maldives all inclusive
Experience the luxury of tropical paradise in the Indian Ocean.
Powder-soft sand with coconut trees wafting in the gentle breeze. Crystal-clear water washes over colourful coral reefs, through which even more colourful fish swim. Devoted and smiling waiters have cold cocktails and a platter of succulent fruit ready. If ever a destination lived up to the stereotype of a tropical paradise, it is the Maldives.
The past few decades have seen this small nation, a line of 1,190 tiny islands in the Indian Ocean, transform into a tourist fantasy. There is no better place to escape from a busy world and submerge in luxury. The sense of seclusion is heightened by each resort being housed on its own island, reached by seaplane or boat. Yet the dutiful service is as good as you will find in any five-star city hotel, as are the spa facilities.
Such paradise has made the Maldives a popular choice for newlyweds. Yet the Maldives is increasingly a family destination, too. Although some might baulk at the thought of kids rampaging across the beach and ruining the ambience, an increasing number of hotels and resorts are pitching to parents by offering kids’ clubs, plenty of watersports and family activities. Crab racing, anybody?
Those in search of the authentic Maldivian experience can see how locals live in their coastal villages most resorts offer trips to nearby inhabited islands or can experience the bustle of the capital, Malé (which is as bustling as a city of 133,000 inhabitants can get). But the Maldives is not a cultural destination for the vast majority of visitors. Most bypass the mosques and shops of the capital, and choose to fly and flop on the beach with an occasional break to flipper into the azure sea.
With water making up around 99.7 per cent of Maldivian territory, those who stay on land are missing out on one of its star attractions. Every island in the nation sits in one of 26 coral atolls, with spectacular reefs providing a home to a wealth of underwater life. Those looking to find Nemo will find clownfish aplenty, not to mention 1,100 other species of fish, turtles, whales, dolphins and sharks. Keen scuba divers will find helpful guides in most resorts, while complete beginners can take their first breaths underwater with qualified instructors. Countless others are happy to slide into the water with a snorkel and watch the fish dart around the coral just below the surface.
However, that the Maldives bobs just above the surface of the sea is a curse as well as a blessing. As the lowest country in the world, with a high point only 5.1 metres (16.7 feet) above sea level, the Maldives is particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels. UN scientists suggest the entire country will have been submerged as early as 2100. Travellers who want the definitive tropical island experience should not wait too long.