JOALI BEING

JOALI BEING is a private-island wellbeing resort in the Maldives' Raa Atoll, about 40 minutes by seaplane from Malé. It suits couples, solo travelers and families who want a beach holiday with serious wellness programs, sound healing and hydrotherapy built in.

What it's like

JOALI BEING takes up the whole of Bodufushi Island in Raa Atoll, in the northern Maldives. It looks like a classic Maldives resort at first glance, with white sand, a lagoon and villas on stilts over the water, but the island was designed around wellbeing from the start. The resort calls its guiding idea the "joy of weightlessness," which in practice means a mix of quiet, nature, movement and treatments, rather than a strict boot camp.

There are 68 villas and residences, split between the beach and the water, and every one has its own pool. The buildings follow biophilic design, which simply means they lean on natural materials, light and views to help you feel calmer. Larger multi-bedroom residences are set up for families and groups.

Wi-Fi reaches everywhere, including the villas, except the Areka wellbeing zone, where the team encourages you to take a break from screens.

The programs

Everything is organized around four pillars: Mind, Skin, Microbiome (gut health) and Energy. Wellbeing programs run for five to ten nights and can be shaped to your goals. Options include deep relaxation, stress recovery, a gut reset, weight rebalancing, preventive skincare, healthy ageing, better sleep, movement and yoga. There are also programs for mothers-to-be, women's health, men's health and couples who want to travel together but focus on different things.

The facilities are a big part of the draw:

• Areka, the main wellbeing hub, with diagnostics, therapy rooms and fitness spaces
• Kaashi, a hydrotherapy hall with a banya, sauna, Watsu pool and salt inhalation room
• Seda, a sound-healing space using 14 instruments, plus an outdoor sound path through the island's forest
• Lotus, a pyramid-shaped studio for yoga and meditation
• Aktar, a herbology center with a resident herbologist
• 37 treatment rooms and an over-water sala for quiet time by the sea

You can also join cooking and fermentation classes at the Culinary Learning Centre, and visit the Raa Atoll Sea Turtle Care Centre, run with the Olive Ridley Project.

Food

Meals lean fresh, organic and locally sourced where possible. FLOW, the main restaurant, has three kitchens: one pescatarian, one vegetarian and vegan, and one serving meat and poultry. There's also a Japanese restaurant, Yutori, and a beach restaurant, MOJO, with a tea lounge. Alcohol is served, alongside plenty of alcohol-free options, so you can be as strict or relaxed as you like.

Who it suits (and who it doesn't)

It's a good match for couples and solo travelers who want real wellness depth without giving up a beach holiday. It's also one of the few Maldives wellness resorts that openly welcomes families, with a multigenerational play zone called B'Kidult and a children's menu for ages 4 to 16.

If you want an adults-only atmosphere everywhere, that's worth knowing, though the main wellbeing spaces are reserved for guests aged 12 and over. And if you're after a strict detox with no alcohol on site, a more austere retreat may suit you better.

Getting there

Fly into Velana International Airport in Malé. JOALI staff meet you in the arrivals hall and take you to a private lounge, then it's about a 40-minute seaplane flight north. Seaplanes only fly in daylight, so if your international flight lands after mid-afternoon, plan on a night near the airport first. A speedboat transfer is possible but takes six to eight hours, and the resort doesn't recommend it.

The World Spa Awards named JOALI BEING the best wellness retreat in both the Indian Ocean and the Maldives for 2025.