Sprinkled in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the Maldives are, quite simply, heaven on earth. Nestled amongst captivating lagoons, these idyllic isles are washed by warm seas shot with piercing hues of luminous turquoise, electric aquamarine and sparkling sapphire. The crystal clear waters teem with extraordinary marine life and exotic corals - perfect for scuba diving and snorkelling. Encircled by two large atolls, the majority of the islands are barely higher than two metres and from the surface are no more than mounds of pure white sand, covered with dense tropical vegetation interspersed with characteristic coconut palms. Of the 12,000 islands, about one in ten of them are inhabited and less then half of them have any tourist development and of those that do, there is room for no more than one hotel. These breathtaking resort islands are worlds within themselves with some of the larger ones offering several different restaurants as well as their own water sports centres. Welcome to paradise.
