From Urja’s naturopathy to marine conservation, explore a different side to wellness at Kuda Huraa in the Maldives

If there was a year to travel for wellness, 2026 would be it. From longevity retreats and spiritual journeys to digital detox camps and Naturopathy sanctuaries, travellers have been increasingly seeking vacations that rejuvenate the mind and body alike. During my recent sojourn to the Maldives, I dived deep into the latter: a dedicated wellness retreat on a private islet. The Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement If I were to describe the island life in three words, it would be Calm. Unhurried. Peaceful. A philosophy that extends across the Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, a quick 25-minute speedboat ride from Male airport. At the heart of their wellness-focussed offerings is Urja (meaning vitality in Sanskrit), an island dedicated to nurturing this very sense of calm that launched in December 2025. Helmed by naturopathy physician Anand Prayaga, Urja is rooted in naturopathic principles centred on the five elements, aka pancha mahabhutas: earth, water, fire, air, and space. Highlights include sound healing, anti-gravity yoga, yoga therapy, and a range of massages. Stay, in-styleKuda Huraa is home to 96 villas and suites, spread across the beach and over the lagoon.Choose from beach pavilions, garden pavilions, sunrise and sunset water villas, beach villas, and more.There are also speciality suites: sunrise and sunset two- and three-bedroom water suites, a family two-bedroom water suite, and the three-bedroom Kuda Estate.To experience their offerings, I head to Urja aboard a dhoni — a traditional ornate Maldivian multi-purpose wooden boat — which is a few minutes from the main island of the resort. A consultation with Dr Girinathan Santhisathram, wellness curator at Urja, leads to a relaxing hour experiencing a massage while looking at the emerald waters. Dhoni, a traditional, ornate Maldivian multi-purpose wooden boat, overlooking Urja | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement “Everything we experience is linked to the five elements of Nature, and we use them to treat the body,” explains Dr Anand, director, Urja, over dinner at Baraabaru, the resort’s Indian restaurant. While the sister property at Landaa Giraavaru has Ayur Ma, a spa dedicated to Ayurvedic principles that launched in 2018, Urja was envisioned to champion naturopathy.“I helmed a luxury naturopathy and wellness clinic in Idukki, before moving to Kuda Huraa to set up Urja. From a hospital to hospitality, I brought in the same principles of naturopathy,” he says. Anti-gravity yoga at Urja | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement It has been seven months since its official launch, but he still calls Urja a “work in progress”. “There is a lot more to come this December,” he says, “A new food menu that spotlights the naturopathy diet is in the works, and this will soon be available in all the restaurants at Kuda Huraa. There is a misconception that such diets are vegetarian; we have several non-vegetarian options too.” Heart of the houseHere is a behind-the-scenes look at the people and initiatives that keep the resort running: As I walk through the kitchen, staff are neck-deep in work prepping for the Asian buffet that night. Chef Hamee tells me that a majority of the meats are sourced from Australia, and they rely on Germany for exclusive produce. From India, the team sources pineapples from Tamil Nadu (a whopping 220 kilograms a week!) and spices. Close to 5,000 litres of diesel are consumed for power generation. On-site RO plants turn seawater into drinking water.The carpentry and workshops section is home to units dedicated to boat maintenance and minor electrical and plumbing repairs.The property’s Marine Discovery Centre (MDC) is led by a team of passionate marine biologists from Maldivian marine consultancy Reefscapers, which has been working to restore coral reefs in the Maldives since 2005.Their pioneering coral frame technique launched in 2001, and since then, thousands of frames have been planted across the Maldives. As I attach coral fragments to a large frame, marine biologists Kathryn Pogson and Aditya Salvi tell me the frames are made with iron rebar, which is coated with sand and resin. “Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, yet support 25% of marine life,” shares Aditya, who adds that a specific number is dedicated to the sponsor of a coral frame, which is monitored to observe coral growth rates and development. A snapshot of a child participating in the Junior Marine Savers programme | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The duo has been diving in and around Kuda Huraa every day for the last year to research corals and spawning. “We will soon have a spawning lab at the Centre where we will raise baby corals and release them to the ocean once they are ready. If we do it right, we can reduce their mortality rate,” says Kathryn. There are 3,291 coral frames at Kuda Huraa, and over 10,000 across the four resorts Reefscapers works at in the Maldives | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement There are 3,291 coral frames at Kuda Huraa, and over 10,000 across the four resorts Reefscapers works at in the Maldives. As I snorkel around the island, the ocean bed is peppered with these thriving frames, some shaped as stars, Christmas trees, and hearts. This year also marks two significant milestones for the resort: 15 years of the Sea Turtle Conservation Programme, and the planting of the resort’s 9,000th coral frame in partnership with Reefscapers. A rescued turtle at the Marine Discovery Centre | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The marine conservation initiatives go beyond the corals: there is a sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation programme, and a fish lab to study local marine species. A pleasant addition to my itinerary to experience one such species is a dolphin cruise. Aboard a speedboat with experts from MDC, we set off on a two-hour trip across Kuda Huraa’s crystal clear waters, spotting several pods of spinner dolphins leaping in the waves. The dolphin cruise is a two-hour experience with the team at Marine Discovery Centre | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement On my first snorkelling adventure, Wiaam, a student volunteer at the resort, told me he first snorkelled when he was five. “I just love everything about the water!” he said, guiding me through the water, “Remember to breathe, and don’t flap your hands around too much.” A lesson for life, methinks.The writer was in the Maldives on invitation from The Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa