Words: Lauren Murphy

The Maldives is infamous for overwater villas and honeymooners – but one resort is redefining the look of wellness travel

If you’d asked me what I was hoping to find in the Maldives, I would’ve said the white sand beaches, turquoise water, a bit of yoga and a good view from the bath!

But what I didn’t expect to find — and what surprised me the most — was the sense of stillness, community, and permission to just be.

Cora Cora Maldives is not your cookie-cutter island escape. It doesn’t whisper luxury – it sings it. Barefoot, joyous, and unapologetically free-spirited. The island’s “It’s Freedom Time” motto is more than a branding slogan – it’s a way of life that, over the course of a few days, taught me how to slow down, put down my phone, and feel present again.

From the moment I arrived on seaplane, time felt more like a suggestion than a rule. With no dinner reservations, set itineraries, or ticking boxes, they simply encourage you to eat when you’re hungry, swim when you’re warm, and rest when you’re tired.

The pace of life here is dictated by sunlight, tide, and instinct — not screen time (I didn’t realise how much I needed to stop scrolling until I truly stopped!) The ocean, the sky, and the sand were more than enough to hold my attention.

Wellness, Your Way: The Wheel of MOKSHA®

At the core of Cora Cora Maldives’ wellbeing philosophy is the MOKSHA® Spa & Wellbeing Center – a purposefully designed sanctuary that goes beyond traditional spa treatments. The wellness programme is built around the Wheel of MOKSHA®, a holistic framework made up of five interconnected pillars: Move, Chill, Explore, Play, and Eat. This allows guests to embrace a personalised and intuitive wellness journey throughout their stay.

Move

Focuses on physical wellbeing, with group fitness classes, yoga, tai chi, and a fully equipped gym. Guests can also opt for personal training or couples’ yoga sessions.

Chill

Centres around restoration and relaxation. The spa’s overwater treatment rooms offer holistic massages, Ayurvedic therapies, herbal rituals, facials, and personal sound healing experiences — all delivered with panoramic ocean views.

Explore

Connects guests with their surroundings through local wellness rituals, traditional Maldivian massage techniques, and a walk-through herb garden that’s used for spa infusions and treatments.

Play

Wellness should include joy, creativity and curiosity. Guests can take part in interactive art workshops, sushi-making classes, and even DJ tutorials — a light-hearted contrast to the more reflective elements of the programme!

Eat

Nutrition is woven into the experience at Cora Cora Maldives, with fresh smoothies, energy shots, wellness cocktails, and health-forward options available across the island (especially at MYCOFFEE®, Cora Cora’s all-day café and juice bar).

The Wheel of MOKSHA® invites guests to dip in and out of their wellness journey at a pace that suits them – from introducing a few nourishing rituals into their routine to resetting completely.

At the spa pavilion, I met Dian – the island’s sound healer. Her morning sound bath sessions felt transformational – surrounded by water, the vibrations of singing bowls resonated through the air, and I felt a stillness that I didn’t know I’d been missing!

Evening yoga with Krishna, set against the slowly setting sun, was just as restorative. Each class ended with a shared silence — a grounding presence with the ocean at our feet and the sky glowing with the sunset.

But of course, wellness is not always quiet – sometimes it’s exhilarating!

Diving with Pius, the resort’s expert instructor, offered a different kind of transformation. Drifting weightlessly among shoals of fish and the underwater world, I felt a rare joy that lingered long after I resurfaced.

Community-driven

Though Cora Cora offers solitude in spades, it’s also a place where connection is at its centre. Our group — a collection of writers, creatives, and wellness travellers — shared early morning meditations, barefoot walks, and long post-dinner conversations beneath the stars. Wellness also lives in the unscheduled, still moments – one of my favourite memories was being sprawled across the sand after dinner, stargazing with a coconut cocktail in hand, with music drifting in the background.

Sustainability at its core

Sustainability is a core focus here, with the resort even having their own coral restoration programme, led by resident marine biologist Giulia (affectionately known as the “Coral Mama”).

Guests can learn about reef ecosystems, participate in coral planting, and see the impact of restoration efforts first-hand during guided snorkelling sessions. It’s a reminder that mindful travel includes the wellbeing of the planet — and being part of the process adds a real sense of purpose to the stay.

Tucked among the palm trees just steps away from the sea, my beach villa was a sanctuary of stillness. Complete with a king-sized bed, spacious interiors, and a minibar (stocked daily!), there was also an indoor-outdoor bathroom with twin rainfall showers and a freestanding outdoor tub. The kind of space where every ritual — be it a morning coffee or evening soak under the stars — felt sacred.

Eat, Nourish, Repeat

Cora Cora’s culinary offering is as impressive as its spa menu. With five restaurants on site, food is fresh, varied, and full of flavour — nourishing both body and soul:

Tazäa® – Middle Eastern and South Asian spices in a vibrant, sociable setting

Acquapazza® – Italian comfort food with ocean views and a beach club vibe

Ginger Moon® – Pan-Asian favourites in a relaxed yet stylish open-air venue

Teien® – A Japanese fine dining experience offering sushi, teppanyaki and kushiyaki

MYCOFFEE® – An open-air café serving smoothies, wellness shots, great coffee, and (joyfully) unlimited sorbet

Here, you don’t have to choose between indulgence and intention. You can have both — and seconds!

Art, Music & Unscripted Moments

Wellness at Cora Cora goes beyond one-dimensional experiences. Between the yoga sessions and ocean dives, we dabbled in creativity — an art class with painting under the palms, sampling the sushi we’d made, and watching one of our group try their hand at mixing beats in a DJ workshop.

But the true highlight was our final evening. A sunset cruise chasing the glowing horizon, and with champagne in hand, we toasted to the meditations, swims, slow mornings and starlit nights. It had been a week of moving, breathing, laughing, and reconnecting.

The Takeaway

I arrived hoping for rest, but I left feeling reawakened. My time at Cora Cora Maldives taught me how to slow down without guilt, and to fully savour uninterrupted time with friends — the kind of connection that gets lost in the rush of daily life! Sharing sunrise sound baths, spontaneous sea dips, and starlit beach chats brought me and my group closer in a more mindful way.

Cora Cora Maldives offers wellness in its truest form: the kind that nourishes your spirit as much as your body, and lets you play, pause, and reconnect without pressure. Whether you’re solo, travelling with friends, or bringing the family, this is the kind of place that adapts to your rhythm.

When the time came to leave, I didn’t want to pack up and go! But I took with me a slower pace, a fuller heart, and a motto in my head that now whispers, ‘It’s Freedom Time’.

At a Glance

  • Location: Raa Atoll, Maldives
  • Accommodation: Beach villas and overwater suites with indoor/outdoor bathrooms, king-size beds, daily minibar replenishment, and private decks
  • Wellness Highlights: MOKSHA® Spa & Wellbeing Center featuring holistic massages, sound healing, yoga, tai chi, and interactive wellness workshops
  • Dining: Four restaurants including Middle Eastern, Italian, Asian fusion, Japanese, plus an all-day wellness café with fresh smoothies, energy shots, and unlimited sorbet
  • Unique Experiences: Coral restoration programme with marine biologist, sunset yoga, sunrise sound baths, snorkeling, dedicated dive centre, art and DJ workshops, sunset cruises
  • Rates: From £619 per room, per night (double occupancy, taxes and service charges apply)
  • Transfers: Seaplane transfer available via Maldivian Airlines (guests organise themselves)
  • Booking: www.coracoraresorts.com
  • Motto: It’s Freedom Time — no schedules, no reservations, just carefree, all-inclusive relaxation