Finolhu is a unique, chic and playful resort in Baa Atoll, offering a retro style and fantastic facilities that allow guests to chill out or be adventurous. The all-inclusive resort is luxurious yet rustic, making the most of the beautiful surroundings which include pristine beaches, a sandbank stretching over 1 kilometre, swaying palm trees with hammocks and a large lagoon.
Baa Atoll is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with some of the richest marine life in the Maldives, including the world renowned Hanifaru Bay where visitors can snorkel with manta rays and whale sharks. Finolhu is committed to preserving the country’s natural environment, home to a resident marine biologist who encourages guests to participate in conservation projects.
Accommodation is in 125 thatched villas which are either set just steps back from the beach with tropical foliage providing privacy, or stretch out over the lagoon with spectacular ocean views. Villas are spacious and airy, all with open air bathrooms, luxurious fabrics and amenities including vintage style telephones and sound systems. Styles vary, some villas featuring tiled bathrooms and distressed wood furniture while others are more opulent with Moroccan lamps and gold wall art. Sliding glass doors lead out onto private terraces, allowing guests to enjoy the tropical views from their bed.
A unique accommodation option is the ‘Beach Bubble’, a glass dome set in a secluded spot on the picturesque sandbank. Guests can enjoy a romantic experience including an overnight stay in the pod which features a bedroom and bathroom, along with a private beach BBQ and breakfast at the water’s edge.
At the heart of the resort is 1 Oak Beach Club, a sociable area with plenty of spaces to relax by the pool and on the beach, a two-storey bar with a striking design, a games arcade and a cinema room screening classic movies and international sports. Nightly entertainment includes live bands, DJs and pool parties as well as spectacular shows with acrobats, mermaids and stilt walkers.
This is also where the poolside main restaurant is found, with nightly theme dining including Latin American, Middle Eastern and Vietnamese cuisine. Other dining options include an over-water Chinese restaurant, a beachfront dining venue serving North African cuisine and a rustic shack on the sandbank serving fresh fish and seafood right on the sand. The resort also has a retro tuck shop offering sweet treats and offers in-villa dining.
At the opposite end of the island to the beach club is The Cove Club, where the resort’s spa and beauty facilities are found including 10 pastel-coloured treatment rooms, a nail salon, steam room, sauna and yoga pavilion are found. Nearby is a fitness centre with a huge indoor gym plus outdoor space for beach workouts, as well as beach volleyball courts, tennis courts and a multi-purpose court for football and other activities.
Thunderball is the resort’s water sports centre where adrenaline junkies can enjoy jet skiing, parasailing, jet blading, wake boarding, banana boat rides and much more. Guests can go windsurfing, catamaran sailing, kayaking and stand up paddle boarding free of charge, while surfing is also available at an additional cost. The island has a fantastic house reef which is great for snorkelling and scuba diving, or guests can venture further afield on one of the trips that the PADI dive centre offers. Regular trips run to nearby Hanifaru Bay between June and October, offering guests the chance to snorkel with manta rays and whale sharks.
The resort’s resident marine biologist hosts talks and ocean education sessions for youngsters, while marine experts regularly visit the island to offer workshops and courses. Excursions allow guests to relax on a deserted sand bank, snorkel around stunning coral reefs, visit local islands, go fishing, or enjoy a cruise to watch turtles and dolphins.
Finolhu caters well for families, with all accommodation allowing at least 2 adults and 2 children and a fantastic kids club offering activities for toddlers through to teenagers. Numerous indoor and outdoor activities are arranged at The Oceaneers’ Club including sports, board games, cooking classes and crafts.
Finolhu is a funky and fun resort – a real party island which is perfect for those looking for somewhere with lots going on, with music playing throughout the day at the lively beach club! The beaches are stunning and the Fish & Crab Shack is a lovely setting for lunch, located along the sandbank and reached by boat.
Children: Children are welcome. The first child under the age of 12 years old stays and eats free of charge on the same board basis as their parents. The Oceaneers’ Club offers a range of indoor and outdoor activities for children of all ages - this is complementary to children aged 4 to 11 years old. Babysitting is also available at a charge.
Transfers: Finolhu is reached by a 30 minute seaplane transfer from Male International Airport or a 20 minute domestic flight followed by a 25 minute speedboat transfer.
Facilities: Multi-purpose court, floodlit tennis court, gym, PT studio, water sports centre, PADI dive centre, photography studio, art studio, boutique, cinema room, games room. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the resort.
Chargeable activities: Jet ski rides, sea bob rides, parasailing, jet blading, surfing, wakeboarding, kneeboarding, waterskiing, monoskiing, banana boat rides, fun tube rides, scuba diving.
Complimentary activities: Tennis, windsurfing, catamaran sailing, kayaking, snorkelling, stand up paddleboarding and scuba diving trial sessions. Lessons and tours are also available at a charge.
Excursions: A vast range of excursions are available including fishing trips, visits to local islands, trips to a sandbank, dolphin and turtle cruises, reef hopping trips, Hanifaru Bay snorkelling trips, boat charters and kayaking trips.
Spa: The Cove Club is the resort’s spa area with 10 pastel-coloured treatment rooms, each named after an iconic diva, as well as a nail salon, hair salon, steam room, sauna and barber. A range of rejuvenating and reviving treatments are available including massages, skin treatments and hair care.
Meal Arrangements: Stays at Finolhu are on an all-inclusive basis. The package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner at Baa Baa Beach Diner, and a selection of beverages in all bars and restaurants (not including room service and minibars). Guests can dine at the Fish & Crab Shack, Baa Haa Grill or Kanusan once during their stay.
Dining: Baa Baa Beach Diner is the resort’s main buffet restaurant, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with live cooking stations and regular theme evenings. Baahaa Grill is a beachfront restaurant serving North African cuisine while Kanusan is an award-winning overwater restaurant and bar serving Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine, both open for dinner. The Fish & Crab Shack serves fresh seafood at lunchtime in a unique location on the sandbank (reached on foot or by boat), while the Milk Bar is a retro tuck shop serving coffee and sweet treats throughout the day. 1 Oak Beach Club is the heart of the resort and serves drinks and snacks throughout the day and night including a pool/beach service.
Villas feature amenities including an entertainment bar with Marshall sound system, flat screen TV, free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning and overhead fan, hair dryer, in-room safe, mini bar, wine bar. Two bedroom villas feature Neal’s Yard bathroom amenities.