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This festive season Soneva brings back all its festive traditions to its resorts in the Maldives and Thailand. Guests can expect eggnog on the sandbank, visits from Santa and his elves for the children, visiting practitioners, sporting greats, private stargazing sessions with award-winning astronomer and science communicator Lars Christiansen, and so much more throughout December. Ring in the New Year with Soneva’s iconic Journey, each one celebrating 25 years of Soneva. Wind your way along torch-lit paths, past performers and food stations, and a countdown to 2021 with fireworks and DJs spinning tracks into the early hours of the morning.

Soneva Fushi
Younger guests can get into the festive spirit with a range of Christmas-themed activities and events in The Den, from Christmas carols, a candy cane hunt, making paper stockings, Christmas tree decorating, and Christmas storytelling with the Barefoot Bookseller. The second season of Soneva’s Junior Master Chef lets aspiring chefs show off their culinary skills before a panel of judges with prizes to be won. Later in December, Lana Murphy and Jonathan Näslund, who were crowned Sweden’s dance champions 10 times, are offering dance lessons to children. Pool parties for teenagers, themed late-night Den parties, and various arts and crafts sessions await Soneva’s young guests. Quiz Nights and Carnival Games, as well as a Pirate Treasure Hunt are ideal for bringing the family together. The former Manchester United and Arsenal player, Mikael Silvestre, will be hosting the famous Soneva football camp for children and teens from December 14 to 26.

Soneva Fushi’s new Conscious Experiences take guests on exploratory excursions to the resort’s Waste to Wealth centre, across the Indian Ocean to learn how to fish sustainably or along island paths to learn how to track and spot the local flora and fauna that call Kunfunadhoo home. Start days in the Maldives with Meditation at Turtle Beach before a nutritious breakfast, or Floating Breakfast in the privacy and comfort of your villa. Water sports, snorkelling, diving and eco-friendly surfing mean there is something for everyone who loves the ocean. Tennis legend Jonas Bjorkman returns once again to offer exclusive coaching from December 19 to 26. When the sun sets guests can explore the night skies through the lens of the state-of-the-art telescope with Lars Christiansen, the award-winning astronomer.

When it comes to dining, the festive season always has so much to offer, from the Christmas Eve Gala dinner, to Biodynamic Wine Tastings and pop-up Martini Bars. The celebrations reach their peak with the 2020 Slowlife Journey on New Year’s Eve. Beginning at Bar(a)bara, and winding your way along lantern-lit paths to dine on a myriad of tantalising dishes and drinks, while acrobats, singers, musicians and performers enchant and wow. The night culminates with the countdown to 2021, fireworks and dancing into the early hours of the morning.

View the Festive Program here. Watch 2019’s New Year’s Journey video here.

Soneva Jani
Christmas and New Year’s festivities at Soneva Jani centre around fine dining, over the lagoon, in the lagoon, and on the white sandy shores. Start mornings with a Sunrise Dolphin Cruise and Champagne Breakfast, or indulge in the bountiful selections at Down to Earth’s buffet breakfast. Choose from Wine Lunches, Live Station Lunches in The Gathering, succulent crustaceans at the Crab Shack, or dining in the midst of the Organic Gardens. The Christmas Eve Live Station Dinner on the sands of North Beach add tropical flair to this festive meal of grills, international favourites, Asian and traditional Maldivian dishes, while a live band followed by a DJ set the mood.

Chef Kat’s Degustation Menu will take diners on a sensory discovery of Thailand’s flavours and aromas. When it comes to drinks, expect Sake Tastings with Sushi and Sashimi, Champagne Tasting in the Lagoon, and Sunset Cocktails and Champagne at the beach by the Crab Shack. Keeping to tradition, the New Year’s Eve Journey and countdown to 2021 on South Beach is the icing on the culinary cake.

Travel through the cosmos with private stargazing experiences with the resort’s resident Astronomer, or hone your serve and smash with one-to-one tennis lessons with Coach Millis Heimklo. Hit the ‘gym’ surrounded by tall screw pines when you take on the Jungle Gym’s obstacles, think balancing beams, monkey bars, rope climbs and rings. For the children, Picnics and Barbecues, Beach Olympics, Secret Santa and a special Christmas Disco await. Island discoveries, arts and crafts, cupcake decoration and more from the Den Team are available to keep them entertained, learning and curious.

In the realm of wellness, Soneva Jani’s Spa and resident experts have much to offer. Bill Curry, an expert in Cranial Sacral Therapy, Deep Tissue Fusion massage and Reiki, will be in residence at the resort. He is devoted to integrating breath work and relaxation from his meditation studies into all of his massage techniques and healing modalities. Pawan, Soneva’s yoga and meditation guru, will be holding Guided Meditation for Inner Silence, Beginner’s Yoga, Pranayama and more throughout the festive calendar.

View the Festive Program here. Watch 2019’s New Year’s Journey video here.

Soneva Kiri
Christmas in Thailand is always a special occasion filled with culinary adventures, experiences around the resort and the island of Koh Kood. Guests can learn how to make their own chocolate truffles with the resident chocolatier. Mixology, Cooking Classes and Master Classes abound. Learn how to make plant-based dishes or how to craft delicacies from Thailand, India, and Japan. For the children, pizza 

classes involve choosing their favourite toppings before using the wood-fired oven. Festive activities and experiences at The Den and Eco Den include mocktail classes, arts and crafts, traditional Thai games, cupcake decoration, blind ice cream tastings, and of course, a visit from Santa himself.

Lunch at the newly opened Colours of the Garden begins with an interactive tour of the expansive organic garden, learning about what is grown there as the chef invites guests to touch, taste and smell various herbs, fruits and vegetables. Hidden amuse bouche are just waiting to be found and eaten before sitting down to a plant-based set menu inspired by one of the four culinary regions of Thailand. Japanese Lunches, Gastronomical Wine or Champagne Dinners, Wine Tastings, Middle Eastern and Indian Pop-Up dinners, and more await to tempt guests with cuisines from around the world. Counting down to 2021, Soneva Kiri’s 25 Years of Slow Life Journey begins at The View, before taking guests past various cooking and drinks stations, ending up at The Dining Room for the main dinner event. Afterwards, the countdown, fireworks and live music will take place at The Living Room where guests can party to their hearts’ content.

Guided Meditation and Muay Thai Fitness are available at the spa. Learn how to make coconut oil from scratch or organic sunscreen and all-natural hair care products with the spa team. Head into the wild of Koh Kood, Thailand’s fourth largest and least populated island with Rainforest Treks to cooling waterfalls, cruise the Gulf of Thailand at sunset for breath-taking views, snorkel off of the neighbouring Koh Rang, home to a National Marine Park, or learn how to fish the Thai way with a Fishing Adventure (where guests can choose day or night fishing).

View the Festive Program here. Watch 2019’s New Year’s Journey video here.

For more information about Soneva, visit www.soneva.com