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TravelVacation

by Sofia Brontvein

Out Of Office, Into the Ocean: A Soft Reboot At W Maldives

30 Jun 2025

Photo: Ali Arusham

There is a reason so many of us in Dubai are permanently one Slack notification away from an existential crisis. The city moves fast. It is brilliant, vertical, caffeinated. But it rarely lets you breathe, at least not deeply. We are conditioned to power through, not power off. Until our nervous systems start sending passive-aggressive signals: anxiety here, insomnia there, a sudden desire to cry during traffic on Al Khail.
Turns out, the cure isn’t another spa day. It is nature. And not just “touch grass” nature — full immersion in wild, watery, unplugged spaces. Our Publisher, Sofia Brontvein, and Brand Director, Ariza Danielian, escaped Dubai for the edge of the ocean to share their experience.

When in doubt, go blue

Science is crystal clear on this: spending time in natural environments — especially near water — has profound effects on our mental health. A growing body of research supports the “Blue Mind” theory, which shows that proximity to oceans and large bodies of water can lower cortisol (the stress hormone), reduce anxiety, improve focus, and even regulate our parasympathetic nervous system.
In one 2020 study, participants who walked by the sea reported significantly higher mood scores than those who walked through urban areas. Another found that even watching videos of ocean waves lowers heart rate and triggers meditative states. (Which makes us wonder — what would happen if you swapped the video for the actual lagoon outside your villa?)
My friend recently explained this beautifully when she introduced me to the idea of forest therapy and “nature TV”. Apparently, if you just sit and watch a tree — or a beach, or a gecko sunbathing on a palm leaf — your brain begins to recalibrate itself. The gentle unpredictability of natural movement (a.k.a. waves, leaves, fish doing fish things) is exactly what our nervous systems crave after months of scrolling, swiping, and deadline-chasing. It is the opposite of overstimulation.
So we booked flights to the Maldives.
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Maldives: a Bounty-flavoured reboot

Let’s have a moment of appreciation for the Maldives as a destination. It is our countryside escape. A four-hour flight from Dubai, no visa drama, no seasonal confusion, and absolutely zero city noise. Just emerald islets scattered across a topaz ocean, like the Earth is flirting with you.
The Maldives is made up of nearly 1,200 coral islands, only about 200 of which are inhabited. And they are not just photogenic — they are therapeutic. According to marine biologists, coral reefs themselves produce low-frequency sounds that have a calming effect on the human brain. We believe it. There is something primal about floating above a reef and realising the only thing on your to-do list is to float better.
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W Maldives: remixed, refreshed, reborn

This wasn’t just any escape. We stayed at W Maldives, which has recently undergone a full-scale renovation — and it shows. The interiors are now sleeker, brighter, and more tuned into the barefoot glamour we all secretly want when escaping from the city.
Think: polished teak, playful design touches, dreamy new bedding, upgraded tech (for the few times you do need a screen), and an overall aesthetic that feels equal parts jet-set and jungle.
While many travellers obsess over overwater Villas (and sure, they are dreamy), we want to give a loud and proud shoutout to the Beach Villas. They are private, lush, and allow you to step straight from bed to sand in five seconds flat. You also get your own plunge pool and semi-secret garden. No awkward decks, no wondering if your GoPro fell in the sea — just you, a coconut, and the softest sand on earth.
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Snorkelling, sipping, and something in between

Let’s be real — we didn’t come here just to “relax”. W Maldives knows how to play. The island sits right on a house reef, which means you can literally snorkel off the beach and see more marine life than in most documentaries. We saw technicolour parrotfish, elegant eagle rays, and one sassy reef shark who gave us side-eye and swam off like a diva.
If you dive, the resort can take you to some of the best sites in the North Ari Atoll. If you don’t, they will teach you. If you just want to float in your flamingo floatie, they will film it from a drone.
Add in sunset dhoni cruises, creative cocktails at SIP (the head mixologist deserves a Netflix special), and dinner under the stars at FIRE or FISH, and suddenly your biggest decision is whether to wear SPF 30 or 50.
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The perfect day (if such a thing exists)

Here is how it goes:
You wake up at 5:24 am because the ocean asks you to, and you must see this incredible sunrise. You make tea. You don’t check your phone (it is still in the safe, remember?). You walk barefoot to the beach and do literally nothing for 27 minutes. You snorkel with turtles. You eat a mango that tastes like it was invented this morning. You laugh. You nap. You order lunch to your villa and eat it by the pool. You say things like, “Is it already sunset?” and “I could live like this”. You get dressed up for no one, sip a tropical cocktail at SIP, and toast to having absolutely no plans. You go to bed before 10 pm. You feel alive.
Repeat until reborn.