We quickly settled into an island routine, with early morning snorkelling along the house reef behind our over water villa. The sea is teaming with wildlife here, so you come up close and personal to the some amazing creatures including black-tipped reef sharks, flying fish and an eagle ray all swimming close to the villa, with dolphins frolicking in the distant surf. It was certainly a moment to remember when a huge sting ray swam beneath us while snorkelling along the reef. (And also reassuring to know that there are no dangerous predators in the Maldivian lagoons, FYI.)
We’d then wander the 900m length of the main island to breakfast at the The Beach Kitchen, next to the main pool and beach bar. This buffet restaurant opens for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and is the main restaurant for the all inclusive package – there’s plenty of choice.
Breakfast is a tempting array, where we loaded up with fresh fruits, pastries and yoghurt before a second course at of pancakes and eggs. Each evening, there’s a different cuisine theme from Asian to Maldivian and Mediterranean. The alternative, if you’re feeling lazy or romantic, is to call for in villa dining or a floating breakfast, which is served on a heart shaped tray floated out on your pool.
Activites at Finolhu
Along with the daily ritual of lounging on the beach or relaxing by the pool, there are plenty of activities or excursions to keep you busy. Being bored is just not an option on Finolhu, from complimentary beach yoga and sunset meditations to paid-for excursions including dive and snorkelling trips.
One of our highlights was the Dolphin Cruise. We headed out by speed boat to a reef 20 minutes away, finding a pod of dolphins on route, who swam alongside the boat. We then jumped in and snorkelled with a guide for half an hour along the edge of a reef, where we were lucky enough to experience swimming with a turtle, and shoals on shoals of colourful fish.