BEST FOR ROMANCE
Gili Lankanfushi
The overwater bungalow has become a byword for
romantic escape since the first appeared in French
Polynesia in the 1960s. The Maldives claims more stilted
love nests than any other honeymoon destination, so
they can sometimes feel less singular and special than
lovers anticipated. All 24 overwater bungalows at
Gili Lankanfushi are set discreetly enough apart for
privacy. And then there are the Crusoe Residences for a
next-level romantic experience. These seven freestanding
thatch mansions are perched in the centre of the lagoon,
accessible only by boat, each with rooftop terraces,
daybeds and a hammock strung across the water.
Lankanfushi Island, North Malé Atoll, gili-lankanfushi.comBEST DIVING
Baros Maldives
The scuba set are spoiled for adventures in the
Maldives, but Baros remains a favourite both for its
excellent reef and the fact it was one of the nation’s
first dive sites when it opened in the 1970s. Baros’s
two dive centres offer PADI certification and day or
night dives on the island’s renowned house reef, less
than 30 metres from shore. Baros is 25 minutes by
speedboat from Malé airport, so you’ll be immersed
in no time.North Malé Atollo, baros.comBEST SURF
Six Senses Laamu
One of the most coveted breaks in the archipelago
is Yin Yang, and it unfurls just offshore from the
97-room Six Senses Laamu on Olhuveli Island.
It’s known as one of the most reliable swells in the
South Atolls, a sturdy barrel that peaks between
June and September (when only more confident
surfers should attempt it). A new partnership with
Australian outfit Tropicsurf allows the resort to offer
professional coaching to all comers.Olhuveli Island,
Laamu Atoll, sixsenses.comBEST FOR FUN
Finolhu
Billed as the “naughty sister” of Amilla Fushi, since
opening in June 2016 Finolhu has kept Maldives
party-goers entertained with a non-stop roster of DJs and
live acts that put the lie to the archipelago’s reputation
for rest and relaxation. When the sun’s out it’s chilled
tunes and poolside lounging. At night the action swings
to Finolhu’s duplex beach-club bar, kept lively by a
roster of event organisers including New York’s Butter
Group. Expect mermaids and stilt walkers, weekly pool
and monthly full-moon parties and six annual events
featuring headline performers and DJs airlifted in to
rock the tropics. Kanufushi Island, Baa Atoll, finolhu.comClockwise from
above left:
Finolhu beach
club; two-
bedroom Ocean
Beach Villa at Six
Senses Laamu
Resort; bathroom
in a Sunset
Deluxe Water
Pool Villa at Velaa
Private Island;
Velaa Private
Island residence.154 GOURMET TRAVELLER