It might seem like it's been done before, and that's probably because it has. Everywhere from Dubai to Singapore to Zanzibar, you'll find underwater rooms. But the world hasn't yet seen a luxury split-level residence built on stilts atop the crystal-clear waters of the Maldives, where the bottom half of the structure is set five metres below sea level.
The Muraka, which means "coral" in Dhivehi, is a $15 million (Dh55.1m) architectural triumph engineered by M J Murphy, a company from New Zealand that specialises in aquarium technology. It forms part of the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island.
In a country already littered with luxury options, this might be out of reach for the standard traveller – in low season it still costs from $22,000 (Dh80,806) a night, and in high season that balloons to $65,000 – but get a few friends together, ensure you go in low season and you’ll snag a stay you’ll never forget.
The welcome
From the moment you step off your seaplane and on to the jetty of the Conrad Maldives, or The Muraka’s own private jetty if you’re among the VIPs chartering a flight to the property, your arrival is as spectacular as your lodgings.
After some welcome sorbet, we are escorted away by The Muraka butler (guests have a dedicated butler for the entirety of their stay), whisked on to The Muraka’s private luxury jetboat and sped off, James Bond-style, to the residence.
Upon docking, we’re greeted by our affable food and beverage manager (another part of our dedicated personnel team) with a welcome drink, before being given an in-depth tour of the villa and all its intricacies.
The neighbourhood
The Muraka is set away from the rest of the hotel, with its own access bridge and jetty, so we never have to step foot on dry land. We also never have to mingle with other guests, due to the aforementioned service staff, which also includes a private chef and an on-call trainer ready to tend to our every need.
But if you do decide to venture out into the real world, you'll find that the Conrad is more extensive than many other resorts in the Maldives; it's made up of three islands (two are for guests, one dedicated to staff) and is full of great restaurants and spa options, and several public spaces for relaxing. Use the hotel's dedicated buggy service if you're feeling lazy, otherwise it's a gorgeous walk throughout the islands, and a good way to keep your step count up while still being on a tranquil island holiday.
From Male, the Conrad is a relatively straightforward 25-minute seaplane ride, which makes it accessible to not only the capital, but other resorts, islands, and snorkelling and diving spots.
The room
The Muraka features two premium bedrooms – depending on whether you prefer to be above or below the water. But let’s be honest, the reason you’re dropping this much money on a hotel stay is because you’re here for the piece de resistance: the underwater residence.
After descending a spiral staircase (or taking the lift), you'll be deposited into the heart of the villa: a bedroom and living area encased in a glass dome, offering guests an unobstructed, panoramic view of the tropical marine life. Everything has been thought of down here – there's an electric headboard for the bed to prop up for fish-watching, a tea and coffee machine, sitting area in front of an almost theatre-like window out into the deep blue, Google speakers, and an intricate electrical system that includes underwater lighting connected to an iPad – so you can lie in bed and watch the fish float by illuminated by sky blue, purple or green.
The service
As expected, given our dedicated team of experts, the service here is exceptional. For the duration of our stay, we’re given an iPhone X to communicate with our butler, meaning that wherever we are, we can request snorkelling gear or a buggy pick up. He even pays us a quick visit when security call to inform him that his guests are snorkelling a bit far out into open water, just to check we’re adept swimmers.
The food and beverage team are second-to-none, serving up salads and pizza when all they have to go on from our lunch request is "something light?", or a full Maldivian feast on the sunrise deck when we've just asked for "I don't know, a curry or something" for dinner. A private kitchen for the chef means that whatever time you've requested food to be ready for, it will be on the table, piping hot.
The scene
Given that we were asked if we were on our honeymoon several times, that’s a fairly good steer as to who the Conrad’s clientele tend to be – but that’s typical for most places in the Maldives. The Conrad as a whole is made up of families and couples during our stay, and is known to attract a celebrity from time to time (Kris Jenner stayed last year). But The Muraka’s past guests are steeped in mystery, aside from one staff member letting slip that a member of the Bahraini royal family had visited recently.
The food
While many visit the Conrad with Ithaa, the resort's underwater restaurant, in mind, I suggest dining in the privacy of The Muraka. The Maldivian feast we were surprised with for dinner one night was unarguably the best food we had on our trip – and consisted of 10 dishes of restaurant-quality steak, fresh seafood and delicately spiced curries. Breakfast is just as delightful.
Loved
The underwater bathroom. There’s simply nothing better than starting a day standing under a rain shower, while being stared at by a bright array of tropical fish. Each bathroom is stocked with premium Aesop products, too – not to mention a brand-new double-edged razor.
Hated
I really cannot fault a thing, which is probably about right for the price bracket.
The bottom line
A stay at The Muraka starts from $22,000 in low season, and up to $65,000 in high season. Included is all food and drink within the villa (non-alcoholic), a dedicated buggy and wave boat, and your staff. More information is at www.conradmaldives.com/stay/the-muraka
Mercedes V250 Avantgarde specs
Engine: 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder turbo
Gearbox: 7-speed automatic
Power: 211hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0 l/100 km
Price: Dh235,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg
Real Madrid (2) v Bayern Munich (1)
Where: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
When: 10.45pm, Tuesday
Watch Live: beIN Sports HD
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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