Maldives Travel Vacation

Maldives is one of Asia's major travel destinations and vacation paradises. There are many luxury resorts in Maldives with spectacular scenery, ocean and beach settings, and wonderful nature.

Located in Southern Asia and south-southwest of India, Maldives is a small nation formed by 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts). Maldives has total land area about 300 square kilometers, about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC of the United States of America.

Maldives has about 359,008 (2006 estimate) population. Ethnic groups include South Indians, Sinhalese, and Arabs. Maldivian Dhivehi is the official language but English is spoken by most government officials.

The Maldives was long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. It became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the Maldives archipelago. Tourism, Maldives largest industry, accounts for 20% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. Fishing is a second leading sector. In late December 2004, a major tsunami left more than 100 dead, 12,000 displaced, and property damage exceeding $300 million. Over the past decade, real GDP growth averaged over 7.5% per year. As a result of the tsunami, the GDP contracted by about 5.5% in 2005.

Maldives uses rufiyaa (MVR) as its currency. In 2005, exchange rates was about 12.8 rufiyaa per US dollar.

Maldives establishes interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service. Based on 2005 estimate, Maldives has about 19,000 Internet users.

Felivaru Shipwreck, Felivaru Tuna Canning Factory, Local Fisherman Island, Desert Island, Huruelhi Island, Mandoo Island, Snorkel Safari, Dhangethi Island, big-game fishing are some tourist attractions in Maldives. Parasailing, waterskiing, scuba diving, snorkelling, windsurfing, sail catamarans, jet ski, fishing are some of sport activities offered by Maldives resorts.

You can reach Maldives by airplane. All major airlines provide discount flight services to Male International Airport of Maldives from the United States, Canada, Europe and other international cities.

Four Seasons Kuda Huraa Resort Hotel occupies the entire Island Of Kuda Huraa with a total area of 12 acres. The Island is situated in the North Male Atoll, northeast of the Capital Male. It is about 25 minutes by Speedboat from the Male International Airport on the Island Of Hulhule. This popular holiday destination is famous for its secluded islands crystal clear waters, soft white sands and its reputation as a top diving and fishing spot.

The Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa Rangali Island is set on a white sandy beach amid tropical gardens, and is arrived at by seaplane from Male, 90 kilometres away. The hotel is comprised of 150 self-contained villas, all of which feature contemporary Maldivian-style wooden interiors and include minibars, safes, wireless Internet connections, espresso machines, CD players and designer toiletries. Some villas are set on stilts in the ocean and some are sited on the beach.

Dining options in Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa include the Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, an all-glass undersea restaurant offering diners 360-degree views of the surrounding reef life. The Atoll Market Place has eight different show kitchens, each offering a different type of cuisine, including Italian, Sri Lankan and Japanese. Guests can experience complete relaxation in the glass-floored Over-Water Spa, with treatments ranging from traditional Thai, Ayurvedic and Swedish massages to cleansing treatments and seaweed body wraps. The Spa Retreat offers nine therapy suites, a steam room, jet bath and sauna, and an extensive range of therapies. Pilates, aerobics, yoga and meditation classes are also available. The hotel offers a selection of excursions and trips, from snorkeling safaris to night fishing. The resort's scuba centre offers courses for beginners and trips for certified divers, while aboard the hotel's big-game fishing boat, guests are invited to try their hand at catching Wahoo, Yellow Fin Tuna, and Marlin. A team of instructors are on hand at the water-sports centre, where guests can windsurf, sail catamarans, jet ski, water ski and ride banana boats. Male International Airport (MLE) is 90 kilometers away, and the approximate journey time is one hour by coach and seaplane.

Kanuhura Sun Resort and Spa, opened in February 2000, is a luxurious five star hotel offering the highest standard of accommodation service and culinary experience. A well planned nationality mix gives the resort a truly international feel and brings together interesting people from diverse cultural backgrounds and various walks of life. Every effort has been made to retain the natural beauty of the island and whenever possible natural materials have been used. Only one third of the island surface has been used for buildings leaving a feel of spaciousness and tropical splendour. Complimented by its size and layout Kanuhura offers a choice of pure relaxation or for the more sports oriented an active holiday experience.