 |
|
News
| Business | Films
| Galleries | Music
| TheatreUK NEWS & BUSINESS :
News | Business
| Money | Property
| ViewsENTERTAINMENT : Books | Festivals | Bollywood | Bollywood News | Bollywood Films | Films
Galleries | Museums | Music | Parties | Theatre | Television
LIFESTYLE : Culture | Eating Out | Food & Drink | Health | Horoscopes | Home Decor | Garden
Shop | Style | Sports : MPCL | Travel | Weddings
MEMBER SERVICES : Directory | eGreetings Cards | enewsletters | Wallpapers | Sign-up | Discuss | Chat | Email
SHOP: Search | Categories | Basket | Speed Order | Shipping | Account | Terms | Refunds | Wish List
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
|||
| Full
country name: Republic of Maldives Area: 298 sq km (115 sq mi) Population: 301,475 Capital city: Malé (pop. 62,973) People: Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, African Language: Maldivian Divehi Religion: Sunni Muslim Government: Republic President: Maumoon Abdul Gayoom |
||
|
Click
for further information on any of the following:
Malé Seenu (Addu Atoll) Resorts Fuamulaku Kudahuvadhoo Baa Atoll |
||
|
Resorts in the Maldives woo tourists with promises of 'the last paradise on earth', and if your idea of paradise is a pristine tropical island with swaying palm trees, pure white beaches and brilliant turquoise lagoons, then the Maldives will not disappoint. It's also a major destination for scuba divers, who come for the fabulous coral reefs and the wealth of marine life. But it's not a place for low budget backpackers or amateur anthropologists who want to travel independently and live as the locals do. Tourism in the Maldives is carefully managed. The country's tourism master plan identifies both the underwater environment and 'the Robinson Crusoe factor' as major attractions, but these are not seen as compatible with large-scale, low budget, mass tourism. The lack of local resources makes it necessary to import virtually everything a visitor needs, from furniture to fresh vegetables, so the Maldives cannot really compete on price. The strategy has been to develop a limited number of quality resorts, each on its own uninhabited island, free from traffic, crime and crass commercialism. The Maldivian tourism strategy also aims to minimise the adverse effects of tourism on traditional Muslim communities. Tourists can make short guided visits to local fishing villages, but must then return to their resort. Most are satisfied with this glimpse of local life and culture, but to stay longer or to travel to atolls outside the tourist zone requires a good reason, a special permit, and a local person to sponsor the visitor. Most tourists come to understand the restrictions after a short visit to an accessible island - it is difficult to imagine how isolated Maldivian communities would benefit from extended stays by an uncontrolled number of tourists. Like it or not, this highly regulated tourist industry has been enormously successful - there are more and better resorts, a steady increase in visitor numbers, and a minimal impact on the natural and social environment. The Maldives is internationally recognised as a model for sustainable, environment-friendly tourist development. Full
country name: Republic of Maldives
The Maldives is a chain of 26 coral atolls south-west of Sri Lanka, extending across the equator in a north-south strip 754km (468mi) long and 118km (73mi) wide. The 1192 low-lying coral islands are so small that dry land makes up less than 4% of the country's total territory. Some islands are uninhabited sandbars with a patch of scrub, while others are several km across and quite well vegetated. Most of the time the lagoons are a brilliant blue, with amazing coral reefs and abundant marine life. Although strict local regulation of fishing and commercial exploitation has kept the marine environment in a near-pristine state, in 1998 the reefs began feeling the effects of El Ninõ. A rise in sea temperature, lasting two weeks, stripped the reefs of a symbiotic algae that caused 'bleaching' of the coral polyps. While bleaching can be devastating, most of the Maldive coral reefs emerged unscathed, and it appears the process has not harmed any other marine life. Marine biologists and reef-watchers believe the process to be cyclical and are watching the growth of the new coral with avid interest. In short, the reefs are still a scuba diving and snorkelling wonder world, although they have temporarily lost some of their technicolour splendour. Though many of the bigger islands look like the picture-perfect, palm-fringed tropical fantasy, most have poor, sandy soil which supports only a limited range of plants - bamboo, pandanus, banana, mangroves, breadfruit trees, banyans, tropical vines and numerous coconut palms. The larger, wetter islands have small areas of rainforest. The main crops are limited to sweet potatoes, yams, taro, millet and watermelon, though a few more fertile islands have citrus fruits and pineapples. Natural fauna is sparse - giant fruit bats, colourful lizards and the occasional rat. Domestic animals include cats, a few chickens, goats and some rabbits. The most exciting wildlife is under the water. Anyone with a mask and snorkel will see butterfly fish, angel fish, parrot fish, rock