An immersive exploration of health and wellness will be coming to Soneva Fushi in the Baa Atoll
Looking ahead to 2023, award-winning creators of luxurious and sustainable resorts, Soneva will launch the inaugural 10-day SOUL Festival set to grace the shores of Soneva Fushi in the Baa Atoll from the 29th September – 8th October 2023.
The life-enriching festival will be a verdant space to move, eat, explore and be creative while celebrating ancient healing traditions and modern innovations that benefit individuals, communities, and the planet. Showcasing an enviable line-up of industry wellness thought leaders and practitioners, this immersive programme is set to enrich your mind, body, and soul with daily panel discussions, experiential workshops, healing rituals, live music performances, one-on-one consultations, and more at Soneva Fushi.
The festival will excite wellness lovers among us; from the personal to the planetary with a host of impressive speakers including psychologist, scientist, and social entrepreneur Shamini Jain; gastroenterologist, neuroscientist and author of The Mind Gut Connection Dr Emeran Mayer; clinical psychologist and mindfulness expert Shauna Shapiro; Goi Peace Award recipient and best-selling author Bruce Lipton; renowned spiritual leader and motivational speaker Sadhvi Bhagwati Saraswati; award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Jo Marchant; American director, producer and cinematographer Louie Schwartzberg; thirteen-time best-selling author and founder of Bio Blends Dr Libby Weaver; award-winning science journalist Gaia Vince; naturopathic doctor and doctor of Oriental medicine Dr Lilly-Marie Blecher; Ayurvedic doctor and author Dr Robert Svoboda, who is the first-ever Westerner to graduate from a college of Ayurveda and be licensed to practice in India; and anxiety and mindfulness coach Amanda Huggins. With many more names yet to be announced, the lineup and activities for aficionados to partake in from Q&A’s to curated wellness moments there is something on offer for everyone.
Idyllic venues inspired by Soneva Fushi’s breathtaking island location are the serene settings to relax minds, while delicious, wholesome menus will be specially curated to support wellness goals, with an emphasis on plant-based cuisine and adaptogenic foods that rebalance and restore. Rare, one-of-a-kind experiences also offer the chance to reconnect with nature and embrace the Slow Life in between sessions: from ziplining through the rainforest to dine in the treetops, to snorkelling with expert Marine Biologists, to swimming with manta rays or escaping to a private sandbank to watch the sunset.
“We are so proud to host the first edition of SOUL Festival at Soneva Fushi,” says Sonu Shivdasani, CEO, and co-founder of Soneva. “Wellness permeates all that we do at Soneva: our sustainable, barefoot philosophy that reconnects our guests to the earth; our life-affirming natural locations; our delicious yet health-focused cuisine; and our life-changing guest experiences. The festival’s remarkable programme is an opportunity to explore every facet of health and wellbeing, and I cannot wait to welcome the line-up of outstanding wellness experts to our shores.”
