Beach swing at Vakkaru Maldives
When the world is feeling a bit much, an island vacation might be just what the doctor ordered. Everyone needs a break, whether from fighting to end the pandemic or fighting for human rights and democracy, even if you’re just watching it unfold on your screens.
Vakkaru Maldives is the ideal place to get away from it all and their fully-customized Ultimate Castaway Experience might even make you forget about the state of the world right now.
Beach villas amongst the coconut palms at Vakkaru Maldives
Vakkaru Maldives private island
A lush tropical island with 2,300 coconut trees, powdery-soft white sand beaches, shallow turquoise lagoons, a house coral reef and three nearby blue holes — sounds just about perfect, doesn’t it?
Overwater villas near Vakkaru Maldives’s blue holes
Perhaps you’ll see a pod of dolphins during a sail with Vakkaru Maldives
Add to that luxury accommodations in 113 villas and residences — 54 on the beach and 59 over the water — and you have Vakkaru Maldives, the luxury private island resort that opened in December 2017. Rest your eyes, brain and heart by looking out onto some of the most spectacular scenery in the world — the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of the Baa Atoll in the Republic of Maldives.
Vakkaru Maldives’ villas have one or two bedrooms while its residences have more space and come with one, two or four bedrooms. Plunge into your private pool, swing in your hammock, take a nap on your sunbed or a stretch on your yoga mat. Your butler will take care of anything your in-villa iPad cannot (and the latter can adjust your lighting, close your curtains, and even open your front door).
Snorkel next to your overwater villa at Vakkaru Maldives.
Dining on the island is in five open-air restaurants — with private dining, including on a remote sandbank, also available. Vakkaru Maldives also has two bars and a wine cellar. You’ll sample flavors and dishes from around the world including from Italy, Southeast Asia, and, of course, the Maldives. Produce from Vakkaru Maldives’ on-island organic farm features prominently.
Pretending the rest of the world doesn’t exist is easy at Vakkaru Maldives’ overwater Wellness Center. Indulge in Ayurvedic therapies or in the sauna, whirlpool, steam room, and cold plunge pool or just enjoy the spectacular views of the lagoon. You can also book yoga, meditation and sound-healing therapies. Book a massage, though it will be tough to decide whether to close your eyes or gaze through the glass floor into the lagoon below you.
Should you need to keep busy, there’s snorkeling, scuba diving (including PADI courses), kayaking, windsurfing, parasailing, fishing and more. How about a sail through the Indian Ocean with a pod of dolphins splashing next to you? If you prefer to stay on land, there’s tennis and indoor activities, and the size of Vakkaru Maldives’ lush private island is ideal for a walk through the coconut palms or a bike ride along palm-shaded paths.
How about a romantic sunset dinner on a private sandbar near Vakkaru Maldives?
And that Ultimate Castaway Experience
Should your private villa, the coral reef and beaches of Vakkaru Maldives be not quite enough of a get-away-from-it-all experience for you, you can also book Vakkaru Maldives’ Ultimate Castaway Experience.
It’s a bespoke experience, catered to exactly what you want and takes place on a pristine sandbar in the Indian Ocean. Perhaps you’ll want a romantic barefoot dinner for two? Maybe a dance party with a DJ? A just-for-your-family bonfire night under the stars? A private yoga class on your own tiny island? If you can dream it, Vakkaru Maldives wants to help you create it.
Getting to Vakkaru Maldives
After arriving at Malé’s Velana International Airport, you’ll arrive at Vakkaru Maldives after a 30-minute seaplane ride northwest from the airport. For those arriving after dark, you can take a 20-minute domestic flight to Baa Atoll (Dharavandhoo) and then a 30-minute trip via speedboat to the resort. The resort has a private lounge in the seaplane terminal for you to wait for your flight.
Once you set your eyes on lush Vakkaru Maldives, you’ll understand its name. The island is a former coconut plantation — “vakkaru” means “coconut” in Dhivehi, the national language of the Maldives (English is widely spoken throughout the country of 1192 islands, and staff at Vakkaru Maldives speak about a dozen languages). Ringed by a white sand beach, Vakkaru Maldives’ island is covered in coconut palms.
Under- and overwater Maldives
Travel to the Maldives
Visas on arrival are available for all tourists (as are visa extensions if you decide 30 days of private island life are just not enough).
Vakkaru Maldives’ website outlines the current Covid procedures. To enter the Maldives, you currently need to submit a Traveller Health Declaration 24 hours prior to travel plus provide certification of a negative PCR test taken within 96 hours prior to departure to the Maldives. Once you arrive at Vakkaru Maldives, you’ll receive a complimentary rapid test for further reassurance that neither you nor your fellow guests are infectious. And then you can forget about the rest of the world for the rest of your stay.
