The Island Of Five Senses

There was dance in my step in the Maldives. Time was measured in footprints on the beach and I was drifting with the soft sound of the waves, carrying music in my pocket, enjoying the feeling of being alone—yet not lonely—on the 35-acre private island, JA Manafaru. 

- Apeksha Bhateja

I remember sitting on the wooden walkway outside my water villa, head raised in reverence to the silvery blackboard of stars, following their rays as they touched the inky ocean. I was most calm, most still that night, not worried about the world outside of this panorama. It’s not often that this happens to me; I travel with a vengeance and that can be exhausting sometimes, but the island caught me unawares. In the Maldives, I finally got a chance to catch my breath and the clocks stopped.

An exclusive resort with 84 villas, suites, and bungalows, JA Manafaru is located on the northern most atoll in the Maldives Haa Alif and the seaplane is the fastest way to reach there. (Most resorts have to share seaplane transfers and sit through multiple stops, but JA guests get their exclusive charter.) I was escorted to the lounge before the flight for light snacks and drinks and very thoughtfully, the staffhanded me a sling bag with earplugs, a tablet with information about the Maldives and the resort, and a fan for the airtime. Turned out, I didn’t need any diversions; the view was riveting.

It was a stunning display of blues and a tinge of green and white, bringing to mind the range of colour shades that paint companies use on their cards— from azure, sapphire, blueberry, violets to forest green and vanilla.

After 75 minutes of being snuggled in the clouds, the island spread out its fluttering wings for us—an arm of water villas on each side. The resort was built in 2006 and opened the next year, but it went through different owners and management until William HarleyFleming, General Manager of JA Manafaru, discovered it for Dubai-based JA Resorts and Hotels. “The structures were ideal at the property, but we revamped it to give it a fresher, lighter look as well as redesigned the concepts of all outlets,” he said.