Velaa Private Island is situated in the picturesque Noonu Atoll, a 45-minute flight from Male. Designed by award-winning Czech architect Petr Kolar as “an elegant fusion of Maldivian culture with contemporary luxury, intimate with Maldivian nuances”, Velaa Private Island is home to 47 private villas, houses and exclusive residences. For more information, visit: velaaprivateisland.com
Nestled within the constellation of islands that form the Noonu Atoll in the Maldives, Velaa Private Island is renowned for offering an ultra-luxury experience and unrivalled seclusion. Now, Velaa is also cementing its reputation as one of the Indian Ocean’s premier health and wellbeing destinations with the opening of Eveylaa Wellbeing, a stunning new facility within the resort’s Wellbeing Village.
The opening of Velaa’s Wellbeing Village heralds a fresh direction for the ultra-exclusive island resort, driven by an increasing global demand for meaningful travel encounters and experiential wellness programmes that go above and beyond the standard fitness centre.
“There’s no doubt the world has changed since the pandemic, and so too has the way we travel. We’re now seeing guests looking for two things: beautiful destinations and curated experiences that prioritise their health,” said Wayne Milgate, General Manager at Velaa Private Island. “With the opening of the Velaa Wellbeing Village, we are providing our clients with world-class, personalised wellbeing experiences in an ultra-luxury setting, where they can relax and rejuvenate in complete privacy.”
A paradise within a paradise, Velaa’s Wellbeing Village is a holistic hub for health and wellbeing. Located at the heart of the Wellbeing Village is Eveylaa Wellbeing, a sanctuary of peace where guests can reconnect with nature, revitalise the body and relax their mind, far away from the stressors of every day.
To negate the stress of everyday life, people are increasingly seeking out luxury wellness retreats in inspiring locations, combining relaxation with rejuvenation. Rather than being seen as indulgence, wellness is now non-negotiable.
– Wayne Milgate, General Manager at Velaa Private Island
Meaning ‘ancient’ in the local language, Eveylaa brings together ancestral Ayurvedic healing rituals and cutting-edge technology to offer transformative treatments and comprehensive programmes personalised for each client. Every Eveylaa Wellbeing journey begins with a complimentary 20-minute Ayurveda consultation. This traditional form of Indian healing that has been practiced for 3,000 years and focuses on balancing the three Doshas of the body via personalised diet, herbal medicines and bespoke body treatments.
Following the consultation, guests can continue their Ayurvedic journey with authentic rituals that have been specially selected for their needs. Popular Ayurvedic treatments include the calming Shirodhara warm oil therapy, soothing herbal poultices, and the rejuvenating Abhyanga four-hand massage, which culminates in a steam session with medicinal herbs to revitalise and cleanse the channels in the body.
For those seeking to improve mobility and reduce muscle tension, Eveylaa is also home to a state-of-the-art osteopathic clinic. The resident osteopath will assess each guest’s specific needs and create a tailored programme of therapeutic massage and gentle manipulation, easing pain while promoting realignment and full-body balance.
Following the osteopathic session, guests can extend their muscle-easing experience with a float in the Dream Pod. Resembling a cocoon, this warm pool is saturated with Epsom salts to enhance buoyancy, creating a sense of weightlessness and cutting off all external stimuli to encourage a state of deep relaxation for the brain and the body’s muscle.
With a trained GP on hand, Eveylaa also offers a range of integrated medical assessments grounded in the latest scientific advancements. These detailed consultations include blood and food sensitivity analysis, private sessions with a Naturopathic Nutritionist, and the InBody Analysis test, designed to provide a greater understanding of body composition and an individual’s physical needs.
For those looking to immerse themselves in a transformative wellbeing journey, Eveylaa’s integrated wellness programmes bring together the very best in traditional healing and contemporary healthcare technologies. Spanning five, seven or 10 days, these comprehensive programmes target Sleep and Stress; Rejuvenation; Detoxification; and Fitness and Weight management. For the ultimate wellbeing renewal, the Panchakarma Bio Purification Programme takes place over 14 to 21 days, as guests follow a personalised Ayurvedic detoxification experience that delivers complete purification at a cellular level.
Further enhancing the unrivalled wellbeing offering at Eveylaa is the extensive array of yoga, meditation and fitness classes in the Yoga Pavilion. Led by Velaa’s experienced in-house instructors and renowned visiting practitioners, the classic Hatha, Vinyasa and Yin Yoga classes are complemented by Dhyana (guided meditation), Praanayama (breathwork), Sound Healing, and Yoga Nidra, a form of ‘yogic sleep’ that invites a deep sense of relaxation.
Classes take place in the Wellbeing Village’s open-air pavilion, a serene thatched-roof space that encourages participants to fully connect with their body, breath and the beauty that surrounds them. The Fitness Centre offers the latest Technogym equipment for daily workouts, while also offering personal training, circuits, spin classes, boxing and group fitness sessions in Tabata, HIIT and Pilates.
Central to the Velaa wellbeing experience is FAIY restaurant, where mindful gastronomy enhances the holistic treatments at Eveylaa. Meaning ‘leaf’ in the local Dhivehi language, FAIY presents a range of well-balanced and nutritious meals made exclusively from natural, unprocessed ingredients. Dedicated wellbeing menus include the ‘Fresh’ menu of raw and plant-based dishes with Asian flavours, and the light ‘Spa’ menu featuring low-carbohydrate, vegan, gluten-free, and Mediterranean-style fine dining.
Wellness Village, Velaa Private Island offers an array of active pursuits in a postcard-perfect setting. Golfers can perfect their swing at the Velaa Golf Academy by Olazábal, from renowned golf pro José María Olazábal. In the dedicated studio, PGA professionals help to hone each player’s golf game in a one-on-one session, before taking to the island’s perfectly manicured course. Other sporting pleasures to help guests maintain peak performance include tennis and squash courts, a climbing wall, and a Technogym packed with the latest equipment.
Adrenaline-lovers will delight in Velaa Private Island’s thrilling watersports including flyboarding, hoverboarding, electric foil surfing, or the tandem jetovator, while those looking to unwind and reconnect in paradise can indulge in facials and massage treatments in the Velaa Spa.
After a day of renewal or adventure, Velaa’s luxurious collection of villas and private residences are the perfect place to retreat. Couples can embrace the tranquillity of a Water Villa, with a swimming pool and sun deck perched over the sea, or immerse themselves in the lush seclusion of a Beach Villa, hidden amid tropical gardens mere steps from the sand. For the ultimate couple’s escape, the Romantic Pool Residence can only be reached by boat, promising even more privacy and exclusivity.
Families can make themselves at home in the two-bedroom Beach Pool House or Ocean Pool House, offering luxurious comforts and abundant space. For unforgettable group getaways, the Velaa Private Residence and Nika Residence by Patricia Urquiola sleep up to 10 guests each, sporting incredible amenities such as private gyms, spa rooms and generous al fresco living spaces.