Need a dose of joy in your life? Curious to experience the first immersive art resort in the Maldives? Ong Chin Huat checks into the new Joali Maldives and leaves with his senses heightened and a revitalised spring in his step.
With a mantra dedicated specifically to the ‘Joy of Living’, everything about the new Joali Maldives Resort not only lives up to its promise of putting the joie de vivre back into the lives of any world-weary traveller or ‘been-there-done-that’ pleasure seeker but reawakens a revitalised enjoyment of life and adds a renewed sense of appreciation to the beauty of nature and the world as a whole.
The Joali Maldives Resort is located on the postcard-perfect Muravandhoo Island in the northern Maldives in the Raa Atoll, which also happens to be the biggest and deepest atoll in the world.
The very moment you arrive by a private seaplane at the arrival jetty, an eye-catching structure which is shaped like two kissing fishes or a strand of DNA, whichever perspective you look at it from, greets you, and you sense that you are entering a unique and special place of paradisiacal proportions.
My personal butler or Jadugar in Dhivehi (the native tongue of the Maldives) welcomes me with a warm smile and offers a refreshingly cold and freshly squeezed ginger, lime, and honey drink called the Lomilomi.
I discovered his name is Nawaz Mohamed, and his pleasant and efficient demeanour gives me the reassurance that for the next few days, my stay will be as smooth as his manner.
I am then whisked off in a buggy to my private beach villa, which happens to be lucky number eight and which faces the expansive and turquoise-hued Indian Ocean and is fringed by swaying coconut palms and pristine powder-white sand.
A spa therapist awaits me at the outdoor seating area of my villa, and she’s here to give me a much-needed Welcome Foot Ritual consisting of an aromatic foot soak and massage.
Needless to say, I felt renewed and revitalised with the very first step I took into my glamorous villa.
With double volume ceilings and a soothing colour palette, everything about the villa and its accoutrements – from the sensual feel of the silk kimono to the padded towel bedroom sandals exude luxury and refinement.
Little touches like inspirational messages inscribed on the eco-friendly bamboo clothes hangers make you realise that the Joali is out of the ordinary and isn’t just your average run-of-the-mill beach resort.
Seeing ‘J’adore la vie’ and ‘You look amazing in this’ while dressing up in the morning puts a smile on my face and starts my day off on a cheerful and positive note.
A complimentary bottle of Ruinart champagne and a handwritten note welcoming me personally from Area General Manager Steven Phillips complete my villa experience.
According to Phillips, Joali represents a unique opportunity to experience something new in the Maldives.
“It’s a soulful and unconventional approach to luxury that emphasises the intimacy of nature and art to find the in-the-moment joys of living…. our ‘Joy of Living’ philosophy seeks to captivate all of the five senses and enable guests to find their inner joy,” he tells me during my stay.
After a quick change and freshening up, it was off to the Mura Bar for the welcome sunset cocktails, followed by a traditional Boduberu Dance, which charged the atmosphere with good vibes and livened up everybody.
With a cigar and whisky lounge and an infinity pool which overlooks the sea, the Mura Bar has cosy nooks and corners which is perfect for romantic tête-à-têtes.
A dinner on the beach with various stalls presenting a variety of cuisines, among them Chinese, Thai and Maldivian dishes, all utilising the freshest seafood and a lavish dessert buffet, made our first night on Joali something to write home about.
Waking up early the next morning, my first dilemma of the day was either a lap in my own private pool or a dip in the azure blue ocean. I chose the latter, and it certainly didn’t disappoint – watching the morning sunrise over the horizon while splashing around in crystal clear blue waters must be one of life’s greatest yet simplest pleasures.
Breakfast was at another scenic spot on the island – Vandhoo Restaurant. A menu consisting of homemade muesli and cereals, fresh fruit and smoothies (cleverly placed in an air-conditioned room), pancakes, waffles and crepes; speciality egg dishes such as Poached Free-Range Eggs served on Brioche with Turkish Yogurt or a Healthy Breakfast selection like Quinoa and Almond Milk Oatmeal provides a good choice whatever your lifestyle entails.
I opted for the Joali Eggs Benedict – a delicious island interpretation of the classic with poached eggs served with Hollandaise Sauce and Smoked Salmon.
