The Maldives is one of the most popular travel destinations and also has been recognized by the international tourism community.
It is a famous luxury destination, where only 200 islands are inhabited out of 12000 islands. Maldives’ annual production of white sand is about one ton.
Moreover, it is a very interesting place with its unique culture, history, and even traditions, along with its clear waters, numerous atolls, dive sits, and pristine beaches.
So, in this article, we will now discuss some interesting facts about this beautiful travel destination called Maldives.
Interesting Maldives facts
Maldives’ weekend is different.
Unlike its Western counterparts, Maldives recognizes Friday and Saturday as the weekend instead of Saturday and Sunday. Hence, in this country, people work on Sundays.
The Constitution and Religion of Maldives
Though established by an Indian King, Maldives is an Islamic country because it adopted Islam in 1153 A.D. Now, Islam is the official religion of this country.
Hence, some laws about Islam are followed by this country, such as in this country, no alcohol allowed, even in clubs and resorts.
Also, this country has a strict constitution, according to which only Muslims can be called citizens of the country. Any other faith is not allowed here.
The Maldives is the world’s flattest country.
There is no doubt about the fact that Maldives is the flattest country in the world. This beautiful island country has an average altitude of about 1.8 meters from the sea level.
In this aspect, the closest competitor to this country is Qatar, which has an average elevation of 28 meters. Thus, Qatar has 26.2 meters more elevation than the Maldives.
Maldives is truly flat. The highest point in the country is actually 2.3 meters, mainly at a specific point on Villingili Island.
Maldives’ underwater cabinet meeting
Another interesting fact about this country is that, in 2009, Mohamed Nasheed, the president of Maldives, organized a meeting of all cabinet ministers at the sea bed.
This meeting was held to raise awareness about the dangers the world’s oceans are facing, along with how humans are interfering with freshwater resources.
India’s Connection with Maldives
The Maldives was actually founded by a prince of India who was sent to exile. Sometimes around 270 BC, a prince of India was sent from the kingdom of Kalinga as a punishment, and he needed to run over the islands of Maldives.
It is said that the first king of this island was Sri Soorudasaruna Adeettiya, and at that time, this island was called DheevaMaari. It was when the Adeetta Dynasty was established in the Maldives.
The flag of Maldives
The flag of Maldives consists of a green rectangle in the middle and a crescent moon on it. A red rectangle encloses both of these.
This red part represents the sacrifice of the people who lost their lives to protect the country, the crescent moon represents Islam, and the green represents peace and prosperity.
The divorce rate is high in this perfect honeymoon destination.
Known as one of the best honeymoon destinations in Asia and perfect for enjoying tropical island vacations, Maldives is a perfect island to visit.
Due to its overwater bungalows and sugar sandy beaches, this country is synonymous with the honeymoon capital.
However, the irony is that according to the reports of the United Nations, Maldives has the highest divorce rate, approximately twice the United States per year.
According to official records, on average, a woman in this country has divorced thrice before she reaches 30 years.
Maldives is situated on the equator.
The Maldives receives sunlight at an angle of 90 degrees because it is situated very close to the equator.
Tourists need to carry and apply sun protection with an SPF of 50+ as the sun rays are direct and strong here. It is also suggested to buy reef-safe sunscreen while visiting the beaches of Maldives.
The alluring moving sandbanks in the Maldives
Guests may see the ocean move and recreate the beautiful white sandbanks, depending on their will. Even a few islands’ shapes can be modified and seen in the Maldives.
However, not many people know that the sandbanks of Maldives are shifting in nature, and seasonal currents also bring those back during the wet season.
Even the shortest seaplane may cost really high.
This beautiful archipelagic country situated in the Indian Ocean is made for tourists who want to spend a few days in extravagance.
One such luxurious thing in the Maldives is a seaplane ride. Even the shortest seaplane ride in this country from Male is costly.
The reason is that the seaplane mode of transport in Maldives is taken during private island resort transfer.
Maldives is a very safe country.
Another important fact about the Maldives that the people of this country can brag about is one of the safest countries on the planet for all kinds of vacations, such as honeymoon tours, family trips, leisure vacations, and couple getaways.
