Anyone who has travelled around the world a lot will know that moment when you feel so small in the face of the breathtaking beauty of nature. When an almost surreal magic unfolds. When your heart beats faster because you have found an extraordinary place. The same thing happens to me when I catch a glimpse from the air of the unending expanse of the Indian Ocean, where a small piece of lush, green land springs up, resembling a tortoise shell surrounded by the finest, white sand. I don’t yet know that here I have found a true paradise, one that redefines luxury and privacy and promises a very special type of island life.
Everything – and so much more: this is how you can describe what the Velaa Private Island has to offer. Opened in 2014, the island resort is 187 kilometres away from Malé in Noonu Atoll in the north west of the Maldives. Nature has created a masterpiece here with dream beaches populated with palm trees, turquoise sea and an exotic underwater world. And yet it becomes the backdrop here, because the private owner of the island, the Czech entrepreneur Jiri Smejc, has supplemented what nature has to offer with an unexpected wealth of leisure opportunities. Manicured gardens set the scene for what this luxury resort has to offer, which fulfils the need for utmost privacy and outstanding comfort. Whether it be a private beach house or water villa, each hideaway offers a design-rich ambience with endless views out to the horizon. The enjoyment of silence, only interrupted by crashing waves and the noise of the palm trees, is the very embodiment of a successful time out. This makes it easy to share the serenity of the eponymous inhabitants of Velaa – the turtles who make their home there.
The island experience on Velaa has long been more than just a picturesque scene, glorious peace or fascinating dives, where you encounter grey reef sharks or black-spotted stingrays at hitherto undiscovered diving spots. Would you have thought that you could also play golf on the island on a golf course designed by Jose Maria Olazábal? That there is a covered arena offering tennis courts, a squash hall and a 6-metre high climbing wall? Biking or fitness, yoga or meditation – any sports activity you desire is fulfilled. Of course, you can also make a clear statement with water sports: for exclusive tours, the luxury Velaa yacht is available; for exciting cruises there are the modern catamarans. The hotel’s own fishing boat is equipped with the latest equipment for deep-sea fishing. Romantic trips with traditional Batheli sailors or fun sports with the latest high-tech toys, such as the seabob, jetovator or hoverboard – Velaa makes the impossible possible and surpasses anything you have ever seen before.
The unique overall concept on Velaa is perfectly tailored to its sophisticated clientele and is all about maximum enjoyment. It therefore goes without saying that a first-class champagne lounge, three top restaurants with exquisite culinary delights and a wine cellar stocked with top quality wine of the rarest of vintages await the guests. Whoever wants to stay can enjoy the culinary delicacies in private – served by a personal butler who is available around the clock. Design and harmony also characterise the spa area, which sits majestically over the ocean. Here, there is everything that promotes strength, wellness and health. The jacuzzi seems to float over the sea and the experienced hands of the masseuse work wonders. If you want to take a snow bath after the sauna, you will realise in the snowroom that there couldn’t possibly be anymore. Even if the luxury on Velaa Private Island has its price, anyone looking for a place with unrivalled exclusivity in a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere will find a paradise here.
