The Maldives are a true tropical paradise with lagoons, crystal-clear turquoise sea, and white-sand beaches fringed with palm trees. A perfect destination for scuba divers, the Maldives are home to exceptionally rich marine life with abundant colorful fish species, breathtaking coral reefs, and fascinating underwater caves. The luxurious resorts and spas in the Maldives are ideal for relaxation and leisure.
Water sports paradise. Diving in Maldives is a pleasure due to the high visibility, rich marine life, and warm temperatures of the local waters throughout the year. Snorkeling in Maldives is equally excellent. Many resorts on the islands offer also water sports activities like surfing, sailing, kayaking, waterskiing, parasailing and fishing in Maldives. Surfing in Maldives is best on the eastern side of the atolls.
Malé is the largest city and the capital of the Maldives. The golden dome of the Islamic centre is a landmark of the city. Visitors in the Maldives often stop in Malé to spend their night in the capital when waiting transfer to some remote resorts on the atolls. The capital has two mosques, a small artificial beach, some restaurants and hotels. Alifu and Kaafu atolls are the most popular holiday resort areas on the Maldives with a range of exclusive hotels equipped with good services.
Luxury resorts. The Maldives have excellent facilities for visitors. The only conventional hotels on Maldives are located in the capital Malé, while the other atolls host luxurious resorts targeted for divers, families, and honeymooners. In a resort spa in Maldives you can feel you have come to a paradise on earth. Restaurants in Maldives offer mainly seafood and the resorts have their own restaurants serving international cuisine. The Maldives nightlife is quiet but the resorts provide live music performances and dancing.
Sun, sand and sea - Attractions in Maldives
The Maldives are a group of some 1,190 small coral islands located in the Indian Ocean. The landscape on the islands is very flat with white sand beaches and palm trees. A popular tourism destination since the 1970s, these small islands are especially known for their beautiful beaches and excellent diving possibilities.Water sports paradise. Diving in Maldives is a pleasure due to the high visibility, rich marine life, and warm temperatures of the local waters throughout the year. Snorkeling in Maldives is equally excellent. Many resorts on the islands offer also water sports activities like surfing, sailing, kayaking, waterskiing, parasailing and fishing in Maldives. Surfing in Maldives is best on the eastern side of the atolls.
Malé is the largest city and the capital of the Maldives. The golden dome of the Islamic centre is a landmark of the city. Visitors in the Maldives often stop in Malé to spend their night in the capital when waiting transfer to some remote resorts on the atolls. The capital has two mosques, a small artificial beach, some restaurants and hotels. Alifu and Kaafu atolls are the most popular holiday resort areas on the Maldives with a range of exclusive hotels equipped with good services.
Maldives - a luxurious tropical paradise
The Maldives are located in Southern Asia southwest of India. There are 200 inhabited islands and 80 islands with tourist resorts within Maldives. The islands enjoy a hot and humid tropical climate. The average temperature in Maldives is around 30°C throughout the year. Most rainfall comes during the southwest monsoon from May to November. The best season for diving in Maldives is from January to April when the weather is calm and the water is at its clearest. The peak season for tourism on Maldives is from December to April when the islands are often very crowded and the prices tend to rise.Luxury resorts. The Maldives have excellent facilities for visitors. The only conventional hotels on Maldives are located in the capital Malé, while the other atolls host luxurious resorts targeted for divers, families, and honeymooners. In a resort spa in Maldives you can feel you have come to a paradise on earth. Restaurants in Maldives offer mainly seafood and the resorts have their own restaurants serving international cuisine. The Maldives nightlife is quiet but the resorts provide live music performances and dancing.
Photo: Ahmed Zahid, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)
The Maldives are an expensive destination with no budget accommodation or dining available.
Flights to Maldives arrive at the international airport in the capital Malé, which receives regular flights from Sri Lanka, India, United Arab Emirates, and Malaysia, and charter flights from Europe during the peak season. There are no regular boat connections to the islands. The Maldives are a very safe destination where crime is rare.
Getting around. There is no public transportation on Maldives. Boats, private yachts, helicopters and Air Taxis handle transfers between the islands. There are domestic flights to the outer atoll islands as well. Private transfers tend to be very expensive. Most islands are small enough to be toured on foot. Taxis, motorcycles, and bicycles are widely available in the capital Malé. Car rental in Maldives is not necessary. Due to the protection of the local culture in the Maldives, getting around on your own is not possible without a local tour operator, and traveling outside the tourist zone is not permitted unless you acquire an Inter Atoll Travel Permit. The easiest way to travel around the atolls is to take part in the island-hopping tours or cruises in the Maldives organized by resorts or tour agencies.
