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MALDIVES is a group of coral islands scattered across the equator in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The gem like islands depict the rare vision of a tropical paradise. The palm-fringed islands with sparkling white beaches, turquoise lagoons, clear warm waters and coral reefs teeming with abundant varieties of marine flora and fauna, continue to fascinate visitors, as it has fascinated others in the past, for thousands of years. Marco Polo referred to the Maldives as the 'Flower of the Indies" and Ibn Batuta called her in his chronicles as "One of the Wonders of the World".
Measuring 820 Kilometres north to south and 120 Kilometres east to west at its greatest width, the closest neighbours are India and Sri Lanka. Comprising of 1190 coral islands of which only 202 are inhibited. Each island is surrounded by a shallow lagoon which is enclosed by a coral reef providing
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protection from the hazards of the sea. Hundreds of these islands along with other coral growth form an atoll. The islands are very small and low-lying with many being no more than two meters above sea level. Common features are tall coconut palms, white sandy beaches and crystal clear lagoons. There are no hills, mountains or rivers in the Maldives.
Maldives beaches
The Sun, the Sand & the Sea. These are just the three simple realities beckoning tourists from far and wide to these little islets, giving as a result, a glorious sense of happiness and proving to be a heavenly getaway from the world and its worries. The Maldives teaches the visitors the pleasurable art of doing nothing, simply lazing around and enjoying some of the most spectacular and colourful vistas offered by Nature. No wonder then that tourists flock in large numbers to the 70 odd self-contained island resorts ;provided with all the comforts and warmth exuded by traditional Maldivian hospitality. That is why Maldives is considered to be the ultimate destination, the future world for holiday-makers.
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One of Maldives best beaches (of the inhabitable ones, that is), happens to be in the South Ari Atoll. The island is named Nalaguraidhoo and it is simply stunning. Some 62 miles from the Maldive airport at Male, some call Sun Island the flower of the Indies! You'll get away from it all, here. Among the 1190 islands that make up this wonderful place, Sun Island carries many excellent recommendations. When you land, you'll know you're somewhere special.
Sun Island didn't need much work. You can tell that much of the beauty is not man-made at all. First, the shape of the island lends to a grand lagoon, perfect for water sports such as snorkeling or canoeing. The barrier reef starts close enough to swim to and nature responds with a myriad of colorful fish and coral, sea life and crystal clear water. So clear, as a matter of fact, many say they
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feel as if they are flying over the reef. But, if you're not the water lover - you're in luck. |
Diving
The 70-odd resort islands surrounded by clear turquoise waters introduces you to a fascinating world of coral gardens. To have a tete-a-tete with such underwater treasures, diving is indeed the recommended pastime. The corals offer some of the most spectacular vistas of underwater life-turtles, seaweed, shells, crustaceans and schools-and-schools of brilliantly-coloured fish.
Apart from a few, most of the resorts are equipped with diving schools headed by a fully-qualified diving instructor. The waIst-deep waters of a lagoon offers a perfect start for beginners. Wind-surfing and Water-skiing facilities are also available.
With a few exceptions, all resorts have a fully equipped diving school. Diving bases may also be found on some larger dive safari boats which cruise through the central atolls. The equipment used are periodically checked to make sure that they conform to the standards of safety required by law. Each School is headed by a base leader - a fully qualified diving instructor. Many bases have several assistants who may be instructors or dive guides.
Fishing
Fishing is another major sport in the Maldives. With water constituting over 99% of the total area, it comes as no surprise that the country flaunts some of the best fishing grounds in the World. Night fishing is a popular tourist sport with the catch - be it groupers, snappers, squirrel fish, skipjacks or barracuda making a perfect evening barbecue on the beach. Fishing also begins at dawn with dhoanis seeking luna, dolphin fish, rainbow runners and barracuda.
The seas outside the atoll enclosure reef are meant for big game fishing. Maldivians traditionally use dhoanis for big game such as sharks, rays, swordfish, wahoo, sailfish, yellow-fin tuna, marlin and barracuda. An engaging sport, many of the resort islands also have speedboats for hire equipped for western-style game fishing. However, since the Maldives follows a strict conservation policy, the use of harpoons and hunting of marine mammals such as whales, porpoises and dolphins and huge fish like the shale shark are prohibited.
Cruising
Cruising through the islands from atoll to atoll in a yacht or in a yacht-dhoni especially converted |
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Maldivian vessel- can be a most exhilarating holiday experience. In the Maldives, it is not unusual for schools of dolphins to play around your boat or to see hundreds of flying fish taking flight as the boast passes by. During your voyage of discovery, you are at liberty to choose from a variety of activities including diving with a cool refreshing kurumba - coconut - as the azure sea unfolds more of the islands and coral reefs of the Maldives. Of course, the facilities available will depend on the boat of your choice.
Excursions
An essential part of the visitor's experience is taking part in the many excursions on offer. Visiting a fishing village to experience the Maldivian way of life or a trip to Male makes a visit to the Maldives more consummate. There are other excursions available; diving and sailing safaris, fishing trips by dawn and dusk, and island hopping to fishing villages, resort island and uninhibited islands. There are also aerial excursions by helicopter or sea-plane to experience the flittering shaves of blue that is the Maldives. Moonlight excursions may also be available depending on the resort of your choice. |
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Monuments in Male
Male is the capital of Maldives. The city is a popular tourist destination. There are a number of historical sites and monuments in Male, which serve as popular tourist attractions of the city.
One can find numerous monumental buildings and historical sites in Male. One of the most famous tourist attractions of the city is the National Museum. The museum displays the personal belongings of the Sultan of Maldives. It also houses the Thor Heyerdahl's archaeological discoveries and fantastic stone carvings. |
Another popular monument in Male is the Islamic Center and the Grand Friday Mosque. These buildings are known for their grand golden domes. The Friday Mosque is known as Huskuru Miskyii. It is the biggest mosque of the country, with beautiful minarets and decorative domes. The mosque houses the tombs of national heroes of the country. The mosque can accommodate around five thousand people at one point of time.
People
The Maldives people are extremely down to earth people who follow a simple lifestyle. The origin of the Maldivian people has its own history and is worth noting.
As per historical records, the first inhabitants of the country were the Naga and the Yakka people who migrated from Sri Lanka and came over here. History also says that the Dravidians from South India also came and settled over here, thereby becoming the early inhabitants of the country. In fact, the history of the country has a rich history of immigration. People from India, South East Asia and Sri Lanka migrated from their country and settled in this island country. Traits and customs prevalent over here also points out to the fact that the Gujratis sailed from India during the Indus Valley period and settled in Maldives. Because of the country' s location on the main sea route on the Indian Ocean, it has been the meeting place for African, Arab, Malay and Indonesian mariners for a long period of time. All this and more shows that the people of Maldives are a mixed race with diverse cultural and historical background.
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