Gili Lankanfushi Maldives unveils its enhanced Gili Lagoon Retreat, a two-bedroom overwater villa linked by a new walkway to its own private island.
Few travel fantasies are as potent as a Maldives getaway, especially one where you have an island, however small, entirely to yourself. At Gili Lankanfushi, that fantasy just got a lot more literal.
The resort, long known as a pioneer of barefoot luxury in the Maldives‘ North Malé Atoll, has unveiled its enhanced Two Bedroom Sunset Villa, newly rebranded as the Gili Lagoon Retreat. Set on Jetty 3, the villa’s 369 square meters of overwater living now come with an unusual bonus: a private 65-metre walkway leading straight to Three Palm Island, a secluded islet guests can claim as their own for the length of their stay.
It’s a small architectural move with an outsized effect on the way a stay unfolds. Mornings might start with coffee on the deck, feet still damp from a step directly into the lagoon; by afternoon, you’re crossing the walkway to a private beach, a sandbank, or a swim with nowhere else in sight. Early risers get their reward too — while Jetty 3 is famous for its sunsets, the private island faces east, making for unforgettable sunrises, ideally with breakfast already laid out.
Inside, the retreat sleeps up to four across two en-suite bedrooms, including a master with a king bed and daybed, and a guest room with its own outdoor shower and pantry, alongside a steam room and private wellness space, a semi-open-air bathroom with a soaking tub and ocean views, and a rooftop terrace strung with a traditional Maldivian swing. The 24-hour Mr./Ms. Friday butler service, a Gili Lankanfushi signature, handles everything from private dining to sandbank picnics on request.
The walkway itself was a project of the resort’s own engineering team, led by Ahmed Majid, who has spent 16 years at Gili Lankanfushi. Built from Yellow Balau timber over a Pine substructure with marine-grade fittings chosen to withstand the elements, it’s a small feat of in-house craftsmanship as much as a design flourish.
For travellers coming from Asia, the appeal is compounded by logistics: Gili Lankanfushi sits just 20 minutes by speedboat from Malé International Airport, a shorter transfer than many resorts deeper in the atolls, with regional connections through Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Colombo. As of this year, a new direct link from London widens the resort’s reach further still.
In a destination where every resort claims some version of seclusion, having an actual island to walk to is the kind of detail that’s hard to argue with.
