CONRAD MALDIVES BUCKET LIST HOTEL EXPERIENCE

Comprising of more than 1190 coral islands and 26 Atolls, Maldives is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and should be at the TOP of your bucket list!

After our exotic trip to French Polynesia in March, we knew we had to get back to the tropics! We were brainstorming where to go and we thought about Maldives since it was another destination so high on our bucket list! Maldives is a South Asian country, located in the middle of the Indian ocean, southwest of India and Sri Lanka.

Traveling from NYC to Maldives is not the easiest trip. It was very long to be honest, but SO worth it. We flew from Newark to Dubai, then from Dubai to Male. You should be aware that Maldives is a Muslim country and alcohol is illegal. Don’t bother stopping through the duty-free stores in Dubai or bringing fancy wine with you. It’s not worth it and they will confiscate it instantly when you land in Male! (we learned the hard way with a bottle of vino)

Male is the capital of Maldives and it’s a local island without big resorts and properties. It’s confusing because when you arrive to Male airport, you don’t really arrive on Male island itself, you actually arrive on Hulhulé Island. To get to Male Island you take a short shuttle bus (about 15 minutes) that brings you to your small seaplane that then takes you to your next island, which is usually included from the resort you will be staying at! Sounds confusing right? It’s just a lot of steps and you should be aware before just booking a flight to Maldives thinking it’s easy to get around.

Upon departing Male en route to our first resort we took a tiny sea plane from Male to The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island using Trans Maldivian Airways, one of the only seaplane transfer companies in the area. The seaplane experience was something I’ve always wanted to do. I was just claustrophobic because it was so tiny – the plane itself probably holds eight passengers total. Taking off on the water was an amazing experience. The moment you get into the air the views of the Atolls below make it all worth it! The flight to our first destination was about 30 min, but don’t be surprised if you take an unexpected stop at other resorts to drop off guests!

Our first stop was Conrad Maldives at Rangali Island, which was one of the best and most luxurious hotels we have ever stayed at.

We were greeted instantly by the friendly Maldivian staff at Conrad and they brought us to our overwater bungalow room by golf cart, as the resort is spread out over 2 large islands with a small bridge connecting the two islands. The overwater bungalow room was something out of a magazine and watching sunrises & sunsets everyday over the Pacific Ocean felt like a dream. The very spacious pool villa room included a king bed, huge bathroom (with shower and tub) and my absolute favorite part, the jacuzzi and lounge chairs on the deck! And of course don’t forget about your private stairway leading down into the crystal clear blue ocean! The jacuzzi was one of the best additions because it was perfect way to end your night (or start your morning) when you just want to warm up and look up at the stars!

We visited in September which is low season and rainy season in the Maldives, however we got extremely lucky with weather! You are always going to be rolling the dice if you travel somewhere during rainy season. Even though it would rain on and off in between the sun, there were always plenty of ways to keep busy and enjoy yourself! The rain in Maldives also lasts for 20-30 min at a time until the hot heat from the equator comes back out. The heat didn’t bother us though, we spent a lot of time floating in the ocean and all the pools. ‘The Quiet Zone’ aka as an adults only pool was our favorite and will leave you speechless, it has a huge overwater infinity sticking out at least 50 feet over the water with the never ending sea of turquoise in the distance!

On our first full day in Maldives, we first did a property tour of the two islands.

Something interesting about Maldives is that a lot of the islands here have their own time (island time is a real thing here). It’s typically an hour behind local time in Male and leaves you with ‘more time’ to some more activities!

Shark feeding at the Mandhoo Restaurant!

Conrad Maldives is built up of two islands that make up the resort. The first island is the main island where guests begin upon their arrival has the front desk, activity desk, main restaurant, water sports center and 24 hour gym.

Blending into the jungle before heading to Conrad Maldives 24 hour gym!

The second island is where the overwater bungalow properties are as well as ‘The Quiet Zone’ adult pool, spa and beachside yoga! When not spending time in our own bungalow or the adult infinity pool, the majority of our time was spent on the main island as it contains the most attractions for guests.

