The Maldives is one of the few
destinations in the world that presents more than what it
promises. Your first view of the country as your plane approaches
the runway is magical. From the air it is a dreamlike picture
of a thousand gems scattered on a bed of blue velvet, fading
into the distance as the sea merges with the sky. The shallow
turquoise lagoons surrounding the glistening beaches of so
many randomly dotted islands portray a scene unique only to
the Maldives.
Made up of 26 natural atolls,
stretching from north to south and straddling the equator,
the atolls in the central portion form a double chain.
In all, there are about 1200 islands, innumerable sandbanks
and countless reefs dotted inside the atolls.
Until tourism began in the early
70s, the country was accessible only to adventurous seafarers.
Although it is the isolation of the islanders from rest of
the world that has left an intriguing history which is still
being unravelled, lying at the crossroads of east-west maritime
trade, the islands have been a melting pot for different races
and cultures. This has created a nation with a unique culture
and tradition, and a language they can call their own.
