Against the luminous backdrop of Fari Islands in the North Malé Atoll, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands has conceived its 2026 Masters of Crafts programme as an extended meditation on excellence. From January through December, the resort transforms into a stage for encounters with contemporary masters spanning gastronomy, mixology, wellness, adventure, and the arts — hospitality reimagined as cultural exchange. The calendar opened with movement coach Jacy Cunningham’s four-day residency exploring healing through physical practice, grounding participants in the resort’s Blue Prescription philosophy.
Singer-songwriter Madison McFerrin follows with neo-soul and jazz-inflected performances across three carefully orchestrated moments. February brought Michelin-starred chef Maurizio Bufi from Il Fagiano, presenting regional Italian cuisine at La Locanda. March introduces floral designer Harijanto Setiwan, whose programme encompasses workshops, botanical afternoon tea, and edible flower spectacles.
April ventures into celestial observation with astronomer and aurora chaser Tom Kerss, exploiting the Maldives’ unique equatorial position to view both northern and southern constellations, whilst storytelling evenings for children explore the legendary tales behind each constellation. Spring continues with Harriet Mandak’s The Connected Collective Retreat, a three-night programme for couples exploring intentions, shared goals, and life planning. July welcomes big wave surfer Nic von Rupp, fresh from his 2025 Tudor Nazaré championship, offering coaching for adults and children from six years upwards.
October features Chef Jean-Philippe Blondet from three-Michelin-star Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, presenting refined haute cuisine across two evenings at Beach Shack to the sounds of the Indian Ocean. December concludes with Milan’s Moebius — ranked seventh on The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 — bringing crowd-pleasing libations including the Pesto Martini and Seed Negroni to EAU Bar across two nights of mixology mastery. The residencies unfold within Kerry Hill Architects’ environment of 100 interconnected villas hovering over turquoise lagoons. Each includes Aris Meeha island butler service, whilst dining venues under executive Chef Pedro Samper span international and local cuisines.