Paradise is just a plane ride away, or so it seems. There is no better way to describe the eight days we spent slowly travelling on Kagi Island in the Maldives. As picture perfect as life on this earth can get, with sparkling turquoise waters, and blue skies, Kagi Island is a brand new resort in the North Male Atoll in the Maldives.
Some background on the Maldives: The Maldives consists of 26 atolls in the Indian Ocean, and lies southwest of Sri Lanka and the southern tip of India. While the atolls, groups of islands, cover a large area, the islands together rack up to 115 square kilometers of land in total, not a lot of living space, indeed. These islands are home to approximately 555,000 people. There are 1,196 islands, with 189 of them inhabited by local residents and another 130 resort islands, such as Kagi.
Kagi was an uninhabited island until several years ago. A small uninhabited island existed, and the Champa Resort chain added to the island to create a property that is 10 acres or 42,000 square meters in size. Small indeed. Over water villas are part of the allure of the Maldives, but also help provide a solution to the challenge of limited dry land. A boardwalk built out on to the water creates beautiful living spaces, and increase the livable area of this tiny island. On Kagi there are 50 villas in total, with ten of them fronting on the beach and the remaining forty stretching out over the water.
We were lucky enough to have a water villa with a small infinity pool on our back deck that looked out over the Indian ocean giving us the luxury of lolling in fresh water and while feeling like we were in the ocean. Steps leading down into the ocean directly from our deck gave us easy access to the true treasures of this island, the coral reefs that surround the entire island. Twice daily we jumped into the warm, clear waters of the Indian ocean with fins on our feet and mask and snorkel securely attached to our faces in order to explore the wonders of the world below. How to describe the plethora of fish and sea life. Words cannot do justice to the colors and the variety of fish of every size, shape and color swimming among the colorful corals. The corals, opening and closing, bright blues, and startlingly pinks, others looking more like green leaves or plants, and yet others sculpture like in their stoic silence formed a perfect underworld garden.
The hidden underwater world that stretches out around the island is magical indeed. When you look out from above, all you can see is water. But put on your mask and put your head in the water and voila! There is an entire universe down there. I wonder how often this is so in the world above water. We live our lives seeing only what we see, oblivious to parallel worlds and perhaps parallel universes that exist. The underwater wonderland reminds us to be humble about what we think we know.
While snorkeling with our fins and masks was wonderful, we also took the opportunity to do some scuba diving, enjoying yet a different perspective on life under the surface. The satisfaction of diving well cannot be minimized. The ability to use skills that rarely get tested, to breathe slowly, relax at depths of 20 meters and more, and slowly swim alongside of fish both little and big, is thrilling yet relaxing at the same time. We spotted sharks, both big and little, tortoises, and stingrays along with schools of brightly colored fish, octopus, and of course the gorgeous corals.
Speaking of pleasures, the culinary adventures we encountered on Kagi were outstanding. Catering to the special needs of our kosher diet, including using new pots, fresh kosher fish, vegetables and spices, allowed us to experience the delights of Maldivian cooking at its best. Starring in the recipe category was the Maldivian fish stew with its emphasis on coconut milk, curry leaves and special spices. A private cooking class with Didi, the Maldivian chef introduced me to Garudhiya, a simple fish soup that Maldivians typically eat for breakfast or lunch, and banana flower salad, a crunchy creation spiced with garlic and onion. Eating al fresco, with an unobstructed view to the turquoise waters and swaying palm trees completed the delight.
How do you say goodbye to such a wonderful experience? Leaving the island was a quieter affair than the singing and drums that greeted us upon arrival, but shaking the hands of the assistant manager and staff, as we boarded the speed boat to take us back to the airport in Male, I felt as if I was leaving a little piece of my heart on the island. I can’t wait to go back to reclaim it!
בפעם הבאה קחי אותי אתך, אנא. איזה חלום
בשמחה!
So glad you were able to have such an amazing vacation😊