For most of us, the Maldivian islands are synonymous with a private stretch of powdery white sand beach, a destination solely for lovers and honeymooners, an ocean teaming with abundant marine life and #50shadesof blue for as far as your eyes can see. However, The Small Maldives Island Co. launched a hotel called Finolhu about six months ago that redefined the way we understand Maldivian hospitality. The atmosphere is lively and there are plenty of activities to keep you busy. The infrastructure is modern meets retro. The resort has an in house Dj that starts spinning tunes 1230 am onwards and they have a live radio station that plays retro all day.

Finolhu is truly a one-of-a-kind resort in the Maldives and is flourishing even though it is just over 6 months old! It isn’t enough to say that it is very thoughtfully and painstakingly decorated-which it is- but rather that the whimsical, playful nature of your surroundings will form important details when you re-tell tales of your island adventures.There are instagrammable corners all over the resort from a sky blue Volkswagen to mermaids in the pool, a man walking on stilts and acrobats. First, there are the bright inflatable pool flamingoes that you see all over your favourite bloggers’ Instagram handles, then you have this luxe gold sheep greeting you at the entrance of the main dining area appropriately named ‘1OAK Beach Club’

Finolhu is located on the UNESCO world biosphere reserve known as the Baa Atoll. Baa Atoll is home to some of the most sought-after and upmarket hotels in the Maldives and is an important marine location with great biodiversity, making it an ideal place for spotting sharks, mantas and sea turtles.

We still haven’t figured out the exact reason why they chose a terrestrial animal as the unofficial mascot for Finolhu but we can guarantee that it is genius! Oh, and there is the bright turquoise colour everywhere you look- from the turquoise furniture, to the glistening pools, to the seemingly never ending Indian Ocean. If you think that this amount of turquoise sounds like too much of a good thing, we surely couldn’t get enough! For us social-media addicted millennials, think of Finolhu as a place with endless photo opportunities. Don’t be surprised if you spot a man walking breezily through the dining areas on ginormous stilts or if you catch a glimpse of someone playing with fire whilst sipping on delicious signature cocktails by the poolside. Yes, even mermaids exist, at least right here at Finolhu.

After meeting some members of the amazing Finolhu team at the reception, we spent a few minutes just soaking in our surroundings. Finolhu time is 2 hours ahead of Malé time, which means that you get more sunshine hours, so remember to adjust your watches! We started with a delicious yet healthy lunch at Baa Baa Beach Club- we highly recommend their Spicy Papaya & Mango Salad, Assiette of Lamb, Meat & Chicken Satay, the Sushi & Sashimi Platter and the Lemon Curd Tart with Seasonal Berries & Vanilla Chantilly. We also told our delightful host, Pradeep, that we prefer our coffee without dairy, and he organized delicious almond milk cappuccinos for us!

Soon after, we walked through the canopy of glistening trees to reach our Beach Villa where we would spend 2 nights. Each 205 m2 Beach Villa is ensconced inside a tropical forest with outdoor showers and plenty of beach furniture to lounge on. About 4 feet from your beach chair, behind the large tropical leaves, you have access to your own sandy white beach and crystal-clear turquoise waters. As if that’s not enough, each room is equipped with a 40-inch flat TV, heart-thumping Marshall Speakers, a fully-stocked Mini Bar, a Nespresso machine, and the fluffiest bed you’ve ever sprung upon.

After recharging our batteries- both body and phone- we proceeded to frolic on the beach for a short while, and then chose Kanusan for dinner. Kanusan is Finolhu’s premium dining area with both, an indoor dining area with a live cooking station, as well as a deck area for those who want to hear the water. Kanusan offers truly authentic Asian cuisine. We highly recommend the melt-in-the-mouth Char Siu Pork Belly Poached Dumpling, the deliciously tangy Thai beef Salad, the rich and creamy Curry Laksa, the Steamed Lobster with Ginger & Scented Fiery Soy Dip, and the Mud Crab with Singaporean Chilli Sauce. Shortly after we walked over to the bar and danced the night away to some retro tunes! After having taken 3 flights and 1 speedboat to reach Finolhu, we were surprised that we found the energy to shake our tail feathers until 4 am, but it was impossible to pull ourselves from the carefree energy of Finolhu’s nightlife.

