The Maldives are an archipelago of 1,192 coral islands grouped into 26 coral atolls (200 inhabited islands and 154 islands with tourist resorts) in the Indian Ocean. They lie south-southwest of India and are considered part of Southern Asia.
Overview
The Maldives are tropical, with plenty of sunshine and temperatures around 26.4°C (79.52°F) to 31.5°C (88.7°F) throughout the year. However, rainfall increases considerably during the April-October southwest monsoon, particularly from June to November.
Atoll naming is complex, as the atolls have both lengthy traditional Dhivehi names like Maalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi, and snappy code names like Baa that refers to administrative regions and may consist of more than one geographical atoll. The code names are the letters of Dhivehi alphabet, but being easier for non-Maldivians to remember and pronounce, the code names are popular in the travel industry and are hence also used here. Of the 21 administrative atoll groups, only (parts of) 10 are open to tourism.
Trip Highlights
- Alimatha Island
- Veligandu Island Beach
- Male Fish Market
- Male Local Market
- Atoll Transfer
- Hukuru Miskiiy (Old Friday Mosque)
- Grand Friday Mosque
- Gulhi Beach
- Bikini Beach
- Hulhumale Beach