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Welcome to the second iteration of Vogue’s global spa guide, an index of the 100 best spas in the world, built from the expertise of our global editors and trusted contributors. There is a lot to choose from in the world of wellness, and no matter how far you’re planning to travel—from a subway ride to a trans-Atlantic flight—we want to make sure it’s worth the journey. Whatever your path, let us be your guide.
Why go here?
The original purveyor of the “no news, no shoes” barefoot luxury spa concept, Soneva Fushi is the kind of place where you say goodbye to all your worldly troubles. From the moment you set (bare)foot on their pure white sand (shoes are literally put in a canvas bag on arrival and not returned until you leave), it feels as though you are immersed in what only can be described as pure relaxation heaven. With a newly reimagined spa concept, Soneva Soul, the resort is leading the charge in forward-thinking wellbeing innovations and programs combined with holistic wellness wonders with high-tech innovations, all with a backdrop of tropical paradise.
What’s the vibe?
The vibe is a total vibe. More of a spa village than spa resort, the Baa Atoll where Soneva Fushi is located is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with an unspoilt verdant coastline of white sand. Connected to the main area of the hotel by wooden walkway meandering through tropical terrain, the spa proper is a two-story wellness pavilion, where you will find all manner of treatments ranging from the ancient (acupuncture, ayurveda, sound baths, tok sen stick massage as well as medicinal herb baths) to the supremely modern (IV drips, hyperbaric oxygen chambers, cryotherapy, stem cell therapy and cardiograms and microneedling). Exercise also takes on its own realm here. Choose from an open-air yoga studio, reformer pilates, or a gym workout looking out onto the endless turquoise ocean for meditation in motion.
The history?
Founded in 1995, Soneva Fushi—or Six Senses as it was known then—was the first of what was to become the Soneva resort empire. Splitting from the Six Senses group to become Soneva in 2012, it has managed to retain its position in the Maldives resort ranking by making luxury feel homey and utterly unpretentious. Leaning into the abundant nature of the island (not all Maldivian resorts have such lush tropical greenery), it has the feeling of being a natural hideaway with overwater villas, barefoot butlers, and all the details you would expect from a luxury resort.
What should you try?
To be honest, any treatment experienced here is sublime just for the very nature of the spa environs. But if you are to try anything, one of their dedicated programs is the best way to experience their full ethos. You can opt for a three-, seven-, or 14-day experience (or “journey” as they call them) based on one of four pillars: Foundation, Sleep, Detox, or Time Rewind. Fully personalized to the individual, the full gamut of the spa services are available to help maximize results: think naturopathy, ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine alongside all the aforementioned high-tech Western therapies. For insomniacs, or if you are suffering from jet lag, the sleep program is most recalibrating.
What else do we need to know?
Once a year Soneva Fushi hosts the Soul Festival where a series of experts across the health and wellness field descend on the island for a series of discussions and treatments of the latest innovations. For 2024, the festival s theme is “The Future of Wellness,” and will host workshops on meditation, yoga, fitness boot camps, qi gong, breathwork, and cacao ceremonies.
How environmentally friendly is it?
Soneva pretty much invented the concept of eco-luxury in the Maldives. As a conservation area, a 2% environmental levy is added to every Soneva stay, with proceeds going toward the not-for-profit Soneva Foundation to offset carbon emissions and fund purposeful projects around the atolls and beyond. Carbon neutral since 2012, clean energy and sustainability involve most decisions across the resort—notably 50% of the resort s energy comes from solar panels and there is an impressive water filtration system. Their Waste to Wealth program that sees 90% of waste from the resort recycled. The best part about it all is that when you are in situ, it never feels forced or worthy. It feels all part of the experience.
Who can go?
Anyone who wishes to completely switch off and reconnect with mind and body in the tranquil setting of the Maldives—it’s impossible to not get lost in the magic of this island. With family-friendly facilities too, this can be a getaway for the whole family, where parents spa-escape while children are distracted in the supervised Den play area, Lego room, pirate ship playground, outdoor cinema, jumbo water slide and expeditions with the local marine biologist. It’s is the holiday childhood dreams are made of.
Read more from Vogue’s Global Spa Guide.
Booking details for Soneva Soul at Soneva Fushi
Address: Kunfunadhoo Island, Baa Atoll, Maldives