With its unique geography – comprising nearly 1,200 idyllic islands grouped into a double chain of 26 atolls – the Maldives was one of the first destinations to reopen its borders in July last year. François Oosthuizen makes a case for visiting this Indian Ocean hideaway where you can easily have a whole island – or at least a big chunk of it – all to yourself.





With the challenges faced from the Covid-19 pandemic, Velaa Private Island has managed to stay open and embrace the situation first-hand to ensure the safety and comfort of guests and team members alike. Velaa has also built its own laboratory to be able to conduct unlimited tests at ease, while simultaneously implementing strict safety measures for the island. Since the outbreak ofthe disease, Velaa also ensured minimal third-party access to the island, and no team members were allowed to return without negative PCR results and quarantine.


