By the time my husband and I stepped off the seaplane at Jawakara Islands Maldives, we were completely undone. The colours felt unreal. Water in impossible shades of blue, dense green fringes of island, sunlight bouncing everywhere. It was our first time seeing the Maldives, and the awe was visceral, almost overwhelming.
What Jawakara understands instinctively is what comes next. Once that initial rush settles, the resort does not attempt to outshine its surroundings. Instead, it allows the landscape to lead. Spread across two islands, Mabin and Dheru, and connected by a long overwater walkway, Jawakara reveals itself gradually, encouraging you to slow down and sink into its rhythm rather than rush through it.
From the outset, everything felt seamless, thanks in no small part to our island host, Nipun. Present without ever hovering, he anticipated needs before we voiced them. Plans flexed quietly, timings shifted without fuss, and the entire stay unfolded with a calm assurance that made everything feel effortless without ever feeling managed.
We stayed in an overwater villa suspended above the lagoon, complete with a private pool stretching out towards the horizon. Inside, the villa was light and pared back, designed to frame the view rather than compete with it. Outside, the deck quickly became the heart of our stay. Morning swims before breakfast. Afternoon dips to cool off between activities. Evenings spent watching the sky deepen in colour as the pool mirrored the lagoon beyond. The ability to step straight from villa to sea never lost its novelty.
Days settled into an easy, indulgent structure. Breakfasts at Saima drifted unhurriedly into housereef snorkelling, the water astonishingly clear and alive with colour. Lunches were relaxed and sun soaked, sometimes back at Saima, sometimes at Hideout overlooking the golf course, comfort food done properly and without pretence.
One afternoon was given over entirely to Sulha Spa at the overwater Ocean Spa. An hour passed in a blur of warm oils, skilled hands, and the gentle movement of water beneath the treatment room. It was deeply restorative, the kind of experience that quietly recalibrates your internal pace.
Evenings unfolded beautifully. An island tour on our first night helped us understand Jawakara’s scale and layout, followed by a relaxed dinner at Molo, where Mediterranean flavours felt grounding after a day of travel. Another night took us to UMI, suspended above the lagoon on the bridge between the two islands. Dining there felt cinematic, the water glowing beneath our feet as the sky darkened and the first stars appeared.
Mabin Island carries a gentle hum. This is where the larger restaurants, sports facilities, and social spaces sit, giving the island a sense of movement and energy. One evening brought us to Bonthi Bar for a Maldivian cultural show, rhythmic, joyful, and engaging without ever feeling staged. Dheru Island, by contrast, feels more intimate. Quieter. Designed for slower moments and softer evenings, it became our preferred place to be as the day wound down.
One morning arrived with a floating breakfast drifting towards us in our pool, trays bobbing gently as the lagoon stretched out beyond. Another afternoon ended with a sunset dolphin cruise, the boat cutting across glassy water as pods surfaced alongside us, unbothered and utterly at home.
What Jawakara does exceptionally well is balance. It is family friendly without feeling like a family resort. Expansive without being overwhelming. Luxurious, but never strained. You can fill your days with diving, snorkelling, yoga sessions, and island exploration, or let them dissolve into one another entirely.
When it came time to leave, luggage was collected with barely a whisper of disruption and we transferred onward by speedboat, reluctant not because we were sad to go, but because we had slipped so easily into a way of being that felt rare.
We left feeling rested in a way that is hard to manufacture. Jawakara did not just slow us down. It gave us time back.
@jawakaramaldives | jawakara.com
Maabinhura Island, Lhaviyani Atoll 20187
