We often think that the Maldives seem to be a real paradise on Earth. And not in vain: crystal clear sea, white beaches, barrier reefs with exotic marine life … There is plenty to see there! And, despite the high price, this place from year to year attracts lovers of romance. Statistics show that every third person wants to visit these islands at least once in their life. If you also want to go there, you will be interested in learning some exciting facts about the Maldives. We will try to explain why it is the most popular tourist destination. After reading the text and seeing photos of white beaches, you will almost inevitably have a desire to start getting ready for vacation!
The Republic of Maldives is the lowest country on Earth. If ocean level rises due to global climate change, it may simply disappear.
Photo: Martin Falbisoner, from Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Photo: Ibrahim Asad/Good Free Photos (CC0 / Public Domain)
The country consists of 1,192 small islands grouped into 26 atolls. Those are located in the Indian Ocean and cover an area of 90,000 square kilometers. About 800 of them are still uninhabited, 200 islands are inhabited, about 200 are hotels and resorts. The rest of the islands are used as airports, for agriculture and industrial activities, and even as prisons!
Photo: By Shahee Ilyas, from Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)
The beaches on the Maldives are coral, which is rare. Only 5% of them in the world are coral, all the rest are quartz. This is why the beaches here are so white!
Photo: Studio Sarah Lou/flickr (CC BY 2.0)
The islands are located close to the equator, so the sun rays strike at a 90° angle. Just remember that a sunscreen cream with a high level of protection is a must-have!
Photo: Mac Qin/flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Photo: Alessandro Caproni/flickr (CC BY 2.0)
The Maldives is one of the safest tourist destinations. Mainly because its resorts are located far from each other.
Photo: Mac Qin/flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Maldivians used to build their houses from corals. This traditional technology is now banned because all the coral reefs are protected. Today these buildings can still be seen in Male and on the local islands.
Photo: Kemal Kestelli/flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Did you know that the first underwater meeting took place in the Maldives? It was held to highlight the threat of global warming.
Photo: Mark Hodson Photos/flickr (CC BY 2.0)
The colors of the Maldives flag are symbolic: green means peace and a national Coconut Tree, red means the blood fights for independence, and the white crescent means Islam.
Photo: Tchami/flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)
We usually like to enjoy a cocktail on the beach while on vacation. But if you find yourself out of the territory of your hotel, then you will not be able to find strong drinks: in this country they are prohibited and are available only for tourists and only in certain places.
Photo: rawpixel.com/pxhere (CC0 Public Domain)
Photo: pxhere (CC0 Public Domain)
If you are heading to the Maldives, you should definitely do diving for an exciting experience. It is a unique opportunity to see thousands of dolphins and whales as well as the largest whale shark.
Photo: kormandallas/pixabay (CC0 Creative Commons)
Photo: poolpe/pixabay (CC0 Creative Commons)
Cuisine of the Maldives has three main ingredients – coconuts, fish and rice.
Photo: User: (WT-shared) Jpatokal at wts wikivoyage, from Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Photo: pxhere (CC0 Public Domain)
The national dish is called garudiya (or garudhiya). It is a pure fish broth based on tuna spices.
Photo: By Takashi Hososhima (https://www.flickr.com/photos/htakashi/4469421678/), via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Photo: By George Alexander Ishida Newman from Japan (Juicy Tuna Steak), via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Did you know that weekends on the Maldives start on Friday and end on Saturday? Other countries don’t hurry up to enjoy the weekend so early.
Photo: 12019/pixabay (CC0 Creative Commons)
Photo: Ibrahim Asad/pexels (Pexels License)
Isn’t this country amazing?