The anticipation was almost too much…having just stepped off a tiring, long haul flight, my boyfriend and I were just a mere boat ride away from 10 days of sun and utter tranquility. The destination? Velassaru Maldives. Weary eyed, and looking a little worse for wear, we climbed aboard the Velassaru boat and away we went.

The skies were blue, the water, a blanket of turquoise calm, we couldn’t believe how lucky we were to have arrived on such a beautiful day! A seemingly short, 20 minutes later we started to approach Velassaru. This is when it hit me…after months of waiting and weather forecast checking, we were finally here.

Infinity Pool

Velassaru is one of the smaller luxury islands in the Maldives (on average it takes 15-20 minutes to walk around the whole island). But don’t let it’s its size put you off… with five restaurants to choose from, a huge selection of water sports, a spa to die for, a well equipped gym, a tennis court and the most gorgeous infinity pool, it offers all that you could possibly want, with a little more privacy and tranquility than some of the bigger resorts.

Once checked in, our host Anthony escorted us to our very own deluxe bungalow, placed quite literally a few steps away from the white, sandy beaches. This stylish, split-level bungalow was all that I could have imagined. The best part? The outdoor bathroom (totally private of course). I love being able to connect with nature as much as possible, so being able to shower under the sun or under the starry night was just incredible. I’d been on the island 20 minutes and I was already in love.

Dinning on the beach

We enjoyed the next couple of days from a more “horizontal” viewpoint on our sun loungers! It’s a tough life! However, we were itching to experience as much of the Maldives as we could and top of our list was scuba diving! Many people had told us that the colourful sea-life and beautiful corals were not to be missed and if we were going to do it, we should do it in the Maldives. This was by far the most surreal, enchanting thing I’ve ever experienced and it was oddly calming. Being 10 meters or so under the surface, you can’t talk, and you can’t hear much either, so you can only communicate by signs. The breathing is very slow and controlled and you don’t really move a great speed! It’s like and underwater zen garden! (Perhaps there’s a gap in the market for scuba meditation!)

Teppanyaki – Overwater Restaurant

Being a Hip & Healthy girl, I am such a foodie and luckily so is my boyfriend. We get so much enjoyment out of trying different foods so we were super excited to try all the different restaurants on the island. If you’re like us, then this is another reason why you should opt for Velassaru as they have an array of different restaurants with diverse cuisine. The stand out for me though, was Teppanyaki, the Japanese restaurant. Situated on stilts over the water, it’s the ultimate Maldivian experience. Sit out on the deck and listen to the gentle waves while you spot the occasional sting ray and reef shark, or sit around the chef’s table and watch your food being prepared right in front of you. Both are equally as awesome!

Five days in and a little more sun kissed, it was time to move from our deluxe bungalow to the famous Overwater villa. The water villa is the classic representation of the Maldives and I have to say, staying in one has been a massive dream of mine for many years. The villas are exquisite, everywhere you look there are views of turquoise. Even the toilet! Every inch oozes luxury and again, it’s more than I could have ever wanted. We were lucky enough to have a balcony that got the afternoon sun and sunset… we honestly struggled to find an excuse to leave the villa at all! I want to also mention the humongous bath tub set right in the middle of the bathroom on it’s own little pebbled island. Watching the sun set immersed in bubbles is quite an experience.

Overwater Villa

For me, Velassaru instantly gave off a vibe of openness and space. Nothing feels enclosed or “inside”. I kid you not, I spent the entire holiday barefoot. It’s a super chilled island that has “understated luxury” written all over it. There’s no fuss here… the staff aren’t in your face, but they are never far away incase you get an urge for a another round of coconut waters! The worst part about this holiday was leaving it behind. Watching the island vanish in the distance is so disgustingly depressing. One thing you must realise is that no picture, website or postcard will prepare you for the immense beauty of the Maldives. You only fully understand when you get there. In a nutshell, Velassaru is a place that exceeds all expectations, and gives you the most perfect example of what a paradise holiday should be all about.

Book your stay at Velassaru here. To view the Indulgence Package details, click here.

Organised by Turquoise Holidays.

words by Molly Jennings