The Maldives, Asian Jewels of the Indian Ocean. Conserve! Protect!
The Republic of Maldives, or the Maldives,
is a country comprised of a cluster of jewel-like islands in the Indian Ocean.
The Maldives is famously known for its
surreal shades of emerald blue sea and luxurious hotel resorts. If you’ve heard
of the Maldives before, I’m sure thinking about it automatically transports you
to the pristine white shores, dancing dolphins, and notoriously playful
string-rays of South Asia.
The Maldives, here we come! |
The Maldives is indeed a diver’s paradise,
but you don’t need to be a scuba expert to justify a ticket to this paradise. The
Republic of Maldives is one of those places where you can enjoy the deep serenity
and untouched beauty of Mother Nature. Its beauty is so hypnotising that
even a modest holiday budget can turn anyone into a romantic poet, budding
artist, landscape photographer, or bestselling author—if that’s what you want,
of course.
The Maldives has the bluest water of them
all! What, you think I am kidding? Well, stay with us as
ReachingDelphi takes you on a short trip of words and images through EN’s
lenses to explore this charming paradise. (EN prefers to remain anonymous but
has allowed me to use her photographs.) I used a magic carpet to arrive here,
and as you will note, I am already in a trance . . .
Earlier, I mentioned that the Maldives is a
cluster of small islands. Well, they are actually natural atolls. There are 26
atolls in the Maldives, covering a territory of 298 square
kilometres, from the northernmost atoll, Ihavandhippolhu Atoll, to the
southernmost atoll, Addu Atoll. Curious to know more about atolls?
What are Atolls?
The geographical information on atolls is
vast and overwhelming yet fascinating. I will attempt to interpret my
understanding of them.
Atolls are ring-shaped coral reefs, and one
can easily spot them from seaplanes. An atoll can take up to 30 million years
to fully form into the beautiful coral rims we see encircling lagoons today. At
the rim, on some, you may also notice coral islands. The land area on atolls is
minimal, so most resorts are built on islands near the atolls. Atoll islands
are naturally low lying, and rising sea levels have a direct impact on the
future of these atolls. That means the Maldives is already experiencing the
devastating effects of global warming.
A view of the atolls and islands. |
I will take this opportunity to remind us all that we, both individuals and corporations, have a social responsibility to ensure we do whatever we can to slow down climate change. We can start with ourselves as individuals first. Next time you decide to chop down the tree in your garden, use unnecessary plastic packaging, choose not to carpool or use the public transport when available, keep your unused electric devices turned on—remember that you indirectly become a contributing factor to climate change and rising sea levels.
Reef-building corals thrive in warm
tropical climates, and the Indian Ocean is perfect for this. It is no wonder
that the Maldives is home to many amazing forms of beautiful marine life. With clear warm waters around the islands, the Maldives is easily one of the most breath-taking
scuba-diving sites in the world.
Warm tropical breeze. |
In terms of size, Boduthiladhunmathi Atoll is the world’s largest atoll, stretching over 76 kilometres and containing forty small islands. Vaavu Atoll is the smallest administrative atoll, in the Maldives, in terms of population. Addu (Seenu) and Baa Atolls, on the other hand, are among the popular places to stay.
Most of the photos you see here are from Miriandhoo island, Baa Atoll. Baa Atoll is a biosphere reserve.
So many interesting marine life facts, right? There is plenty of online reading material available on these atolls, so do check them out.
So many interesting marine life facts, right? There is plenty of online reading material available on these atolls, so do check them out.
Overview of atolls in the Maldives. Do you know where you will stay? |
Give Me a Quick Overview on the Republic of Maldives.
Here are the Maldives essentials to know
before you purchase your travel ticket.
- The capital of the Republic is Male, located on Kaafu Atoll. The capital city has an area of only 9.27 square kilometres. Now that is small! Despite its small area, Male is the most populous city in the country, with a population of 133,412. This is almost one-third of the country’s population. Now imagine 133,412 people in a space of 9.27 square kilometres. Now you see why Male is regarded as one of the densest cities in the world.
- The climate of the Republic has a wet and dry season. The wet season is from April to January. The dry months are in February and March. The temperature is always high despite the occasional rain. The islands are open all year round, but the wettest months are May and September. Check the weather calendar when you make your travel plans.
Hope it does not rain today. |
- The primary language spoken is Dhivehi, an Indo-Aryan/Indic language. English is spoken at the resorts.
- The official religion is Islam. The Grand Friday Mosque (Masjid-al-Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu-al-A'z'am) is the largest mosque in the Maldives and one of the largest in South Asia.
- The currency of the country is Maldivian Rufiyaa. Visitors can only purchase this currency inside the country. The US dollar is also widely accepted, but when used, any change returned will be in the local currency.
- Visitors do not require a visa for stays less than thirty days. Just make sure your passport has six-month validity.
- It is not wise to travel here without reservations. I was informed that visitors need to show a confirmed hotel reservation in order to be granted entry into the country. So, visitors who are not in the habit of prior holiday planning, do take note.
Have your hotel confirmation ready. |
- Tourism and fishing are the two primary industries for the country. You will find a fantastic range of hotels and resorts and loads of seafood here.
- Despite having the world's best resorts, it also is one of the poorest countries in the world.
Let’s Get to the Maldives!
Most visitors stay in the island resorts. But to get to the islands, international visitors will have to first fly into Male. Velana International Airport is the international airport serving the Maldives.
On the way to the Maldives (Kochi). |
There are regular direct flights into
Velana International Airport from major Asian cities, including Kochi,
Bangalore, Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Colombo, Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Hong
Kong. There are also regular flights from several European cities.
That's Male. |
Choosing Where to Stay in the Maldives.
