PER AQUUM Dares You To Experiment Above and Below The Ocean Waves This Festive Season

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Always daring to be different, PER AQUUM Hotels & Resorts offers dreamers, adventurers and families alike a myriad of luxury aquatic experiences over, on and under the Maldives’ Laccadive Sea this festive season.  From the avant-garde to the surreal, PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi and its sister resort PER AQUUM Niyama are set to thrill holidaymakers with an array of experiences and offerings ranging from radiant glow parties six metres under the sea to dreamlike sleep-overs at sea, and the Maldives’ first live underwater coral Christmas tree.

PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi

Meaning ‘Dream Island’ in the local Dhivehi language, PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi invites revellers to swing into 2017 with carnival vibes and tropical feasts, or retreat into cocoons of bliss to reflect on the dawn of a new year.  The resort continues to pioneer indulgence with all-time favourite experiences including underwater spa rituals at LIME Spa; underground dinners with wine pairing at Vinum; sleeping under a blanket of stars on a Dream Dhoni; or lazing the day away on a deserted sandbank.

This festive season’s highlights include all-day Splash Pool Parties to the cool island sounds of live DJs; lobster and Champagne buffets around the infinity edge pool; and exotic Tiki bar pop-ups on the beach.

Festive Season, PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi

Christmas Eve will see a TropiCarnivale-themed celebration at the water’s edge at Fogliani’s, while romantics at heart can opt for an intimate five-course dinner as they perch atop the Maldives’ crystal waters in an overwater pavilion at Salt.

On New Year’s Eve, spectacular fireworks over the Laccadive Sea will radiate upon ocean swells to the rhythm of live smooth island beats. The TropiCarnivale-themed extravaganza starts with a gala dinner on the beach at Fogliani’s or an exquisite set menu dinner with wine pairings over the water at Salt, and culminates in a countdown party accompanied by designer cocktails at Umbar to see in the new year in chic island style.

Fashionistas will also be treated to a designer collection this festive season by Indian leather artisans Nappa Dori, the latest offering in a stream of artistic collaborations for PULSE by PER AQUUM.

PER AQUUM Niyama

Aptly known as Nature’s Playground, PER AQUUM Niyama offers adjoining twin islands, Chill and Play, where couples and families alike can be as active or laidback as their festive fantasies desire.  Here holidaymakers are invited to revel in their own version of luxury by enjoying adrenaline-charged activities, frosty fairytale vibes and spellbinding feasts, or retreat into surreal bliss, giving thanks for the dawn of a new year.

On Christmas Eve, island carollers will spread traditional festive cheer on the beach, followed by a White Christmas Eve gala dinner on the oceanfront at Epicure and an intimate fine dining feast over the water at Edge, 500 metres out to sea.  With Santa Claus expected to make a tropical grand entrance on a surfboard from the fantastic swells just off Play Island’s edge, kids of all ages can join him on a treasure hunt around the islands on Christmas Day and an afternoon Christmas Party in the resort’s sprawling Explorers Children’s Club.

Festive Season, PER AQUUM Niyama

On New Year’s Eve, the festivities will come to a crescendo on the beach with a Countdown Glow Party, after a cocktail party at Tribal Beach accompanied by a live performance of arias from the musical Les Misérables and a gala dinner celebration at Epicure and Dune Beach.

Radiance is all the island rage this festive season, from nonsurgical facelifts by Beverly Hills-based Dr. David Alessi from the Alessi Institute for Facial Plastic Surgery to Intraceuticals oxygen-based facials at Lime Spa, and from total health transformation consultations by acclaimed New York-based health coach and longevity expert, Paulo Fernandes, to Glow Parties six metres below the waterline at Subsix, the world’s first underwater playground and lounge, to show it all off.