With 73 private beach or water villas and residences consisting of 24 beachfront and 49 overwater villas, the Joali sits on 24 acres on Muravandhoo Island.
Ranging in size from one to four bedrooms, two pearls stand out in this gorgeous oyster of a resort – the 5,000 square feet four-bedroom duplex Private Beach Residence with sunrise and sunset views and the 4,000 square foot three-bedroom Private Ocean Residence with two infinity pools.
With 24-hour access to a personal butler, valet service, buggy and driver, these two residences would make any royal feel at home.
This masterpiece of a resort was designed by Turkish architectural firm Atolye4N, led by Cuneyt Bukulmez, while the sumptuous interiors were the handiwork of internationally renowned design studio Autoban.
But it wasn’t just visually pleasing aesthetics that was at the forefront of their minds when it came to designing the Joali.
Phillips says a multilayer approach was employed to envelop guests in nature, design, form and function. “We sought to honour the surrounding integrity of the environment with issues like global warming and coral bleaching being addressed,” he explains. 
“The art pieces dotted around the resort draw attention to these serious environmental issues facing us all, and it runs like a red thread throughout the property.”
Walking the talk, we were told Autoban worked to preserve the natural flora of the island as much as possible, saving more than 1,000 palm trees in the process.
An Art Tour after breakfast is organised, and for art lovers, this must be a heaven-sent bonus as some of the artists who created the works of art for this very first immersive art resort in the Maldives were present to tell us about their creations. Interactive, experiential and decorative art pieces are strategically placed around the resort and blend in and enhance all the five senses of guests.
Whether it’s the Manta Ray-inspired treehouse created by South African designer Porky Hefer, which would be the perfect place to exchange wedding vows or the underwater sculptures by Misha Kahn, which would require an oxygen tank and goggles to view as it is located around 12 metres below sea level.
The immersive artwork showcases both established and up-and-coming young designers who were handpicked by art and design curators Zeynep Ercan and Ala Onur of No LaB, an Istanbul-based art and design collective who worked closely with the team at Joali to conceptualise and commission the art pieces.
Speaking to guests during the art tour, Kahn says: “I’m really interested in the abstract forms found in the ocean – the wild organic shapes and how the force of the water turns man-made objects into ocean relics. This made me interested in producing pieces that would live permanently underwater.”
According to both Ercan and Onur, the entire premise of the Joali being an immersive art hotel was so that guests could experience the art and immerse themselves in it rather than just looking at it. Hence, some of the art pieces have a functional role and are not merely decorative.
Ardmore Ceramics from South Africa designed carved wooden panels of herons taking flight, which adorn the walls of the Italian restaurant Bellinis, and the same motif is found on the sensually soft kimonos in the villas, turning them into wearable art.
Similarly, Spanish designer Nacho Carbonell made a bench placed on the beach just outside Vandhoo Restaurant using natural materials like sand and tree sap, linking the object to its surroundings.
Colourful ceramic stools by Venezuelan artist Reinaldo Sanguino add visual interest to a cosy seating area in the Mura Bar, making his artwork a piece of furniture meant to be used.
Phillips informs us that the art pieces we see are by no means the final edition. He explains: “Joali will continue to curate interactive art experiences, with new pieces added throughout the year. An annual art calendar will host a roster of workshops and residencies with visiting artists.”
After a delicious lunch consisting of freshly caught Grilled Maldivian Lobster in one of the Ocean Villas, another interesting tour was planned for us. This time, it was the Scent Tour conducted by Sissel Tolaas, a Norwegian artist and researcher who specialises in smells.
Our sense of smell was awakened as we learnt how all our senses, including smell, affect our daily lives and are a major component in memory making.
Later that evening a Dom Perignon Dinner was held in Joali’s Italian restaurant Bellinis where the owner of the resort Esin Gural Argat welcomed everybody and charmed all those in her presence.
She told me that the Joali was really a labour of love for her and a dream come true as she always wanted to build a resort in the Maldives.
