Shapes of the Maldives Islands

The Atolls of the Maldives are very complex structures and the country itself is formed from 26 natural atolls which are now divided into 20 for administrative purposes.

Built vigilantly over thousands of years, like necklaces draped along an undersea plateau, 1,200 coral islands, each island is unique in its shape and full of wonders. These ring shaped coral structures can be tens of kilometres in diameter with individual reefs large enough to support the beautiful islands.

A British Captain Robert Moresby drew the first accurate maritime charts of the Maldives in 1834-36 and they were used by Maldivian navigators to sail through Maldives until the 1990s.

Perhaps one of the most interesting features of the Maldives, apart from its breath taking beauty, is the unique shapes of the islands. From about, we could spot islands with a green, white, turquoise blue surrounded by navy blue or deep blue combination. Again, this could vary in unimaginable shapes, at time only the sand deposit shifts around the island, changing the shapes of the island seasonally and some island look really interesting from the time of its creation.

Here is some of the visual process of the most beautiful islands in the world in the making.  Largely the islands take share similar to the base reef the island is built on.

On some rare cases where the reef is excessively large, and the island that come through the surface is small, it may take many different shapes before settling with vegetation where roots or lose coral may define boundaries.  This is how the islands are “born”.

This is an interesting shape of reef which i thought was worth sharing.

First that little island roots out from the depth of the Indian Ocean. Than we see little island or sand bank buds from the reef and starts collecting drifting waste, woods and almost anything that will prepare the sand bank capable of attracting birds of seed.  Than little greens patches starts appears.

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Here is the same process with different shape of the islands.

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It is sad that at the end we go and damage the beauty in the name of life, development and living. Male’, as and island would have been a beautiful place now no more!

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Here are some of the islands which are distinctively different and beautiful in their shape.

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Maldives Holidays 2010

The way the world economy is trending the tourists from world over will have a good treat to travel to the Maldives in 2010. There is an overall increase in supply of flight seats and hotel beds in the Maldives. This combined with Global financial crisis, the market has changed from sellers’ to buyers’ thereby increasing the bargaining power of buyers pulling down the ADR (average daily rate) for the traveller advantage.

Maldives is going through a time that it has never been through before, even during the time of natural and man-made disasters such as tsunami and 9/11. Predictions are that there might even be some unsold hotel beds through Christmas and New year in the Maldives. For an experienced traveller this might be an opportunity to get an extreme value for money and for those who want to visit the Maldives for the first time, this is the TIME!

Try some of these large hotel and travel groups

Universal Resorts
Villa Hotels
Sun Hotels
AAA Hotels
J Resorts
Crown Tours
Inner Maldives
Intour Maldives
Lets Go Maldives
100 percent Maldives

New Seven Wonders of Nature – Finalists Part 2

Maldives has been nominated for the New 7 Wonders of Nature campaign. This campaign is a process in which seven natural wonders of the world are chosen by people through a global poll which will be declared in the year 2011.

The campaign is being organized by the Swiss based New7Wonders Foundation after their success in organizing the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.

For the Finalist stage, the 28 New7Wonders of Nature Finalists have been put to popular vote in July 2009. Voting will continue throughout 2010 and into 2011. During this time, the New7Wonders World Tour will visit each of the Finalists to allow them to present themselves to the voters across the globe.

The New 7 Wonders campaign aims to promote cultural diversity by supporting, preserving and restoring monuments and natural sites. It relies on private donations and revenue from selling broadcasting rights.

Please vote for Maldives by visiting www.new7wonders.com and make its beauty known to the world as one of the natural wonders of the world.

The Maldives guide team would like to call all Maldivians, fans and well wishers of Maldives to join our effort to make Maldives as one of the Natural Wonders of the World.

You can also join the facebook group and follow on twitter.

British Airways Launches New Flights to Maldives

British Airways is to launch its new thrice-weekly direct flights from Gatwick to Male, Maldives from October 25, 2009.
The new service will be the first time ever British Airways has offered flights to the Maldives. As of now, the new flights to Male will depart on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays.

Holidays in The Maldives will introduce British Airways customers to a fantastic selection of tiny palm fringed coral islands each with its own exclusive resort hotel. Each of these international standard hotels in the Maldives is four or five stars in quality offering a great range of activities such as diving, snorkelling, sailing and fishing, or you can simply laze your days away sunbathing on a stunning white, sandy beach.

The routes will be operated by Boeing 777 aircraft with a three-class configuration: World Traveller, World Traveller Plus and Club WorldBritish Airways is to launch its new thrice-weekly direct flights from Gatwick to Male, Maldives from October 25, 2009.The new service will be the first time ever British Airways has offered flights to the Maldives. As of now, the new flights to Male will depart on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays.

