Woah! Voavah!

An Island So Private

It’s got what celebrities seek... Seclusion, no prying eyes, no paparazzi for sure! The world’s best-kept secret? Perhaps. But not for those who matter. Here is one exclusive destination for the jet-setter, from Four Seasons

Text: Farzana Contractor

You can turn up the volume to whatever decibel you want, you won’t be disturbing anyone, your nearest neighbour is many nautical miles away. And the cops certainly won’t arrive at your doorstep to say, it’s time to wind down the music – which means you could party all night!

That’s right, you are on your very own private island and you can choose to do what you want, how you want. You could be there with family, or friends. Or you could just be a happy couple in love wanting to spend solitary time together. Or maybe you could just be getting married, in the most intimate manner one could dream of. But for one common factor. You all have to belong to the ‘Billionaire Club’ to be here. If you have to ask what it costs to spend a few days here, the destination is clearly not for you.

It would have to be a very privileged lot who could afford to indulge in this most luxurious of concepts. A posh island in the sun, armed with any and every amenity one would need or desire.

No, I didn’t stay here. I was happy to be visiting though. A 20-minute speedboat ride from LandaaGiraavaru got me to the island and I had a field day, exploring.

A five-acre island, in the middle of nowhere, with endless blue… Not knowing where the ocean ends or the sky begins… How does that sound to you? Or listening to the sound of silence, walking barefoot in the soft, powdery sand, with the wind in your hair, all your worries left behind, in some neon-lit city zillions of miles away. Sounds like peace to me.

It’s a dream of a place. Obviously it is very well-designed, it would have to be. I noticed there was so much privacy even between the seven bedrooms that this exclusive island houses, not including the children’s rooms and another for the private staff which travels with you! Like the Water Villa which has a master bedroom, with a study attached along with a children’s room as well as another king-sized bedroom pavilion. Then there are two bedrooms located in the Beach House’s upper floor, called Mezzanine Suites with vast balconies and outdoor lounges. There is also the Bunk Room here, which has beds for up to four kids. The Beach Villa has three bedrooms, with ocean views on three sides, along with a children’s room. Children, I was happy to note, have been given their due importance.

I lost count of all the small pools tucked here and there but the main pool stretches across the entire length of the main villa, which can boast about some unique local art, in wood, metal, glass and what have you. Which include exclusive furniture, dining tables, all which appears to be styled effortlessly, just a hint of class. It’s all these chic interiors and elements like al fresco loungers, sunbathing pools, outdoor garden showers that I found rather appealing.

Like I did, the sandbar, just off the Beach Villa. It looked like an upturned battleship and I thought it would be such fun to have a candlelit dinner sitting on it in glorious solitude, with just your companion and stars for company.

The spa has an exclusive feel, located as it is, away from the island, on stilts in the shallow lagoon. I saw the most beautiful crystal singing bowls there of which I even got a demo. Tinkling live music while you are having your back massaged, sounds like being in paradise, right?

And finally to the food. No, there are no restaurants here. You don’t need one, when you have dozens of options to choose where you would like to be seated. And with a dedicated slew of chefs just waiting for your command, you can decide what the menu will be, what cuisine you are in the mood for, from the whole wide world. Possibly, and quite simply you may even have gone fishing for your dinner and are about to eat some sashimi, your very own fresh catch of the day! I am not joking. You have at your disposal the Horizon, a 62 ft. yacht, sleek and beautiful. It allows you to go exploring the Voavah territory on day trips, overnight cruises, island-hopping, snorkelling, dolphin-following, and yes fishing excursions, which could be the traditional Maldivian hand-line fishing, or you could go out for a full day at sea, in search of the ‘big boys’.

The possibilities are endless. If you want to stop playing Robinson Crusoe and feel the need for some company you could zip across to Landaa Giraavaru for some tennis, shopping, social mingling or the atoll’s best pizza at Blu!