I'll tell you what the Maldives impress and delight in. This is an amazing place worth visiting at least once. Find out why! And the best part is that all these joys are available not only to oligarchs, but also to any budget tourist.
I don't remember what exactly the singer Maxim was howling about in her hit of the 2000s, but for most people who have successfully overcome puberty, paradise has a very specific address and is located in the Maldives. All this, of course, is a matter of taste, and many other places can compete with the Maldives for the right to be called a paradise on Earth, but, whatever one may say, this archipelago has many reasons to infringe on this status. I have visited the Maldives and, despite their shortcomings, found five strong reasons to consider the islands a true paradise. I invite you to familiarize yourself.
1. Underwater world
This is the main treasure of the Maldives! What impressed and excited me the most.
It is difficult to surprise the seasoned traveler, especially in our globalized world, when everything becomes the same, but some places are capable of it. The Maldives, with its incredibly rich underwater world, will impress anyone. Here I had my first snorkeling experience and loved it!
Nowhere in the world is there such a variety of marine life in such a small area as in the Maldives. And what is most beautiful is that every traveler can see this underwater kingdom. You do not need to have diving experience and do not need to buy expensive outing excursions, because the beauty of the underwater world is available to anyone who takes only a few steps from the coast and dives into the azure waters of the Indian Ocean. Already three meters from the coast, you will meet the first sea inhabitants. Sail a little further and see more. I visited three local islands: Toddu, Rasdhoo and Ukulas - everywhere, on any beach you can see fish, corals and other marine life.
During a week of daily snorkeling along the coast, I saw dozens of species of fish of all the most incredible colors and sizes, moray eels, huge schools of fish, twice swam with a turtle and four times saw the queen of these waters - a shark. Impressions of the sea! Especially from the turtle and shark. I was also very impressed by the underwater cliff, which abruptly goes deep into the blue abyss - amazing, majestic, grandiose! In general, I am overwhelmed with emotions. It is very cool! For the sake of all this, it was worth coming to the Maldives, spending money and enduring all the difficulties of a budget holiday on the islands.
2. Azure waters and white sand
This is something incredible! The color of the water in the Maldives and its transparency amazed me even in the late evening immediately after arriving at the Male 'pier. And what awaited me after, in the morning, when I saw this sea in the light of the sun's rays, in all its glory!
I have already seen similar water in other places (Mediterranean Sea, Philippines), but even an experienced traveler is struck by the Maldivian Sea. Intense azure color and crystal clarity are all very beautiful. The white powdery sand is also exactly what the travel brochures promise. Good, you won’t say anything!
If all these beach and sea pleasures are important and interesting to you, be sure to go to the Maldives - you will get a lot of pleasant impressions. And don't listen to those smart guys who argue that the true beauty of the Maldivian sea and beaches can only be found in expensive resorts. Complete nonsense! Both those who paid $ 500 for the hotel and those who paid only $ 50 get the same water and beaches - these things are the same on all islands.
Check out how much it costs to stay in the Maldives and how to get there cheap.
3. Sunsets and sunrises
They are very beautiful here! Especially on the eve of the rainy season or in its midst.
Not every resort gives vacationers the opportunity to enjoy both sunrises and sunsets at the same time. It is not always possible to see the sun setting directly into the sea. But the Maldives has it all! The islands are very tiny: if you want to meet the dawn, go to the east coast at 6 in the morning, if you want to enjoy the sunset, be on the west side at 6 in the evening. Few people get up early in the morning, so we meet the sunrises all alone. More spectators gather at sunsets. Both are very beautiful!
Find out when is the best time to relax in the Maldives.
4. Separation from civilization
In the Maldives, you will live on tiny islands that can be bypassed around the perimeter in an hour or two, while the big land and megacities with their bustle and noise will remain somewhere very far away. For hundreds and thousands of kilometers around you there will be only an ocean and rare and equally small specks of land. You will breathe clean air, relax in peace and quiet, and admire the gorgeous starry sky in the evening. Being in such a place and being aware of these things is a real thrill.
5. Silence, calmness and safety
In the Maldives, there is no that terrible atmosphere of big resort cities, which personally always repulses me. There are no drunks, no nightclubs, no noise, noisy taxi drivers, barkers and excursion sellers - all this orgy remains very far away. Even on the local islands, where the locals themselves live, it is completely calm and comfortable: people live in a calm rhythm, they do not jump on tourists, there is almost no transport, there are no entertainment establishments and no one uses them. Well, on the resort islands there is even more relaxation and privacy - that's why most people go there. No Gelendzhik, no tagila, no "hello, may friend! kam that may shop!"It is so good that there are territories in our world that are free from this outrage.
Read also our tips on holidays in the Maldives.
