Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is an idyllic island paradise, with lush tropical greenery and unparalleled views of and access to the majestic Indian Ocean.
Lifetimes away from the outside world, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island celebrates the Maldives as it was meant to be – pristine, peaceful and extraordinary, in perfect harmony with the natural environment.
The best time to visit Maldives from November to March, when you can enjoy sunny weather with a fresh breeze from Indian Ocean. There are over 132 resorts located in Maldives and all of them are so different. Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is one of the most unique resorts in Maldives, reachable only by seaplane, which is 30-minute flight from capital Male. It sets on two private islands, both dense with palm trees and indigenous flora that create a natural castaway haven, connected by an impressive 500-meter bridge with perfect miles of white-sand beaches.
Discover white sharks, manta rays and dolphins with snorkeling, yachting, and diving. The resort is quite large, which makes it feel very private and secluded from other guests. Once you step on the island – forget about everything, your personal butler will take care about all details and make sure that you have a pleasant stay. There is a wide variety of rooms: water villas, beach villas, spa water villas, over-water spa rooms with contemporary design with a relaxed desert island ambiance.
These are set on stilts in shallow, placid water some 10-meters out from Rangali Island. Each features two bedrooms, full ablutions, kitchen, ample living space, and generous deck. A wide range of amenities, including 12 world-class restaurants (and many other amenities) are available on Rangali Finolhu across the bridge.
Eco tourism and sustainable tourism may be a hot topic in the travel industry at the moment, but it has always been an integral part of Rangali Island’s philosophy and of its mission statement. Conrad Maldives Rangali is on an eco-mission to make a difference.
Innovations are ongoing to make the resort fully sustainable. Wooden guest cards and paper drinking straws are just two innovations, complementing a ‘plastic free breakfast’. Much use is made of timber, thatch and other natural products in the chalets.
Conrad’s guests are encouraged to play an active role in reducing the use of harmful materials as they reinforce a positive impact while traveling as well as in their daily life at home offering eco-activities for both adults and children ranging from coral planting, beach clean ups and coral reef regeneration initiative with the resort’s marine biologists.
The drive for sustainable architecture comes into sharper focus during a visit to a neighboring, inhabited island. Guests experience a different way of being, as they contribute to their hydroponics garden. This empowers the island people to become self-sufficient, organically.
Surely, this is what ecotourism is all about? Sustainable architecture with a light, natural footprint, set within an ocean where you could swim in company of whale sharks, mantas, and dolphins. Or scuba and snorkel over brilliantly-varied coral reefs.
The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is home to not one, but two underwater structures: the Ithaa underwater restaurant, and The Muraka, very first underwater hotel suite.
Imagine exploring the ocean depths, with the sunlight glistening on the water surface above. Rangali hosts a world first, fusion-style, regional-seafood restaurant five meters (16 feet) below the ocean surface, surrounded by an underwater coral garden.
Access to this place they call Ithaa, meaning mother-of-pearl, is via a spiral staircase from a thatched pavilion at the end of a jetty. This structure is robust having survived the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami unscathed, and provides access to a mostly acrylic underwater structure.
The 16 by 30 foot (5 by 9 meter) prefabricated building accommodates 14 diners within an R-Cast acrylic form. Some 85 tons of sand ballast keep it firmly located on 4 steel piles. Guests enjoy a unique dining experience beneath a transparent roof, offering a 270° underwater view, observing pufferfish, angelfish, parrotfish, and plenty of others.
Ithaa Undersea Restaurant is one of the most amazing underwater restaurants in the Maldives where you can dine-in for 390 US dollars for dinner and 238 US dollars for lunch. The menu consists of seven-course set option of fine food, including dishes like caviar, Agnotti of duck, reef fish tartare, Maldivian lobster carpaccio, saffron, champagne risotto, black angus beef tenderloin, and foie gras, with glass of champagne per person.
If you long to sleep in a luxury bed 16 feet below sea level, then Rangali Island has a two-level hotel suite, Muraka, which means coral in the local language, with unparallel underwater view, allowing you to gaze at the aquatic life as they swim by. The ground floor at surface level comprises a master bedroom, en-suite twin bedroom, sun deck, and infinity pool. While a smaller R-Cast acrylic shape hosts a double bedroom with 270° panoramic underwater views below.
The Maldives underwater hotel is sky-high expensive. The Muraka offers a four-night package that costs US $200,000, which includes the cost of a personal chef, a butler, a three-bedroom villa with two bathrooms, a kitchen, living room, dining area, an infinity pool on the terrace and the use of a private speedboat.
The Muraka is a triumph of modern design and technology, delivering a truly transformative journey suited to amaze the most sophisticated explorers across the globe.
Guests arrive by private seaplane, or speedboat transfer from adjoining Rangali Finolhu resort. The rate includes a private on-call speedboat, complimentary jet skis, private butler and chef, on-call massage, spa treatments and a personal trainer. Ten concrete pilings hold the R-Cast acrylic form in place. Sweet dreams for the night.