Do you recall me mentioning that visitors don’t
stay at the atolls but on the islands around them?
With 26 atolls, 1200 islands over a
territory of 298 square kilometres, and over 132 tastefully designed (mostly
eco-friendly) resorts, how do you choose where to stay in this paradise? Though
it could be a difficult decision for some, the budget and value-for-money would
be a first-level filter for me.
The Maldives is not just a place for the super-rich to visit. I know, I know. The promotional materials always give you that impression. But, to give you an idea, you can get a room for as low as USD 22 and as high as USD 3,400. You’ll also need some spending money for your local expenses, of course.
A pretty cool looking hotel option in the Maldives. |
An option with more privacy in the Maldives. |
There are many types of accommodation. Sea
villas cost more, but you do get the chance to see friendly sea visitors
(beautiful fish, turtles, dolphins) right outside your door. It’s a view to
consider. For personalised services, some resorts offer personal butler
services for their guests. But I think I’d rather have some private space
instead . . .
Getting around the island or opting for the
à la carte services (food, activities) can be a pinch to the pocket. I prefer
to get an all-inclusive package (sometimes known as full-board) with the resort
so everything is bundled together—accommodation, airport transfers, meals and
drinks, coffee, coffee, coffee, and water activities. If you have special dietary
requirements (e.g., vegan, low-sodium, low-gluten diets or allergies), do alert
the hotel. You don’t want to travel all the way to find out you are stuck with
limited options on the island. Check out all the options available (full- and half-board,
seasonal promotions) with the hotel before you decide.
Plenty of vegetarian choices are available. |
Do take note that each island and resort is
different in terms of cost and experience. But that bluest of the blue ocean is
yours, no matter where you choose to be in the Maldives.
Getting to the Resort in the Maldives.
So, you have landed on the best holiday rates
using my booking tips. Superb! You are on your way to your next
sun-and-sea vacation.
Your next ride is here, found the right one? |
Once here, you need more than a buggy ride to get to your resort. All resorts are located on the islands, and remember—there are over 1200 islands! Some islands are closer to the international airport on the island of Hulhule, while others are not. Obvious as it seems, but sometimes we forget to note which island our hotel is on. A map and some early preparations will come in handy.
Be sure to know your flight arrival times
into Male and the pickup times to the island you’d be staying.
Transfers to the resorts are by
speedboat, dhoni (multipurpose sailboats), seaplane, or domestic flights.
The seaplane ride is one of a kind experience where you’d get to see the stunning atolls on the way. Check this video out!
Do take note that the seaplane services operate only during the day, so you’d need to make prior stay arrangements at Male if you arrive there after sunset or if you have an early flight out of the Republic.
Once in the Maldives, I am sure you know
what to do and expect. I am off to get some coffee while you go through your
daily plan. By the way, since EN has boycotted coffee and tea in recent years,
I do not have pictures of any local Maldivian coffee. Instead, here is coffee I
had in Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin), the place where the Indian Ocean, Arabian
Sea and the Bay of Bengal meet. Triveni Sangam. No, the Maldives cannot
be seen from this point, but wait—I feel a hint of Maldivian breeze when I look
at this picture. Feel that?
You’ll never run out of exciting things to
do at the islands. Even if you are not a certified diver, snorkeller,
swimmer, or jet-skier, or if you just prefer not to get your feet wet, you
can still enjoy the glorious skies and deep blue sea by taking long walks on
the powdery white-sand shores, counting the stars in the open skies, speaking
to the fish, serenading to the moon (don’t worry, even if you are
tone-deaf as I am, the fish will applaud you), or catching up on the latest
novel. That one cup of coffee comes in handy, doesn’t it?
Relax. Where is my coffee? |
What can you do in Maldives? Just to recap, the popular activities here include water activities like diving, swimming, kayaking, jet skiing, water skiing, dolphin watching, and island hopping. Remember to bring your water activity gear. Visitors can get them on the islands, but the choices are limited. Non-water activities include trekking, indulging in the spa treatments, visiting local villages, and just relaxing on the swings or under the sun and stars.
Because the sea was rough the week EN was
in Maldives, all water activities were cancelled (just in case you’re wondering
why we are short on pictures of water activities ). But they did get to see
three dolphins from a distance.
The unfiltered beauty of this paradise humbles me and will always be a constant push-factor to plan for a trip to see the ocean. The tranquil shots in this post are reminders that we, humans, are just one of the millions of temporary occupants on Earth. We are hardly a dot in this space, but we are also the only species with the capacity to both protect and destroy the earth. Choose to protect the earth. Choose to conserve this beauty for our siblings, children, grandchildren, and for all generations yet to come. Today! Now!
The unfiltered beauty of this paradise humbles me and will always be a constant push-factor to plan for a trip to see the ocean. The tranquil shots in this post are reminders that we, humans, are just one of the millions of temporary occupants on Earth. We are hardly a dot in this space, but we are also the only species with the capacity to both protect and destroy the earth. Choose to protect the earth. Choose to conserve this beauty for our siblings, children, grandchildren, and for all generations yet to come. Today! Now!
EN, thank you for sharing these beautifully
captured photographs with us. This article is not just about the beautiful
Maldivian treasures, but your photos have reminded us about the soul-filled
oceans and seas we need to protect.
With every sail, every country, and every
town, across each sea, we are one nautical mile closer to ReachingDelphi.
The Maldives is a stop on the way. Stay tuned, the next post continues on a
related subject. There are more stars to count and more coffee to drink. Our
journey to Delphi continues.
• General information on Maldives and map - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maldives
• Atolls - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atoll
• Maldivian Atolls - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atolls_of_the_Maldives
• Hotel prices - Booking websites.