Going up from the mysterious azure of the limitless ocean are more than a thousand atolls and thousands more reefs that create the Maldives. Specks of pea green wrapped by stunning turquoise waters like scatered beads in the ocean, white powdery shores, large palms lean on towards the ocean, crystalline white sands giving way to crystal clear waters, shades of turuoise mixture flawlessly with deeper colours of blue; pristine coral reefs and some of the most astonishing undersea life on our planet.

"Assalaam Alaikum" - The time honored Maldivian greeting be it to a sightseer or mate; it implies the Islamic customs of the citizens and comes with a fervent wish for harmony.
Hospitality has been an innate part of Maldivian civilization and a piece of islet existence. It has for eternity been a land where tourist are appreciated with open arms, where people are inclined to share.

The name "Maldives" means garland or ribbon of islets. It is also known as the pearls of the Indian Ocean. Totaling over 1200 islands they group in loop like formations and appear like necklaces or garlands from the atmosphere.

Each of these "Robinson Crusoe" type coral islands most of them no more than a kilometer wide, has the characteristic tropical flora of swaying palms and a white powder like sandy beach on its border. The islets themselves are encompassed by crystal bright lagoons that provide a remarkable tints of colors as they deepen to dark blue sea.

The Maldives is as fascinating underwater as it is over water, hosting two of the worlds top 10 dive spots, the Maldivian coral reefs are homeland to a wide range of colorful coral and probably the most assorted spectrum of fish one will ever meet. Since the coming of the first holiday-makers, in 1972 the Maldives has come a long way, each year Maldives is host to over 600,000 sightseers from all over the globe. Almost one out of four of who are repeaters.

The Maldives resorts luxury array offers a choice for everyone from the supreme extravagant spa oriented resorts to the more basic no frills resorts all with a touch of the warm Maldivian hospitality.

The Maldives has been a melting pot of numerous cultures as people from various parts of the earth came here and settled down. Some of the local music and dance for example bear a resemblance to African influences, with hand beating of drums and songs in a language that is not known to any but definitely represents that of East African countries. As one would imagine there is a significant South Asian influence in some of the music and dancing and especially in the traditional food of the Maldivians. Nevertheless many of the South Asian traditions mainly with regard to women - for example the Sub Continent's tradition of secluding women from public view - are not tenets of life here. In reality women play a chief role in society - not shocking taking into account the detail men spend the full day out at marine fishing. Many of the conventions are zealously connected to the seas and the fact that life is dependent on the seas around the imhabitants.