They mend endangered sea turtles at JOALI BEING. The damaged creatures – green and hawksbill – are taken in and rehabilitated in giant tanks on the island of Bodufushi, until they are well enough to be returned to the azure waters of the Indian Ocean lapping the Raa Atoll.
They are then lucky ones, as are the human guests privileged to spend time in one of the villas on this luxury resort floating amid the fragile ecosystem of the Maldives.
The turtles have a resident marine biologist to take good care of them, while the human visitors to this first Maldivian resort devoted to wellbeing have a brigade of staff drawn from 37 nations including ayurvedic doctors, butlers, nutritionists, naturopaths, sound therapists, culinary maestros, herbologists, tea sommeliers, artists and water sports instructors. There are more than 60 experts and specialists, dedicated to the wellbeing programmes alone.
Guests are set on course for their stay with a bespoke assessment consultation to suggest simple lifestyle changes. The wide choice of curated treatments is delivered in 39 luxurious rooms – there is a Russian banya, a cryotherapy chamber and a sensory deprivation room, while the heavenly Watsu pool for deep relaxation aquatic bodywork, is a truly emotive experience. Leisure and educational classes and workshops range from stand-up paddle-boarding, scuba diving and snorkelling to meditation, perfume mixing, art and cookery classes.
The mission of JOALI Being is to offer restoration and rejuvenation in the most beautiful and exclusive surroundings, enabling guests to reconnect with themselves, and with nature. This is a place with a flight path to wellness for those travellers privileged enough to afford a stay here and who are open to all it has, which is a great deal – from expansive open spaces to awesome architecture, exquisite earth-to-table dining to the techno-gym, tennis and padel courts, sunrise yoga to sunset meditation.
Based on biophilic design principles, the island’s landscaping and architecture complement the natural environment. Each of the 68 residences, whether an ocean pool villa for two (from $2,294 for one night excluding taxes and fees), or the four-bedroom private wellbeing ocean residence (sleeps 10, from $22,961 per night), is designed to enhance the transformative journey with cool colour palettes, and fittings, fixtures and every possible essential – and non-essential – required for nurturing restfulness in mind and body. There are no televisions, and power points are positioned away from bedsides to discourage phone checking at night. Wardrobes hold robes and chic guest 'uniforms' made of natural materials. There are indoor and outdoor bathrooms complete with gorgeous products, and private pools with sun loungers on which to sip tea from the wide selection in the (non-alcoholic) minibar while you read a book from the sitting room library, or strum a musical instrument while looking out on the pristine sand and turquoise waters. At your door, a bicycle with your name tag to get you around the island if you don't want to stroll or hail your butler, referred to on resort as a jadugar, meaning magician.
Make no mistake, while JOALI BEING's mission, based on the four pillars of mind, microbiome, skin and energy, is to send its guests back to their everyday lives feeling energised and renewed there is never a sense of pressure or privation, rather there is support for self-improvement available at every turn – on each coconut-palm-lined secret pathway, in each of the range of chic restaurants and in each treatment room. Wellbeing programmes are designed to meet a variety of objectives including deep relaxation, stress recovery, digestive reset, weight management, preventive skincare, anti-ageing, energy replenishment and yoga enhancement. The food is delicious, and alcohol is available if you wish. This is pampering, not preaching.
JOALI BEING's promise is to: 'Create the ultimate wellbeing and wellness experiences in the Maldives for every guest, supporting every step of their transformative journey. And to: 'Nourish guests and give them a new sense of weightlessness.'
It is an undertaking aimed at ensuring its visitors leave with the same feeling of freedom, health and happiness as those healed turtles released back into the sparkling waters of the Maldivian seas.
The multi-award-winning JOALI BEING is a 45-minute seaplane ride from Malé International Airport, and 15 minutes by speedboat ride from its sister island, JOALI Maldives.
JOALI BEING
Bodufushi Island, Raa Atoll, Maldives
joali.com/joali-being