In a Maldives first, PER AQUUM Niyama’s Marine Biologist is growing a live underwater coral Christmas tree to be unveiled to holidaymakers during a lighting ceremony on 22 December 2016.  Positioned six metres under the waterline, the live Christmas tree will be visible just outside the windows of Subsix underwater lounge during the day and illuminated at night during the regular Glow Parties.  Using a technology called Biorock, a low current voltage runs through the Christmas tree’s support structure which helps coral grow faster.

For a taste of the PER AQUUM Life this festive season, visit www.peraquum.com or contact [email protected]

Maldives to host the Grand Finale of World Travel Awards 2016

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Maldives received the honour of hosting the Grand Finale of the World Travel Awards 2016. As this year marks the 23rd anniversary of the World Travel Awards, the prestigious event is set to take place at Olhuveli Beach Resort & Spa on the 2nd December 2016.

Hailed by the Wall Street Journal as the “Travel industry’s equivalent to the Oscar’s” the World Travel Awards are the most comprehensive and most prestigious awards program in the global travel industry.  The World Travel Award was established back in 1993. Every year the World Travel Awards holds Gala ceremonies for Regional winners and a Grand Finale event is held to award the Global winners. Over the years, the platform has been reputed as the highest level of achievement in the Travel and Tourism Industry. Since then Maldives has won in numerous categories at the World Travel Awards

The Grand Finale of the World Travel Awards will be attended by industry’s key stakeholder, decision makers and gains the attention of the most influential Travel Trade media.

During the World Travel Award 2015 Grand Finale Maldives won the award for the World Leading Beach Destination. For the Grand Finale of 2016 Maldives different resorts and companies have been nominated for the following categories:

As the event day draws closer final preparation are underway at the Olhuveli Beach Resort and Spa.

Motions of the Ocean: Ballet at PER AQUUM resorts

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Until now the only type of ballet to be found in the Maldives has been the graceful antics of manta rays. PER AQUUM is changing the tempo this August with one-of-a-kind performances at PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi and PER AQUUM Niyama by Xander Parish and dancers from Russia’s renowned Mariinsky Ballet Company.

In another premiere for the island nation, the ensemble of ballet dancers, including first soloist, Xander Parish, will swap St Petersburg’s Theatre Square for a tropical beach backdrop as part of PULSE, PER AQUUM’s stream of avant-garde experiences. Overwater stages will spring up at each of PER AQUUM’s luxury island resorts in the Maldives as performances of Swan Lake, Scheherazade, Giselle, Carmen and Don Quixote come to life over two magical nights.

Photo courtesy of PER AQUUM

Guests at PER AQUUM Niyama will enjoy an exclusive performance on 21 August with an encore at PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi on 23 August. Xander Parish, originally from Yorkshire in the UK, was the first British dancer to be accepted into the Mariinsky company and will be joined by his hand-picked ensemble including Oksana Bondareva and Renata Shakirova.

Courtesy of PER AQUUM, budding ballerinas and ballerinos will also have a once in a lifetime chance to take centre stage themselves. True to form for PULSE which features immersive experiences, guests can get up close and personal with Xander and his dancers who will also be offering masterclasses at each resort during their visit.

PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi - Dream Island
PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi – Dream Island

A honeymooner’s delight, PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi is an exclusive luxury resort, located just a 35 minute speedboat ride away from the international airport near the capital, Male. Encircled by one of the best house reefs in the Maldives, this private island paradise is home to the world’s first and only underwater spa. In contrast, the twin islands of Chill and Play at PER AQUUM Niyama, located 45 minutes south of Male by seaplane, offer immersive dining experiences as well as the world’s first underwater nightclub, recently restyled as a restaurant and lounge.

Guests who book directly via peraquum.com will receive exclusive benefits including an upgrade to half board at PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi and a 60-minute massage for two at PER AQUUM Niyama, as well as an invitation to the pre-event cocktail party and a host of surprises including a signed copy of Xander’s book – from PER AQUUM with love.

