by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 8:25 PM ET, Thu August 27, 2026
At the risk of dating myself, my arrival at Four Seasons Resort Kuda Huraa in the Maldives reminded me of the opening scene from the 1970s television drama Fantasy Island — only far more awe-inspiring and beautiful than the Hollywood fantasy.
As a longtime travel writer, I’ve seen my share of stunning destinations. But I was entirely unprepared for how the Maldives would take my breath away and touch my soul in ways that remain with me, even now, months later.
Perhaps it was the castaway remoteness of the islands and the feeling that I’d arrived at some magical place at the end of the Earth. Maybe it was the striking colors of the environment everywhere I glanced, which were alternately vibrant and ethereal, making adjectives like blue, turquoise or green seem entirely insufficient. The spectacular abundance of marine life and genuine warmth of the people I encountered were equally soul-stirring. My hunch is that all of these things combined are what made this trip so unforgettable for me.
But before diving into the details, let’s start with the Fantasy Island-esque arrival.
In the opening of the television show, Hervé Villechaize, who plays Tattoo, can be seen running to the top of a bell tower on Fantasy Island, where he enthusiastically rings a bell repeatedly while calling out “The plane! The plane!” Villechaize’s job was to herald the arrival of seaplanes carrying the latest group of guests who had signed up for a life-changing experience on a remote tropical island.
I arrived at Four Seasons Kuda Huraa by speedboat transfer from Velana International Airport in Malé (not seaplane). Still, the impossibly stunning tropical scene unfolding around me was indeed the stuff of fantasy.
The 25-minute boat ride from the airport across the Indian Ocean dazzled me with its diverse palette of blues, ranging from turquoise to aquamarine and deep navy. As our boat sped along, it was almost impossible to tell where the blue ocean ended and the sky began; their colors seemed to bleed together. This scene was punctuated by small islands with white-sand beaches and remote clusters of overwater bungalows that have made the region famous.
Before long, our speedboat slowed its motor as we neared the North Malé Atoll and a small island came into view. We pulled into a tranquil bay where the sounds of drum music filled the air, and our boat stopped alongside a thatch-roofed dock where a group of Four Seasons staff had gathered. Dressed in crisp white uniforms, they clapped to the drum music and waved hello.
At the far end of the dock, on an island of less than one square mile, sat Four Seasons Kuda Huraa, a luxurious 96-villa property where I would spend the next three nights.
I had come to learn more about the resort’s recently rebranded spa, ŪRJĀ Naturopathy Island, which bills itself as a natural sanctuary for renewal, a place that invites visitors to “pause, breathe, and return to the wisdom of nature” to restore your inner harmony. It sounded like a breath of fresh air (pun intended) to me amid the current climate in the United States, where daily life is spent navigating everything from the pernicious rise of AI and its impacts on the world around us to the country’s bitterly partisan politics.
Returning to nature seemed like just the antidote I needed. Little did I know that the wellness experience I was about to embark upon would be delivered not only during visits to the spa, but in countless other ways each day during my stay.
Guest accommodations: Beach villas and overwater bungalows
After sipping fresh coconut water that arrived in a Four Seasons-branded coconut while my itinerary for the next few days was explained to me, I was transported by golf cart to my villa. The resort is laid out around one main pathway (it’s Main Street, as I dubbed it) that’s shrouded by trees and lined on either side by a lush wall of flower bushes, including bright hibiscus and frangipani, whose fragrance immediately envelops you.
In addition to the pungent scent of tropical flowers, I was greeted by the boisterous Asian Koel, a bird in the cuckoo family whose distinctive ringing calls woke me at dawn each morning during my stay.
Guest villas are tucked discreetly into this tropical garden-like setting, each one surrounded by greenscape so that the only thing passersby can see is the front entrance and roof of your accommodations.
My home for the next few days was one of the resort’s Sunrise Beach Villas with a pool, which meant that in addition to having a lap pool facing the ocean, I also had private beach access.My mini-compound also included a thatched–roof lounging bed alongside the pool (perfect for napping amid the sounds of waves softly lapping the shore) and, on the edge of the beach, another private, shaded seating area with an outdoor dining table and lounge chairs.
A beach villa at Four Seasons Kuda Huraa Resort in the Maldives
The interior of my villa, meanwhile, was jaw-dropping. It featured ocean views through floor-to-ceiling windows, an ensuite bedroom with a lounging and dining area, and (my favorite part) a whitewashed, light-filled bathroom with indoor and outdoor showers. Three nights didn’t seem nearly enough to make full use of this beautiful setting.
