Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

This quintessentially luxurious, toes-in-the-sand resort has entered a league of its own, with the opening of the world’s first undersea villa. 

Indagare Loves

• The sense of privacy that’s easy to find anywhere on property
• The glass floors in the Overwater Spa, where you can peer hypnotically over rainbow fish and corals during your massage
• Afternoon tea in Ithaa, the undersea restaurant that started it all
• Chinese Hot Pot on the beach at Uffaa

Comprising a duo of palm-blanketed tropical islands connected by a wood-plank bridge, Conrad Rangali Island is reachable by a 30-minute seaplane ride from Malé’s international airport. Here, the pristine cerulean water and ivory sand somehow play second fiddle to the top-notch facilities, friendly staff and a dozen superb culinary offerings. Conrad Rangali is also a place of superlatives, having debuted two of the world’s first undersea offerings: the Ithaa restaurant and the straight-out-of-James Bond villa The Muraka.

When it opened as the Maldives’ first internationally branded resort in 1997, Conrad Rangali Island also introduced the now-iconic stilted overwater bungalows to the country, but they are no longer the only fabulous accommodations here. Additional options include beach suites (complete with private pools), exclusive “sunset” water villas and, of course, the two-level Muraka—half of which sits 16 feet below the water’s surface. Meaning “coral” in the local language, Muraka has hosted Hollywood royalty as well as royal families, and guests enjoy VIP clearance at the Malé airport; 24/7 butler and security service; and a private speedboat at their disposal. For those lucky enough to sleep inside, it’s an unreal, almost otherworldly experience to wake up underneath a school of fish.

Staff-driven golf carts buzz around the resort to escort guests throughout the sprawling property, which includes 12 exquisite and varied dining options. A highlight is Ufaa, serving refined Asian dishes.

Excursions include snorkeling, whale-watching and visits to nearby islands, where the Conrad Rangali team leads sustainable, community-driven initiatives. The resort helped to build a library on Dhidhoo Island (one of the smallest communities in the Maldives, with fewer than 150 residents), and the property has a lush garden that incorporates both traditional growing methods and innovative hydroponics, which they have transplanted to the civilian islands of Dhigurah and Dhangethi, just a 30-minute boat ride away.

Conrad Rangali Island’s environmental efforts are particularly important in an ecosystem as delicate as the Maldives. A coral revitalization program allows guests to sponsor their own metal frame on which they can attach broken coral pieces to help regrow a reef. And rather than importing bottled water to such a remote location, the resort's entire potable supply is provided by a desalination plant right on the island. 

The Maldives is a destination synonymous with honeymoons and romantic getaways, but discerning families will feel just as welcome at Conrad Rangali Island thanks to a wealth of activities (many with an educational focus) to keep younger guests entertained. The resort has an adults-only section (named “The Quiet Zone”) with its own pool.

- Paul Jebara