When researching what to do in the Maldives, we spent most of the time researching the website of the resorts we planned on visiting. After all, in most cases, travelers land on a private island and stay on that private island. During my Maldives research, though, I never thought we would end up in an underwater restaurant. About 5.8 meters underwater to be exact. Here we share our 5.8 Restaurant Review at Hurawalhi Maldives.
5.8 Restaurant Maldives At Hurawalhi Resort
Hurawalhi Island Maldives is home to a series of Maldives overwater villas and bungalows, as well as beachfront rooms. They have several restaurants and bars with views over crystal clear Maldives water. Hotel Hurawalhi Maldives offer a room rate as well as a Hurawalhi Island Resort all-inclusive rate. They also offer all sorts of activities to allow any Maldives traveler to be as active as they want. We spent more time poolside, enjoying our luxury villa under the beautiful Maldives sky.
One of the most unique things to do in the Maldives is to dine at an underwater restaurant. That is just what we did at 5.8 Restaurant at Hurawalhi Maldives. In this post, we share everything you need to know to dine underwater in the Maldives. It’s the perfect way to view the Maldives blue waters.
Approaching 5.8 Restaurant Maldives
Just before dusk, we left the soft sands of the Maldivian island where we were spending our luxury holiday in the Maldives. Up to that point, our stay at Hurawalhi Maldives was already magical, filled with an overwater villa, bright blue seas, and spa treatments.
We walked onto a jetty that juts out into the warm Indian Ocean. As we walked along, we looked to either side and spotted small, black-tipped reef sharks, that seemed to be circling us.
Just before hitting Aquarium restaurant, where dined the night before, we made a left turn down another overwater walkway. This one offered views of Hurawalhi island resort to the left, and the sea to the right. We crossed over several glass panels, which offered views to the world underwater, just below our feet. This was just a sign of what was about to happen. our server asked us to remove our shoes. I was happy to comply. I always think dining barefoot is something special.
Descending Below The Water At 5.8 Restaurant
Our server opened the double doors, almost as though he was presenting another world to us. And, in some ways, he was. We started to walk down a narrow spiral staircase, descending further and further away from the light above. Around each bend was a window offering the views that surrounded us. The first view included about 15% of the land above the water line, and I could catch a glimpse of the resort in the distance. The rest of the view was dark blue. We were descending into 5.8 Restaurant, the largest underwater restaurant in the Maldives.
After several more twists and turns, we arrived at the dining room. When learning about our underwater restaurant experience at Hurawalhi, I worried that I would suffer from claustrophobia. It’s been a recent occurrence, which has crept up during an MRI and a crowded flight to Ireland, as well as at other inopportune times. I did not want to ruin my once in a lifetime chance to experience dining in an undersea restaurant because of my “issues.” I was concerned that I would feel like I was eating in a submarine. My concerns were clearly unfounded. In fact, 5.8 Restaurant is the biggest restaurant in the world . . . under the water!
Check out our YouTube Video to see more about eating in an underwater restaurant in the Maldives:
What It Is Like To Eat In An Underwater Restaurant
Once I stepped onto the dining room floor, I was mesmerized. Eight two-top tables, four lining each wall. A half-moon shaped ceiling, high enough that Eric cleared it with no problem. And, the most important part, fish as far as the eye could see. On the left was a small coral reef, and a deep ravine that seemed to go on forever. On the right, a small boat, similar to a canoe, with coral and sea life surrounding it. And, fish. Everywhere.
The polite staff tried to their best to corral us, and the handful of other diners, to the table, to look over the tasting menu, to order wine. But, we were all too mesmerized. Obviously, we had to set up our cameras for photos and videos, and obviously I was interested in the seven-course menu we were about to eat. But, I couldn’t take my eyes off the fish. It was as though we were experiencing the Maldives underwater.
Earlier that day, we took a brief little snorkeling trip around the house reef that surrounds Hurawalhi resort. I saw some fish, a star fish too. Generally an enjoyable snorkel. I know I would have seen more if I had taken one of the half day snorkeling trips on offer. But, while dining underwater I felt that I didn’t need to go snorkeling, and the photos I took on my earlier trip with our GoPro HERO4 Silver paled in comparison to what I was seeing during dinner.
Tiny, glowing bait fish. Bright yellow and black clownfish. Pufferfish. Large fish. Small fish. Red fish. Blue fish. Yes, dining in an underwater restaurant, and spotting the different types of fish was like walking through a Dr. Seuss book.
The 5.8 Undersea Restaurant Menu
The food was well prepared. Although the meal did not include what would be considered traditional Maldives food, the contemporary dishes we just lovely. The service was friendly. Because the restaurant had just opened a few days before we dined, it seemed some of the service staff was just as amazed as we were with our surroundings.
