This Tiny Resort Near Malé Goes Big on Holistic Well-being

IN A COUNTRY STREWN WITH tiny islands hosting diminutive resorts, Kagi Maldives Resort and Spa would still rank as a minnow. Just over 10 acres in size, or the equivalent of 6.5 football fields, it takes barely five minutes to walk across. Yet in many ways it’s the quintessential Maldivian resort, with enough to satisfy travelers in search of sun, sand, sea, and as the name suggests, spa. 

Located in North Malé Atoll, Kagi is a short 15-minute seaplane flight or hour-long speedboat ride from the main international airport, handy for those arriving after sunset when air transfers stop. Meanwhile, I have island-hopped from its sister resort Jawakara in Lhaviyani Atoll, and the contrast is stark.  

While Jawakara is home to a whopping 290 villas, with golf buggies and bicycles used to get around, my only form of locomotion at Kagi Maldives is my own two (often bare) feet. Although families are welcome, this is a place built for relaxation, rejuvenation and romance. Designed by Japanese architect Yuji Yamazaki, the resort is all clean, gentle curves and soothing color schemes.   

Seen from above, the main restaurant building looks like a circular spaceship, as does the Baani Spa Complex, which had the good fortune to land on a stunning gemstone-hued lagoon. This 1,500 square-meter home to pampering—one of the largest overwater spas in the Maldives—offers a full complement of holistic therapies ranging from massages, wraps and facials to chakra balancing and reiki.  

True to its wellness focus, Kagi puts on a range of complimentary group classes during the week—check the in-house app for details and book in advance, as they’re popular. I sign up for sound healing, where I’m bathed in the deep ringing and singing of gongs and bowls. And sunset yoga, which is held completely outdoors at the end of a jetty, the sky a blaze of orange above and the sound of water lapping below.  

More strenuous land and water activities are available, including pickleball, standup paddleboarding, kayaking and windsurfing, though note most are chargeable. The house reef at Kagi Maldives, easily accessed from ocean villas or near the spa, is excellent and I find myself one afternoon swimming with a turtle for a good half-hour.  

I also manage to squeeze in a dive at a site known as Kuda Kandu, a channel with two thilas, or submerged coral towers, within. Blustery weather means visibility isn’t optimal, but the coral is healthy, marine life plentiful and colorful, and the experience joyful.  

There are five drink-and-dine venues to choose from at Kagi Maldives, with the emphasis on fresh, light and mostly wholesome-yet-tasty fare. I find myself having lunch twice at Baani Spa Corner, with its mix of chia-seed beverages, salads, sushi rolls, sashimi, and one of the best seed breads I’ve had anywhere.  

Noo Faru in the main pavilion is the place for simple breakfasts, or international dishes for lunch and dinner. Think pizza, pasta, poke bowls, burgers, curries and biryanis. Upstairs is Nonna for comforting Italian, and Ufaa by the infinity pool has a substantial snack menu that, depending on the hour, could come with a side of dazzling sunset. If that’s not enough, there’s beachside Ke-Un, serving pan-Asian meets Pacific Rim fare such as Thai massaman curry, Malaysian laksa, Chinese roast duck and Peruvian tiradito.       

Accommodation comes in the form of 50 near-identical, minimalist-style villas, of which 40 are overwater and 10 on the beach (T+L Tip: ocean-side villas are the pick). Measuring 105 square meters each, they feature pale-gray timber floors, high ceilings, generous indoor/outdoor bathrooms and a private deck with small plunge pool and expansive Indian Ocean views. It’s the sort of place where you can be mesmerized by the water or horizon, and wonder all of a sudden, how doing so little can take up so much of your time. 

Villas from USD 600 for bed & breakfast, excluding taxes and fees 
kagimaldives.com

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Images courtesy of Kagi Maldives Resort & Spa.

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