On the way to the first ever edition of Fari Islands Festival last month (September 19-22), I promised myself I wouldn’t compare it to The White Lotus. Really, I did. But, by the time I’d transferred from the airport to the hotel via speedboat, only to be greeted by my own personal ‘essentialist’ (24-hour waiter) with one hand on his heart and another holding a juice shot made from a fruit I couldn’t pronounce, I knew I had to stop resisting. This was exactly like The White Lotus.

Funnily enough, ‘stop resisting’ is also what my breathwork instructor told me on the first day of the festival, and my snorkelling instructor, and the on-site hairdresser as he did things to me that no £10 high street barber ever has. The point is that, while the Fari Islands Festival was the main draw of the weekend, comprising an extravagant lineup of poetry, fashion, food and music events, this was built on the already-luxurious foundation of five star hotel siblings Ritz-Carlton and Patina. The option of a private beach, bath and pool at minimum in each villa; multiple award-winning restaurants; and facilities that really did facilitate every want and need – these were all given before the festival even commenced. 

But the festival took things a step further. “Fari Islands Festival was born from a desire to reimagine the Maldives beyond its traditional image as a couples’ retreat,” explains Patina Maldives Resort general manager Anthony Gill of their decision to host the inaugural event. “Our vision was to bring together like-minded individuals from all walks of life, fostering connection and creativity in a way that feels fresh and inclusive.”

It was a bold decision. While the Maldives traditionally conjures up images of romantic dinners and still blue waters, Fari Islands Festival actually got pretty lit. First came a powerful opening from Indian poet Rupi Kaur, who delivered stirring meditations on feminism, sustainability and capitalism. This was followed by a near-sacriligeous wagyu beef spectacle from Kobe’s Wagyumafia, culminating in what I can only describe as a tropical rave hosted by French producer-DJ FKJ and Kim Turnbull – complete with so much free-flowing alcohol that the line between staff and guest got pretty blurry. As I found myself introducing a Singaporean businessman to the wonders of a British rollie at one in the morning, while a Manga Saint Hilare vocal boomed in the background, it struck me: this certainly wasn’t on any Maldivian postcard that I had seen.

Of course, there was also substantial wellness programming to revive you from the night’s debaucheries – skincare sessions delivered by Allies of Skin, coral reef snorkelling expeditions, and wellness workshops courtesy of Bamford. Fari Islands Festival was sort of like The White Lotus meets Boiler Room, and, much like The White Lotus, something died that weekend – my ability to endure British festival toilets ever again. I’ll take the Japanese one with buttons, please. 

Here’s what went down at Fari Islands Festival in the Maldives.

THEY DIDN’T PLAY IT SAFE

I was impressed when Rupi Kaur delivered a subtle critique of capitalism, followed by a firm reminder of impending climate disaster during her opening set, but I was absolutely shocked when I saw how Japanese chef-provocateurs Wagyumafia treated their A5 wagyu beef. Succulent strips were slapped in buns, shoved in mouths, and showered in gold dust, all while the Wagyu-mafiosos screamed “Iterasshai!” and struck anime-like poses. In fact, they made such an impression that “Iterasshai!” became somewhat of a meme throughout the weekend. At various points during Fari Islands Festival’s idyllic programming, a guest would shout out the Japanese phrase (meaning “Have a good day!”), prompting others to call out in response. It was a small illustration of how Fari Islands Festival veered away from the Maldives’ reputation as a romantic retreat – a distinction that reached a crescendo with the festival’s explosive closing night (we’ll get to that later). 

SUSTAINABILITY WAS AT ITS CORE

Still, that doesn’t mean it was all booze and bangers. Perhaps the weekend’s most picturesque moment arrived during Rupi Kaur’s set at the Ritz-Carlton on the festival’s second night, in which the poet found herself crowned by a perfect sunset as she performed a touching ode to unchained femininity from the centre of the hotel’s Eau Bar infinity pool. Elsewhere, daily snorkelling expeditions ran from both hotels, hosted by both National Geographic explorer and shark expert Gibbs Kuguru, as well as representatives of sea turtle conservation charity Olive Ridley Project. These events provided a nice nod to Patina and the Ritz-Carlton’s wider commitments to sustainability. 

For instance, I was surprised to learn that every inch of both hotels was constructed remotely and delivered flat-packed in order to avoid the use of heavy machinery on-site, and further pleased to hear that all of the trees in Patina’s private resort were transplanted from the nearby development of an airport runway. While the Maldives’ stunning tropical environments form a big part of both resorts’ appeals, it is also one of the most susceptible countries to climate change, so it’s important to find ways in which these interests can align.

THE LAST NIGHT WAS ACTUALLY LIT

And here we arrive at the peak of the celebrations. Sunday night opened with an all-star lineup of food stalls and live music from local Maldivian band Skyrock, followed by a standout set from multi-instrumentalist DJ-producer FKJ in front of Patina’s own James Turrell installation (yes, the award-winning ‘master of light’ architect himself). It was pretty to look at but, beneath all the luxury resort thrills, it was truly just a good clubnight: FKJ’s set soon devolved into an impromptu B2B with Kim Turnbull, which further devolved into a B2B with one half of Shanghai music Yeti Out and Patina’s own director of brand and lifestyle, Tom Bray. The party continued early into the morning: as the three artists spun tunes from their respective musical worlds – French soul, British grime, a sprinkling of amapiano – barriers between guests dissolved on the dancefloor.

This was particularly notable given that the Sunday night event also opened the festival up to guests from other resorts as well as the Maldives’ main island, Male, with single day tickets, helping the festival to feel more alive than it had on previous evenings. Fari Islands Festival might sit at the height of luxury, but there was something quite grounding in how international guests, and Maldivian locals and staff danced together that night.

Fari Islands Festival will return next year 13-16 August 2026. Follow their Instagram to keep up to date.