5 Things You Didn’t Know About Maldives

maldives

The Maldives, a tropical island nation in the Indian Ocean, is best known for its pristine white sand beaches, clear skies and blue waters. Well it is not all – there’s a lot more to this beautiful destination. It’s full of interesting facts and history that you may not know.
However to make it a bit easier for you to get familiar with the island before planning a trip, we are sharing here a list of few unknown and unique things about Maldives.

It is the lowest nation on planet

Maldives happens to be a nation with the lowest sea elevation in the world. 80 percent of the land in this tropical country is just 1 or 1.5 meters above the sea level and the highest point is just 2.4 meters above. While the good thing about this fact is one can dig their toes into the sand even at the highest sea level, the bad one is the rising sea level could demolish this beach due to the change in climate.

Boats are the major form of transport in Maldives

boats

Be it the speedboats transporting guests to and from the resorts or the luxury surf-charters criss-crossing the archipelago, boats are the essence of transport in Maldives. Among all of them, it is the traditional Maldivian sailboat which is quite common in the nation. Such sailboats are usually handcrafted from coconut palm timber and majorly used for the purpose of fishing.

It has just two seasons

There are only two seasons in Maldives: one is the dry northeast monsoon season that stays from December to April and another can be called the rainy season (May to November).

It possesses a life-sized aquarium

aquarium

The Maldives comprises large number of reefs and is, thus, known as one of the world’s best destinations for various forms of diving. These reefs are home to different species of water inhabitants including 187 species of coral, 21 species of dolphins and whales, over 1000 species of fish, five different varieties of sea turtles as well as over 145 crab and 48 species of shrimp.

Last but not the least – it’s not just for the honeymooners

There is a perception that Maldives is a destination ideal for couples only. However, the fact is the country is visited by large number of families with kids as well as solo travellers. The country owns many islands such as Huvahendhoo Island, Dhigu Island and Kanuhura Island that are known for their well-maintained, family-friendly resorts. As far as adventure is concerned, one can be spoiled for choice with its exclusive options for diving and snorkelling spots.