Travel in the Maldive Islands is almost primarily nature-oriented. The Maldives’ abundant sun, sand and sea, its thousand “Robinson Crusoe’ islands,” its massive lagoons with different depths and infinite shades of blue and turquoise, and its dazzling underwater coral gardens create a perfect combination of natural wonders that make an ideal destination for a tropical holiday.

The islands are like a string of pearls scattered over the deep blue Indian Ocean. Your first glimpse of the Maldives’ fascinating atoll formations confirms two unique aspects of the Republic of Maldives: Not only does it consist entirely of beautiful tropical islands, 99% of its 90,000 sq. km (35,000 sq. mi.) is covered by the sea. The country’s 1,190 islands spread over 20 atolls, ring-like coral formations enclosing a lagoon, which give the Maldives its paradise-like appearance.

The islands stretch for about 820 km (510 miles) from north to south, 130 km (80 miles) at their widest point, and do not exceed an individual length of 4.5 miles or an altitude of six feet above sea level. No more than 200 of the islands are inhabited; the rest includes 87 tourist resorts and uninhabited islands, some of which are used for drying fish or other agricultural activities.  

The capital, Malé, the seat of government and the center of trade, commerce, business, health and education, is located in the middle of the atoll chain, a small island buzzing with the sounds and activities of about 75.000 people – one-third of the country’s population. 

The Maldives have a tropical climate, with warm temperatures year-round and a great deal of sunshine. There are relatively minor variations in daily temperature throughout the year. The hottest month on average is April, and the coolest is December. 

The weather is determined largely by monsoons, which means there’s a significant variation in the monthly rainfall levels. February is the driest month, with January to April being relatively dry. May and October record the highest average monthly rainfall. The southwest monsoons, from May to September, create the islands’ wet season. Rough seas and strong winds are common during this period.  

The northeast monsoon falls between December to April. This is a period of clear skies, lower humidity and very little rain. The Maldives is in the equatorial belt, therefore severe storms and cyclones are extremely rare events.

A proud history and rich culture evolved from the first settlers, who came from many different parts of the world. The result is a melting-pot feel to the islands: Some of the local music and dance have strong East African influences, while other music has a distinct South Asian sound.  

The food also bears a strong South Asian influence. But in other cultural matters, Maldivians depart from South Asian norms, especially with regard to women. For example, India’s tradition of secluding women from public view is not a tenet of life here. In fact, women play a major role in society – not surprising considering the fact men spend the whole day out at sea fishing. Many of the traditions are strongly related to the seas and the fact that life is so dependent on them.