We decided to treat ourselves to a Jetlag Massage at the Cove Club the following morning- a much-needed treat after pushing ourselves to the hilt. Our massage featured pressure applied to the areas where we held most stress. For both of us that includes our neck, shoulders, and backs. The massage therapists then stretched us out, a great idea and we left feeling a foot taller and 10 pounds lighter. The Cove Club is different from other spas that feature the usual white walls and ambient music. Here you will find individual pastel-coloured beach houses named after popular Divas, such as Dolly Parton, Bette Midler or Cher, and can choose the music you want to listen to during your massage. 6 expert-created, luxury product lines are utilized for the various treatments at the Spa. Since my skin does not react well to aromatherapy and scented oils, the therapist used grapeseed oil, an alternative many of the leading spas in the world have been unable to offer me. The Cove Club also has a fitness centre (offering pilates, TRX, swimming, personal training, HIIT, and a beach workout), a yoga pavilion and outdoor beach gym for those who want to engage in more physically-engaging activities.

We found ourselves really hungry after our massage and walked to Milk Bar, which is conveniently located right next to the Cove Club. Milk Bar has something for everyone- from low-carb paleo options to creamy homemade ice creams. We chose the Smashed Avocado Salad- perfectly seasoned and surprisingly filling- and a Bodyism Shake with a shot of espresso. We felt energized enough to walk around and take some photos in different corners of the property and had a light, although late lunch by the pool. For Dinner we chose Baahaa Grill, a North African boutique-style restaurant. We dug into the Mezze 24 for 2- an amazing assortment of hot and cold mezze with pita bread, where each flavour was distinct and had us wanting more. We decided to also try two kinds of Tagine- a light and fresh Moroccan Lemon Chicken Tagine and a rich Algerian Lamb Tagine. Another great indulgence were the Hand Cut Chips tossed in dukkah. For dessert, try the Rose Scented Yoghurt Gelee and the Peppermint Tea & Valrhona Ivoire Tar. The ambience at Baahaa was truly incredible. We were seated at a table on the beach and could hear the sounds of the ocean as we ate. Few experiences can match that, as well as the feeling of swirling your feet in cool white sand while you indulge in sumptuous food!

We slept in the next morning and woke up just around lunchtime. We took a quick boat ride to Fish & Crab Shack. It was a beautifully sunny day and we sipped on some amazing cocktails under the palm trees while tiny hermit crabs played under our table. Although this restaurant is only open between noon and 7 pm, boats leave Finolhu every 30 minutes, ensuring that you get a chance to taste this award-winning food. Loyalists of the crab shack sing praises of the reef fish, crab tacos and the crab curry but for those of you who want to stay away from crustaceans, the shack offers dishes with fish and a melt-in-your-mouth tenderloin. You can pop into the ocean for a quick swim while you wait for your mains to arrive. Our favourites were the Sri Lankan Mud Crab, calamari and the beef tenderloin.

The Jaffna style crab was perfectly spiced, the meat was tender and succulent and well worth the price. We wanted to walk the long stretch of powdery white sandbank to digest our food but we had to take the boat instead because it was time for us to say goodbye to Finolhu.

Special thanks to Nasru, Nabeel and Claudia for organising such a beautiful trip. To Pradeep for taking care of our dietary needs and recommendations. To the wonderful staff at the spa for spoiling us rotten and to everyone else for greeting us with smiles and being incredibly helpful during our stay.

Verdict- we highly recommend Finolhu to young couples with kids, honeymooners or groups of friends who want to celebrate a hen’s night or a stag night as this is the perfect venue to let your hair down. Even if you have only two nights at the venue, we strongly suggest that you pay the Fish and Crab Shack a visit and drop in to Cove for an indulgent ritual. Take the sunset boat cruise if you want to watch dolphins frolicking and grab a glass of bubbly or two to celebrate this beautiful life.

If you are looking to visit in the next year or so and want help planning your itinerary or want me to get you a deal- simply write in to me at jia.singh@gmail.com and I will be happy to assist you further.

Photo Credits: Munko Ali (https://www.instagram.com/munkoali/?hl=en) and Mully (https://www.instagram.com/mully._.hyuga/?hl=en) from the Shutterfish Team
and Gayatri Singh- https://www.instagram.com/gayatrisingh3/?hl=en

Quick Notes:
Address: Kanufushi Island Baa Atoll, Maldives
Phone: +960 660-8800
Instagram
Website- http://www.finolhu.com/
Price upon request