We dined on oysters and scallops and steak, all as the sun set, turning the underwater dining experience into a more mystical one. A few well-placed lights on either end of the restaurant illuminated the sea like I’ve never seen before. I am sure this is slightly similar to a nighttime dive, an experience I will most likely never have. For me, this was the perfect type of underwater experience. I was safe and dry. I was eating a good meal, with a nice bottle of wine, sitting and chatting, all while watching the underwater world around me. It was truly an amazing experience.
Where To Eat At An Underwater Restaurant In The Maldives
There seems to be a trend in the luxury hotel and hospitality world of doing everything bigger, or better, or now deeper. The competition between the Maldives restaurants is steep, as each resort attempts to outdo the luxury resort on the next island. There are even Maldives underwater hotel options.
We dined at 5.8 Restaurant during our stay at the recently opened luxury hotel, Hurawalhi Resort. The restaurant is named 5.8 because it is 5.8 meters underwater. Although there is one hotel that offers a deeper Maldives underwater restaurant experience (at 6 meters, go figure), 5.8 is the largest underwater restaurant. Even with my claustrophobia, I had no problems whatsoever, as the restaurant felt very spacious.
FAQs – Undersea Restaurant Maldives
5.8 Undersea Restaurant Reviews – Updated 2019
We visited the Maldives in November 2017, just when the hotel opened. They were still finding their feet. Since then, Hurawalhi Maldives has refined its offerings for 5.8 Underwater Restaurant Maldives.
- How much is the 7 course set menu at 5.8? There are several menu options at 5.8 Restaurant Maldives. There is a 4-course lunch menu, a 7-course lunch menu, and two 7 course dinner menus. The prices range from $190-$280 per person.
- Are there less expensive options? The least expensive option is the 4-course lunch menu for $190.
- Is it possible to visit 5.8 Restaurant without dining? Unfortunately, not. Hurawalhi Maldives tries to keep the intimacy and exclusive nature of dining at an underwater restaurant.
- Is it possible to dine underwater, but stay at another resort? It is possible to book online for tables of 2. For larger groups, it is necessary to work with the hotel on the reservation. 5.8 Undersea Restaurant is set up with a series of two top tables but can be arranged for groups of four or more. Hurawalhi will arrange transport for you to Hurawalhi island, but there is an additional charge, depending on how far your resort is.
- What time is the reservation? Lunch reservations are at 12:30. There are 2 dinner sittings, at 6:15 and 9:15.
- Can you book the underwater restaurant as a private dining room? Yes, it’s possible to arrange a private champagne brunch under the sea.
5.8 Undersea Restaurant Price: The 7-course set menu costs $280 USD. We were on the All Inclusive Plus package at Hurawalhi, so wine was included, although the meal was a surcharge. Although the tasting menu might seem pricey, everything is pricey in the Maldives, and this experience would be worth it! Dining underwater is one of the top things to do in the Maldives!
Traveling to the Maldives?
Where to Stay in the Maldives:
Learn more about Hurawalhi Island Resort Maldives, one of the newer luxury Maldives resorts (5 Star): Book on Booking.com | Book on Hotels.com | Rooms from $900 a night
Other nearby resorts operated by Crown & Champa Resort are nearby, including:
Komandoo Island Resort (5 Star): Book on Booking.com | Book on Hotels.com | Rooms from $550 a night
Kuredu Island Resort (4.5 Star): Book on Booking.com | Book on Hotels.com | Rooms from $300 a night
Book a 7 Night Island Hopping Tour From $1,150 per person.
*This post contains compensated links. Find more info in my DISCLAIMER.
Pin It!! Underwater Restaurant Maldives
We were hosted by Hurawalhi and the Crown and Champa resort family, but all opinions, yummy sounds, and fishy tales, are of course my own.
Amber Hoffman, food and travel writer behind With Husband In Tow, is a recovering attorney and professional eater, with a passion for finding new Food and Drink Destinations. She lives with her husband, Eric, in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. Together over the last 20 years, they have traveled to over 70 countries. Amber is the author of the Food Traveler’s Guide to Emilia Romagna.
This place is on my bucket list. I bet sitting there observing the marine life is gorgeeous.
It’s a must go for sure!
Hi. Excellent blog! I’m looking at Hurawalhi for my honeymoon. Is the $280 each or total for you and your husband? Thanks!
You will love it for your honeymoon, I promise! It is best to contact the hotel for current pricing on the dinner, as things might have changed. We were also there only 4 days after opening, so I assume things have changed.
is it better at lunch or dinner?
We only did dinner, so it is hard to compare. There are two seatings for dinner, one is at dusk, so we entered when it was still light out and left when it was dark. To me, that’s the best of both worlds.