This sandy, sunny, tropical idyll in the middle of the Indian Ocean seemed to be solely reserved for smug honeymooners (hello, Mark and Michelle!). But what about the rest of us?
Well, it’s time for the loved-up lot to move over. Finolhu has just opened, and unlike absolutely every other destination in the Maldives, it’s less about Instagramming your left hand and much more about grabbing your mates, dancing in the sand until the sun comes up and posting pictures of your endless G&Ts…
What exactly is a Finolhu?
It’s not a thing, it’s a place! And an absolutely stunning one at that.
It’s a brand new beach resort on the Baa Atoll in the Maldives with a retro 1960s / 70s vibe. There are themed evenings and an in-house band from Tuesday to Sunday, while Saturdays are all about Be Wild – a DJ night at the pool side with a ‘Ring the Bell’ shot game.
So is this the new Ibiza, then? When we have a chat with the resort’s manager Rochelle Kilgariff, she puts it like this: “It won’t be a huge party destination in the sense of Ibiza or Thailand, but we would like to create that vibe that exists in those party places.”
Despite that, we still partied until the small hours amongst fire eating, live bands, a line-up of top international DJs, contortionists and acrobatics on the opening blowout weekend. So, basically, tres Ibiza.
Sounds interesting. What about the bars?
There are five to choose from at Finolhu, and at the heart is the Baa Baa Beach Club. There are no drinks menus, so order whatever you want from the hundreds of bottles behind the bar (Hendrick’s, Mount Gay, Disaronno and Chambord) – all guarded by the island’s sheepy mascot (this is the Baa Atoll, remember?!).
You’ll find live DJs cranking up the volume from 2pm every day as the Retro Pool Party gets under way. There’s a sunken booth, meaning you can swim up and request from a playlist of old tunes (think Jackson 5 and Barry White) and order a spot of lunch from an extensive menu of pizzas, platters, burgers and nachos. Or, if you need nature to give you a boost through the night, opt for the ‘energise’ bowl – a super health kick of blueberry, acai and brindleberry.
Which, by the way, you’ll definitely need. On the weekend we partied at Finolhu, it was practically frowned upon to go to bed before sunrise, while cracking open the Prosecco at breakfast was de rigueur.
And the beach?
Stunning. If the 1.8km sand bank doesn’t take your breath away, the gorgeous day beds scattered along the shore certainly will. For the more adventurous, Finolhu offers scuba diving, fishing cruises and dolphin trips – and we even saw a manta ray when we went on a snorkelling excursion.
But if the pool is your thing, simply grab a margarita, hop on the resident unicorn floaty a la Bella Hadid and post yourself crazy on Instagram.
What about the rooms?
Err, there are no rooms. There are villas. Big, beautiful, pinch-yourself-you’re-really-here villas. From the Nespresso machine to the gigantic super-soft bed, no detail has been left unluxurious. Oh, and you’ll also find a bottle of Smirnoff waiting for you.
Not to mention the super-fast complimentary Wifi (that was far better than the connection in our flat). Bearing in mind we were in the middle of nowhere, that was almost as impressive as the bath with an ocean view, private infinity pool and sun deck. Well, almost… Oh, and there wasn’t one but three showers – two of which were al fresco. #NBD
Is there more?
Loads! There are a ton of watersports at Finolhu like windsurfing and jet skiing, alongside more niche stuff like knee boarding. There’s also personal training and a gym at Palm Beach (yes, that’s what it’s really called).
Our favourite, however, was The Cove Club. Everything is a ton more easy-going with yoga, meditation and pilates on the menu at this spa hideaway. The massage will be the best you’ve had in years (trust us) and a kooky touch is that all 10 treatment rooms have been named after a classic icon complete with pop art of said diva on the wall (we were in Cher).
Choose from a Red Carpet Facial, Detox Massage or Body Polish, but don’t forget to check out the secret relaxation area. And it really is secret – you’ll have to ask your therapist where to find it. Here there’s a sauna, steam room, sun loungers and even a plunge pool.
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