Velaa Private Island Maldives
Maldives
Born from a love for the Maldives, Velaa Private Island is the passion project of a couple, Radka and Jiří Šmejc, to create the world’s most luxurious private island resort and personal home. Located in Noonu Atoll, a 45-minute seaplane flight from Malé, Velaa is a destination in a category of its own, home to an array of amenities unseen across the Indian Ocean.
Maldives
Velaa is truly special. It is the passion of a couple to create the world’s most unique celebration of life, love, and family. Whether to celebrate in private or participate in one of the occasional festive events, the promise is that guests will be guarded in absolute privacy and touched by an experience unlike any on earth.
Velaa means “turtle” in Dhivehi, the local Maldivian language. The name is inspired by the generations of sea turtles that inhabit the island and its beautiful coral reef. Conceptualised by renowned Czech architect Petr Kolář, the design weaves contemporary luxury with intimate Maldivian nuances.
Food and Drink
ARAGU SIGNATURE RESTAURANT
Presenting contemporary European cuisine with an Asian twist, Aragu has taken the dining experience to the next level, combining passion for culinary art with awareness and sustainability. To complement the refined cuisine of Aragu, the sommelier team has created an 800-bin exclusive wine list and offers a knowledgeable and tailor-made service with an extensive and constantly evolving wine collection.
TAVARU RESTAURANT
The amazing views over Velaa and the beautiful azure waters of the Maldives are further intensified by Tavaru’s menu celebrating Teppanyaki grill cuisine. Exclusive Japanese tasting menus combine a grand theatric show with culinary delights such as the Teriyaki Black Cod and Kagoshima A5 Tenderloin. Everything experienced from the highest architectural building on a resort island in the Maldives.
ATHIRI RESTAURANT
Athiri is beachfront all-day dining at its finest, where guests can enjoy a feast of creative global cuisine from all over the world. Chefs from 14 nationalities use the finest imported and local ingredients to serve a menu of authentic, home-style food. A wood-fired oven offers freshly made pizzas, a signature of Athiri, served throughout the day.
FAIY RESTAURANT
The wellness restaurant named Faiy Restaurant is the culinary aspect of the Velaa Wellbeing Village. Set as an oasis in the tropical garden of the island, the restaurant serves healthy, light, and colourful dishes overlooking the greens of the Velaa Golf Academy by Olazabal. Formulated by a holistic and healthy approach to living and using the highest quality ingredients, this wellness-inspired menu is taken to the next level, offering real, clean, and unprocessed whole foods that are as close to their natural state as possible.
BEACH BAR
Situated on the Watersports Beach, the brand-new Beach Bar is a great location for a refreshing juice or cocktail after an active day on the ocean. The snack menu offers a variety of dishes, from salads to pizzas and a trio of open sandwiches, as well as ice cream and fruit platters.
CRU CHAMPAGNE BAR
Positioned over the waters of the Indian Ocean, the CRU Champagne Bar exudes an unrivalled elegance where guests can savour some of the world’s finest and rarest champagnes under the guidance of our expert sommeliers.
AVI BAR
Against the backdrop of spectacular ocean sunset views, Avi Bar transforms into a vibrant cocktail lounge at night, complete with master mixologists, a DJ, and a live band.
Top tip: Don’t miss out on the Yellowfin Tuna with Confit Egg Yolk in Aragu Signature Restaurant. Showcasing Yellowfin Tuna from local Maldivian waters, which in Chef Gaushan’s opinion is some of the best quality of Yellowfin Tuna in the world, the fish is paired with a confit of locally sourced village eggs and a simple garlic-soy sauce.
Wellness
Velaa Spa offers a world of expertise and excellence, where cutting-edge technology meets the ancestral art of touch. A comprehensive range of signature spa treatments are available, including customised facials with sophisticated European technology and traditional Asian massage and body treatments. Showcasing the only ‘snow room’ in the Maldives, the spa offers a synergy of therapies and products with six secluded double treatment villas suspended over the water.
Surrounded by lush jungle foliage in the middle of the island, Eveylaa Wellbeing offers the traditional healing of Ayurveda with Eastern medicine and holistic treatments. Eveylaa Wellbeing has a dedicated Ayurvedic doctor as well as visiting international osteopaths representing the full spectrum of ancient holistic healing.
Local Area
Explore Maldives
Located in the untouched Noonu Atoll, Velaa is surrounded by some of the most amazing marine life that the Maldives has to offer. Velaa Dive Centre uses all the latest Scubapro equipment, which is renowned for its outstanding quality. Affiliated with PADI, the largest dive association in the world, Velaa offers courses ranging from the Bubblemaker for younger guests to the professional level of Divemaster for more experienced divers. Guests can snorkel and enjoy the house reef at leisure and also explore some of the most untouched snorkel sites, which are a short boat ride away and reachable in 15 to 20 minutes. To fulfill everyone’s experience of a Maldivian island dream, tailor-made excursions can easily be arranged, from big game fishing out in the ocean to snorkelling trips around untouched reefs or a lavish lunch on a deserted island followed by a dolphin-watching sunset cruise.