There’s no doubt that Velaa Private Island Maldives lives up to its ‘beyond luxury’ mantra. Always going the extra mile to ensure guests experience the best of the best—from sumptuous accommodations to fun-filled activities and the finest fare—there’s a reason why this Maldivian resort has picked up a host of international awards over the years. And just when we thought that Velaa already had it all, this heavenly haven has upped the ante by adding another echelon of excellence to its all-encompassing offering: holistic health and wellness.
In addition to its Velaa Wellbeing Village, which features a tranquil elevated yoga pavilion and intimate indoor Pilates studio, the luxe private island retreat is home to a wellness-focused restaurant, Faiy. Translating to ‘leaf ’ in local Dhivehi, Faiy invites guests to savour a variety of healthy, light, and colourful dishes teeming with flavour and finesse. Reflecting the beauty of nature at every turn, the restaurant has been thoughtfully devised to envelop diners in a calming oasis that feeds the soul and nourishes the body.
Also helmed by Executive Chef Gaushan De Silva, the culinary force behind the resort’s award-winning fine-dining restaurant Aragu, the cuisine at Faiy has the highest-quality ingredients at its core. Spotlighting clean, unprocessed, whole foods, each wellness-inspired creation offers guests a taste of delicious and nutritious fare that perfectly complements a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle. Guided by respect for each ingredient’s purity and nutritional offering, Faiy’s culinary philosophy has one guiding tenet: to present this exceptional produce as close to its natural state as possible while exposing the diner’s palate to an abundance of flavour and texture.
Open six days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, guests are spoilt for choice with Faiy’s extensive à la carte offering, with the menu comprising three different culinary styles that resonate with a particular health focus. The ‘Detox’ option supports a cleansing diet programme designed to reboot the body’s system for sustained health, while the ‘Fresh’ section focuses on raw cuisine and plant-based meals. Last but not least, the ‘Spa’ category features light, low-calorie creations catering to low-carb, vegan, gluten-free, or Mediterranean diets.
For the first meal of the day, Faiy entices the appetite with an array of vibrant, nutrient-packed breakfast dishes, such as coconut chia pudding with mango, pomegranate, blueberry, roasted pumpkin seed, and granola; a breakfast poké bowl with a sesamecrusted boiled egg, local reef fish tataki, mixed seed sprinkle, sweetcorn, broccoli, spinach, and baked sweet potato; marinated avocado with Maldivian yellowfin tuna, beetroot tartare, and alfalfa cress; and a herby green omelette with rocket, vegan sausage, marinated mushroom, and baked tomato.
Equally as tempting, the lunch and dinner menus offer wholesome delights to keep guests feeling satisfied and energised from day to night. A nourishing welcome platter with freshly squeezed juice and vegan bread with condiments tantalises the taste buds before the main event. With entrées such as watermelon and tomato gazpacho with jalapeño oil and toasted sunflower seeds; coldsmoked beetroot carpaccio with cashew ricotta, basil, and aged apple balsamic reduction; freshwater prawns with green mango, Thai basil, pink grapefruit, and probiotic dressing; reef fish sashimi with avocado carpaccio, white miso, and pomegranate; and tuna and goat cheese ravioli with oat cream, truffle, and capers, the menu offers a dish for any dietary need or preference. Those with a sweet tooth can also indulge guilt-free with Faiy’s delectable selection of desserts, including buckwheat madeleines with fennel confit and lemon; peaches poached in nutmeg and vanilla served alongside a buckwheat crumble and lemongrass ice cream; and a sticky coconut sago pudding with fresh mango and passion fruit.
The beverage menu supports the restaurant’s healthcentric philosophy, too, offering wellness mocktails, smoothies, fresh juices, and infusions, all packed with antioxidants and vitamins to boost immunity and energy. Even the wine list has been carefully hand-picked by the resort’s sommelier: all labels are vegan, organic, biodynamic, and sustainable-certified—perfectly complementing Velaa’s renowned wine cellar, which is lauded as the most exclusive in the Maldives.
To top it off, this wellness-focused oasis boasts a dream-like setting: nestled amidst the lush tropical foliage of Velaa’s paradisaical grounds, the airy interior gives way to sweeping views of Velaa Golf Academy by Olazabal’s meticulously manicured greens. Swathed in natural materials, including gleaming wood finishes, organic patterns, an earthy colour palette, and pops of emerald from potted plants, Faiy welcomes guests with a heartwarming embrace.
With Faiy further elevating the resort’s already comprehensive offering, it’s clear that Velaa Private Island Maldives is always ahead of the curve, realising what guests seek in their travels and delivering this in spades. More than just feeding into holidaymakers’ desires for more wellness-focused getaways, Velaa allows its guests to prioritise their health while enjoying a vacation in unparalleled comfort. With the pinnacle of wellness, hospitality, and luxury lifestyle seamlessly intertwined into the Velaa way of life, this resort is the epitome of the ultimate island escape.
To find out more visit Velaa Private Island’s website, Instagram profile and Facebook page.