A number of resorts have leaned into the food station buffets to provide the best of buffet variety with the best of a la carte fresh preparation. Oaga has leant its distinctively artist styling to its version of this dining concept by creating a “street food” vibe with vibrantly coloured food stands along the appropriately sand floor.
The swaying palm trees are one of the icons of tropical paradise, but there’s not much room for them on a water villa jetty as the resort reaches out over the ocean that people come to see and experience. So Oaga made their own planter islands for some enchanting palms.
Pools have evolved in the Maldives from simple rectangular intra-island swimming holes to infinity pools, fountain featured, split-level, swim-up bar extravagances. But none are quite so extensive, creative and storied as Oaga pool channel behind its Veyoge Gallery Pool Villas.
The “pool” connects all of the plunge pools for the Veyoge Gallery rooms with a long, sinuous channel that culminates at a larger pool by the craft beer bar and decorated with images of Khalid and Sitti.
The Maldives is famous for its underwater menagerie of marine critters, but no resort has as many land critters as Oaga. A range of cute and curious animals can be found across the Maldives islands from local flying foxes and push-up-manic litt’l lizards. Some properties have some domesticate imports like cats and bunnies. But Oaga has an entire petting zoo which includes:
One of the lattermost, named “Kiwi” is especially social with the guests flitting about from villa to villa to see if anyone happens to be munching on minibar nuts (which by coincidence we had, so she became Lori’s best friend enjoyed a prolonged and intimate visit for an extended period).
Oaga has taken its aquatic artistry below the surface adorning their extensive pool complex with colourful designs and images.
A trip to the Maldives can literally seem like a visit to a deserted tropical island, but the archipelago is rich with history and culture. Many times this local backdrop is quite removed from the contrived resort experience. Many guests are interested in it and get a taste with local island excurisions. But Oaga has infused every single one of its rooms with their own stories taken from Maldivian lore (which you can read here). And the XXX villas have their stories written in the pool which connects them all (as a good story should).
Normally, graffiti on the bathroom walls is considered a bit of a downmarket flag, but Oaga has made such street style into a distinctive feature of its Bodu Haruge Beach Villa with Private Pool villa:
We are noting a increasing number of plunge pools in villas. Having your own private pool is becoming the norm for the 5-star luxury properties. The plunge pools are actually superb for the younger children (safe and perfectly adequate) and frankly for most adults (who often just want a literal “plunge” to cool off from the heat especially if they have been lying in the sun. Oaga’s plunge pools, like al the rest of the property, present an yet another canvas for artistic creativity.
More resorts feature more artistry from local creatives, and some bring these pieces into the villas, but Oaga features a veritable museum of distinctive art in its Veyoge Gallery Pool Villa room category. And if you are looking for an inspired memento of your ‘night at the museum’, you can purchase the pieces displayed. And even if you don’t buy one, your stay benefits the local artists who graced your space:
Yesterday, I enjoyed my annual pseudo-escape to the Maldives at London’s 2023 World Travel Market. Their booth is replete with images of the destination’s linen white beaches and tapestry of ocean blues and manned by a platoon of the Maldives’ resort leaders touting its alluring charms to agents, operators and media. I was able to reconnect with long time friends and connections as well as make new ones. In particular, I sat down and learned much more about Brennia Kottafaru, The Standard Huruvalhi, Outrigger Konotta, Movenpick Kuredhivaru, Rahaa and Baglioni (none of which I had ever visited).
The highlight of the event was meeting a contender for “newcomer of the year”, a resort I hadn’t even heard of – Oaga. Or “Oaga – Art Resort” to be precise. And actually, planned to be a 5-property complex built from terraformed reclamation in a North Male lagoon. Oaga is one of the most inspired concept properties I have come across for a while – “Maldivian Artistry”. Not just engaging a Maldivian artist to add some colourful touches to the property, but imbuing the entire DNA of the property with a visual aesthetic. Even their show swag was a piece of art from one of their resident artists (I got the one below done by Rahvehinn). I normally have to visit a resort to identify its truly distinctive touches, but just a short chat with the Oaga folks (including two of their founding directors – see photo above and special 360 photo provided by the Visit Maldives hosts of the booth) came up with a dozen “Best of the Maldives” pieces I could write about. They soft open later this month so keep an eye open.