Half way through our Conrad experience we were lucky enough to be put in the Sunset Water Villa for our remaining nights! With only two Sunset Water Villas on the whole property, these are set on stilts over the lagoon, the glass floors in the living room of this villa provide views of the marine life all day and night! Complete with butler service, glass floors, outdoor whirlpool, a huge private infinity pool, ocean-view bathtub and a spinning master bed that rotates 270 degrees, it’s safe to say this is the ultimate couples getaway spot! You can spend your days drinking cocktails and lounging in your private infinity pool or taking a leisurely stroll around your secluded sand bar off of the villa! And with amazing amenities like this, it certainly comes with a price tag.

For lunch most days we headed to the Rangali Bar, a restaurant open all day with a variety of delicious cocktails, appetizers and entrees. It’s by far the most laid back dining outlet at the resort and it is located at the edge of the main pool, overlooking the gorgeous lagoon.

The Indian influence is huge in Maldives since the country is located south of India. Maldivian cuisine is often hot and spicy. They love their spicy fish curries and fish soups! We ordered the Kerala fish curry with coconut and ginger, SO delicious!

We also decided to be Americans and order a club sandwich made with oven baked chicken breast, ham, back bacon, egg, tomatoes and cheese, served with a mixed salad and french fries! So classic we couldn’t resist!

Another great feature at the resort was the 24 hour boat service that would bring you back and forth from the two islands!

It was the perfect spot to catch the sunset!

After a full breakfast we were ready to go and shoot and explore!

Breakfast at ‘Atoll Market’ on the main island was easily the best breakfast buffet I’ve ever experienced at a resort. I’m not sure if it was the variety or just how well they did everything. My favorite part was the juice/smoothie station where you can make up your own combination. They also had copious amounts of tropical fruits, cereals, pastries/breads, sushi, waffles, pancakes, an egg station, and a heap of other hot breakfast options.

Maldives cuisine is pretty simple because essentially all that grows there are coconuts, yams, mangoes, papayas and pineapples; the only other locally occurring products are fish and seafood! Simple yet so delicious!

After breakfast on our last day, we were invited to experience a champagne/canape under the sea at Conrad’s underwater restaurant: ‘Ithaa’ The restaurant was everything I expected and MORE. Ithaa’ is actually the FIRST under water restaurant in Maldives and in the world!  For those wondering, it was actually built in New Zealand and shipped to Maldives. It was the craziest experience to dine under the sea while fish, sharks and rays swim all around you! It is definitely a must see if you’re visiting Conrad Maldives, it was the coolest place we have had lunch to date! Bucket list material for sure!

One most memorable night at Conrad Maldives was definitely the dolphin sunset cruise.

This cruise was everything and more. It was about a 2 1/2 hour cruise and the captains knew exactly where to spot the dolphins. We felt so grateful that we were able to see them because they don’t always jump out of the water! It was the perfect sunset too, complete with copious amounts of champagne and small bites!

Although the food and drinks are extremely expensive at the Conrad, every cocktail and food item is created passion and amazing flavors, some of the best food we have ever experienced at a resort. For cocktails we ordered a Conrad Rangali Colada made with Captain Morgan Spiced Rum + Coconut foam + Lime + Kafir Lime leaves + Pineapple served straight up. Evan enjoyed a Rangali Berry Sling made with Havana Club 7 years Rum + Dash of Jameson + Fresh Blueberries + Fresh Pressed Ginger + Crème De Mure Served long over crushed ice. Conrad Maldives has internationally trained mixologists that prepare the most amazing cocktails to make your experience the best possible!

We loved enjoying lunch on our overwater bungalow too! Since Maldives is almost 99% sea, it is not surprising that fish is the most important staple of the Maldivian diet. We ordered the kerala fish curry with coconut and ginger again because we couldn’t get enough! The cuisine is a mix of Arabic, Indian, Sri Lankan and Asian influences. Coconuts are also found in almost every Maldivian dish. Coconut milk rice was our absolute favorite side dish!

Our last Maldivian night was filled with cotton-candy sunsets, palms and the beach. I could have easily stayed here forever!

We spent 4 nights on this dreamy island and it was the perfect amount of time. We already can’t wait to come back to Conrad Maldives –  a dream destination that everyone needs to experience at least once in their lifetime!

If you would like to know any other tips, feel free to leave a comment below!

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