The reason is that this country’s islands are isolated from each other and small and manageable at the same time.
Turtles in the Maldives
The Maldives is undoubtedly a very diverse country regarding biological diversity. This country hosts 5 out of the world’s 7 species of alluring marine turtles.
Those are the loggerhead, Olive Ridley turtles, the green turtle, the leatherback, and the hawksbill.
The weather here is mostly cloudy.
In the Maldives, the weather is dominated by two: the rainy southwestern summer monsoon season during the months of June to August and the winter northeastern monsoon season from November to March.
So, it is always cloudy and rainy in the Maldives because it is located on the equator.
Due to its tropical climate, Maldives is a year-round travel destination. However, if you love sunshine, January to March is the perfect time to visit the Maldives.
These months have the spring season that mainly starts and ends from the months of November to April.
The white beaches of Maldives
The beaches of Maldives have white sand rather than yellow. The reason is that the sand on these beaches is made out of not quartz but coralline, unlike most other types of sand.
This kind of white sand is very rare and occupies only about 5% of all the beaches on the planet.
Currency of Maldives
In the olden days, cowry shells were used as currency in the Maldives, and these can still be found in the Maldives.
The natives of Maldives have recognized this kind of older currency and are even showcased on modern coins and currency bills.
Atolls and islands are everywhere in the Maldives.
The beautiful Maldives has a total of 1190 islands and 26 atolls, out of which 200 are inhabited and 110 are left only for luxury and tourism purposes.
Hence, traveling via the beautiful ocean is a familiar feat in this nation.
Maldives Dhonis
Some traditional Maldivian boats are used today not only for traveling purposes but also for fishing.
These attractive boats are thought to have their shape inspired by the ancient sailing of Arabs called dhow, which was commonly used as a sailor ship around the 11th century in the Indian Ocean.
The coconut tree in the Maldives.
The coconut is one of the important symbols that is used to represent this beautiful country, and there is a significant reason for this as well.
Coconut trees are widely grown in this region and offer shade on the beaches, as well as a great medium of wood that is sturdy enough to build traditional boats or dhonis.
This country is a melting pot of culture.
According to the official tourism website of Maldives, the nation follows Sunni Islam. However, there are also natives from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and African avenues.
Tourists can discover this unique blend of cultures on vacations in the Maldives. To learn about traditional Maldivian life, you may visit the local islands in Maldives.
European, African, and Arabians used this beautiful country as a significant crossroad of trade during the ancient time.
Here you can get to enjoy bioluminescence.
It doesn’t matter if a person is a beach-lover; the alluring views of glowing beaches in the Maldives will, no doubt, inject a shot of wanderlust into the vein of all kinds of travelers.
In Maldives, bioluminescence is one of the rarest treats produced due to the chemical reaction in marine living bodies.
The rare sight of the night sky falling under the feet is a perfect sight for tourists visiting the Maldives.
Shark tourism in the Maldives is rising.
In Maldives, sharks are abundant; hence, you may find some of the world’s largest whale sharks in this beautiful country.
This archipelago offers tourists the to experience whale sharks year-round on scuba diving, snorkeling, and glass-bottom boat ride adventure under experts’ supervision.
Limited availability of freshwater in the Maldives
Another interesting fact about the Maldives is that this country has different drinking water. This means this archipelagic country, located in the Indian Ocean, is highly vulnerable to climate change, and hence, this country has limited freshwater.
Travelers during their Maldives trip need to learn about water conservation at Kandolhu Island, as this island makes water safe for drinking with the help of the osmosis procedure.
The Bodu Beru dance
Bodu Beru is a local dance and music show accompanied by a specific kind of wood drum made from the trunk of a coconut tree.
The locals of Maldives believed that sailors started this BoduBeru concept from the Indian Ocean.
These performances involve 15 people, and the music of this unique dance starts with a slow tempo and beat and speeds up gradually.
So, Maldives is a great tourist destination to quench most of your fantasies. It can offer you the perfect experience with all its beautiful beaches, diverse wildlife, rich history, culture, and many more.
At the end of this article, we have learned 23 interesting facts about the Maldives that clearly show this beautiful country. To get some additional amazing facts, you can see our website.
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