A thirty minute sea plane ride from Male literally gets you to a different time zone. Seaside Finolhu is a welcoming island paradise and TravelWithRehan recommends this resort for its luxurious and irreverent vibe, its long stretches of coral sand banks, the infinitely captivating azure ocean, and its wonderfully welcoming hospitality. Seaside Finolhu has been under renovation since June this year, revamping its already superlative luxury experiences and with the lockdown hopefully lifting soon, we share five reasons based on our experience why we believe you should be looking to book a vacation at this wonderful destination:

1. Luxury Villas

The resort has 125 luxuriously appointed villas, strategically located on the beach or over the ocean. I chose the Ocean Pool Villa, which was more than welcoming with its colourful interiors and king-sized bed. Overlooking a turquoise ocean, the small touches like retro Marshal Speakers, scented sticks a wine and mini bar were much appreciated. Holidaying in the Maldives makes you want to spend every moment soaking in the stunning ocean and so the villa is indulgently designed with wall to wall glass and an extensive sun deck, calling out for you to lounge away urban stress. Even the bath area is glass fronted with separate his and her sinks and indoor and outdoor showers and a tub that overlooks the beautiful ocean. My favourite room moments were in my private infinity pool, watching glorious sun sets in the sky and spotting rays, reef sharks and myriad fish in the clear waters below.

2. Life in a Bubble:

If you're longing to be alone with the elements, but still in the lap of luxury, try their amazing Beach Bubble for an unforgettably romantic adventure. You can gaze at the stars through your very own room telescope while listening to the room's selection of retro Beatles vinyls, have a private dinner served on the beach by a discreet butler and fall asleep to the sound of the ocean. Wake up to watch the sun rise and spectacularly spear the darkness with crimson and magenta. Definitely book in advance!

3. Spa

An hour at Seaside Finolhu's award winning Fehi Spa is the perfect recipe for rejuvenation. The lush green surroundings and the varied menu of treatments followed by healing herbal tea will leave you blissful, and you will certainly smile at rooms named after rock stars of the 60s such as Bette (Midler) and Janis (Joplin) and the "Gulls and Buoys" titled changing rooms!

4. Food

The food at Seaside Finolhu has been so outstanding, with 4 restaurants and 2 bars, all distinguished by a fine blend of chef's craft, fresh ingredients and a fine understanding of the varied international palette. Baa Baa Diner located is located by the resort's meandering pool that hosts you for scrumptious breakfast, lunch and dinner with a wide variety of cuisines. A quick ten-minute boat ride transports you to the award winning, rustic beach restaurant the Crab Shack, ideal for a long and lazy afternoon in beach shorts with my feet in the sand, delighting in the best calamari and crab I've had.

My evening followed with a sun-downer in hand, at the Baa Haa Grill, with cuisine inspired by North Africa for delicious mezze, hummus, seafood and meat. My favourite meal at Seaside Finolhu was at their Asian fine dining restaurant, Kanusan - an atmospheric outlet set against the backdrop of the Indian Ocean, with the resident chef pampering our taste buds through a magnificent Asian dinner.

5. The Ocean!

Seaside Finolhu offers a range of activities from snorkeling around your private villa to sailing, paddle boarding and surfing to explore the magnificent Maldivian Ocean. Look out for turtles, rays and a multitude of colourful marine life that joins you on these sojourns!

TravelWithRehan looks forward to visiting Seaside Finolhu 2.0 next year. For now, here’s an exclusive sneak-peak into the yet to be launched Water Villas in theme colours of turquoise and beige, the perfect complement to the sea and sand of the islands of Baa atoll, Finolhu.