cod, unicorn fish, trumpet fish, bluestripe snapper, Moorish idols, oriental sweetlips and more. Larger life forms, eagerly sought by scuba divers, include sharks, stingrays, manta rays, turtles and dolphins. The first inhabitants probably arrived in the archipelago from Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and southern India before 500 BC. One theory is that the islands were at the trading crossroads of several maritime nations as early as 2000 BC. Maldivians believe that an ancient race of sun-worshipping people called the Redin were the first settlers, and left a heritage of beliefs and customs involving evil spirits, or jinnis, still evident today. The Redin left around 500 BC or were absorbed by Buddhists from Ceylon and by Hindus from India. Because building materials were limited, each group built its important structures on top of those left by previous inhabitants. This is why many Maldivian mosques are oriented towards the sun and not Mecca. Arab traders en route to the Far East recorded visits to the Maldives from the 2nd century AD. Known as the 'Money Isles', they provided enormous quantities of cowrie shells, an international currency of the early ages. The conversion to Islam, in 1153 AD, is a watershed in Maldivian history. According to legend, a sea jinni called Rannamaari demanded regular sacrifices of young virgin girls in Malé. Abu Al Barakat, a visiting North African Arab took the place of a sacrificial virgin, and drove the demon away by reading from the Koran, the Islamic holy book. The Maldivian king at the time was sold on Islam, and Barakat later became the first sultan. A series of six sultanic dynasties followed - 84 sultans and sultanas in all. At one stage, when the Portuguese first arrived in the 16th century, there were actually two ruling dynasties: the Malei and the Hilali. The Portuguese, eager for a greater share of the profitable trade routes of the Indian Ocean, were granted permission to build a fort and a factory in Malé, but it wasn' t long before they wanted more from the Maldives. In 1558, Captain Andreas Andre led a Portuguese invasion which killed Sultan Ali VI. Andre ruled Malé and much of the country for the next 15 years. Portuguese occupation came to a sticky end in 1573 when an island chief, Mohammed Thakurufaan, led an attack on the main Portuguese garrison and slew the lot. In the 17th century, the Maldives came under the protection of the Dutch and later the British, but neither established a colonial administration. In the 1860s Borah merchants from Bombay set up warehouses and shops in Malé, and quickly acquired an almost exclusive monopoly on foreign trade. Sultan Mohammed Mueenuddin II, weary of the Borahs' economic grip, signed an agreement with the British in 1867 which guaranteed the islands' full independence. The Maldives subsequently became a British protectorate, and allowed the British to establish defence facilities. The sultanate became an elected rather than a hereditary position when the islands' first constitution was drawn up in 1932. In 1953 the sultanate was abolished and a republic proclaimed with Amin Didi as the first president. Less than a year later Didi was overthrown; the sultanate was returned with Mohammed Farid Didi elected as the 94th sultan of the Maldives. Around the same time, the British secured permission to re-establish its wartime airfield on Addu Atoll in the far south of the country. In 1956 the Royal Air Force began developing the base as a staging post, employing hundreds of Maldivians and undertaking the resettlement of the Gan islanders. But when Ibrahim Nasir was elected prime minister in 1957 he immediately called for a review of the agreement, demanding that the lease be shortened and the annual payment increased. This was followed by an insurrection against the government by the inhabitants of Addu and Suvadiva (Huvadu) atolls who objected to Nasir's demand that the British cease employing local labour. Influenced by the British presence, they decided to cut ties altogether and form an independent state. In 1962 Nasir sent gunboats to the southern atolls and the rebellion was quashed. Britain recognised the islands' sovereignty soon after and in 1965, the Maldives became fully independent. Following a referendum in 1968 the sultanate was again abolished and a new republic inaugurated with Nasir as president. His autocratic rule ended a decade later when, fearing for his life, he fled the country for Singapore. The progressive Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was elected president in his place. Gayoom has been in power ever since, surviving coup attempts in 1980 and 1988. He was nominated for a fourth five-year term in 1993, and his presidency was confirmed by an overwhelming referendum. Recent years have been characterized by modernisation, rapid economic growth, and improvement in most social indicators. The main contributors to this growth have been the fishing industry, tourism and foreign aid. There are pressures for political liberalisation on one hand and for a more traditional Muslim way of life on the other. The government also needs to strike a balance between preserving the environmental quality of the islands and further developing tourism and fishing.