Holidays in The Maldives will introduce British Airways customers to a fantastic selection of tiny palm fringed coral islands each with its own exclusive resort hotel.

Each of these international standard hotels in the Maldives is four or five stars in quality offering a great range of activities such as diving, snorkelling, sailing and fishing, or you can simply laze your days away sunbathing on a stunning white, sandy beach.

The routes will be operated by Boeing 777 aircraft with a three-class configuration: World Traveller, World Traveller Plus and Club World.

Source: pr-canada.net

7 nights from £1945 pp at Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa, Maldives

Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa, Maldives : 7 nights from £1945 pp – SAVE £1895pp – DEPARTS 4th October 2009

Recently opened in July, this ultra-luxurious resort is the first of its kind to be found south of the equator in the Maldives. Seven nights are available on a full board basis from £1945 pp, saving £1895 pp.

Shangri-La's Villingili Resort and Spa Maldives

This includes international flights from London and onwards to Gan, transfers to and from the island, a CHI spa experience for 2, a guided nature trail tour, a bicycle tour and 7 nights full board accommodation in a pool villa with a private pool. Based on two sharing, departing on 4th October 2009.

For more information please visit Shangri-La Maldives

Shangri-La Villiongili Maldives Photos

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Read more about Maldives Resorts

Stay green – guilt-free travel with Design Hotels

Alila Villas Hadahaa

Surrounded by turquoise waters and fine white beaches, Alila Villas Hadahaa offers the ultimate Maldivian experience. Guests at this all-villa resort can choose from one of 14 stilted, over-water Aqua Villas or 36 Island Villas. All living spaces feature vast sliding windows that afford stunning ocean views.

In-resort facilities include two swimming pools, a fully-equipped gym, a Maldivian speciality restaurant offering a sampling of local and regional cuisine and a main restaurant, a library and a star-gazing deck. Alila Villas Hadahaa is the first property in the Maldives to achieve the prestigious Green Globe “Building, Planning and Design” benchmark and was designed to best adapt to the tropical climate and natural environment of the island. This includes rainwater harvesting, waste treatment, high roofed areas and open ceilings. To confirm their local social responsibility, the resort has just launched a “Gift-to-Share” programme. Guests can also participate by donating to support any of the three community programmes that the resort has initiated. This includes building up a reference and research library in the local schools; re-introducing Maldivian traditional crafts into primary schools; and introducing community farming projects.

alila villa hadahaa design maldives

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Alila Villas is one the newest and hotels bringing about the new hotel design trends in the Maldives.

Alila Villas Hadahaa is set on a tropical island in the North Huvadhoo Atoll, about 400 km to the south from Male international airport.

The islands here feature diverse landscapes covered by lush vegetation such as palm, coconut and banyan trees and tropical flowers, and fringed by pristine sandy beaches. The diving is unbeatable with long stretches of unspoilt coral reefs and a huge abundance of marine life unequalled by other visited locations in the Maldives. From lazing on an empty beach to breathtaking ocean adventures, Alila Villas Hadahaa will offer the absolute best experiences of the Maldives.

Alila Villas Hadahaa
H.Asfaam, Bodufungadu Magu, Male’
Republic of Maldives
P : +960 682 8888
F : +960 682 7777
E: hadahaa@alilahotels.com

Read more at Travel Daily News

Maldives showcased at Monarch Beach

Maldives is to be showcased at Monarch Beach which is held being between mid-June and mid-September this year.

Maldives Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB) together with the High Commission of Maldives in UK has celebrated a Maldivian day on 15 August 2009. The week commencing from 14 August was marked as the Indian Ocean week at the Monarch Beach bringing the colors of the beach destinations like Maldives, Goa, Sri Lanka and Mauritius.

The High Commission of Maldives in UK jointly with members of the Maldives Students’ Association in UK (MSA) and Maldivian families and volunteers living in UK portrayed the island lifestyle of the Maldives and provided information about the destination at the beach.
The Monarch Beach is the only city centre beach in the UK located at the
Chamberlain Square; and covers 577 square metres and makes use of over 110 tonnes of sand. Free and opened daily to the Birmingham public and tourist visitors, this popular city centre beach is opened on Sunday to Thursday from 11am till 6pm and on Fridays and Saturday from 11am till 9pm which is thought to be a great family friendly attraction, and also provide an idyllic urban oasis for city centre workers and visitors to relax.

The United Kingdom is one of the largest travel markets in the world and is one of the top markets to the Maldives in terms of visitor attracted. At the end of June 2009 UK attracted 51,069 visitors to the Maldives while Maldives received 116,821 visitors at the end of 2008.

Source: miadhu.com.mv