On the remote island of Bodufushi in Raa Atoll, a 40-minute seaplane ride away from Male International Airport, rests JOALI BEING, the first dedicated well-being island and retreat in the Maldives.
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On the remote island of Bodufushi in Raa Atoll, a 40-minute seaplane ride away from Male International Airport, rests JOALI BEING, the first dedicated well-being island and retreat in the Maldives.
Inspired Design
Upon arrival at JOALI BEING, guests are greeted by a dramatic arrival jetty, an artistic masterpiece that invokes the wings of angels called The Gate of Zero. Inspired by the whirling dervishes of Turkey, it is an homage to the home of Turkish-born entrepreneur and owner, Esin Güral Argat.
The Gate of Zero is a visual metaphor for what JOALI BEING aims to achieve for each of its guests: a sense of weightlessness and a detachment from the worries and heaviness that define modern life. It’s at the Gate of Zero that the journey of “liberation of the soul, unshackled by ego” for each guest begins. As any wellness traveler knows, this journey has many beginnings but never truly ends.
Courtesy of JOALI BEING
The sister property of the award-winning, art-immersive JOALI Maldives, JOALI BEING opened in November 2021 to great fanfare. The property focuses its treatments and guest experience around four pillars of wellness: mind, skin, microbiome and energy.
At the beginning of their stay, guests meet with their dedicated wellness consultant who uses an Intelligent Movement Analysis and an Integrative Health Assessment to help develop a customized journey. Each program can be tailored from all angles (areas of strength and vitality, mental clarity and well-being, hormonal balance, women’s health, digestive and weight rebalance and restorative sleep, as well as movement and alignment for good health and immunity) to ensure each individual’s goals are met.
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The resort design is biophilic, inspired by waves, shells and nature, intended to further displace the ego and promote unity with nature and one’s surroundings. Biophilic design principles integrate architecture and design with nature with the goal of channeling the harmony and tranquility of the natural universe.
In this biophilic spirit, villas are meant to invoke the experience of staying amid nature, drawing inspiration from the calming neutral hues of the beach, sand and stones, and the soft lines of shorelines, sea waves, and the vibrant life-giving colors of the Indian Ocean and palms.
Courtesy of JOALI BEING
Unique Wellness Experiences
In the name of detachment from the outside world while at JOALI BEING, there are no televisions in guest villas. Wi-Fi is only available in the villas, and not throughout the property. One feature I noted and appreciated was that electrical outlets are only available outside of the primary suite, promoting better sleep for guests without the blue light from their phones charging bedside.
I enjoyed JOALI BEING’s Watsu treatment—a portmanteau of “water” and “shiatsu”—and a form of Japanese water massage. I was immersed in a warm water pool and guided by a sherpa through a series of movements in the water. The ceiling of the watsu pool is studded with glistening diamond-lit lights, meant to emulate the tranquility of a night sky. The effect of being in the water and looking at the similitude of a sky is, appropriate to theme, feeling weightless, as if floating and flight at once.
I also experienced the property’s signature Four Pillars Massage, which aims to stimulate and promote harmony in the skin, mind, microbiome and energy. Other notable well-being treatments include Craniosacral Therapy, Vibrational Alignment Therapy, Sound Healing Remedies, and more.
Courtesy of JOALI BEING
Between treatments, visitors are invited to enjoy an herbal tea and natural oil bar, called the AKTAR. This Turkish herbology center is where a resident herbalist specializes in preparing natural remedies (i.e., scrubs, oils, perfumes, teas, shampoos, creams, face masks, etc.) using herbs, spices and essential oils. Herbal specialists also create poultices and medleys from the ingredients grown in JOALI BEING’s on-site garden.
ATKAR is one of many transformational spaces on the property that are inspired by nature. Others include Kaashi (the hydrotherapy hall), SEDA (sound therapy hall) and Discovery Sound Path and there is also an over-water meditation deck.
Guests are invited to wear “uniforms” provided by the property, which takes the stress or decision making out of choosing what to wear each day. Guests also have the option to wear a “silent tag,” during which no staff will speak to you while donning it.
The Maldives has been long-renowned as a honeymoon destination, defined by its endless paradisiacal white sand beaches and shimmering palms. And JOALI BEING invites the Maldives to expand its appeal to wellness travelers, too.