If you stayed in Malé on a budget, you could get by on around US$35 per day if you shared a room. The cheapest resorts start at around US$50 per day in the low season, for a standard double room with full board. At most resorts, for most of the year, a double room with full board will cost around US$100 a day or more. Diving costs vary from resort to resort but keen divers expecting to undertake about 10 dives a week should allow about US$350 per week if they have their own equipment or US$500 per week if they rent everything. On a dive safari, the costs can be anywhere between US$60 to US$160 per day, depending on the luxury, plus another US$70 or so for diving. Unless you're content to bask on the beach all day, expect to spend around US$30 per day hiring windsurfers, snorkel gear, tennis courts, etc. If you stay at a resort, you don't need to carry money at all since everything will be billed to your room and you can settle up when you leave with travellers' cheques or credit cards (American Express, Visa and MasterCard are best). It's best to carry money in US dollar denominations, but British pounds, German marks and Italian lira are all pretty acceptable. You won't need Maldivian rufiya unless you're using local shops and services. Officially, tipping is discouraged in the Maldives. Unofficially, if the service is good - and it usually is - it's quite customary to tip room staff and waiters in your resort. US$10 per week is a suitable amount. A few resorts add a 10% service charge, in which case there's no need to tip. Bargaining is limited to tourist shops in and around Singapore Bazaar in Malé and at island village souvenir shops where prices are not fixed. Though performances of traditional music and dance are not everyday events, there is a contemporary Divehi culture which is strong and adaptive, despite foreign influences which range from Hindi movies and Oriental martial arts to Michael Jackson and Muslim fundamentalism. Western fashions, pop music and videos are visible in the capital, but on public occasions, like the beginning and end of Ramadan, the celebrations always have a distinctly Maldivian touch. There are three daily newspapers and several magazines in the unique national language, rock bands who sing Divehi lyrics, and multi-storey buildings which echo the architecture of Maldivian island houses. A odu beru means a big drum, and gives its name to the best known form of traditional music and dance. It's what tourist resorts put on for a local culture night, and it can be quite sophisticated and compelling. Dancers begin with a slow, nonchalant swaying and swinging of the arms, and become more animated as the tempo increases, finishing in a rhythmic frenzy. There are four to six drummers in an ensemble, and the sound has strong African influences. Contemporary local rock bands often perform at resorts where they do credible covers of the usual old favourites. Performing for a local audience they may incorporate elements of bodu beru in their music, with lots of percussion and extended drum solos. Cassettes from local bands are sold in Malé music shops. Islam is the national religion and all Maldivians are Sunni Muslims. No other religions are permitted, though ancient beliefs survive: for example, islanders fear jinnis - evil spirits which come from the sea, land and sky. These are blamed for everything that cannot be explained by religion or science. Fish and rice are the staple foods of Maldivians with meat and chicken eaten only on special occasions. National dishes include fried fish, fish curry and fish soup. Arecanut (an oval nut chewed with betel leaf, cloves and lime) is the equivalent of an after-dinner mint. Alcohol is only available in tourist resorts. The local brew is raa, a sweet and delicious toddy tapped from the crown of the palm trunk. Apart from coconuts, there are very few fruits and vegetables grown on the islands, so most of the food served at tourist resorts is imported. Most holidays are based on the Islamic lunar calendar and the dates vary from year to year. The most important religious event is Ramadan (known locally as rorda mas), the Islamic month of fasting. Other noteworthy events are Kuda Id, the sighting of the new moon (celebrated at the end of Ramadan), and the Prophet's Birthday, which commemorates the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed. Fixed holiday dates include: National Day (the day Mohammed Thakurufaan and his men overthrew the Portuguese on Malé in 1573, the first day of the third month of the lunar calendar); Victory Day (victory over Sri Lankan mercenaries who tried to overthrow the Maldivian government on 3 November 1988); and Republic Day (which commemorates the current republic, founded on 11 November 1968). Generally, the year is divided into two monsoon periods: the north-east monsoon or ruvai lasts from December to March, which are the drier months; the south-west monsoon or ulhangu lasts from April to November, and is wetter, with more storms and occasional strong winds. Daytime temperatures are about 28°C (82°F) all year. The humidity is slightly lower in the dry season but most days there's a cooling sea breeze. If you're looking for a few extra hours of sunshine then you should visit the Maldives between December and April, which is the dry season. This is the high season, however, and resorts can be fully booked and prices are higher than the rest of the year. The Christmas-New Year period