Review: A blissful break at Kagi Maldives Resort & Spa

Location: Kagi Maldives Resort & Spa occupies a tiny, circular island on the northern tip of North Malé Atoll. Guests can opt for a 15-minute seaplane arrival via Trans Maldivian Airways, but the best option is the resort’s speedboat or private yacht transfer. This takes about an hour, but means guests avoid waiting at the terminal. However, if clients choose the seaplane, Kagi’s dedicated lounge will ensure their wait is comfortable.

First impressions: After a customary Maldivian welcome – the infectious drum song boduberu is joyously played by beaming staff – we embark on a brief tour that reveals the island’s scale. Meandering sand pathways, softened by footprints and enveloped by luxuriant greenery, wind through the resort, giving way to serene wooden boardwalks lined with bungalows and stretches of almost iridescent sand dotted with loungers and hammocks. Kagi is elegantly simple and beautifully understated, and from the moment I arrive, I know I’ve fallen under its spell.