Joanna James
The Maldives islands are some of the most beautiful landscapes in existence, and offer more than unspoilt beaches and incredible luxury resorts. Here are some interesting facts about this archipelago.
The Maldives nation consists of exactly 1190 coral landmasses that have been grouped into a total of twenty-six atolls. Some of these landmasses are minuscule with a surface area that amounts to a few square metres. Many of the two hundred inhabited islands are resorts, where the entire island itself has been converted into a Maldives luxury resort, by entities such COMO Maalifushi, The Maldives.
Many would be amazed to discover how strict the laws in the Maldives are, outside of the resorts of course. The Maldivian people are very traditional and follow strict Muslim practices. If one were to go to Male, which is the island capital, one would have to make sure that one's shoulders aren't exposed, not wear shorts, and just overall dress very modestly. If you're wearing revealing clothing, you can receive anything from lots of weird looks to even trouble from the police. Alcohol is banned throughout the nation, except for the resorts of course. Within the resorts you could dress more casually and even wear bikinis but going topless is strictly prohibited.
Due to the strict laws and isolated islands, the Maldives is one of the safest travel destinations, especially if you're looking to spend time at a luxury resort. Since most of the resorts command their own islands, you can wander around without worrying about running into any creepy or malicious individuals since only privileged hotel guests will be on the island at any given moment. Even travelling elsewhere is quite safe since alcohol is banned for one thing and you won't any drunks wandering the roads. Plus given that the landmasses are so small, you will never be far away from law enforcement.
The story of the Maldives goes back more than a thousand years where it was always a prominent sea port. Although the islands were inhabited more than two hundred years before the birth of Christ, the first real dynasty was established by a prince who was exiled from his kingdom in India. He unified the various people of the Maldives under his rule. Although for hundreds of years the Maldives remained a Buddhist nation, a travelling Muslim visitor supposedly drove away a demon that was terrorising the Maldivian kingdom of that time. Once the demon was defeated; the king had ordered his followers to convert to Islam.
There's a very high chance that in less than twenty years, most of the Maldives will be underwater. In order to address this threat, the former President of the Maldives held an entire cabinet meeting underwater. This means that sadly, you might have a small window to experience the beauty of one of the most incredible landscapes on the planet before it lost forever like the continent of Atlantis.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