is the busiest and most expensive part of the high season. Between May and November it's still warm, but the skies can be cloudy, humidity is higher and rain is more likely. This is the low season, and there are fewer tourists and prices are lower. The transition months of November and April are said to be associated with increased water clarity and better visibility for divers. Scuba diving is the main attraction in the Maldives, and it's estimated that over 60% of visitors dive at least once. There are hundreds of recognised and named dive sites, many of which are accessible from resorts - the rest can be reached by boat on diving safari trips. Aside from multitudinous fish and corals, there's the thrill of diving with turtles, moray eels, manta rays, sharks and whales and exploring some of the Maldives accessible wrecks, including the Maldive Victory off Hulule Airport, believed by many enthusiasts to be one of the most exciting wreck dives in the world. Virtually every resort runs a diving school to keep its guests occupied, but you can also just don a mask and flippers and swim a couple of strokes from a beach to enjoy the delights of the Maldives' submarine world. Surfing has become more popular in the islands since there are excellent breaks accessible from resorts close to Malé. Surfing safaris to the outer atolls can also be arranged. It's always best to book surf trips with a reputable surf travel operator, because the Maldives is definitely not the sort of place where a surfer can rock up with a few boards and head for the waves. For the avid watersport enthusiast there are plenty of opportunities to go sailing, parasailing, windsurfing, waterskiing and jetskiing. Big game fishing is an upmarket option at some resorts, but there is a 'tag and release' policy, so you can't keep your catch. If you can't get your fill in the daytime, you can also go night fishing on board a dhoni (a traditional boat). Some people can just never get enough, which must be why banana riding has become a popular pastime at resorts. This involves up to a dozen people climbing onto a giant, inflatable banana which is then dragged around a lagoon by a speedboat. Coconut volleyball is only a matter of time. Small, quaint, and densely settled, Malé (pronounced 'Mar-lay') is not spectacular, but quite unique as a capital city. It's clean and tidy, with mosques, markets, a maze of small streets and a certain charm all its own. While it sometimes gives the impression of a sleepy country town, there is new building work everywhere, and the place feels like it will soon burst at the seams. The island of Malé is about 2km (1.2mi) long and 1km (0.62mi) wide, and packed to the edges with buildings, roads and a few well-used open spaces. Officially, the population is around 65,000, but with foreign workers and short-term visitors from other islands, there may be as many as 100,000 people in town - it certainly feels like it. The size of the island has been more than doubled through land reclamation projects and nearby islands are used for the airport and other purposes. There are plans to develop other islands to reduce the pressure on Malé. Among the city's modest attractions is the National Museum, which houses untidy exhibits of the sultans' belongings and a smattering of Thor Heyerdahl's archaeological discoveries - many of the ancient stone carvings and figurines are featured in his book The Maldive Mystery. Near the museum is the pleasant Sultan Park, and the imposing white Islamic Centre & Grand Friday Mosque which dominates the city's skyline. There are over 20 other mosques scatttered around Malé, some little more than a coral room with an iron roof. The oldest is the Hukuru Miski, famed for its intricate stone carvings. One long panel, carved in the 13th century, commemorates the introduction of Islam to the Maldives, while outside a graveyard holds the tomb of Abu Al Barakat and the tombstones of former sultans. Other sights include the Singapore Bazaar, a conglomeration of stores selling some quality local handicrafts and an assortment of Maldivian and imported tourist knick-knackery. Also interesting are the shops selling home hardware, marine equipment, fishing gear and general merchandise for local villages. In the many small teahouses Maldivian men enjoy 'short eats' (small snack meals), smoking, chewing and talking. Malé has inexpensive food and accommodation, but nightlife is confined to teahouses and a few western style restaurants. A couple cinemas show Hindi epics and Hollywood blockbusters. Malé's expatriates head to a nearby resort on their day off. This is the 'second city' of the Maldives, and the resort here is the best base from which to visit traditional Maldivian island communities. The Addu people are fiercely independent, speak differently from folk in the capital and at one time even tried to secede from the republic. The biggest influence on Addu's modern history has been the British bases, first established on the island of Gan during WWII, as part of the Indian Ocean defences. In 1956, the British developed a Royal Air Force base as a strategic Cold War outpost. The base had around 600 permanent personnel, with up to 3000 during periods of peak activity. They built a causeway connecting Feydhoo, Maradhoo and Hithadhoo islands, and employed most of the local men. In 1976 the British pulled out, but many of their employees, who spoke good English and had experience working for