Azure seascapes, swathes of emerald expanses, pristine white beaches, rosy sunrises and splashy sunsets of red and gold…the dazzle of multi-hued Maldives will embrace your memories forever—for holidays in this bewitching land were born to give you a taste of paradise.

The Maldives are truly special…Little wonder it’s a preferred romantic retreat for honeymooning couples and destination weddings.

CHILD OF THE SEA AND THE WIND

Set across the equator in the roiling surf of the Indian Ocean the Maldives are a collection of 1,190 coral islands curving along of 90,00sq km sprawl of 26 circular-shaped atolls set upon a ridge rising out of the ocean.

Nature’s favoured child has many delights up its sleeve for visitors looking for all kinds of holiday options. The beauty of the islands lies in their individual charm even as they have one thing in common— each island has its own reef encircling the island lagoon. Its bounteous marine life and lambent waters makes the islands highly popular with scuba and snorkeling enthusiasts. The reefs themselves are a natural barrier from the boisterous winds and the waves…gentling the impact of these elements— but one needs to travel in these waters with an expert familiar with the formations of the reefs and the channels deeply gouged in them over millennia. While about 200 islands are inhabited, and about 90 have been developed as tourist resorts and the rest are uninhabited islands— some of which are used for drying fish or agricultural activities. With an average ground level of 1.5 metres above sea level, the Maldives is also the country with the lowest high-point in the world, at 2.3 metres.

CULTURAL MELTING POT

Set upon an ancient sea trading route the islands were buffeted by the cross-winds of many cultures which have indelibly shaped the language, beliefs, arts, and attitude of the Maldivian people.

VULNERABLE ECO-SYSTEM

Protecting the vulnerable eco-system of the atolls is critical to the survival of these islands The islands are protected by thousands of reefs that need to be alive for this unique archipelago to continue to exist in the future Just as the locals need the fish in the ocean for their livelihood the corals need to remain healthy and life-giving for the numberless marine creatures for whom they are a vital lifeline… So in effect man and nature need to co-exist harmoniously for them to cope with the challenges of this fragile eco-system. The Maldivian government is alive to the cause and has set in place an agenda for the conservation of this unique habitat of the atolls. From 1995, the government has identified many important marine areas as protected regions. Endangered marine species like the whale shark, turtles, dolphins, as well as corals, are now protected by law. Hanifaru in Baa atoll, where to rays from around the Maldives come together to feast on the great banquet of plankton brought into the lagoon by water currents, is a protected area now.