Our Opinion: "imagine islands of Robinson Crusoe ideology; breathtaking lagoons of infinite blue and turquoise shades, dazzling underwater coral gardens and beaches of inconceivable brilliance. A perfect hideaway for relaxation, reflection and rejuvenation."

A dazzling 1,190 coral islands of the Maldives form an archipelago of 26 major atolls, 202 are inhabited and only 87 offer exclusive resort accommodation. Fascinating ring-shaped reef structures, locally known as Faru, petal the ocean resembling of a string of dazzling pearls, providing natural shelter to these mesmerising coral atolls. Turquoise lagoons gently lap the sparkling white sands that encircle these tiny islands, where idyllic boutique hotels and luxury resorts blend unpretentiously into nature’s paradise.

The Maldives enjoy a year-round tropical climate enhancing the underwater profusion of psychedelic colours and varied marine life. Famed for its extraordinary underwater beauty, the Maldives offer extraordinary underwater visibility of up to 50 metres securing some of the best scuba diving and snorkelling in the world. With a dive school at every resort and professional multi-lingual instructors, beginners and professional divers are enticed to take to the water and discover the phenomenal splendour of this marine environment.

Maldivian people derive from a splendid melting pot of African, Arab and South East Asian heritage, with one third of its population residing on the capital island of Malé. A buzzing city of streets tiled with shops and offices, an old bazaar with narrow lanes bursting with the country’s hub of wholesale and retail trade and open-air markets provide interesting sights and memories. The main road on the island, the Majeedhee Magu, swells with an abundance of shops stocked high with garments, perfumes and cosmetics, a firm favourite with passing tourists and the hardy throngs of local shoppers particularly during the cooler evening hours.