Imagine a day jet skiing between the islands accompanied by a pod of dolphins, then a round of golf before your stress-relieving Ayurvedic massage, returning to your overwater villa to enjoy sunset cocktails, and ending the evening with a gourmet meal with a view to let the Indian Ocean end. Okay – they will’t all the time guarantee the dolphins. But the remainder is a protected bet during your stay Private island of Velaa Resort within the Maldives.
After landing within the capital, Malé, Velaa guests are escorted to a personal airport lounge before taking a 45-minute seaplane flight to the island. As you fly, you may see what makes the Maldives so special – perfect waters, beautiful little islands – before discovering a particular white tower on Velaa that houses one among the resort’s restaurants and vertical wine cellar.
Getting across the island and all it has to supply is a breeze – the whole lot is connected to a circular predominant road that may easily be navigated on foot or using the bike provided to every guest. Velaa means “turtle” within the local Dhivehi language, and Czech architect Petr Kolář designed the island’s overwater villas and jetties to resemble the body of a turtle when viewed from above.
Deciding where to remain on the island is the one difficult decision you should have to make for this vacation. With 47 villas and residences, they provide a wide range of options where there aren’t any fallacious answers. There are the overwater villas the region is thought for – select your preference for the sunrise or sunset side – and in case you’ve never seen one before, this could be the precise selection. But the Deluxe Beach Pool Villas mustn’t be ignored either. Your private backyard is surrounded by tall hedges and features an infinity pool and beach area. From there you may access the crowded beach through a small opening and be within the sea in lower than a minute.
For larger family groups, there are 4 private residences with their very own kitchen, gym and spa treatment rooms. But for total seclusion—especially for newlyweds or couples who don’t plan on leaving the room often—there’s the Romantic Pool Residence, which sits over the water away from the coast and is just accessible by boat. With your individual pool, hot tub and sundeck, you will not need to return to the island as often.
The majority of your meals during your stay will happen on the beachfront restaurant Athiri, which serves a wide selection of international dishes – authentically prepared by chefs from 14 countries. You can sit here with the sand still in your toes or immerse yourself in a water channel that stretches across different sections. The Avi Pool Bar and Lounge is attached and offers an ideal spot for sunset or after-dinner cocktails. The Cru Champagne Bar can be available for sipping champagne before or after dinner.
For more specialized dining, there’s the over-water Aragu Signature Restaurant led by Chef Gaushan De Silva, which serves European dishes with Asian influences. And to finish your dining experience, there’s Tavaru – on the highest floor of the White Tower, the tallest structure on the island – which serves teppanyaki grilled dishes. Inside the constructing is the wine cellar with over 1,000 labels. Your sommelier will lead the tasting here and collect your bottle from a small open elevator that travels up and down across the partitions.
There are two wellness trails on the island. The overwater Velaa Spa offers a wide selection of Western and Asian massages, facial, body and wonder treatments. For true pampering, there are multi-day rest, rejuvenation and cleansing programs that include a variety of various treatments over three or five days. Snow is one among the last stuff you’d expect to see in the realm, however the spa features the one snow room within the Maldives, in addition to a sauna and steam room – all overlooking the open water – to reinforce any session.
The second route is Velaas Eveylaa Wellbeing Village, where you may experience the whole lot from an important Ayurvedic massage to a full Ayurvedic body exam by a health care provider to set goals on your health that last long after your visit. The center has its own restaurant, Faiy, which offers healthy and delicious dishes in addition to yoga, Pilates and meditation courses.
Jet skiing within the open waters of the Indian Ocean between the islands of the Maldives is a thrill – especially in case you come across a pod of dolphins that want to hitch in on the ride. Other high-tech water activities on the island include flyboarding, hoverboarding, e-foils, and a Jetovator and Flyrider to take to the air. For those that don’t need to make use of motors, catamarans, windsurfing, pedal boats and kayaks are also available.
Velaa also has some underwater adventures to supply. The island offers each diving and snorkeling – with courses for all levels, from children to more experienced divers, including PADI certification. There’s loads of coral – Velaa runs the biggest coral restoration program within the Maldives – and reefs to explore, in addition to turtles and manta rays. A nighttime snorkeling trip under fluorescent lights can be possible.
And just whenever you think you may’t fit the rest onto a small island, Velaa boasts a 9-hole golf course and an academy designed by two-time Masters winner José María Olazábal. Tennis, squash, climbing wall, volleyball and gym are also available – and you will also burn calories in your bike rides across the island. And although Velaa has a lot to supply, additionally it is the proper island to take time to do nothing but calm down, benefit from the beach and swim within the sea. There’s a reason you have all the time heard that the Maldives is a dream vacation – and Velaa has all of the explanation why.