Dine amidst the ocean’s wonders at the world’s largest all-glass underwater restaurant

A heads-up for those planning to dine beneath the waves at the luxurious 5.8 Undersea Restaurant in the Maldives.

Your best table manners may be forgotten as you’re immersed in this underwater dining experience—along with your shoes.

Interrupting your companion mid-conversation becomes inevitable as you eagerly point out the incredible sea creatures passing by, from graceful reef sharks to, if you’re fortunate, an elusive octopus.

You may even fall into a quiet trance, captivated by the marine life surrounding you, from vibrant parrotfish to elusive moray eels and the tiny but fascinating mantis shrimp.

The world’s largest of its kind

Opened in late 2016, the 5.8 Undersea Restaurant is the largest all-glass underwater dining venue on the planet. Its name reflects its depth—5.8 meters (approximately 19 feet) beneath the surface.

This massive structure weighs in at 400 metric tonnes and spans 90 square meters.

To reach the restaurant, guests walk along a pier towards the resort’s over-water Aquarium Restaurant and then descend via a winding staircase leading to the undersea dining area.

Each of the 10 tables at 5.8 Undersea Restaurant offers guests a perfect view of the vibrant marine life just outside.

The coral reef encircling the tubular structure attracts an array of marine life, bringing them right up to the glass. It’s hard to shake the feeling that, while you're dining, the sea creatures might actually be observing you from the other side.

Does the cuisine live up to the breathtaking views?

It’s hard not to sympathize with the chef tasked with crafting a menu to compete with such mesmerizing surroundings.

However, during a recent visit by Dinogo Travel, German chef Bjoern van den Oever’s creations had us equally captivated by what was gliding past the glass and what was coming next on our seven-course dinner plates.

“It’s a lot of pressure,” confesses van den Oever, who leads a team of six chefs.

“We must match the surrounding beauty. The food needs to stay exciting, so no one ever gets bored.”

He mentions that many people initially underestimated the restaurant and arrived with modest expectations, only to be completely amazed by the experience.

“We aimed to create something truly special,” he says.

“It's more about creating a space where guests can enjoy a complete experience—a theater of sorts. Not just the fish outside, but the ones on the plate too. Everything is inspired by the surrounding environment: the coral, the fish. There are even small details where you can spot the reflection of the coral on your plate.”

The menu features a mix of distinctive meat and seafood dishes that highlight the natural flavors of both local and imported ingredients. One such dish is the 'Diver Scallops,' paired with apricot and almond vinaigrette.

“We take a single ingredient and strive to bring out its very best,” says the chef.

“We serve the scallop in two distinct ways: seared and as a tartare. This allows you to experience both the raw and cooked versions of the scallop, creating a fuller culinary experience.”

Every course, delivered via a small elevator from the kitchen above, is expertly paired with premium wines chosen by the resort’s sommelier.

In addition to the seven-course dinner, guests can enjoy a four- or seven-course lunch. Diners from other resorts are welcome, as long as they leave the kids behind—Hurawalhi is an adults-only destination.

According to van den Oever, some guests even fly in just to experience the lunch.

“I became a chef to bring joy to people,” he says. “And with a place like this, that’s an easy task.”

Build it, and the fish will follow.

The stunning natural reef surrounding 5.8 Undersea Restaurant was carefully cultivated by Hurawalhi’s dive instructor, Paige Bennett.

“I essentially gathered dislodged coral blocks that were no longer thriving,” she explains. “Then, I moved them to the restaurant, hoping they’d attract the marine life that once called them home.”

Initially, it was an experiment. She began with small coral fragments, and after just a few weeks, the corals began to regenerate.

Understanding the symbiotic relationship between certain fish and corals, she selected pieces that would attract specific fish, in turn drawing in even more marine life.

“Once I realized it was working, we began using larger coral blocks to create a natural reef ecosystem—one that would attract fish in a way that truly reflects the Maldives.”

“It’s a living, thriving reef system that will continue to grow on its own.”

While the diversity of marine life in the Maldives made it likely that 5.8’s corals would attract a wide range of species, Bennett admits they were still astonished by just how many different creatures decided to call it home.

“That’s what makes it so fulfilling now,” she reflects.

But before the coral could be established, the toughest challenge of all had to be tackled—actually constructing the restaurant itself.

Manufactured in New Zealand, the restaurant’s glass panels are 15 centimeters thick. They were shipped as a single piece and lowered into place using a custom crane—an intricate process that took two years to complete. (You can watch footage of the installation in the video above.)

Hurawalhi Island Resort

While some diners come to 5.8 from other resorts, the majority are guests staying at Hurawalhi Island Resort.

Nestled in the Maldives’ Lhaviyani Atoll, this five-star luxury resort was envisioned by Japanese architect Yuji Yamazaki of YYA New York and is operated by Crown & Champa Resorts.

Just a 40-minute seaplane ride from Male International Airport, the resort features 90 spacious, modern villas. Sixty of these are over-water villas, and the remaining 30 are located on the beach, with some offering private infinity pools.

The resort provides various dining and beverage packages, ranging from half-board to all-inclusive options. Along with the 5.8 Undersea Restaurant, guests can enjoy meals at the over-water Aquarium Restaurant or the buffet-style Canneli Restaurant by the beach. The buffet offers a wide array of high-quality selections—exactly what you’d expect from a top-tier resort.

Bars at the resort include the Coco Bar, located on the beach and open 24 hours, the Aquarium Bar perched above the water offering both indoor and outdoor seating, and the Champagne Pavilion at the end of the Ocean Villa jetty. The latter is the perfect spot for a sundowner, with the added bonus of regular dolphin sightings.

The resort offers a broad range of activities, from sports to excursions both on land and at sea, many of which are included at no extra cost.

The dive center caters to all levels of divers, from beginners to seasoned pros, with options to explore either the resort’s house reef or over 50 dive sites scattered throughout the Lhaviyani Atoll.

But in the Maldives, even the snorkeling is extraordinary.

Thanks to Hurawalhi’s prime location in the atoll, the area is a magnet for diverse marine life, including manta rays, reef sharks, and—during our visit, as witnessed by Bennett—a group of enormous sea turtles that regularly gather to graze on the abundant sea grass.

Hurawalhi Island Resort, Lhaviyani Atoll, Maldives; +960 6622000