This festive season, The Halcyon Private Isles Maldives is bringing an unusual collection of talent to its two private isles, where chefs, healers, freedivers, artists and athletes will come together for Masters of the Isles.
The inaugural festive programme draws on the spirit of exploration associated with H.C.P. Bell, whose journeys once took him across these southern Maldivian waters. From 18 December 2026 into January 2027, that sense of discovery will move through the season in different forms, from underwater stillness and Ayurvedic traditions to open-fire cooking, art, sport and evenings gathered beneath the stars. Press Release – The Newly Upgra…
Rather than a single festive theme playing out across the island, Masters of the Isles brings together individuals who have each developed a particular craft, creating opportunities for guests to encounter their work at closer quarters.
Masters Arrive on the Isles
Beneath the surface, freediving master Bastien Soleil will lead experiences combining breath, movement and underwater meditation, followed by the opportunity for an artistic underwater photoshoot against the two house reefs. On land, Dr Jubil P. Anil brings a fourth-generation Ayurvedic lineage spanning more than 120 years, with traditional therapies available throughout the festive season.
Maldivian artist Ahmed Aleem turns towards the stories of the islands, bringing folklore and history into an exhibition at Halcyon Hub alongside daily junior art workshops. Professional padel player Victoria Kurz will meanwhile lead morning and afternoon clinics from 18–21 December, including The Silent Session and Invisible Game Night. Press Release – The Newly Upgra…
A quieter perspective arrives with National Geographic Explorer Thammika Songkaeo from 22–29 December. Her programme moves away from the main island to private sandbanks and uninhabited shores, where guided meditation and journalling unfold with little more than sea and horizon in view.
Flavours Travel Across the Indian Ocean
Food becomes its own journey throughout the season, beginning with Mumbai-born restaurateur Karan Gokani, co-founder of London’s Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded Hoppers.
From 18–28 December, Gokani will draw on the flavours of India and Sri Lanka through masterclasses, lunches and dinners, including a Christmas Eve Hoppers London Counter at Thari. His residency brings the convivial character of Hoppers into the island setting while creating opportunities for guests to cook, dine and exchange ideas with him directly.
January brings Chef Dmitry Eremeev of Mason Dallos in Moscow, whose programme includes cocktails and canapés, a four-hands dinner at Yuzu, an Orthodox Christmas live station and a wine-pairing dinner. From 8 January, the Firepit takes a different turn as Sri Lanka’s Jungle Kadé crosses the Indian Ocean for a takeover built around open-flame cooking, cocktails and the flavours of the island’s southern coast.
Behind the bar, Alesia Rakitianskaia will move between Russian and Thai influences through a series of guest experiences from 30 December to 8 January, bringing an umami-led approach shaped by herbs, vegetables and her journey across Europe and Asia.
Christmas and New Year by the Sea
The season formally begins on 18 December as the Christmas tree is illuminated at Bell Bar, accompanied by live music and the first evening of celebrations.
Christmas Eve moves between cocktails at Bell Bar, dinner at Yuzu and the Christmas Eve Gala Night at Thari. The following morning begins with Christmas breakfast before Santa arrives at Thari Beach, while the day leaves room for experiences ranging from sailing and padel to sunset yoga and a Sunken Dinner beneath the surface.
On 31 December, the final evening of 2026 gathers at Firepit Beach. A cocktail party at Bell Bar leads into the New Year Celebration Dinner, live entertainment and a midnight welcome to 2027 with fireworks over the shore.
A Different Pace of Discovery
The festive journey extends well beyond the dinner table. The surrounding Huvadhoo waters become part of the programme through whale shark and nurse shark encounters, explorations of the two house reefs, big-game fishing and expeditions through the atoll once surveyed by H.C.P. Bell.
At The Halcyon Spa, the pace slows through a philosophy built around earth, water, fire and air. Sunrise and sunset rituals, breathwork, meditation, functional fitness and Dr Anil’s Ayurvedic journeys run throughout the season, with yoga and meditation also moving beyond the island to sandbanks, uninhabited isles and traditional dhonis.
Young Voyagers Find Their Own Adventure
For younger guests, exploration begins with Bell’s Explorer Passport, collecting stamps across marine, wellness, culinary, nature, culture and Ocean Protector experiences as the holiday unfolds.
Treasure trails inspired by H.C.P. Bell sit alongside sunset explorer picnics and family challenges, while Mini Marine Biologist introduces children to fish identification, coral and the world beneath the surface. Junior Stargazers looks towards traditional Maldivian navigation, and Boduberu Rhythm Academy, Coconut Masters and Dhivehi Discovery bring local culture into the programme through music, craft and language.
There are quieter pursuits too, from Little Yogi at Sunrise and Ocean Sound Meditation to a Wellness Potion Lab using herbs gathered from the Traveller’s Garden. Young guests can also step into the kitchen for Little Island Chef, explore reef conservation through a Chocolate Coral Workshop or create tropical drinks as Junior Mixologists.
Across Masters of the Isles, the festive season becomes less about following a calendar than choosing where curiosity leads next. A morning might begin in stillness on a sandbank, move beneath the surface of Huvadhoo Atoll and end around a fire with a visiting chef — each encounter offering another way to discover the two private isles.