Chef Akira Back Goes to New Extremes in the Maldives

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Culinary Force Goes Head to Head with the Forces of Nature for PER AQUUM

He’s tackled the slopes as a professional snowboarder. He’s trained with master chefs Nobu Matsuhisa and Masaharu Morimoto. He’s championed his own cutting-edge cuisine, exploring a Korean twist on Japanese fine dining. And he’s won the hearts, and palates, of top celebrities. His fans including the likes of Eva Longoria, Taylor Swift, Pink, The Olsen Twins, Wilmer Valderamma, Kelly Osbourne, Ryan Kwanten, Joe Jonas and David Arquette.

When he arrives in the Maldives this April, Chef Akira Back will take on his newest thrilling challenge. PER AQUUM’s Maldivian resorts welcome Chef Akira to hit the waves, source the freshest catch and wow four groups of lucky diners as they join him for a private dinner in jungle treetops or deep underground beneath the heart of an iconic island.

On the evenings of 20 and 21 April at PER AQUUM Niyama and on 25 and 26 April at PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi, Chef Akira will create a 12-course tasting menu highlighting some of his favourite exotic ingredients and techniques along with never-before-seen preparations of fresh Maldivian seafood. Sheared baby zucchini recreate vibrant emerald scales atop Maldivian white fish. Umami drenches cold water lobsters. Tiny root vegetables grow in a Seoul Garden. Micro shiso and fresh truffles add herbaceous and earthy tones to his signature tuna ‘pizza’.

BLU Pool and Beach, PER AQUUM Niyama
BLU Pool and Beach, PER AQUUM Niyama

While visiting the islands, Chef Akira will indulge his adventurous streak as a veteran extreme sportsman by riding the waves and joining in the surprisingly dramatic spectacle of Maldivian pole-and-line fishing. As the ship crests on the waves, fishermen using traditional sustainable methods send tuna soaring through the air. Baited into a feeding frenzy with expert techniques, the surface-dwelling tuna latch onto special barbless hooks and are propelled arcing overhead before sliding off onto the deck in a haul that can bring in several tonnes in a single outing.

No stranger to adrenaline and sportsmanship – nor globetrotting – Akira’s backstory is as fascinating as his innovative plates. Born in Korea, he moved to Aspen as a 15-year-old. Plunged into a strange country where he couldn’t speak the language, he learned English by watching James Bond movies and made friends by skateboarding and snowboarding. He decided that if he couldn’t speak English yet, the best way to make friends was by boarding. Akira found himself a quick learner at snowboarding and was soon excelling at big jumps and challenging stunts. After gathering fame – and a series of injuries – he threw himself into a new passion, studying with top Asian chefs and then opening a collection of restaurants: Yellowtail at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Kumi at nearby Mandalay Bay, and self-titled Akira Back restaurants in Jakarta, Delhi, and Seoul.

Possessing a mountain of awards and honours, he has also graced a number of television shows, including the Food Network’s Iron Chef America where he battled Iron Chef Bobby Flay, NBC’s ‘The Today Show’, Food Network’s ‘The Best Thing I Ever Ate’, Cooking Channel’s ‘United Tastes of America’ and KBS’s ‘Success Mentor’ airing in Korea.

Chef Akira’s private dinners at PER AQUUM Niyama will be held in its treetop Asian avant-garde restaurant, Nest. At PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi, he’ll host his first night at over-water Salt, descending on the second night to the underground wine cave, Vinum. Dinner prices start at USD 220++ per person, depending on the venue.

Infinity Pool Lonu Veyo, PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi
Infinity Pool Lonu Veyo, PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi

This ‘Forces of Nature’ special appearance unfolds as part of PULSE, PER AQUUM’s stream of immersive experiences from A-list affairs to intimate celebrations. To reserve the experience or see more of this year’s PULSE line-up, visit peraquum.com/pulse.

