I don’t normally leave reviews but I simply have to for this place. To get there, I took a 75usd speedboat which, provided the sea isn’t too choppy which it wasn’t, was pretty straightforward and efficient. You really do feel like you are in miles away from civilisation when you arrive. Ahmed, Shazin and Roshani did the absolute most to make sure I made the most of my time. Whether that was arranging a private island trip, or a dolphin cruise they were extremely flexible and due to the quiet nature of the island, nothing was too much of an ask. After I asked if it was possible to have a bbq, they set up one on the beach during sunset where we ate the fish we had just caught from our boat trip. The island is very small which means it’s all really walkable, including to the private beach which is gorgeous (only for tourists) and well maintained by the local workers who would find me a coconut to drink each time I visited. I had plenty of days where I was happy to sit and relax at the beach but it’s the range of activities that you can do off the island which makes it great. Most trips around 30-40 usd but can sometimes be cheaper with more people. Some of them like the private island trip exceeded activities that I have done in the rest of SEA. Make no mistake, the beauty of this island is that it’s still so raw and only recently opened to tourism which you can tell, but for someone like me who enjoys this vibe and interacting with locals and getting a real feel for a place, this was great. I like the imperfection as it feels real and everyone on the island feels genuinely grateful to host you. Shazin was happy to show me around the island and take me to anywhere if I needed something eg a new phone SIM card and Roshani (Nepalese background) was amazing in the kitchen cooking a range of western, Nepalese and local dishes which I never got bored of after 2 weeks of eating 3 meals a day. There’s not loadsss of eating options on the island so I’d recommend this as a stress free way to go about it. Plus, she gives you a mountain of food to keep you full. The locals were happy to let me join in their football games at 5pm most days and offered to take me out fishing plenty of times too. My room was simple and everything I needed really, comfortable bed and AC 24 hours/day and frequently cleaned. To say it’s one of the cheapest places in the Maldives it was more than comfortable! I met a few surfers who had come back to Finimas for the second time and raved about the waves during peak season which starts in late February through till about September. As long as you lower your expectations and realise that the money you pay is nowhere near that of a resort level of luxury, I really believe that Ahmed and his team have done well to make Finimas an affordable slice of paradise who want to do all they can to help you have the best time! Would love to revisit one day!!
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