6th May 2024

Sports World Reviews: JOALI Maldives and JOALI BEING

Step into our stay. Sports World were delighted to visit two JOALI resorts this spring, and here, we invite you on our journey.

Offering two spectacular islands just 15 minutes apart, JOALI is one of the most luxurious resorts in The Maldives, nestled in a dreamscape of panoramic ocean vistas, ivory sands and lush palms. While both hotels share a common vision, each has its own distinct identity and offers a completely unique experience.

JOALI Maldives is a place of discovery – enjoy paddle sports, jet skis, live DJs on the beach and incredible gastronomic experiences; or, opt to reinvigorate your soul at JOALI BEING – an absolute haven of escapism offering a wealth of wellbeing amenities and extra luxuries to settle your soul into.

Are you joining us?

Joali Maldives

The flagship resort of the JOALI brand, JOALI Maldives is set on the 24-acre island Muravandhoo and is spread out amongst coconut trees and shimmering lagoons. As we arrived, the staff welcomed us onto the jetty with smiles, waves, fresh towels and coconut water and we were shown to our Overwater Villa, a thatched-roof property with incredible contemporary interiors and a private pool with stairs leading directly into the sea, plus a hammock over the water.

“I think this accommodation is some of the best I’ve ever seen. Everything from the high ceilings and the plush sun loungers to the quality of the furniture, even the door handles, everything is immaculately finished.”

Liam, Sports World Owner & Founder

The service was flawless, with our every wish met by our dedicated ‘jadugar’ – translating as ‘magician’ in the local language. We even had our own name-tagged bicycles to get to different parts of the resort (JOALI Maldives actually has the longest jetty in the whole of The Maldives which just adds to the feeling of exploration), and if you want amazing backdrops for your pictures, the resort is adorned with cutting-edge contemporary sculptures and installations.

The food here is faultless. Every meal was an absolute joy with five restaurants to choose from – our favourite was Saoke, a Japanese- Peruvian restaurant set on its own jetty right out into the ocean looking back onto the island, which is beautiful. In terms of experiences, there is so much to do – from the private boat trip to a local reef to see Mantarays to sunset cocktail parties on the beach and hiring kayaks and jet skis – but our favourite was the spa day in JOALI BEING Cure. Set in its own private overwater villa with a glass-encased sauna looking out onto the turquoise waters, it’s a spectacular setting and the holistic 90-minute full body massage was heaven.

STAY HIGHLIGHTS

Untouched marine life within steps of villa
Spellbinding sunsets
Beach cocktail parties
Japanese-Peruvian restaurant on its own jetty
Bike rides to breakfast

Joali BEING

The dawn of your transformative journey

For the second part of our trip, we headed to the newer of the JOALI resorts – JOALI BEING. Just a 15 minute boat ride from JOALI Maldives, this smaller more intimate complex is completely devoted to wellbeing and mindfulness allowing you to completely switch off from the outside world. There are no phones allowed in public spaces, no TVs in bedrooms (available on request) and no bad vibes – just Tiffany-coloured bedrooms, a world-class wellbeing centre and a whole new approach to relaxation, which still feels like an indulgent holiday.

JOALI BEING is centred around “weightlessness” – a feeling of freedom, lightness and joy, based on biophilic principles including a sense of safety and the art of being curious and mastering your environment. This transcends throughout the atmosphere here, and as soon as we stepped off the boat, we immediately felt lighter.

Our villa was a beautiful Grand Ocean Pool Villa, with a spacious sundeck, private 33sqm infinity pool and a mood-boosting pastel interior. A bottle of champagne and fresh fruit platter greeted us as golden hour sunset poured through the windows and danced on the riff-textured walls.

Food and drink at the resort was delicious and is mindfully crafted by the island’s nutritionists. In all three restaurants, menus outline nutritional information including fibre, carbohydrates and protein content, and dishes are mostly gluten-free, inspired by international flavours. There are flavoured waters, herbal teas, biodynamic wines and inventive mocktails – but there is also a full wine, cocktail and alcoholic beverage menu if you’d prefer. If you’re having problems with your body, like back aches or digestive issues, the waiter recommends certain foods that will be better for you.

The guest experience is second to none at JOALI. The quality of the service and th e concept behind the islands makes it an utterly unique stay. Having two islands so close together offering a completely different experience effectively allows you to have two holidays in one.

The real jewel in JOALI BEING’s crown though is undoubtedly the spa. It is filled with glass-fronted saunas, steam rooms, salt rooms and hydrotherapy pools, as well as a huge fitness centre with Technogym equipment, a boxing studio and Pilates reformer racks. We enjoyed some incredible workouts here overlooking the jungle-like palms. Afterwards, we headed for a session in one of the only Cryotherapy chambers in The Maldives, which was an amazing experience and left us feeling thoroughly nurtured. We also tried Watsu, an incredible water-based therapy involving stretches, massages and acupressure in warm water. If you want to feel good, JOALI BEING takes some beating.