The World's First Ever Undersea Restaurant -Ithaa Undersea Restaurant

Located 16 feet below sea level, Ithaa is the world's very first undersea restaurant. It is situated at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island in Alif Dhaal Atoll in Maldives. Ithaa Undersea Restaurant is part of a project to rebuilt the Rangalifinolhu Island into a tourist attraction and was opened on April 15, 2005.

Ithaa Undersea Restaurant is made up of a 16 feet by 30 feet acrylic structure. The restaurant sits 5 meters below the sea and is surrounded by vibrant coral reef. The transparent roof of the structure offers a 270° panoramic underwater view. The restaurant very tiny and has a capacity of 14 people. But it offers diners a spectacular underwater view of colorful fish, sharks and other sea life in the surrounding coral reefs through curved, transparent acrylic walls.

To enter the restaurant, visitors climb down a spiral staircase in a thatched pavilion at the end of a jetty. It was designed and constructed by a New Zealand based design consultancy named M.J. Murphy Ltd. Ithaa’s distinctive feature is the use of curved transparent acrylic walls and roof, similar to those used in aquarium attractions including Sydney Aquarium, Ocean Park Shark Aquarium in Hong Kong, and the San Sebastian Aquarium in Spain.

Food served in the restaurant has evolved over the years and is now best described as contemporary European with Asian influences. In April 2010, to celebrate the restaurant's 5th anniversary, it was made possible to sleep in Ithaa for the night if the restaurant is not booked for dinner. The restaurant is also used for private parties and weddings.

The restaurant is owned by Conrad Maldives Rangali Island hotel which occupies two private islands in Maldives. The two islands are Rangali and Rangalifinolhu joined by a 500-metre footbridge. It has seven restaurants including the Ithaa Undersea Restaurant.