From World Tour to Dream Island – One Night with Joss Stone at PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi

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As part of PULSE, PER AQUUM’s stream of immersive guest experiences, the global hospitality trendsetter presents an intimate private performance by Grammy award-winning soul singer, Joss Stone. On 28 February 2016, Joss will take to her most surreal stage ever, performing for one night only under the bright stars of the Indian Ocean at PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi.

Joss Stone, PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi
Joss Stone, PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi

The stuff of dreams, guests will touch down in the Maldives only to be whisked away on a luxury speedboat to PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi, just 35 minutes from Malé, where they will be greeted with a bottle of Champagne to toast to days and nights of island fantasies. Guests can mingle with a lucky few as they savour hits from Joss’ latest album ‘Water for Your Soul’, featuring reggae rhythms, hip hop beats, and Joss’ distinctive vocals, as well as Irish fiddles, gospel choirs and flamenco guitars, along with a special pre-concert dinner.

The PULSE experience is part of Joss’ Total World Tour, an ambitious quest to play in every country across the globe, incorporating local instruments such as Bodu Beru, the Maldivian drum made from coconut tree trunks, into every performance, as well as impromptu jam sessions with local musicians.

Arrival area, PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi
PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi

Joss’ mission also includes getting the low down on each country’s environmental and humanitarian issues and helping to spread the word of local charities. At PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi, home to one of the best house reefs in the Maldives, Joss will make her mark by planting coral with the resort’s resident marine biologist as part of the resort’s coral rehabilitation project. Joss will also be paying a visit to the Children’s Home, Kudakudhinge Hiya in the Villingili ward of Male, a charity which has been close to the PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi team’s heart since the resort opened nearly 12 years ago.

From R&B to R&R, rumour has it Joss will also be enjoying a subaquatic treatment at the resort’s famed LIME Spa – the world’s first underwater spa – as well as sampling the resort’s underground wine cellar, stocked with over 6,000 bottles including rare vintages. A vegetarian since birth, Joss is also likely to be spotted at Raw, the resort’s beloved overwater restaurant featuring all-organic dishes inspired by the East.

Dining, PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi
PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi

To make a reservation and to see the PULSE line-up for the rest of 2016, go to www.peraquum.com/pulse or email [email protected]

PER AQUUM Hotels & Resorts launches PULSE

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A stream of immersive experiences

With a passion for bold luxury and one-of-a-kind experiences that defy expectation, PER AQUUM jump-starts 2016 with the launch of PULSE – a stream of immersive avant-garde experiences from A-list affairs to intimate celebrations brought to life by creative icons, emerging artistes and the passion of the PER AQUUM team.

PULSE - A PER AQUUM Experience
PULSE – A PER AQUUM Experience

Kicking off PULSE’s debut line-up is Justine Picardie, Editor-in-Chief of Harper’s Bazaar and Town & Country, UK. Justine has two loves – fashion and the written word. As bestselling author of four books, Justine is the literary genius behind the widely acclaimed biography ‘Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life’. This January guests have the opportunity to meet the author at PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi where she will reveal secrets unearthed during her research on Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel. As part of its ‘Popcorn Under the Stars’ series, PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi will air the movie ‘Coco Before Chanel’ starring the beguiling Audrey Tautou. PER AQUUM’s first ever PULSE experience will offer a captivating insight from one of the industry’s leading influencers into the links between fashion and art – and the emotional resonance of fashion in all our lives.

Hot on Justine’s heels in early January will be Chef Nelly Robinson from nel. restaurant in Sydney. Celebrated for his contemporary interpretations of modern Australian dishes, Chef Nelly and his team pride themselves on working with only the freshest seasonal produce with a weekly changing degustation menu. nel. restaurant currently claims the top spot on Australia’s largest restaurant booking network, Dimmi, and was awarded the 2015 Time Out Sydney’s People’s Choice Award. Chef Nelly Robinson from down under will dive eight metres underground at PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi’s unique cellar cave, Vinum, for an exclusive one-night-only dinner.

