The double chain archipelago of 1,192 white sandy beach coral islands located about seven hundred kilometers (435 mi) south-west of Sri Lanka in the Laccadive Sea of Indian Ocean are called the Maldives. Spread across the equator with sunny tropical climate, these coral islands were referred to as the "Flowers of the Indies" by Marco Polo. The coconut palms protecting the white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters abundant with creatures of mystery and beauty, foraging in the colourful coral gardens, depict nothing less than a vision of paradise.

With a recorded history of more than 5000 years the 200 inhabited islands of Maldives are home to a population of 330,000 people. One of the smallest and newer democracies of the world, Maldives is proud of its past, filled with kings and queens and tales of wonder and mystery. With our own language only spoken in Maldives, we boast that words such as "Atoll' were adapted from the local language. Maldives has always been a gateway for ships and passengers passing through from the west to the east, providing safety and replenishment and being the perfect host.

It is these traditions and the beautiful untouched natural beauty of our islands, which has enabled Maldives to provide undoubtedly one of the best tourist experiences. With luxurious island resorts exclusively for tourists and uninhabited islands to enjoy for your pleasure, fishing trips on vessels designed with hundreds of years of tradition and scuba diving amongst the world's most popular diving spots, it is no surprise that Maldives is the choice of vacation for hundreds of thousands of tourists each year.