Dining on Steamed Mussels, Seared Scallops, Agnolotti with Sage Butter, a Spanish blue cheese called Queso Azul with grapes and Bitter Chocolate with Espresso Ice Cream, with each course paired with a different wine ranging from Bodegas Hidalgo from Spain to Chateau Musar from Lebanon, this was a dinner and a half, satiating both the palate and the senses all at once.
A 5.30 am sunrise yoga class might not be everyone’s cup of tea, especially after an indulgent night, but being a yoga fan, it was something I actually looked forward to.
Located on the water near the Joali Spa, the yoga pavilion is my favourite area of the resort, its peaceful ambience filling me with serenity.
Doing the sun salutation while actually watching the sun rise over the horizon is an experience any yogi worth his or her mala beads would definitely say ‘Om’ to.
With the sounds of the waves lapping on the shore being the only distraction while doing various yoga asanas, this zen-like and ethereal early morning practice was something which stayed with me for the rest of the day.
After a hearty and healthy breakfast consisting of Paleo bread, poached eggs, avocado and heirloom tomatoes, a snorkelling expedition was planned for us.
An hour‘s boat ride out to the Indian Ocean brought us to an area where we saw sea turtles, corals, tropical fishes and other sea creatures. After lunch, a sound therapy session performed by Turkish musician Gorkem Sen was held at the Joali Spa.
Using a Yaybahar, which is an acoustic musical instrument with strings and a drum, it was both relaxing and invigorating, a theme which was echoed in the Joali’s Art Studio & Gallery, where a sound workshop with interactive elements was conducted by Eren Senkardes.
A leisurely afternoon was made even more pleasurable with a massage at the Joali Spa. Managed by the world-renowned ESPA, I knew I was in good hands (literally!) when Spa Manager Herchell Cabrera welcomed me personally by name and introduced me to my therapist, who asked if I preferred the Soothing or Restorative Body Oil for my tailor-made Inner Calm Body Massage.
With signature treatments such as the 120-minute Revive and Refocus massage to an Ocean Glow massage, the Joali Spa leaves no stone unturned and caters for everyone – men, women and even teenagers with special treatments for those aged from 13 to 16 years old.
Feeling on cloud nine after my treatment, I walk past a red and white porcelain sculpture located in the centre of the Spa made by artist Zemer Peled, which resembles a huge half-bleached coral where I am led to a relaxation room and served warm organic ginger and lemongrass tea and dried fruits and nuts after my treatment.
Our final night at the Joali was one of the most memorable as it was held at Saoke, the stunning Japanese restaurant located on the water.
Designed by acclaimed architect Noriyoshi Muramatsu, this temple of culinary delights is an architectural marvel on its own, with its dramatic entrance flanked by columns of sake and spirits and its effective use of timber.
A comfy lounge overlooking a breathtaking vista would be reason alone to visit this glamorous eatery, not to mention the freshest seafood used in their dishes caught just a few hours prior to dinner by fishermen plying the ocean. General Manager Enver Arslan was the consummate host and also an ideal dinner companion.
A seven-course Experiential Dinner consisting of Chilled Saoke Chawanmushi, Matsutake Mushroom Clear Soup, Tuna Tataki with Sesame Ponzu, Spicy Steamed Reef Fish, Green Tea Ice Cream and the pièce de résistance, the Robata Grilled Full Blood Sher Tenderloin with Wafu Sauce, all accompanied by a selection of seven different sakes, was a symphony for the taste buds.
To reinforce our sense of smell, each course was accompanied by an offering of a fragrance and being more aware of this fifth sense of ours after the Scent Tour, Sissel Tolaas also gave each one of us a little bottle which contained the smell of the Indian Ocean as a reminder of our stay at the Joali and as a parting gift.
And there, beneath a clear moonlit sky with the cool sea breeze blowing, and while feasting on the most delectable Japanese cuisine and sipping delicious sake, it dawned on me that if a stay at the Joali Maldives doesn’t make your heart sing with joy or leave you with a renewed spring to your step, then nothing ever will.
Joali Maldives – Where and how?
Joali Maldives – Muravandhoo Island, Raa Atoll, Maldives
Email: [email protected] – [email protected]
Tel: +960 658 44 00 Fax: +960 658 44 04
For more information on the Joali Maldives, please visit www.joali.com
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