About Maldives:

It is located southwest of Sri Lanka and India, approximately 750 kilometres (470 miles; 400 nautical miles) from the Asian continent s mainland. From Ihavandhippolhu Atoll in the north to Addu Atoll in the south, the chain of 26 atolls stretches across the equator.

Maldives is one of the world’s most geographically dispersed sovereign states, with a territory spanning roughly 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 sq mi) including the sea, and the land area of all the islands comprising 298 square kilometres (115 sq mi). It is also one of the smallest Muslim-majority countries by land area, and the second least populous country in Asia, with around 557,751 inhabitants.
The Maldives joined the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation as a founding member (SAARC). It also belongs to the UN, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Non-Aligned Movement. The Maldives economy is classified as upper-middle income by the World Bank. Fishing has long been the dominant economic activity, and it remains by far the largest sector, followed by the rapidly expanding tourism industry. The Maldives ranks “high” on the Human Development Index, with a significantly higher per capita income than other SAARC countries.

Places to visit in Maldives:

1 Male:
Male, the capital of the Maldives atolls, has the frenetic feel of a place crammed into a slot that’s too small for it, throbbing with scooters and cars and Indian bazaars stacked with coconuts and spice. That is because it is. Although it is rarely visited (most visitors bypass the city on seaplanes bound for their resort), the town is crammed onto a tiny islet in the North Male Atoll. It does, however, manage to squeeze in some fascinating sights between its streets, such as the 17th-century Friday Mosque and the gold-tipped Islamic Centre. Another must-see is the Male Market; just make sure your haggling skills are up to par.

2 Hulhumale Island:
The island of Hulhumale, located just across the sparkling waters from the capital of Male, is constantly expanding as more and more land is reclaimed to house the city’s sprawling urban tendrils. It is also the location of the Velana International Airport, which serves as the primary gateway to these idyllic islands for the majority of visitors. Do t be put off by how all of this sounds – Hulhumale is a charming place.
It has a lovely – if artificial – beach on its eastern outskirts, as well as a smattering of leafy neighbourhoods, a glass-topped mosque, and planned promenade walkways above the Indian Ocean.

3 Maafushi:
Maafushi may lack the sprawling luxury resorts and opulent 5-star hotels that many of its nearby brothers do, but it is not without charm. Sadly ravaged by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the area has spent the last decade busy rebuilding its salt-washed fishing jetties and hardworking sailor huts. The opening of rights to local guesthouses has aided in the transformation of Maafushi into one of the best off-the-beaten-path island getaways for budget travellers. Of course, you can expect beautiful beaches backed by palm trees, lapping waves, and a slew of cosy little coffee shops on the beach.

4 Utheemu:
The beautiful site of Utheemu, located on the far northern reaches of the Haa Alif Atoll, the northernmost of all the Maldivian island chains, holds a special place in the history of this archipelago nation. This is because it was once the residence of the revered Sultan Mohamed Thakurufaanu, the leader credited with driving out Portuguese invaders from the isles in the late 16th century. There are the usual sparkling white sands and lapping Indian Ocean waves, but these are punctuated by heritage sites such as the Utheemu Ganduvaru, a stunning timber-built palace where the respected leader grew up.

5 Feydhoo:
In the nineteenth century, the people who now live between the leafy streets and close-knit housing blocks here were residents of nearby Gan Island (more on that one later). When the British arrived in the run-up to WWII, Gan was converted into an airbase, and the locals were relocated to the Seenu Atoll’s next island. That was Feydhoo, which is now a lovely depiction of Maldivian life. Come stroll the winding walkways with the locals and sample seafood curries – the welcome is always warm.

6 Maradhoo:
Maradhoo is a major link in the island chain that begins with Gan to the east and is joined at the hip to the aforementioned Feydhoo by a seaside causeway that runs just above the coral-fringed shores of the Seenu Atoll. It juts out into the Indian Ocean like a finger, fringed with narrow beachfronts and swaying coconut palm groves. The locals, like in Feydhoo, are laid-back and lovely, and the cuisine is spicy and rich in seafood. Take a stroll down Link Road and visit the coffee shops and sandwich vendors that meet between the palm trees.

7 Veligandu Island:
Sunsets over the Indian Ocean glow red and yellow; cocktails clink in the resort’s luxurious bar; sea kayaks bob on the turquoise shoreline; and crystal-clear waves roll in softly from the inland lagoon. Welcome to the stunning Veligandu Island, which has long been regarded as one of the best Maldives honeymoon destinations. Honeymooners and newlyweds are common on this long, thin finger of land on the western edge of the North Ari Atoll, and there are plenty of opulent seaside villas and suites to accommodate them.

8 Banana Reef:
Many visitors to the Maldives islands will be there for one reason and one reason only: diving. And there isn’t a better place in the country to don SCUBA gear and wetsuits than the Banana Reef. This fruit-shaped swath of multicoloured corals and seaweed-covered sandbanks lies beneath the North Male Atolls isles. It’s served by a plethora of outfitters who lead excursions to discover the striped snappers and bulbous sponges, reef sharks and barracudas that congregate here.

9 Thulusdhoo Island:
Thulusdhoo Island appears to be driven by the spirit of the salt-washed Caribbean. This undiscovered speck in the Male Atolls is surrounded by wide sand spaces from which bulbous coconut trunks sprout by the hundreds. The beaches are, of course, fantastic, and the locals enjoy bringing in their fading fishing boats to flint up a good sizzling seafood barbeque every now and then. That all fits in with another popular pastime among Thulusdhoo visitors: surfing.
Nearby, look for the fun left-hand rollers that turn into barrels off Villingilimathi Huraa.

10 Fuvahmulah:
Fuvahmulah promises something different from the other Maldivian atolls.
For starters, this speck on the map of the Indian Ocean has no immediate neighbours, and it has its own atoll. It is also dotted with the occasional inland lake, which is unusual in this flat country.
Meanwhile, the sandbanks that surround popular Banging Beach provide some crashing rollers and refreshing salt spray (a welcome change from the usual relaxing lapping lagoons), and the proximity to the Earth’s equator means steamy weather all year.

Places to Eat:

• Symphony Restaurant
• Reethi Restaurant
• Sea House Café

Hotels in the Maldives:

• Arena Beach Hotel Maafushi
• Royal Island Resort and Spa in the Maldives
• VIVA Beach and Spa Maldives
• Taj Exotica Resort and Spa Maldives

Airports: Velana International Airport

• Madivaru Airport
• Dharavandhoo Airport
• Hanimadhoo International Airport
• Gan International Airport