THE COASTAL
ESCAPIST

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is one of the original pioneers of the Maldives, boasting groundbreaking features like the first underwater restaurant and Residence. In an archipelago known for its luxury resorts, it has stood the test of time, and for good reason. It’s a retreat where guests return time and time again, where once honeymooners now celebrate wedding milestones, and what truly matters on vacation comes to the fore. The magic begins with arrival by seaplane, leaving the crowded seas near Malé to escape to a far-flung world surrounded by ocean. Yes, there are the sugar-soft white sands and turquoise waters, but something about the soul of Conrad Maldives makes it stand out among a sea of idyllic properties. It’s a true grand dame, having set the benchmark for barefoot luxury long ago. Spanning two natural islands connected by a bridge, the resort offers a twin-island sanctuary with timeless natural charm.

Everything here centers on the coast—the ocean and the sands—with colorful coral reefs and marine life calling this natural island home for millennia. These are best explored by snorkeling, and Conrad Maldives has a house reef just 50 meters from the beach, where turtles, mantas, and dolphins are frequently spotted. The island is alive with activities such as fishing and watersports, including sunset fishing, big-game fishing, and watersports like jet packs, X-blades, paddleboarding, and catamaran sailing through idyllic waters. Conrad Maldives is a world-leading dive destination with nearly 42 dive sites. Its position near the South Ari Atoll means guests can snorkel in the only spot in the world where whale sharks are sighted year-round.

For those who want to enjoy the ocean, but stay dry, there’s Ithaa, the underwater restaurant; the world’s first underwater residence, The Muraka, with its submerged master suite or the first overwater spa in the Maldives with its glass-bottom treatment rooms. The overwater spa evokes a minimalist-Maldivian aesthetic, where rooms allow you to spot fish and rays gliding past during treatments. Across the island, the Spa Retreat serves as an exclusive private wellness sanctuary, with individual suites with plunge pools and Maldivian craftsmanship. Conrad Maldives’s steadfast and elegant spirit grounds everything: timeless, yet constantly evolving. Overwater villas place the coast and ocean at the center of the experience, ideal hideaways for couples, while beach villas are the choice for families, nestled on the sands with private garden spaces. Also for families are the kids’ and teens’ clubs, hosting youngsters from three to 16 with marine adventures, sports, arts and crafts and culinary workshops.
Gastronomy also makes lazy coastal days even more blissful. You’ll be spoilt for choice at Conrad Maldives with 11 dining venues ready for culinary exploration, including the Maldives’ first dedicated cheese bar, but what makes this resort truly exceptional is its ability to allow guests to craft their own coastal escape, whether that’s adrenaline-pumping excitement or total relaxation as you take in the unspoiled beauty of this twin-island retreat. We expect you’ll end up doing a combination of both.

Explore CONRAD MALDIVES Rangali island

The coastline of Benoa Bay is one of the most picturesque in the world, where the gentle breeze carries the sweet fragrance of frangipani across untamed jungles and cascading waterfalls. Sitting in the shadows of the majestic Mount Agung in the south of Bali overlooking 350 meters of private beach is Conrad Bali. For the coastal escapist, there are a few places more idyllic, with 368 guest rooms, 55 suites, and five beautiful pool villas with views over the verdant gardens and the Indian Ocean. When heading to far-flung destinations, it can be crucial for travelers to choose a tried-and-trusted brand, and Conrad Bali promises an escape that’s both paradisical and rooted in the locale.

Lovers of the sea and ocean live and breathe the coast, so it’s only right their vacation accommodation delivers the same beachy, laid-back feel. Conrad Bali uses local timber and materials, utilizing earthy tones with tropical accents to reflect the warm hospitality of Bali, including azure to symbolize the ocean and yellows for the warmth of the morning sun and golden coast. Of course, the coast is superlative, a must when the vacation revolves around the beach. The resort also revolves around this coast, and there are few greater pleasures than sitting with a drink or gelato in hand at the Azure Bar & Kiosk while watching the sunset and the moon rising over the bay. Conrad Bali recognizes the healing powers of water and the desire for the coastal escapist to always be free to swim, even when the tide doesn’t permit. There are four lake-like swimming pools dotted around the resort, including a 33-meter main pool, one of the largest lagoon pools in Bali.

This focus on the ocean and water governs the guest experience, including the culinary and wellness offerings. In between beach walks, sunbathing, and watersports, guests can enjoy three restaurants and two bars that offer an immersion into Indonesian cuisine. Weekly themed dinners, cooking classes, beach barbecues, seaside bonfires, and floating breakfasts also offer a variety of culinary experiences, keeping things interesting on fly-and-flop escapes. While the sands are thick and golden, there’s nowhere more luxurious to flop than the award-winning JIWA Spa, or, in keeping with the relaxing and rejuvenating vacation, to enjoy sound healing or aerial yoga. Come full moon, the resort comes alive with celebrations and sound healing by the ocean at Conrad Bali’s stunning Infinity Chapel, which floats two meters above the sea and doubles as an exquisite wedding venue.

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The Thai island of Koh Samui manages to have it all, as if it were purposefully landscaped to be one of the world’s most beautiful coastal destinations. Thrust onto the global stage by a certain HBO series (and sparking wanderlust the world over), Koh Samui is part of the trifecta of islands in the Gulf of Thailand. Its waters are emerald green, and its landscape is dense with mountainous rainforest and coconut groves. In this beach-side rainforest is where Conrad Koh Samui lies, built into a steep 30-degree cliffside and ingeniously designed so all villas offer dramatic, views of the Gulf of Thailand’s five islands.

Conrad Koh Samui offers a different type of coastal vacation, one even the most well-traveled coastal escapists will gasp in awe and delight at. Pool villas almost tumble down from the mountain and boast 10-meter infinity pools where ocean views can be taken in with the utmost privacy. The property is the perfect spot for all travelers, wellness lovers, luxury seekers, eco-conscious explorers, and also those seeking to reconnect as a family. The resort bridges both privacy and socializing, with restaurants and chic public spaces lying between villas on the resort’s terraced grounds divided by bold thematic zones such as wood, rock, lawn, and water. Each zone offers dining experiences to delight all travelers.

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The coastal escapist looks to the ocean for relaxation and energy in an escape, but also indulges in wellness treatments, especially those from facilities that also revolve around the sea. Conrad Koh Samui spa keeps guests in a state of serenity, nestled on the secluded hillside with sea views and offering standout treatments like the “Siam Fusion,” a traditional sensory experience dating back 5,000 years. The resort also offers spa workshops using organic ingredients from its on-site Iris Farm, an 8,000-square-meter space supplying 70 percent of the resort’s needs, allowing travelers to add a dose of education and entertainment with experiences like kombucha-making, coffee roasting, and more, without being too taxing. With a beach break being the perfect family escape, groups will delight in the kids club, which is focused on eco-education, allowing adults to reconnect and truly escape, and little ones to depart with their minds truly enriched.

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The Coastal Escapist featured hotels: CONRAD MALDIVES Rangali island  |  CONRAD BALI  |  CONRAD KOH SAMUI

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