Popular Indian Ocean Islands
Highlights
- Diving Bluetribe Moofushi
- Sun and Veligandu Island beaches
- Manta Point
- Banana and HP Reefs
- Grand Friday and Hukuru Miskiiy Mosques
- National Museum
- Alimatha, Bodu Mora, Hulhumale, Mulee Aage, Utheemu Ganduvaru and Biyadoo Islands
- Tiny Island Marine Conservation Centre
- Kuda Bandos and Muraka Diving
The Maldives archipelago consists of 1190 tiny islands scattered across the Indian Ocean of which only 185 are inhabited, while the others are used largely for tourism and agriculture. The atolls are composed of live coral reefs and sand bars perched atop a 960km submarine ridge. The land features lush tropical vegetation with abundant local coconut palms. With an average ground level of 1.5m above sea level, the Maldives is one of the low lying countries on earth and as such has a very fragile ecosystem. The capital and largest city of the Maldives is Male. Scuba diving in the azure, clear waters of the shallow lagoons and surfing are two of the most popular activities. Limited licensed fishing is allowed. Tourists enjoy deep diving along a reef wall to see some of the most amazing varieties of colourful fish of almost 2 000 species. Many sheltered lagoons provided for perfect sailing and picnic destinations for the entire family.