The Maldives is one of the few destinations in the world that presents more than what it promises. Your first view of the country as your plane approaches the runway is magical. From the air it is a dreamlike picture of a thousand gems scattered on a bed of blue velvet, fading into the distance as the sea merges with the sky. The shallow turquoise lagoons surrounding the glistening beaches of so many randomly dotted islands portray a scene unique only to the Maldives.

Made up of 26 natural atolls, stretching from north to south and straddling the equator, the atolls in the central portion form a double chain. In all, there are about 1200 islands, innumerable sandbanks and countless reefs dotted inside the atolls. Until tourism began in the early 70s, the country was accessible only to adventurous seafarers. Although it is the isolation of the islanders from rest of the world that has left an intriguing history which is still being unravelled, lying at the crossroads of east-west maritime trade, the islands have been a melting pot for different races and cultures. This has created a nation with a unique culture and tradition, and a language they can call their own.