Destination Dining: Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, the Maldives

Why go: Ithaa is that the world's 1st all-glass subsurface building, set 5 metres below water level at the Conrad Rangali Maldives Island resort within the Maldives. The view permits guests to dine whereas observance thousands of fish swim around them, all while not obtaining their feet wet.

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The experience: getting into the building is magic, rather like tumbling down a tropical version of Alice in Wonderland's rabbit burrow . Guests area unit diode across a picket breakwater to a small thatched tent, then pointed down a dark, winding stairway. At the lowest is Ithaa – primarily a small clear box, solely 9 metres long and 5 metres wide, with area for fourteen diners at a time. simply inches away through the glass, there area unit fish of each color and form possible. The luckiest diners would possibly glimpse turtles, stingrays or perhaps sharks.

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When it opened in 2005, Ithaa (the name means that "mother of pearl") was one among the terribly 1st underwater restaurants, and also the 1st to be created entirely of glass. With such a big amount of luxury hotels within the Maldives to settle on from, it absolutely was designed to supply the Conrad Rangali resort with a noticeable purpose of distinction, Associate in Nursingd its development was an exceptionally formidable enterprise. the complete 175-tonne structure was created in Singapore in exactly a number of months before being transported over by ship and ruined onto steel legs on the bed. Maintaining it isn’t easy: for one issue, the glass should be cleansed daily.

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The novelty setting is undeniably Ithaa's main draw, however the food is great – notably considering that the one,000-plus islands that frame the Maldives have little or no agricultural worth and the majority food should be foreign. (The resort takes delivery of 5 tonnes of food every week, containing everything from Australian wagyu beef to French chocolate and Caspian Sea caviar).

The four-course lunch and six-course dinner menu area unit mostly up to date European fashionable , and well-executed, albeit with the odd jarring note once Associate in Nursing ingredient pairing does not quite work. i attempted a spirited contemporary pea soup with sage butter and (rather unnecessary) tomato confit; far better was the inexperienced mango and papaya dish, mouth-puckeringly zingy, served with utterly cooked scallops and a sweet mouthful of carrot mousse.

What to order: Fish – unless you are feeling guilty regarding consumption it in plain sight of its brethren. All fish is caught regionally, mistreatment the property pole-and-line methodology (fishing nets area unit prohibited within the Maldives). the simplest dish is one among the simplest: the daily-changing ‘reef fish’, like snapper or grouper, served grilled with cooked kale and a zesty, lemon-spiked mash.

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Who’s behind it: Italian-born cook Marco Amarone, World Health Organization has worked all over from the Philippines to Bermuda, heads up the team.

Where to stay: The building is barely hospitable guests of the Conrad Rangali however fortunately, the five-star resort is Associate in Nursing idyllic place to remain. meet 2 islands connected by a bridge, it offers a spread of accommodation, from beachside homes to "sea villas", ancient picket structures perked on stilts on top of the turquoise water.

What else to do:Though the Maldives specialises in luxury experiences on the far side compare, it's laborious to beat on a daily basis merely spent swimming, sunbathing and snorkelling. except for some stimulating insight into native life, it's value creating your time to go to the extraordinary capital, Male, wherever some a hundred and fifty,000 folks area unit crammed onto Associate in Nursing island but six sq. kilometres in size. it's [*fr1] Associate in Nursing hour away by ocean plane.

Getting there: Bookings for Ithaa may be created by contacting a edifice representative on +960 668-0629. A four-course set lunch prices around £150; the six course dinner menu is £230; mid-afternoon "cocktail hour", as well as a glass of champagne and choice of canapes, is £50. Rooms at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island (+960 668 0629) begin from £737 per night. British Airways offers direct flights to Male to London from £732.