Joali Being is now open, offering wellness-seekers the chance to embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and renewal with the goal to return home feeling renewed, uplifted, inspired, and with a new sense of “weightlessness.” Based on the belief that understanding is the key to creating and sustaining wellbeing, this distinctive retreat is committed to nature-immersive and responsible travel, while honoring and respecting the local landscape, culture, and communities. Joali Being joins sister property, Joali Maldives, on a mission to inspire natural and thoughtful ways to discover the true joy of living.
Located on the secluded island of Bodufushi in Raa Atoll, Joali Being features 68 private beach and water villas, a robust culinary arts program comprised of four earth-to-table dining destinations, individualized immersion programs tailored to individual lifestyle and goals, a series of educational workshops and experiential classes guided by wellbeing experts, culinary maestros, and herbalists, and a collection of world-class transformational spaces built using biophilic design principles, all with an unwavering commitment to conservation and sustainability.
“Joali Being is a wellbeing retreat unlike any other in the world; it is a transformative destination aimed to inspire and ignite the very deepest of mindful connections to one’s self, one another, and one’s environment by enhancing our relationship with the surrounding natural world, our bodies, and our minds,” says general manager Özgür Cengīz. “Every element of this island works together to bring to life specialized spaces, opportunities, and unique moments that lend themselves to a vast array of possibilities. The magic of Joali Being is that no story is previously written and no itinerary previously set, rather, it is a place where all visitors are welcome, invited, and encouraged to pave the way for their own journey of self-discovery and renewal, enabling guests to return home feeling uplifted and inspired.”
Setting
Surrounded by crystalline lagoons, pristine beaches, strikingly blue waters, and a lush landscape, the private island of Bodufushi in Raa Atoll is an idyllic home for Joali Being. A short 40-minute seaplane flight from Malé International Airport, with the option of a private transfer, the destination transports visitors into a world of its own.
Design
The architectural concept of the retreat was guided and executed by architects at the renowned multidisciplinary design studio, Autoban, along with Atolye4N, both of which contributed to the design concept of sister destination, Joali Maldives. To align with Joali Being’s commitment to preserving, respecting, and connecting with the local landscape, the retreat was built using biophilic design principles, which is a scientific system of integrating architecture and design with nature, with the goal to achieve harmony by eliminating negative vibrations and enhancing the energy flow of the island. In doing so, the island’s wild forest also remains untouched.
Accommodations
Home to 33 beach villas and 35 overwater villas, the retreat boasts a total of 68 elegantly appointed and expansive guest accommodations. Offering 13 different villa categories, guests may choose from one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom options, all of which come complete with a personal jadugar, meaning “skilled magician” in Dhivehi. The distinct interiors of the guest villas were designed in collaboration with the natural surroundings to enhance the wellbeing experiences at the retreat, while maintaining the beauty and balance of the existing natural habitat. Pulling inspiration from the shorelines, sea waves, shells, and green textures, the spacious accommodations feature relaxed, flowing lines that serve as an extension of the Indian Ocean.
Nature and Immersive Wellbeing
As a dedicated, immersive, and interactive wellbeing retreat, Joali Being serves as the beginning of a transformative journey, on which guests are invited to reunite with themselves and celebrate the wisdom of nature. Joali Being’s offerings draw on both modern science and long-honored traditions that enable guests to be met where they are and further guided on a journey of self-discovery and renewal, all while savoring the joy of the here and now. A dedicated expert team of naturopaths, therapists and movement experts will work with guests every step of the way to help set intentions, nurture with empathy, and co-create moments of wonder and transcendence.
The Four Pillars
At the center of the retreat’s curated offerings and transformative experiences lie the Four Pillars of Joali Being, which were created in conjunction with a professor at Oxford. They are used as a guide to personalize each individual’s journey:
- Mind: Cultivate contentment and peace of mind through sound therapy and mind and body practices
- Microbiome: Form a deeper understanding of the connection between body, mind, and nutrition while building eating habits around the body’s circadian rhythm
- Skin: Illuminate the skin with rejuvenating therapies that draw equally from timeless rituals and the world’s most advanced research
- Energy: Rebalance the nervous system and optimize energy flow through intelligent movement practices and restorative therapies.
