Kuda Finolhu Island Baa Atoll, Maldives
Maldives
Frequently Asked Questions
A sandbank dressed in coconut palms, in Baa Atoll in the western Maldives. The word finolhu means sandbank in Dhivehi, the country's language. The island amounts to a strip of palms edged by a continuous beach, extended by a sandy spit that changes shape with the seasons and currents.
By tender. The expedition ships and small vessels that venture here anchor in the lagoon; there is no mole or substantial pontoon. Tenders land passengers directly on the shore or at a light pontoon, depending on conditions.
You get in the water. The main attraction of the call is beneath the surface: mask and snorkel are enough to follow the coral heads where butterflyfish, damselfish and parrotfish circulate and, with some luck, a green turtle grazes peacefully. The water, warm year round, usually sits around 28 degrees Celsius.
Yes. Swimming areas are marked out with the crew; respect them, as much for safety as for the reef's protection. Always keep a respectful distance from the animals: this lagoon is part of a biosphere reserve listed by UNESCO in 2011.
It depends entirely on your itinerary. Nearby Hanifaru Bay gathers manta rays by the dozen in season, drawn by concentrations of plankton, and whale sharks sometimes join them. The site is strictly regulated and visited by snorkel only, under supervision, and only during the southwest monsoon season, roughly May to November.
Very little: it is limited to the coconut palms, and glare off the lagoon doubles the sun's effect. Take sun protection seriously. A UV shirt helps for extended swimming, and reef-safe sunscreen is essential in a biosphere reserve.
Water shoes, useful for landings and around the reef, a UV shirt, reef-safe sunscreen and water. There are no shops on the islet: everything you need comes ashore with you.
No. Take home neither shells nor coral fragments: the biosphere reserve forbids it. It is the rule most often broken through inattention, and the one that matters most to the reef's health.
Some calls include it. Around the anchorage, Maldivian life carries on across the atoll's inhabited islands, where dhonis, the traditional boats with upturned prows, handle fishing and links between communities. Crushed-coral lanes, a mosque, a school and fish-drying racks make up a simple portrait of island daily life.
It is worth going up on deck for. The deep blue of the Indian Ocean pales suddenly as you cross the reef barrier, and the lagoon then runs through every shade of turquoise to pure white. The calm strikes you at once: nothing but the coming and going of boats and the rustle of palms over the water.
