Maldives I: Paradise Island

Today there you will find hundreds of islands that are below sea level surrounded by colourful coral. For several thousand years, but most of these atolls are coral only empty eye - a former volcano is constantly shrinking due to erosion, to disappear completely.

Maybe therefore Maldives seem to all visitors so beautiful and unique, it just loves everyone who ever looks here. That good that spills through the body when lying in the soft, white sand and washes your feet warm, lightly blue sea, it beats nothing. The archipelago, which length is 800 km, but 98% made ​​up of lagoons, coral reefs and shallows milky blue. And the islands you can count over 1200!

Maldives (Republic of Maldives) is washed by the Indian Ocean and temperatures there are more than pleasant - average in winter is 27 ° C in summer 31 ° C. Ideal time to go to the Maldives, is from November to February, since that time, there is low humidity. Even during the rest of the year, but most enjoy the holiday. 19 islands that make up the Maldives are the flattest and lowest lying country in the world - why Maldivian government in relation to rising ocean levels reflects the acquisition of territory from other countries in the drainage area of ​​the Indian Ocean.

History of Maldives dates back to the second century BC, when on this island paradise mention Arab traders. At that time there lived fishermen of Sri Lanka and India, already in 1153 AD But throughout the Maldives became a Muslim country. In the 16th Maldives century dominated the Portuguese, then the influence gained mainly the Dutch and British. From the Maldives to become independent in 1965, the year 1988 was proclaimed republic.

Now there live about 350 thousand inhabitants, the capital is Male. The only major city is a capital - the rest of the Maldivian find it and just settlement complexes on small islands. You can stay in very luxurious resorts with bungalows directly above the water - table, there are also cheaper accommodation options. The most popular destination calls Ari atoll.

Maldivians are at first shy, but very hospitable people. The most important holiday for them is Ramadan and also other areas of their lives significantly influenced by Arab culture. Its influence can be found to be in the Maldivian folk music. It is interesting that many islands will not find any tourist resorts, but the common facilities of cities, such as prison or landfill.

 Text: Viola Kratochvílová and travel agency ESO Travel, a specialist of Maldives.

 Photo: ESO Travel