Top 5 Important Facts to Keep in Mind when You visit the Maldives - Five Must-Know Facts about Travelling in the Maldive

When travellers imagine the Maldives, they envision a beach hub with a dozen or so islands to its name but the paradise archipelago will redefine any tourist's idea of an island haven. Made up of nearly 1200 tiny islands, the Maldives consists of twenty-six atolls that were formed naturally and are spread out across 800km. As the 9th smallest nation on the planet, the total land area of the country is less than 300 square kilometres even though it covers around 90,000km2. Most of the islands in the Maldives are also uninhabited and untouched by human development with the population restricting themselves to several islands and leaving the rest to the wild or as individual resort islands.

The Maldives' identity as one of Asia's Islamic nations is another fact most tourists may be surprised to find out. The religious heritage of the islands is rarely mentioned in travel brochures but the realities of life in the Maldives are different than other beach hotspots the likes of the Caribbean due to its Islamic culture. This means wearing skimpy or revealing clothes when sightseeing is a faux pas and that swimwear and resort wear should be restricted to the confines of your beach resort in Maldives whether it's the Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives or any similar rest. Public displays of affection, as well as loud and brash behaviour, are also frowned upon.

Not only is it illegal to bring alcohol into the country but consuming it is also restricted to resorts and hotels in the country. Those who intend to go bar hopping in Male will be sorely disappointed to find that most bars in the country serve mocktails and other non-alcoholic beverages.

While the Maldives is a year-round holiday destination, timing your visit will definitely make a difference in the quality of the vacation experience. The worst time to visit the Maldives is from April to October when the monsoon rains are in full swing while the December to March period is deemed the official tourist season. This is when nearly every activity and excursion in the Maldives is available and easily accessible although the peak tourist season is also the most expensive time to tour the islands.

Home to some of the region's most impressive marine creatures, the Maldives is a marine life enthusiast's dream come true. With over a thousand fish species occupying its waters, the country is ideal for scuba diving and snorkelling expeditions. The health of the country's coral reef network is credited as the reason why so many marine animals thrive in the Maldives.