When visiting a tropical island, it’s expected for visitors to engage in activities such as scuba diving and surfing. But why not take it up a notch and gain an even more surreal experience by staying in an underwater hotel room or dining in an underwater restaurant? From waking up in the morning with sharks, to slurping oysters next to an angelfish, here are 15 underwater travel destinations you must pay a visit to.
1. Ithaa Undersea Restaurant – Maldives
Inside the Conrad Hilton Hotel, the Ithaa Undersea Restaurant offers an 180 degree panoramic view of the ocean and neighboring coral reefs (attracting lots of marine life). Diners can munch on their contemporary European fare while watching a nurse shark whiz by.
2. Atlantis’ Serpent’s Slide – Bahamas
The famous Atlantis Hotel in Paradise Island, Bahamas is known for its extracurricular water extravaganza, including the Serpent’s Slide. Visitors can slide inside a massive tube that takes you straight through the lagoon filled with sharks.
3. The Manta Resort – Zanzibar
Off the coast of Zanzibar in Pemba Island, a unique hotel floats above water with an extra downstairs room under the sea. Guests can stay downstairs to admire the sea from the comfort of their hotel room. Of course, you can always go diving near your hotel room, too.
4. Sea – Maldives
In the midst of a tropical paradise of an island, an underwater restaurant continues to wow its diners. Visitors can see the natural coral reefs and fish while dining on their friends. Yes, fresh seafood is on the menu.
5. Utter Inn – Sweden
This Swedish hotel may not look like much from the outside. But what’s inside tells a different story, an extra room below is submerged into Lake Malaren. Guests can sleep inside their cozy beds and pretend to live inside a fish tank.
6. Sentosa Resorts World – Singapore
It’s crucial to request one of the 11 ocean suites to book a room with a spectacular aquarium view. The aquarium, reputed to be one of the largest in the world is packed with manta rays and tropical fish.
7. Al Mahara – Dubai
Not only does this restaurant claim to have the best seafood in the country, but takes pride in its astonishing floor to ceiling massive aquarium (making diners feel like they’re nestled in the deep sea). Don’t be surprised if you start to feel like you’re inside an oyster shell, the architecture is inspired by it.
8. Guiness Deep Sea Bar – Sweden
When thinking of a submarine, most people will not think of it as a party spot. In Sweden, this undersea bar takes place inside a converted submarine serving fine drinks. Don’t mind the strange interior, it’s all made to look like shells.
Courtesy of Safarinow.com
9. Cargo Hold Restaurant – South Africa
Inside the Ushaka Marine World theme park, a spectacular restaurant takes place on the bottom of a ship. Diners can get great views of the undersea while eating their meals. Don’t expect lobsters on the menu though, since this theme park is mostly catered to kids. A hot dog will do.
10. Jules Undersea Lodge – Key Largo, Florida
Visitors have a choice of either hanging out in the undersea lodge for three hours (with pizza lunch) or stay overnight. Whether you’re staying overnight or not, visitors can scuba around the area and wave hello to their family members watching them from inside.
11. Red Sea Star Restaurant – Israel
If you ever wanted to know what the Red Sea looks like underwater, but don’t want to deal with scuba diving, this is your chance. The windows of this restaurant are literally right next to the coral reefs and allows diners to get better views of whatever marine creatures drift by.
12. Water Discus Hotel – Dubai
This underwater hotel is currently in the works in Dubai to host several hotel rooms nestled in the coral. The Water Discus Hotel will have three towers that strangely look like UFOs, will be several meter out in the ocean, and have a helicopter landing area on top of the hotel.
13. Subsix – Maldives
500 meters out in the ocean and six meters below, Subsix restaurant has spectacular views overlooking the corals of the Indian Ocean. Don’t forget to engage in some of their wine tastings, none of your friends will be able to brag that they tasted the finest chardonnay from the bottom of the sea.
14. Poseidon Undersea Resort – Fiji
The hotel is surrounded by a 5,000 acre wide lagoon full of wild marine life and reefs. If staying overnight in one of their impressive rooms isn’t enough, you can always get married or re-new your wedding vows underneath the lagoon.
15. Hydropolis – Dubai
Dubai must really want to be known for having undersea places. This not-yet completed hotel is planned to be 66 feet underwater in the Persian gulf, and each hotel room will be luxurious and suited for a Sheikh. So keep your eyes peeled and be the first in line to book a room during its grand opening.
