Holidays in the Maldives
Indian Ocean in the south-west of Ceylon, almost at the very equatorus is the coral archipelago – Maldives. It consists of nineteen coral atolls, most of which are uninhabited. Each island of Maldives is a separate resort with its own marina, hotels and bars. The islands surround the coral “gardens” – a great opportunity to get acquainted with the rich underwater world of the islands.
The Maldives are stretched by a narrow vertical chain 850 kilometers across the Indian Ocean. From the airplane’s porthole, the Maldives look like a string of pearls thrown on the turquoise surface of the ocean. A little adrenaline in the blood is added already on the approach to the islands: the runway is so small that it seems that the plane lands directly in the ocean.
It is difficult to determine the exact number of islands included in the Maldives archipelago – the number changes after each strong storm. According to rough estimates, the islands are about 1,200, with only 200 of them inhabited.
The Maldives hit the Guinness Book of Records as a country with the flattest terrain: there are no hills or rivers, and none of the islands protrudes more than 3 meters from the water. But you can look at it in a different way: each island is a coral hat crowning the top of a volcanic mountain that stands at the bottom of the Indian Ocean. Then the Maldives can be considered at the same time as the most high-mountainous country.
About 99% of the territory of the Maldives is under water and is a fantastic underwater kingdom: fancy rocks, caves, canyons, coral gardens of amazing colors. Add to this the crystal clearness of the water and the vast amount of marine life: in the Maldives waters, there are 3/4 of all known reef fish species, and many can be seen even by diving in a mask off the coast. Diving in the Maldives is deservedly considered one of the best in the world. In addition to the delightful corals, divers are attracted by the opportunity to meet with turtles, moray eels, mantias, huge whale sharks and dolphins – such meetings become the best pictures in the collection of underwater photo-divers.
Maldives have to spend the whole vacation relaxed on the sand under a coconut tree, looking into the blue ocean. More active, however, can try themselves in a variety of activities. First look at your catamaran lagoon, and then go canoeing to the uninhabited islands. Challenge yourself in surfing – wonderful waves will be found just a few minutes from the hotel, or you can go on a water safari in search of the best wave. Fisher-enthusiasts can catch their own lunch at the morning fishing, go to the open sea for larger game, or go fishing in the Maldivian-style tuna: with fishing line and baited hook.
