| The Maldives is a remarkable tropical destination, | | | | if you see it while you are Scuba diving. |
| loved by all who visit. Read about the amazing | | | | With clear, warm water and shallow sandy sea floors |
| beauty of the Maldives holiday islands and how time | | | | around the islands, Maldives holidays are excellent for |
| may be running out for this paradise in the Indian | | | | learning to Scuba dive, and most Maldives resorts |
| Ocean. | | | | have their own diving schools. If you are PADI |
| Paradise Found | | | | accredited, you can venture to the dive sites beyond |
| When you step outside of the airport in Male you will | | | | the reef shelf. There you'll find the deeper water |
| be struck by the warmth of the air and the strength | | | | where the coral reefs are festooned with colourful |
| of the sun. You will likely want to take a cold drink in | | | | and vibrant sea life. You might see turtles, eels, small |
| the shade of a nearby cafe as your transfer is | | | | sharks, and a dazzling array of brightly decorated |
| organised and the bus is boarded. For those taking a | | | | tropical fish. |
| seaplane transfer, the flight from Male to your island | | | | Paradise Lost? |
| resort is the first treat of Maldives holidays, providing | | | | The waters that make Maldives holidays so special |
| a special view of the country. From the air you can | | | | may soon bring an end to the luxurious lifestyle here. |
| appreciate the way these sandy islets spring from | | | | The Maldives is famously one of the many beautiful |
| the shallow sea, and see the shape of the atolls and | | | | locations in the world that are under threat owing to |
| reefs below the surface of the water. | | | | climate change. Amazingly, the highest point in the |
| The beaches here are miraculous. By wading out just | | | | country is only about six feet above sea level, so as |
| a few metres into the water you can find fish | | | | the oceans rise because of global warming, the |
| swimming around your legs, so snorkelling here is a | | | | islands are vulnerable to flooding. |
| delight, too. It is usual for the Maldives resorts to | | | | President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom of the Maldives |
| stage feeding displays once a day. This gives you a | | | | has talked about purchasing more land for his |
| chance to view the fish that live around the island as | | | | countrymen, worried that they will become refugees |
| they scramble to gobble up what is dropped into the | | | | as the land is depleted in future decades. At the |
| clear shallow water from the piers or wooden | | | | moment though, the country is a paradise, and the |
| walkways. | | | | Maldives resorts are some of the finest in the world. |
| One of the more outlandish fish you can see is the | | | | Time may be running out to take Maldives holidays in |
| guitar fish, which is a species of ray. It has a square | | | | the lowest country in the world, and this |
| box head and body with a long slim tail so it | | | | impermanence makes these island gems seem even |
| resembles a guitar from above; however, from the | | | | more precious, with the knowledge that in a few |
| side it is easily mistaken for a shark, having a similar | | | | decades they could be sunken treasure. |
| silhouette. So a guitar fish may get your pulse racing | | | | |