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The Maldives is the perfect place for honeymoons and couples looking for a luxury island vacation. This country of 1,000 islands has everything a person could want in a tropical island — clear water, white sand beaches, palm trees, warm sunny days, and lots of great diving
A total of
1,190 tropical islands surrounded by a turquoise sea make up the Maldives. This
Indian Ocean paradise consists of no less than 26 atolls, with sweeping coral
reefs and huge lagoons.
Remarkably,
just 10% of the islands are inhabited, while a further 87 act as exclusive
resorts.
Few places
under the bright holiday, the sun can equal the Maldives for natural beauty, water
sports, night fishing trips, scuba diving, and snorkeling. As for beauty, every island has its own lagoon sheltered by a coral reef – with most fringed by palm
trees and mantled in lush vegetation.
Situated
south-west of Sri Lanka, close to the Equator, the Maldives’ crystal clear
waters are always warm – making the country ideal for families. And most
appealingly, just below the ocean’s sparkling surface is a world like no other,
with fish and plants of virtually every color, shape, and size.
Malé, the
Muslim nation’s island capital is also known for its family-friendly approach,
with welcoming restaurants, well-stocked shops and markets, museums, and an
imposing Grand Mosque.
Although
remote, getting the family to the Maldives is relatively straightforward: far
more difficult is persuading them to leave!
The currency here is the Maldivian Rufiyaa. You can exchange major currencies at
banks, tourist resort islands, hotels, and leading shops. Payments in hotels can
be made using US Dollars, traveler’s cheques, or credit cards. Most of the
major island resorts, local and souvenir shops accept American Express, Diners,
MasterCard and Visa with ATMs widely available in Malé.
If you are
planning on taking traveler’s cheques take them in US Dollars to avoid
additional exchange rate charges.
The
Maldives enjoys warm weather throughout the year: the temperature rarely falls
below 25°C
(77°F). There are two monsoons –
the south-west from May to October and the north-east from November to April.
This is a
guide to the average day and night temperatures:
°C |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Day |
30 |
31 |
31 |
32 |
31 |
30 |
30 |
30 |
30 |
30 |
30 |
30 |
Night |
25 |
25 |
26 |
26 |
26 |
26 |
25 |
25 |
25 |
25 |
25 |
25 |
Malé is a
popular place for shopping, with handicrafts – including traditional Maldivian
lacquered ornaments – on sale next to everyday items. Also popular are red
mats, woven by the women of Gadhdhoo on Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll. Sizes range from
mattress mats to placemats. Many patterns are quite ornate.
Most
souvenirs are best bought in the northern part of Malé’s Chaahdanu Magu. Local
produce from the atolls is best selected at the local market where many kinds
of fruit and vegetables are for sale. Excursions to smaller islands provide excellent
opportunities to purchase local handicrafts, jewellery and sarongs.
The Maldives has little or no Western-style nightlife. However, the resorts stage
informal discos in their bars – sometimes with live bands and karaoke - screen
films and organize cultural shows. Traditional dancing and singing are popular
throughout the islands.
It is
possible to spend a night on an uninhabited island - usually as part of an
island tour. Your hotel should be able to provide you with further details.
As
vaccination requirements can change visitors are advised to check with their
doctor before traveling to the Maldives. Water in some areas should be boiled
or sterilized. Hotel food is generally safe and crime throughout the country is
low.