Maldives, this small Islamic nation of fishing and trading people has a history, culture and language all its own. The Maldives is made up of a string of 1190 tiny islands, most of them measuring less than a couple of kilometres and bobbing only a few metres above sea level. If your idea of paradise is a pristine tropical island with swaying palm trees, white-sand beaches and turquoise lagoons, then the Maldives will not disappoint.

Best time to visit

December to April (the dry season).

Essential Experiences

Swimming in a clear-blue lagoon; strolling on soft white sand and sitting under a coconut tree; scuba diving to see turtles, mantas and morays, whale sharks, nurse sharks, hammerheads and rays; exploring the underwater shipwreck Maldive Victory, alive with corals and home to trevally, snapper, squirrelfish and cod; taking a flight over the atolls and watching the free-form patterns of sea, sandbank, reef and island.

In a few words, the Maldives is

Pristine tropical islands, swaying palm trees, pure white-sand beaches, brilliant aquamarine water, abundant marine life, gloriously coloured coral and peerless diving.

Did you know?

In the Maldives, ancient beliefs survive: the islanders fear jinnis - evil spirits that come from the sea, land and sky. Also, the full name of the country is Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa.