Nick reportedly shut down a Tiffany & Co. store in London to find the perfect ring for Priyanka. At midnight on her birthday eve, he got down on one knee and proposed, leaving Priyanka reportedly speechless for 45 seconds. The American pop singer didn't hesitate to ask if she would make him the happiest man in the world by marrying him.


Indian Express
14-05-2025
- Indian Express
Backlash over support to Pakistan: Turkey and Azerbaijan start losing Indian footfall
With Turkey and Azerbaijan facing a backlash in India over their support for Pakistan during the military confrontation following the Pahalgam terror attack, travel booking portals are reporting a notable drop in bookings from Indians for these countries — and a jump in cancellations. Some Indian travel service providers have also stopped offering flight and hotel bookings for the two countries, while a few others are dissuading Indians from travelling there. Turkey and Azerbaijan are popular destinations for Indians with the number of travellers and direct flight connections growing in recent years. Istanbul is also a major aviation hub used by Indian flyers to connect to destinations beyond Turkey as well. Now, given the growing clamour to boycott these countries, the situation is reminiscent of the calls for boycott of Maldives in January 2024 when a diplomatic row erupted following derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi by three Maldivian deputy ministers. 'Indian travellers have expressed strong sentiments over the past one week, with bookings for Azerbaijan and Turkey decreasing by 60 per cent, while cancellations have surged by 250 per cent during the same period. In solidarity with our nation and out of deep respect for our armed forces, we strongly support this sentiment and advise all against all non-essential travel to Azerbaijan and Turkey. We have already discontinued all promotions and offers on our platform to discourage tourism to these two destinations,' a spokesperson for online travel booking service provider MakeMyTrip said on Wednesday, without elaborating further on the data. Another online travel agency, EaseMyTrip, said it is seeing high cancellation rates of bookings for Azerbaijan and Turkey. EaseMyTrip has already seen 22 per cent of bookings for Turkey cancelled over the past week, and 30 per cent for Azerbaijan. 'In view of the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22…and war-like situations between India and Pakistan, it is disheartening to note that Turkey and Azerbaijan have extended their support to Pakistan. EaseMyTrip strongly advise limiting travel to these countries unless absolutely essential. Please stay updated on current developments and exercise caution while making travel plans,' EaseMyTrip had said in a travel advisory Friday. '…Indian tourists have high spending power, making them key contributors to foreign economies. By consciously redirecting tourism flow, we reduce economic support to countries taking anti-India positions. India's own tourism industry can benefit by retaining this spend within the country or redirecting it to nations aligned with Indian interests,' EaseMyTrip's Founder and Chairman Nishant Pitti said in a social media post Wednesday. Meanwhile, travel booking service providers, such as Ixigo and Cox & Kings, have suspended new bookings for Turkey and Azerbaijan. 'This decision is driven by our commitment to uphold principles that matter deeply to us and the people of our country. We also advise Indian travellers to exercise discretion and avoid any non-essential travel to these destinations until there is greater clarity and alignment in the broader geopolitical environment,' Cox & Kings director Karan Agarwal had said Friday. In a post on X Friday, Ixigo announced: 'In solidarity with our nation, ixigo is suspending flight and hotel bookings for Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China. Because when it comes to Bharat, we don't think twice. Jai Hind.' Travomint has suspended all ticket sales for airlines of the two countries — Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Corendon Airlines and Azerbaijan Airlines, as of last Saturday. 'This decision is final and will remain unchanged regardless of any future developments. Going forward, Travomint will not engage in any partnerships with entities from these countries,' said a statement from the portal. Rajiv Gosain, who heads Indian Association of Tour Operators, said 15-20 per cent of bookings taken by member operators for the two countries have been cancelled. Delhi-based Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has advocated a travel boycott of Turkey and Azerbaijan, adding that it will coordinate with travel and tour operators, and other stakeholders on the issue. According to data from Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 3.31 lakh Indian nationals visited Turkey in 2024, higher by almost 21 per cent over 2023 when 2.74 lakh Indians visited Turkey. In 2022, the number of Indian nationals who visited Turkey stood at 2.32 lakh. In fact, India was among the top 20 source markets for Turkey, as per officials in the Turkish Embassy in New Delhi — and data from the first three months of 2025 showed it would have crossed that mark in this year. Embassy officials had said they were enhancing marketing efforts, promotional activities, and collaborations for continued momentum in tourism growth, even betting on wedding tourism and the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) sector. As for Azerbaijan, the number of Indians visiting the country more than doubled to 2.44 lakh in 2024 from 1.17 lakh in 2023, according to data from Azerbaijan Tourism Board, which describes India as a 'key target market'. Data shows Indians are among the top five nationalities visiting Azerbaijan. In 2022, Azerbaijan had 60,731 Indian visitors, a sharp spike from 4,853 in 2014. Data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation shows 5.05 lakh passengers flew on direct flights from India to Turkey in 2024, up almost 15 per cent over 2023. The number of passengers who flew direct from India to Azerbaijan shot up to 80,567 in 2024 from 28,899 in 2023 as additional flights began operations. The data includes flyers of other nationalities as well. According to online visa processing firm Atyls, for summer 2025, they had registered a rise of first-time international travellers from India gravitating towards destinations like Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Azerbaijan, which had begun streamlined visa procedures. MakeMyTrip had slotted Turkey and Azerbaijan among the top 20 international destinations searched for the upcoming holiday season.