Velaa Private Island has unveiled its brand-new Beach Bar, designed for guests to enjoy delicious bar snacks and innovative cocktails during lazy days on the beach or between water sports sessions on the azure Indian Ocean. Inspired by the owner’s daughter’s dream of opening an ice-cream stand on the island, the bar has been hand painted by prominent contemporary Czech artist, Pasta Oner, whose work celebrates popular culture through vibrant illustration and contrasting colour combinations.

After working up an appetite diving or zooming across the ocean on the island’s extensive collection of high-tech equipment, head back to the shore for creative cocktails such as the Pancha, a blend of Barbados rum, cherry brandy and cinnamon-infused Amaretto, and Love in the Afternoon, combining gin and limoncello with pineapple, passion fruit and pretty edible flowers.

The snack menu offers a variety of dishes from Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls and Greek Salad to Truffle Pizza and a Trio of Open Sandwiches. Indulge in something sweet to finish off the experience, with a selection of enticing ice creams and fruit platters.

Nestled within the constellation of islands that form the Noonu Atoll in the Maldives, Velaa Private Island takes exclusivity to the next level with facilities and service that go beyond traditional resorts. The island comprises 47 private villas, houses and exclusive residences, and is home to the stand-out fine dining restaurant, Aragu, combining European cuisine with an Asian twist. Tavaru offers expertly prepared teppanyaki and features the Indian Ocean’s most extensive wine cellar, while Athiri offers all-day casual dining. There’s also a high-tech spa, where guests can relax and unwind with personalised treatments, yoga and meditation sessions.

For more information or to book your stay please visit www.velaaprivateisland.com.