Sunrise Beach Villas like the one I stayed in for three nights (which start at $2,500 per night) are just one of many accommodation options. Spread across 12 acres, the Four Seasons Kuda Huraa includes 96 guest accommodations, all of which include private pools. The choices range from beach villas of various sizes to water villas and a half dozen uber luxurious specialty suites.
The overwater accommodations at the Four Seasons Kuda Huraaa Resort in the Maldives (Photo Credit: Photo by Mia Taylor)
Daily rhythm at Four Seasons Kuda Huraa
My days at Four Seasons Kuda Huraa followed a peaceful, relaxing pattern. Morning walks, afternoon spa treatments or water activities, and meals at one of the resort’s four restaurants. Repeat.
Each morning I rose before sunrise while the rest of the resort was mostly still asleep. I woke early to explore the island and watch this remarkable region come to life. Sunrise walks are a tradition I’ve followed for decades as a travel writer. I think of it as ‘magic hour’ and have always felt there’s no better way to truly experience the rhythm and patterns of a new place than watching it awaken each day. And in the Maldives, a group of far-flung islands straddling the equator, some 400 miles southwest of India and Sri Lanka, I could not wait to see what sunrise and nature had in store.
I followed the resort’s main pathway from my villa to the end of the island, where an overwater boardwalk continued further onward out into the ocean for at least one mile. The first half of this walkway was flanked by the resort’s gorgeous water villas (the kind of accommodations you see on postcards from the Maldives). At the far end of the boardwalk sat a small, undeveloped mangrove-encircled islet, which I later learned the resort uses for special outdoor functions.
The ocean beneath the boardwalk, meanwhile, was as clear as glass. And on some mornings, as I walked along, I was lucky enough to see stingrays and spotted eagle rays swimming beneath me, along with all manner of vibrantly colored tropical fish.
These sorts of pleasantly surprising encounters would be a frequent occurrence and part of the resort’s healing magic. On another morning, as I sat on the rocky shores of the islet at the boardwalk’s end, waiting for the sun to make its appearance over the horizon, I was thrilled to spot a handful of small black tip reef sharks circling in the shallows just a few feet away, followed by two eels that wound their way through the water and around rocks like graceful black silk ribbons.
I ended my daily walks at the resort’s Cafe Hurraa, a pan-Asian restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner in an open-air setting. There I sat at a table overlooking a nearby infinity pool and the ocean beyond, while feasting on a scrumptious buffet featuring all manner of locally influenced foods, as well as Western favorites. Some mornings I brought a book to read while I ate in this picturesque, calming setting. Other mornings, I made sure to turn my chair to face the ocean and sat quietly, contemplating the view as I sipped freshly brewed tea.
After breakfast, it was back to my villa for a swim in my private pool or a dip in the ocean, which in many cases I had entirely to myself without another soul around. Enjoying the stillness and solitude of this remarkable setting was a kind of luxury all its own—something I never experience back home. After enjoying free time, I would wander up to the spa for my daily treatment or to the dive shack for a water excursion.
The article's author exploring the treatment suites at the spa at Four Seasons Kuda Huraa Resort Maldives (Photo Credit: Photo by Mia Taylor)
ŪRJĀ Naturopathy Island
During a year that’s included much buzz surrounding the growth of biohacking travel (which typically involves well-heeled globetrotters spending time at health clinics and specialty biohacking centers to optimize your health and longevity), visiting Kuda Huraa’s new ŪRJĀ Naturopathy Island seemed like an appropriate and timely bit of required research.
ŪRJĀ means “vitality” in Sanskrit, and the Four Seasons spa named after this particular state of health promises to restore your inner harmony through offerings that, while grounded in naturopathic principles, also include scientific expertise. The result is treatments that go beyond surface-level relaxation to achieve meaningful restoration.
Translation: In addition to the facials and massages that spas around the world offer, ŪRJĀ guests can experience everything from treatments designed to reset your vagus nerve (a key component of the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls your heart rate, digestion and breathing) to grounding rituals meant to reawaken your energy flow and restore inner calm. Mud therapy, heliotherapy, life-force healing and sound healing are also on offer.
Each guest’s journey at ŪRJĀ begins, however, with a wellness consultation led by one of the resident naturopaths. During this initial meeting, the goal is to understand your body, rhythm and intentions and use that information to design a personalized treatment plan.
Dr. Anand Prayaga, director of the spa at Four Seasons Kuda Huraa in Maldives (Photo Credit: Photo by Mia Taylor)
I showed up at ŪRJĀ sorely in need of an overhaul. And Dr. Anand Prayaga, the center’s director, could see that even before I said a word.
