Dine with rays, sharks and fish

The world's first all-glass undersea restaurant opens in the Maldives, 16 feet below the waves of the Indian Ocean

Guests enjoy Maldivian-Western fusion cusine while they marvel at the worlds only aquarium style restaurant at the Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa.

The first ever all-glass undersea restaurant in the world opens its doors for business April 2007 at the Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa. Ithaa will sit 16 feet below the waves of the Indian Ocean, surrounded by a vibrant coral reef and encased in clear acrylic offering diners 270-degrees of panoramic underwater views.

"We have used aquarium technology to put diners face-to-face with the stunning underwater environment of the Maldives ", says Carsten Schieck, general manager of Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa.

"Our guests always comment on being blown away by the color, clarity, and beauty of the underwater world in the Maldives, so it seemed the perfect idea to build a restaurant where diners can experience fine cuisine and take time to enjoy the views--without ever getting their feet wet."

Ithaa, which has an estimated life span of 20 years was "sunk" with the help of 85 tonnes of sand ballast loaded into its belly.

Created by MJ Murphy, a design consultancy based in New Zealand, Ithaa's distinctive feature is the use of curved transparent acrylic walls and roof, similar to those used in aquarium attractions.

"The fact that the entire restaurant except for the floor is made of clear acrylic makes this unique in the world," says Schieck, "We are currently planting a coral garden on the reef to add to the spectacular views of the rays, sharks and many colourful fish that live around the area."

Ithaa means pearl in Dhiveh, which is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by about 300,000 people in the Republic of Maldives where it is the official language of the country.

Seating only 12 people, Ithaa is a no shoes dining experience with dinner prices starting at $170. per person.

Site see:

Ithaa

Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa

Maldives

Goofy video shot in Ithaa

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