Just Another Day In Paradise

Joel Chua finds out what makes Conrad Maldives Rangali Island that rare and special place.

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It’s a clear, breezy morning and I’m on a yacht cruising the azure waters of South Ari Atoll – one of the rare places in the world where the majestic, yet elusive whale shark can be spotted year-round. Suddenly, the captain points ahead and the boat surges forward. In the near distance, I glimpse dorsal fins peeking out from beneath the blue. It’s a pod of spinner dolphins, fast on the move. Before I know it, the dolphins have encircled us, gliding near enough that I can reach out to touch them. One leaps out of the water, followed by another; each performing a seamless spin midair – an emphatic flourish. Then as if on cue, the pod vanishes and the magic subsides just as quickly as it had appeared – it’s just another day in the Maldives.

As the first internationally branded resort in the Maldives, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island deserves its moniker as ‘the island of firsts’. A 30-minute seaplane ride from Male’s Velana International Airport, the 151-villa resort is composed of two private islands: the larger Rangali-Finolhu Island and the tranquil adults-only Rangali Island.