PureandCure review: Kim's visit to Wellbeing Island JOALI BEING Maldives

July 5, 2024

Located on the tranquil island of Bodufushi in Raa Atoll, JOALI BEING is the Maldives' first nature-focused wellness retreat. Here, you'll find 68 chic, spacious villas, each with a private pool and your own butler, perfect for gazing at the famous Indian Ocean sunsets. I feel so privileged to spend three nights on this heavenly island. The exceptional service starts right when I arrive at Malé airport. A hotel representative meets me and checks in my luggage for the brief seaplane flight to the resort. Since the Maldives consists entirely of islands, there is a dedicated departure terminal for all seaplanes. In the private JOALI BEING lounge, I take an hour to unwind with a lovely cup of tea and a light lunch of my choosing.

Seaplane above paradise

The flight to the island is around 40 minutes, but with such breathtaking views, I wouldn't mind if it lasted even longer. Through my window, I see lagoons and islands drifting by in a turquoise sea. In all my travels, I've rarely seen anything that so perfectly embodies the word "paradise." It feels like I've stepped into a movie.

Villa with private butler

Upon arrival, a welcoming team greets us with a refreshing drink. It's delightful, though I barely taste it, distracted by the stunning entrance. One of the team members introduces himself as Nabbe, my personal villa jadugar, or butler. He leads me to my villa and shows me the room's numerous high-tech features. I politely decline his offer to unpack my bag, as the view beckons. I sink into a chair on the seaside terrace, and all my worries melt away. How beautiful life can be!

FLOW-restaurant

Completely relaxed and with a growling stomach, I am heading to the FLOW restaurant. FLOW is actually three restaurants in one, offering three different cuisines. Whether you prefer vegan, vegetarian, seafood, or meat, everything is prepared with the freshest ingredients. Dining at this resort is truly a delight. I can taste the passion and love in every dish.

Waking up in heaven

You don't need an alarm clock at JOALI BEING. The curtains open at the time I set on the iPad, so when I wake up, I'm greeted by a stunning sea view. Heavenly! After a delicious breakfast—with countless healthy options and irresistible croissants—I explore the island on my bike. I notice my name on the bike's nameplate, a lovely detail. The bike, a convenient standard feature of each villa, is the perfect way to explore the island.

Cycling on the island

My first stop is the water sports center, and I'm amazed by the variety of activities and trips available. If you can imagine it, they have it here. A unique feature is the turtle sanctuary, where they help turtles that wash ashore and need time to recover. I continue biking to the yoga pavilion, which offers a panoramic view of the sea. I must remember to sign up for the morning class.

Wellnesscentter: mind, skin, microbiome and energy

Next stop: the wellness center. Here, I meet my butler Nabbe to go over the day's schedule. I receive a tour of this stunning building where the focus is on four pillars: mind, skin, microbiome, and energy. During a personal consultation, I answer questions about my lifestyle, sleep patterns, eating habits, and more. After our discussion, the doctor and I agree that calming the mind will be the main goal of my stay.

Four Pillar Massage

The benefit of this is that I can go straight to the four pillar massage, which is the specialty of the wellness center. But first, I enjoy a custom-made herbal tea from the AKTAR herb center. It's a soothing blend of basil, lavender, and lemongrass. They also give me a packet to take home. The massage starts with a foot scrub and a foot bath on the terrace of the cozy little villa that serves as the treatment room. During the massage, I feel the tension leaving my body.

Sound path

In a state of total relaxation, I pedal through the tropical plants back to my seaside villa. Suddenly, I hear music, followed shortly by another instrument. It turns out I'm on the sound path. As I ride along, each step or pedal produces tranquil sounds from different musical instruments. What a delightful surprise!

Making my own parfume

Another pleasant surprise awaits at the AKTAR herb center: the perfume-making workshop. Rows of scents are laid out before me. My task is to sniff and decide if I find each one pleasant, very pleasant, or not to my liking. Citrus? Very pleasant. Geranium? Not my preference. Ultimately, I select sweet orange, black pepper, grapefruit, Patchouli, and Neroli, blending these fragrances to create my own personal perfume. Its name? "Happy!" inspired by my mood.

interested to go to JOALI BEING?

After another phenomenal dinner and a night of deep, restful sleep, I wake up refreshed and ready at the yoga pavilion the next morning. During a relaxing class, I gracefully move through different poses, accompanied by the soothing sound of the ocean waves. Sadly, this beautiful experience is almost over for me. After the class, I board the seaplane back to Male, bidding farewell to this paradise. The warm JOALI BEING team waves me off enthusiastically. It's a bittersweet feeling. I hope to be welcomed back by them again someday.

Kim

Kim has been part of the PureandCure Team since 2012 and is currently our Operation Manager. She travels around the globe inspecting the PureandCure Health & Wellbeing Hotels, Spas, and Retreats, sharing her experiences and observations in her blogs.