westerners, were well qualified for jobs in the soon-to-be-booming tourist industry. Tourist development in Addu itself has been slow to start, but a resort has been established in the old RAF buildings on Gan and there are now reliable connections to the capital in a new Air Maldives jet. The Ocean Reef Resort is not a typical Maldives tropical paradise resort island, but the old military base is a unique feature. Gan is linked by causeways to the adjacent islands, and it's easy and pleasant to get around them by bicycle, giving unmatched opportunities to visit the local villages and see village life. The vast majority of visitors come to the Maldives on package tours, staying at one of the 70-plus resort islands. Most resorts are in the three atolls closest to the capital - North Malé Atoll, South Malé Atoll and Ari Atoll. There are a few other resorts on nearby atolls, and these might be further developed in the future. Judging by the brochures, all the resorts are beautiful and are blessed with white sand, blue sea and swaying palm trees, and they all promise great diving. Despite their apparent similarity, however, they differ considerably in their comfort, cuisine, clientele, character and their suitability for various excursions and activities. The quality of accommodation and food is pretty much related to price - none of the Maldives resorts is bad, but then none is exactly cheap either. Some have modern, motel-style rooms, while others are more rustic, with thatched roofs and sand floors. The larger, cheaper resorts attract more young people, more singles, and tend to be casual in style and full of people out to have a good time. Smaller resorts are more intimate and cosy, and may appeal to couples and honeymooners. Some resorts cater more or less exclusively to certain nationalities, notably Italian, German, French and Japanese guests. All resorts offer scuba diving, but some are known as hardcore divers' destinations. Note that some resorts having better access to specific dive sites, local Maldivian villages, or to the capital city than others. This solitary island in the middle of the Equatorial Channel is something of an anomaly in the Maldives. It is exceptionally fertile, producing fruits and vegetables not grown elsewhere in the country, like mangoes, oranges and pineapples. The people are said to be bigger and healthier and to live longer than other islanders. In South Nilandhoo Atoll, the island of Kudahuvadhoo has one of the mysterious mounds known as hawittas. They are probably the ruins of Buddhist temples, but have not been thoroughly investigated by archaeologists. Thor Heyerdahl explored the island, and commented that its old mosque had some of the finest masonry he had ever seen, surpassing even the famous Inca wall in Cuzco, Peru. He was amazed to find such a masterpiece of stone-shaping art on such an isolated island, though it had a reputation in the Islamic world for finely carved tombstones. Baa Atoll is famous for its handcrafts, which include lacquer work and finely woven cotton felis (traditional sarongs). The small, isolated atoll of Goidhoo has been a place for castaways and exiles. The French explorer François Pyrard, found himself here in 1602 after his ship, the Corbin, was wrecked. There are regular flights to Colombo (Sri Lanka), Thrivandrum (south-west India), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), as well as many charter flights from European centres. Malé International Airport is the only international gateway; departure tax is $US10. There are regular cargo ships, but they don't usually take passengers. The Maldives is not popular with private yachts because the reefs are so hazardous and cruising permits are restrictive and expensive. Tourism is strictly regulated, and independent travel is discouraged because it is seen as disruptive to traditional island communities. Those wanting to see the Maldivian way of life can stay in Malé, the intriguing capital city, and make daytime visits to island communities close to tourist resorts. It's not impossible to visit the outer islands, but it's difficult enough to deter all but the most dedicated and determined. An Inter Atoll Travel Permit is required to visit islands outside the tourist zone, and the Ministry of Atolls Administration will only issue them to those whose visit is sponsored by a resident of the island concerned. Air Maldives, the small national airline, has regular and very scenic flights to the four air strips in the outer atolls. Helicopters and seaplanes are used to transfer guests to some of the remoter resorts. The main form of local transport is the dhoni, a traditional all-purpose vessel now usually powered by a diesel engine. Larger boats called vedis are used for longer trips to outer atolls. Safari cruises in modified, live-aboard honis are increasingly popular, especially with dive groups who want to reach more remote sites. Most safari trips cruise around the tourist zone, but it is possible to arrange longer trips to the outer atolls - the operator will have to obtain the necessary permits. Most islands are so small that transport is not a problem, but there are taxis, motorcycles and bicycles in the capital. |
||
|
Click here to view a map of The Maldives
|
||
|
Business Information | About us | Opportunities | Press Room | Become a Contributor | Contact Us
Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Terms of Contribution | Community Standards