Kagi Maldives Resort & Spa

Fifty villas on a small island at the top of North Malé Atoll, and every single one has its own pool. At this size that is unusual, and it is the main reason we put couples here.

The second reason is the transfer. The last speedboat leaves the airport at 02:00. A late-night landing from Delhi or Mumbai does not cost you a night in Malé, which is exactly what happens at a seaplane-only resort.

Getting there

The island sits 54 km from the airport. Seaplane luggage is capped at 20 kg checked and 5 kg hand per person, and Trans Maldivian charges for excess, so pack to that if you are flying in.

The villas

Every villa has a private pool, a king bed, an indoor bathroom with double sinks and an outdoor bathroom with a tub and rain shower, a Nespresso machine, minibar, IPTV and a Bluetooth soundbar. There is no category here without a pool, which is why the entry rate sits higher than resorts that sell you a pool as the upgrade.

Eating, honestly

Noo Faru handles breakfast, lunch and dinner. The two speciality restaurants alternate nights: Nonna, the Italian, opens Monday, Wednesday and Friday; Ke-Un, the Pacific Rim kitchen, opens Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Spa Corner does a light lunch and Ufaa Bar covers the day by the pool.

That matters on a short stay. On any given night you have Noo Faru plus one speciality, not a choice of four. Over three nights you will eat at one speciality twice or at both once, depending on which days you land. If you are picturing a resort where you pick a different restaurant each evening, this is not that resort. In-villa dining runs 24 hours and is charged separately whatever plan you are on.

The reef, the diving and the spa

The house reef wraps the whole island, and it starts at the beach rather than a boat ride away. Turtles, rays and reef sharks are routine. MSTS run the dive centre and will take beginners through to nitrox and fluorescence night dives.

The spa is the reason a lot of people choose Kagi over its neighbours. Baani Spa is built over the water with four treatment rooms, steam rooms, a salon and a yoga studio where the sound therapy sessions are the thing guests come back talking about. The gym is overwater too, with Precor kit. A resident doctor keeps clinic hours on the island, which is worth more than it sounds an hour from Malé.

What this actually costs

Rates move with season, villa and plan, so we quote rather than publish. What we can tell you now:

• Green tax is US$12 per person per night, set by the government and payable by every guest aged two and over.
• TGST at 17% and the resort service charge apply on top of the room rate. Whether they sit inside a quoted figure varies by contract, so we put it in writing on every costing.
• Transfers are quoted separately and we price both routes, because the speedboat and the seaplane are not close in cost and the right answer depends on your flight time.
• The Premium All-Inclusive package adds a sunset cruise, premium spirits and wines and dine-around across the restaurants. In-villa dining stays chargeable.

Who this isn't for

Children of all ages are welcome, but understand what that means here. There is no kids' club, no children's pool and no dedicated family villa. Families do stay and enjoy it when the children are old enough to be happy in a pool and on a reef. If you need somewhere to hand them over at ten in the morning, book elsewhere and we will tell you where.

It is also a small island, 42,000 square metres, walked end to end in about fifteen minutes. And if you want six restaurants, read the dining section again. Kagi is a good island for a couple who want a pool, a reef and a serious spa, and a poor one for anyone who gets restless.

Location

Kagi Island, North Malé Atoll, Maldives

For current rates, villa availability and transfer costs, message our Maldives specialists on WhatsApp or send us an enquiry. We reply within 24 hours.