If there’s one thing that the Maldives does well, it’s dinner with a view. Beach views, sea views, pool views… One island that I visited even set its own time zone, one hour ahead of the rest of the Maldives, to ensure that the evening meal coincided with sunset. Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, a resort set over two islands in the South Ari Atoll, approximately 30 minutes from Malé airport by seaplane, has gone one step further in the name of an unforgettable dining experience, opening a restaurant five metres below the waves. This is Ithaa, the world’s first undersea restaurant. Diners sit within a dome of shimmering aquamarine as a multitude of marine life skirts overhead. Including, unsettlingly, sharks.

OK, the sharks in the Maldives are usually only three to four feet long, and don’t pose a threat to humans. But they have those hollow, unblinking eyes, which would be enough to distract me from my saffron champagne risotto. But, presumably, that’s all part of the fun. Fusion menus, fine wine and fear.

Ithaa, which showcases local flavours (think lobster carpaccio and reef fish tartare), has made Conrad Maldives something of a foodie hotspot. Counting the sub-aqua space, the resort boasts 12 eateries, including bars, beach dining and a wine cellar. Another jewel in Conrad Maldives’ culinary crown is Ufaa (meaning ‘happiness’ in the local language) by Jereme Leung, a Chinese restaurant serving handmade noodles, dim sum and hot pots. There’s also a teahouse here, where you can play mahjong after feasting on Peking duck and snow crab.

Propped up on stilts 50 metres into the Indian Ocean, there’s Sunset Grill, serving land and seafood as sting rays flit below – in a characteristic Conrad Maldives quirk, guests can order a specialty mustard menu. Mandhoo Spa Restaurant makes a similarly unique proposition: the promise of ‘tasting’ air, earth, fire, water and plants. The organic menu is categorised into the five elements, with dishes approximating their taste, temperature, moisture level and density.

At the Japanese Koko Grill, diners sit at benches surrounding chefs who cook teppanyaki-style with theatrics thrown in. There’s traditional Italian and an extensive wine list at Vilu Restaurant & Bar; cocktails incorporating ingredients from the hotel’s hydroponic garden at The Quiet Zone; and perfect pairings with black volcanic sand between your toes at the Maldives’ only cheese and wine bar. Conrad Maldives’ wine cellar resides two metres below the ground and is home to 18,000 bottles, including the incredibly rare first vintage of Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1995, and a Methuselah of Cristal 1990 Special Edition, which will set you back around £40,000. Here, guests can enjoy a six-course, paired degustation menu.

Eating isn’t the only thing to do at Conrad Maldives. The hotel recently launched a series of guest experiences: a lagoon tour explores the ‘House Reef’ and its coral restoration programme, concluding at the 500-metre wooden bridge which connects the resort’s two islands (one is adults-only), where manta rays are spotted seasonally. A guided nature walk, meanwhile, meanders from the hydroponic garden, where modern agricultural techniques are integrated with traditional practices to support the hotel’s garden-to-table culinary ethos, to a banana plantation. Guests can also embark on five- or three-day relaxation retreats consisting of restorative spa treatments, wellness consultations and specially-curated cuisine.

Or, of course, you could just kick back and enjoy your villa, of which there are 151 – your quintessential overwater set up, with each accommodation boasting private decks with plunge pools and steps into the open ocean. The master bedroom of The Muraka – a three-bed, two-level residence – is submerged 16 feet below sea level.

Just in case you hadn’t had enough of your dead-eyed, razor-toothed companions at dinner.

Rates for a Beach Villa start from £461 per night; Sunset Water Villa with pool from £1,697 per night; The Muraka from £8,188 per night, conradmaldives.com

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