A soft-spoken man who radiates calm and wisdom, Prayaga could tell that I had arrived at his spa in far from top form. His first clue was the iris scan and diagnosis that was conducted as part of my consultation ($250). A type of health analysis I’d never experienced before, the iris scan involves taking a picture of your eye and analyzing the rings, spots, and color changes in your iris to identify issues like high blood pressure, liver damage, or inflammation.
Prayaga looked at the picture of my iris and told me that my body was experiencing swelling, indigestion and sluggishness. He was exactly right. My legs were swollen from 21 hours spent flying from California to the Maldives (during which I had very little opportunity to get up and walk around). In addition, my digestive system was pretty upset about all the highly processed food I’d consumed during the journey.
The results of the author's iris scan at the spa at Four Seasons Resort Kuda Huraa in Maldives (Photo Credit: Photo by Mia Taylor)
After the iris scan, it was time for a high-tech Oligoscan micromineral assessment of my body ($250). This was conducted via a scan of my palms. The scan, which shines a light beam through the skin on your palm, instantly reveals a wealth of information about the vitamins and minerals and even toxic metals in your system. The information, which is available in real time, is used to develop personalized supplement plans and protocol for heavy metal detoxification.
Using all of this newfound information about my body and overall health condition, Prayaga’s recommendation for the next two days of treatments included an URJA massage ($320) that would feature formulations and natural herbs designed to restore inner balance and quiet my mind, leaving me relaxed, grounded and revitalized, along with a Vagus Reset ($430), which he said would activate the aforementioned vagus nerve, supporting the regulation and reset of my entire body.
Both treatments sounded wonderful to me. And both would take place in a spa setting unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.
The boat that ferries guests to the spa at Four Seasons Resort Kuda Huraa (Photo Credit: Photo by Mia Taylor)
A sanctuary for renewal with Indian Ocean views
As its name implies, ŪRJĀ Naturopathy Island is located on an island of its own, apart from the rest of the resort. Guests travel back and forth to this special place via a traditional wooden dhoni (imagine a smaller version of a Venetian gondola, but with an enclosed seating booth for passengers).
Treatments on the island take place in one of seven private overwater suites. The highlight of these suites, in addition to the open-air views of the Indian Ocean, was the glass floor panels beneath the massage tables, which let guests watch marine life swim past below while lying face down during treatments.
The article's author receiving a spa treatment rooms at Four Seasons Kuda Huraa Resort Maldives (Photo Credit: Photo by Mia Taylor)
Of the two sublime treatments I received here, the vagus reset was my favorite. The experience began with a grounding foot ritual: a foot bath delivered while I sat on a bench just outside my treatment room facing the Indian Ocean. The setting was so peaceful and stunning I had to keep reminding myself I wasn’t dreaming.
Next, we moved to the massage table, where my full-body massage included a Serenity Elixir to release muscular tension and encourage deep, restorative sleep. And still that's not all.
The spa treatment suites at Four Seasons Kuda Huraa have windows in the floor so guests can observe marine life below. (Photo Credit: Photo by Mia Taylor)
Before the treatment was over, there was also a cooling facial gua sha massage paired with a revitalizing polypeptide cryo-infusion to sculpt and refresh my eye area. All of this relaxing fabulousness concluded with the sounds of singing bowls to realign my energy and leave me feeling calm, balanced and renewed. And yes, in case you’re wondering, it worked. I floated out of the spa feeling almost entirely recovered from my digestive challenges and swelling.
Wholistic healing in paradise
Private ocean swims in blissful silence. Drifting off to sleep in a cabana to the sounds of ocean waves. Sunrise walks and encounters with spotted eagle rays, silken eels and black tip reef sharks. Foot baths and massages accompanied by the gentle breeze and panoramas of the Indian Ocean.
The luxuriously unhurried pace of each day, the lack of deadlines and demands and the feeling that I was fully removed from the rest of the world, suspended in time on stunning castaway island. All of it was healing, and all of it was entirely worth the long journey from the United States.
While I was only at Four Seasons Kuda Huraa for a few days, it was enough time for me to feel my spirit starting to exhale, letting go of the tension I’d been carrying for months, if not years.
The article's author boarding the Four Season sea plane that transports guests between resorts in Maldives. (Photo Credit: Photo by Mia Taylor)
And I wasn’t even done yet. From Four Seasons Kuda Huraa, my wellness journey would take me onward, north across the Equator to the sister Four Seasons resort Landaa Giraavaru. Located on a 44-acre island wilderness in the Baa Atoll, Landaa Giraavaru is in a place so special, biologically diverse and important that the region has been designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve wilderness. My seaplane ride awaited.
Editor's note: This is the first of two stories that TravelPulse will be publishing about the Four Seasons resorts and wellness offerings in Maldives.
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