Immersion Programs
Ranging from five nights to three weeks, Joali Being’s personalized Immersion Programs are designed to rebalance the Four Pillars of Joali Being by inviting visitors to embark on a customized journey following an Intelligent Movement Analysis and an Integrative Health Assessment. Immersion Programs can be tailored towards areas of strength and vitality, mental clarity and wellbeing, hormonal balance, women’s health, digestive and weight rebalance, restorative sleep, as well as movement and alignment for good health and immunity. Offering a vast array of programs designed to be molded towards each individual’s goal, these programs include:
- Discovery: Guides guests on a woven path of wellbeing and offers a curated selection of mind and body sessions, nutritional guidance, self-care practices, and mindfulness rituals that introduce and lay the foundation of the Four Pillars of Joali Being.
- Energy: This immersion is designed to help achieve physical and mental wellbeing. Through intelligent movement analysis, creative exercise sessions, and energy-balancing treatments, participants’ mind-body connection will be strengthened to build resilience and re-energize one’s whole being, enabling one to return with a newfound sense of balance.
- Skin: As the skin is a reflection of one’s inner health, this immersion combines nutritional guidance with crafted body and face treatments to bring forth a new sense of confidence and radiance by nurturing one’s microbiome through personalized culinary sessions and specialized experiences.
- Mind: Focusing on the development of mindfulness practices to cultivate awareness of feelings, thoughts, bodily sensations, and surroundings, Joali Being experts guide one through a process of constructing mindfulness to improve wellbeing, overcome stress, and maximize performance and productivity. Guest journeys include grounding and restorative practices such as sound therapy sessions, energy-balancing treatments, and mindful movement exercises that are designed to cultivate vitality, inner strength, and resilience to navigate through modern-world challenges.
- Weight Rebalance: This immersion helps guests understand their personal starting point through an in-depth integrated nutritional consultation, where one is able to chart their personal journey encompassing conscious cooking and customized movement sessions. This leads to the discovery of new information, such as body composition, shape, posture and balance, and metabolic rate to help form a deeper understanding and appreciation for the body to enable an effortless integration of new habits into one’s lifestyle.
Culinary Arts
A central focus at Joali Being, the culinary arts take on the earth-to-table initiative, promising guests ingredient traceability with fresh, locally harvested food that support small farms and is sustainably sourced. All culinary offerings are expertly curated alongside the retreat’s nutrition experts, providing a vibrant assortment of flavors and cuisines with both healthy and indulgent options. Bespoke dining arrangements can be enjoyed wherever guests desire; whether on a private sandbank, in nature- immersive jungle spaces, or in an inviting Turtle Treehouse. Guests also have the option of personalized nutrition sessions, co-created menu recommendations, and interactive nutritional cooking classes at the Culinary Learning Center.
Recreation & Leisure Activities
Offering everything from exciting water adventures and relaxing moments, to customized nutrition programs, wellbeing classes, and more, Joali Being has curated a variety of activities and opportunities that enable guests to enhance their one-of-a-kind journey while at the retreat
Sustainability and Conservation
With sustainability and conservation at the core, Joali Being has enacted several initiatives and partnerships to maintain the preservation of nature and the surrounding landscape. The retreat will be home to one of the three turtle conservation sanctuaries in the Maldives, as well as a Reef Restoration Project and coral nursery. The Joali brand is also collaborating with EarthCheck, the world’s leading scientific benchmarking, certification, and advisory group for travel and tourism, on impactful long-term sustainability initiatives. The sustainability infrastructure of the island includes a desalinating water-bottling plant, a rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling system, a glass crusher and recycler, a 1750 food waste composter, a plant-waste shredder for fertilizing, and a biological wastewater treatment plant for safe discharge.
