TRAVEL: Head over to Maldives for a relaxed and responsible barefoot holiday

Oodles of sunshine, pure breeze, balmy weather, and a bright blue sea comprise any water baby’s checklist. Inject it with doses of luxury and you have the recipe for a perfect holiday. If the tropical islands of Hawaii or Polynesia are too distant for a quick getaway, Maldives can be a perfect choice closer home. Among the myriad of luxe options spoiling one for choice, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island – an idyllic twin-island paradise dotted with over 151 villas and suites --- surely features among the top 10 properties offering the best of nature and luxury in this part of the world.

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Nestled in jade blue waters of South Ari Atoll, and spread across two beautiful islands (Rangali and Rangali Finolhu) linked by a 500-metre bridge, Conrad Maldives captures your heart from the very moment you set foot on this property. A 40-minute scenic flight in a rumbling sea plane gives you a bird’s eye view of the pristine and unspoilt islands and braces you up for the barefoot luxury awaiting you at the exclusive cays.

The water villas – our home for the next two days – nestled in quieter couples-only Rangali island are so discreetly away from each other that they offer all the privacy in the world for the much-in-love honeymooners. The cosy villas have infinity lounging pools and access to the adjoining lagoon, where you can have a swim along with the harmless sharks, turtles and manta rays that inhabit its waters.

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Refreshed to the core, we got ready on a jiffy for an evening of fun at the Mandhoo Spa Restaurant. We had a great time sipping some fine wine and relishing a balanced meal comprising all the five elements of nature including air, fire, water, earth and plants. The five-course meal familiarised our palates to a unique smorgasbord of organic flavours induced by slow cooking. We savoured every bit of the starter from the Air section of the menu called Black Angus Beef Tartar. Comprising cured egg yolk, pickled beetroot, fried caper berry, and roasted pine nuts, the flavours of the dish were further enhanced by the pickled ginger in it.

If fish is what you crave for then you may also find the Cinnamon Yellow Fin Tuna, garnished with mango kimchi and fermented and dehydrated chillies, a competent alternative. We settled for our mains from the Water section and the pan-fried Reef Fish replete with smoked potato garlic puree, baby shrimp, cray fish bisque and bottarga, was well past our expectation with its balanced mix of spice notes. If a dash of sweet is a necessary evil in your life, go for the summer pudding that comes with mixed berries, ginger bites and a dollop of mango ice cream.

The morning began with a soothing hour-long session of yoga amidst nature at their yoga centre followed by an organic breakfast at Vilu. Nestled amidst the palm trees overlooking the sea, nothing could be a better place to break your fast after a mindful yoga session. We kickstarted the day with a wholesome plate of poached eggs, avocado, chilli butter and sourdough and a detox juice of freshly pressed local fruits.

For an eclectic multi-cuisine spread and live stations serving up some lip smacking wonders, head straight to Atoll Market.

A tour around the twin islands of the picturesque property takes almost half a day and we strongly recommend a stroll around to soak all the natural beauty and spot the occasional sharks and manta rays coming up to the surface to say hello to the visitors.

Among all the exotic species in Maldives, the whale sharks are the rarest to find. For their reclusive nature, marine scientists across the world are yet to gather enough data about the species that feed primarily on planktons. The following day saw us chasing the ever-elusive whale sharks. We were adequately warned of the dejection that might follow after hours of sniffing the trails of this exquisite species in vain.

They rarely appear before the hopeful visitors setting sail in their quest. We embarked upon the same on a luxury yacht and after two tireless hours of skirting the waters, the whale sharks decided to oblige us. Getting signals from the local divers, we took the plunge into the cold waters of the Indian ocean to meet the friendly fins and were thrilled to watch a gigantic spotted one speed past down under the other side of our yacht. Mission accomplished, we steered back to shore, greeted on the way by a cheerful pod of dolphins and a bale of turtles. The rest of the afternoon was spent lazing at the sand-floored Rangali Bar overlooking the lagoon.

One can never get bored at Conrad Rangali in terms of food and lounging options with about 12 state-of-the-art diners to choose from. We had a memorable candle-lit dinner by the beach called the Fisherman’s Barbeque that’s organised on the white sand shores of the lagoon every Wednesday. With an elaborate seafood fare exhibiting the best of shrimps, lobsters, prawns, reef fish, squids, salmons, besides prime cuts, the delectable experience was heightened by live band music.

The last two days were spent at the deluxe beach villas which seamlessly fuse the charm of nature with modern amenities. The stunning expanse and comfort of the 3,299 sq ft of space impressed us with a ritzy bedroom, a spacious washroom with double vanity, a sprawling backyard with an open-air rain shower area, and a concrete elevated pavilion flaunting a couch and a swing for lounging. There’s a cute plunge pool in the frontside garden that leads you to the private beach area. If you have a bigger family, there are even more capacious versions of water and beach villas on offer.

But for those willing to splurge to guard their privacy, The Muraka -- a sequestered spot in the farthest tip of the island -- offers fully integrated living, dining, and entertaining options with bedrooms both above and below the Indian Ocean, a private deck area, an infinity pool, and a butler at service for 24/7.

The ultimate in barefoot luxury, Conrad Maldives also has the world’s first undersea diner, Ithaa. Cradled 5 metres under the surface of the Indian Ocean, it offers 180-degree panoramic views of the vibrant coral gardens and vivid sea life. Any guest or visitor can pre-book a dinner for a lifetime experience at this much sought after restaurant.

A luxe holiday never really gets over before a relaxing spa and we tried the same at the Overwater Spa set over the ocean. The glass-floored treatment rooms elevated the experience as we watched fleeting glimpses of the shoals of fish while getting a rejuvenating gemstone therapy.

The one thing we loved most about the entire trip is the sustainable approach that Conrad has adopted to preserve and nurture the eco-system of the surroundings. They have an in-house marine biologist looking after the baby corals in the lagoon’s protected nursery. We learnt how the meltdown is affecting the corals’ rate of survival, who cannot live beyond a temperature of 30-degree Celsius. We adopted a baby coral each, which were carefully tied with sustainable coconut ropes before being implanted in the lagoon’s nursery that’s monitored daily. Once the corals mature, they are replanted to the house reefs.

Also, the property shuns the use of plastic amenities including key cards, promotes solar-powered lighting, and has a hydroponic garden and banana plantation project in place.

Our verdict? The resort has all the trappings for all kinds of holidayers, whether you are a comfort creature or a nature-loving responsible globe trotter.

The author was at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island on invitation.