PULSE - Chef Nelly Robinson Down Under at PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi
PULSE – Chef Nelly Robinson Down Under at PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi

In February, free spirit and GRAMMY Award-winner Joss Stone lands in the Maldives for an exclusive one-night only performance at PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi for her Total World Tour, an ambitious personal quest to play in every country on the planet. In each country, Joss is aiming to collaborate with local home-grown musicians, playing indigenous music as well as her own songs including hits from her new album ‘Water For Your Soul’. This experience will be a first for the Maldives as PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi brings a ‘World Tour’ event to its shores.

PULSE - PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi presents Joss Stone
PULSE – PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi presents Joss Stone

In April, PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi and PER AQUUM Niyama join forces to host Chef Akira Back and his celeb-enticing brand of Japanese cuisine with a Korean twist. Known for his appearances on Food Network’s ‘Iron Chef America’ battling Chef Bobby Flay, Chef Akira can also be seen on NBC’s ‘The Today Show’, Food Network’s ‘Best Thing I Ever Ate’, The Cooking Channel’s ‘United States of America’ as well as KBS’ ‘Success Mentor’ which airs in Korea. Once a professional snowboarder, Chef Akira has worked under acclaimed maestros Nobu Matsuhisa and Masaharu Morimoto, and is the success story behind the famed Kumi Japanese Restaurant + Bar and Yellowtail Japanese Restaurant & Lounge, both in Las Vegas, as well as the talent behind Akira Back New Delhi and Jakarta.

PULSE - PER AQUUM brings Chef Akira Back to the Maldives
PULSE – PER AQUUM brings Chef Akira Back to the Maldives

Also conjuring up culinary creations at PER AQUUM Niyama is Chin Chin Labs. Straight out of Camden Market in the UK, Chin Chin Labs has achieved a cult status amongst chefs and ice cream aficionados the world over. Shunning traditional techniques and convention, Chin Chin Labs has been creating artisanal ice creams to order, frozen with liquid nitrogen and billowing with clouds of ‘ice’ since 2010. Having pioneered liquid nitrogen ice-cream as a retail concept, Chin Chin Labs is known for nods to haute cuisine with flavours such as Guinness caramel with smoked salt, pink guava and pepper crack and blueberry marshmallow and apricot rose. Hailed by The Times as ‘The best ice cream parlour in England’ and ‘a place where chefs come for inspiration’ by TimeOut London, these ice cream magicians will be making Maldives-exclusive flavours at PER AQUUM Niyama’s island ‘Play’ over Easter featuring ingredients from the resort Chef’s own herb garden.

PER AQUUM Niyama - Nature's Playground
PER AQUUM Niyama – Nature’s Playground

Injecting a little vintage elegance to PER AQUUM’s ‘Dream Island’ in mid-2016 will be Indian artisans of leather, Nappa Dori, in a celebration of the glamour of travel and the discovery of new frontiers. A tribute to quintessential Indian sensibilities, blended perfectly with contemporary interpretations in design, material and craftsmanship as well as a dose of nostalgia, mysticism and romance, guests at PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi will have the chance to take part in bespoke workshops, learning the art of leather making from the masters of their craft.

PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi - Dream Island
PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi – Dream Island

With all this and more on the horizon – from parties until dawn to one-on-one masterclasses – Nick Downing, Vice President of PER AQUUM Hotels & Resorts, has appointed a new Creative Director, Angeline Leo, one of the trendsetting brand’s original dream team. With, quite literally, her finger on the ‘PULSE’, Angeline has spent the last ten years curating and actualising a number of exclusive events, including PULSE’s previous incarnation as the brand’s iconic ‘Dream Calendar’ which was shortlisted for several awards including Most Original Campaign and Greatest Guest Experience at LE Miami.

For a taste of the PER AQUUM Life, reserve your place at one of the upcoming PULSE Experiences by calling +960 664 4111, go to peraquum.com/PULSE, search by hashtag #PULSEbyPAQ or email [email protected]