Made an unforgettable trip to inhabited islands of the Maldives in March 2019.
The Maldives is a tropical nation in the Indian Ocean composed of 26 ring-shaped atolls, which are made up of 1200 coral islands.
It's known for its beaches, blue lagoons and extensive reefs. The world’s lowest-lying nation rises barely four-feet above sea level (at it's highest point, a mere eight-feet), and fans over the Indian Ocean in wide, flat circles of blindingly white sand.
The Maldives are nestled halfway between Indonesia and Africa, and attract travelers seriously committed to communing with the sparkling turquoise tides.
I visited two atolls and three islands; Thinadhoo (which is about 1½ hour speedboat ride from the capital island Male) and Fulidhoo in Vaavu atoll and Maafushi island in Kaafu atoll.
They all were pretty small in size. It was interesting to see local life instead of those expensive and polished resort islands. People were very friendly. I was also very fortunate to see beautiful marine life; I snorkelled with nurse sharks, sea turtles and dolphins (!).
An impressive number of marine species have made their homes in the surrounding reefs and, as a result, the Maldives are particularly popular among scuba divers.