10 Photos: Ithaa Undersea Restaurant in the Maldives
Perhaps the Maldives' best-known attraction, Ithaa restaurant is located at the Conrad Rangali Island. TPG Editor-in-Chief Zach Honig had a chance to dine there last week.
From overwater villas and five-star facilities to incredibly friendly staff and jaw-dropping natural beauty, there's a lot to love about the Maldives. It's a long trip from the US — my girlfriend and I took a very indirect route, flying United to Sydney to catch Etihad's A380 Apartment to Abu Dhabi, but you can expect to spend at least 24 hours in transit, including the seaplane transfer from Male. Once you arrive, however, your travel woes are very quickly forgotten.
That is until the sticker shock sets in: Everything except the fish is imported, and that means sky-high prices for food and drink. You can categorize restaurants in the Maldives as either expensive or outrageously expensive, and Ithaa definitely falls within the latter. The restaurant is located at the Conrad Rangali Island, which TPG reviewed in 2013, and because of the requisite seaplane transfers, it's very difficult to visit Ithaa unless you're staying at the hotel.
Here's what you can expect once you arrive:
There isn't much to see from above. You access the restaurant through this small hut, which also contains a restroom (shared with another restaurant) and a small food prep area.
Scuba divers clean the outside of the restaurant just before each meal. Debris accumulates quickly, so be sure to take your pictures as soon as you arrive.
Dinner costs $390 (including tax and service) before factoring in drinks — arrive early (or at least on time) to make the most of your time undersea.
You don't have to pay to enjoy the view from above. Frequent feedings attract a variety of sea life, including colorful fish, sharks and even massive stingrays.
A bottle of wine will run you the same price as elsewhere at the resort, but the bottles on Ithaa's menu run well into the thousands of dollars. We settled on the same bottle we had with our cheese fondue the night before — a Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc that costs about $25 (retail) in the US, but ran us a whopping $146 (including taxes and service) at the resort.
You'll likely have a few encounters with this friendly guy. Stingrays move quickly, so be sure to have your camera ready at all times!
For many guests, food is an afterthought at Ithaa, but at $390 for dinner (or $238 for lunch, pictured above), the restaurant takes each course seriously. Because the hut above Ithaa is so small, hot items are cooked at another restaurant just a few feet away.
The meal begins with a complete caviar service. My girlfriend is a vegetarian (veggie meals cost $305 at dinner), but we still received a full tin.
The bright lights inside and around the restaurant creating an unusual undersea glow at night.
Dinner begins at 6:30pm on most nights, but it's at 8:30pm on Wednesday and Sunday. You'll see far more fish during daylight, so you'll want to opt for the earlier seating, if possible.
If you're looking to travel to the Maldives, I recommend flying The Apartment from New York for 90,000 AAdvantage miles after Etihad launches A380 service there in January. You can also redeem AA miles to fly British Airways (seasonal), Cathay Pacific or Qatar, Delta miles to fly Korean Air, United miles to fly Austrian (seasonal), Lufthansa (beginning in December), Singapore, Swiss (seasonal) or Turkish, or Alaska miles to fly Cathay Pacific or Emirates.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.