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Read in Your Language
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Picture a palette full of all the beautiful hues that you can think of; that’s exactly how Maldives looks like. This beautiful island boasts of unmatched luxury, fascinating sand beaches, and an attractive underwater world. If a leisure holiday away from the worldly chaos is what you seek, then Maldives is the perfect escape for you. Maldives takes you to the imaginary world of fairy tale, embracing you with some of the best attractions that the island posses. Let’s get onboard on a virtual tour of this magnificent island country.
History
The primitive civilisation of Maldives is a bit hard to trace, as the first settling communities left no archaeological evidence, monuments or artifacts. However, research reveals that one of the earliest settlers in the Maldives was from India, especially the south-west region. The island has evolved out of a mix of Tamil and Malayalam cultures, which Is evident in the names of places, dance, poetry, religious practices and beliefs.
Language, Culture and Religion
The official language spoken in Maldives is Dhivehi. The language is considered to be Indo-Aryan in its origin, with similarities to Elu ? a Sinhalese Language. Despite Dhivehi being the national language, English is commonly spoken by Maldivians.
For a long time, Budhhism was the religion followed in the Maldives until Islam was introduced by incoming Muslim traders. The country is now home to several mosques and tombs of saints, which are now a cultural heritage.
Fairs and Festivals
Since the majority of the population in this island country is Muslims, the dominant festivals here are Islamic. Ramadan, Kuda Eid, Prophet's Birthday, Eid-ul-Al'h'aa are among the popular festivals of Maldives. ?Other major festivals celebrated in Maldives are the Republic Day of Maldives and Independence Day of Maldives. The festivals here are celebrated in accordance with the lunar calendar.
Beaches of Maldives
This quaint little country is home to some of the best beaches in the world. Maldives has nearly 1200 islands, which are all so stunning that it’s hard not to fall in love with them. The interesting feature of these beaches is its pristine white sand and turquoise blue water. The dreamy aura of the beaches here alone attracts tourists around the year to this tiny paradise. Whether you want to dive in the waters or just sit by the beach, the beaches of Maldives make for a perfect romantic destination.
Underwater Fascination
As much as you love Maldives for its lazy beaches, you surely cannot ignore the fun water activities. The clear water of Maldives offer some of the best diving and snorkeling experience. The place is definitely “the calling” for all those who have a fascination for marine life. Amazing coral walls, outstanding caves and brightly coloured tropical fish; the exotic underwater life of Maldives is a wonder in itself. Under the water, it is whole another world that waits to get explored. In deeper waters lurk manta rays, turtles, sharks and even the world’s largest fish, the whale shark. The water here is so warm many people don’t even wear a wetsuit.
Surfing in Maldives
When you talk about water activities in Maldives, you definitely cannot ignore surfing. Cinnamon Dhonveli is a major attraction when it comes to surfing. There are also many islands in Maldives that offer surfing lessons.
Nature
Just like the island, the flora and fauna here are also wonderfully exotic and beautiful. The island is gorgeously lined with coconut trees, reflecting the tropical vegetation of Maldives. The plant species in the inhabited and uninhabited islands are different in nature. Due to the influence of humans, inhabited islands have small groves of banana, papaya, drumstick and citrus trees by the homesteads, while breadfruit trees and coconut palms are grown in available patches of land.
The oceanic location has also affected the avifauna existence of Maldives. The birds here are majorly restricted to pelagic birds, while some of the birds are seasonal, such as the frigatebirds. There are also birds that dwell in marshes and island bush, like the grey heron and the moorhen. Most of the species are similar to Eurasian migratory birds, and very few can be associated with the Indian sub-continent.
There are very few land mammals in the Maldives. Cats, rats, and mice have been introduced by humans. In the ocean surrounding the islands there are whales and dolphins.
Leisure Resorts
Believe it or not, the resorts in Maldives are nothing like the resorts of other major tourist cities and states. In fact, every resort here is its own private island. The most luxurious brand of hotels compete with each other to occupy great heights of luxury, from personal butlers and private lap pools to in-room massages and pillow menus. However, you shouldn’t be disappointed. As there’s also plenty of choice beyond the five- and six-star resorts.
Shopaholics’ delight
Now, Maldives might not be a paradise when it comes to shopping, there are definitely some amazing places to take home bag full of souvenirs. Male Local Market is one of the most popular street markets here, which has numerous stalls selling local handicrafts, mementos, and gift items.
Another magnificent street market of Maldives is Majeedhee Magu. This is one market where everything is easily available ? from garments, accessories to electronic goods.
Relish your love for cosmetics and make-up at Le Cute, which is a duty free beauty shop in Maldives. The shop has an amazing collection of beauty products, especially perfumes. The store deals with cosmetics, toiletries, health care products and herbal products.
Climate
The climate of Maldives is tropical with plenty of sunshine. The temperature is around 30 degree Celsius throughout the year. Although the humidity is relatively high here, the regular breeze keeps the air moving. The seasons that dominated the Maldives’ weather are the dry season which is the northeast monsoon and the rainy season or southwest monsoon from April - October, with rainfall increasing particularly from June to August.
How to Reach
By Air - MLE (Male International Airport) is the main airport of Maldives that connects all the major countries in South-East Asia including India, China and Sri Lanka. There are many direct flights flying from Dubai. Also, chartered flights coming from Europe, China and Singapore are also available.
By Sea - Visiting Maldives by Sea can be a magical experience. It is also one of the most peaceful ways to explore the treasures of the island. A cruise from Mumbai (India) covers destinations like Goa, Trivandram, New Mangalore, Colombo, Uligamu and more until Mal?.
