Born from a love for the Maldives, Velaa Private Island is the passion project of couple Radka and Jiri Smejc, to create the world’s most luxurious private island resort and personal home. Located in Noonu Atoll, a 45-minute seaplane flight from Male, Velaa is a destination in a category of its own, home to an array of amenities rarely seen in the Indian Ocean. Velaa means ‘turtle’ in Dhivehi, the local Maldivian language. The name is inspired by the generations of sea turtles that inhabit the island and its beautiful coral reef. Conceptualized by renowned Czech architect Petr Kolar, the design weaves contemporary luxury with intimate Maldivian nuances. Throughout the resort, a subtle design reference to the turtle is always present. From a bird’s-eye aerial view, the exclusive over-water villas form the head of a turtle, while the island and strategically placed jetties resemble its body and flippers.