The Maldives is considered one of the most beautiful and bewitching places on the planet, a special piece of paradise.
The white sand on the beaches of the Maldives, the piercing blue sky above them and the water, clear as a baby's tear, attract thousands of tourists.
In this article, you will find out what charms the Maldives has, where they are on the world map and why they are definitely worth a visit.
Where are the Maldives?
Their location falls almost on the very equator, from which it follows that the islands are always warm and the temperature ranges from twenty-eight to thirty degrees.
The islands are elongated and, according to Wikipedia, extend 820 kilometers from north to south and 120 kilometers from west to east.
The Maldives are ordinary coral formations that lack mountains and volcanoes. The level of the world's oceans is rising every year, and this factor threatens to completely destroy this beautiful and peaceful place, where chic and rich hotels are located. Scientists agree that in the next thirty to forty years the Maldives will disappear from the face of the earth and completely sink into the Indian Ocean.
The Maldives are quite small and it is not so easy to find the archipelago on the map. They are located in the Indian Ocean, not far from Sri Lanka and India. In total, the area of the islands is about ninety thousand square kilometers, but most of this is occupied by the sea. The archipelago consists of a thousand small islands, but not all of them are inhabited, and only eighty-eight are considered intended for recreation. The rest are inhabited by the indigenous people of the Maldives and tourists prefer not to appear in their area.
The route from Moscow to the Maldives is eight and a half hours.
Weather
The island is exposed to various monsoons, which have different directions. In this regard, from November to March the weather in the Maldives is dry, and at the end of summer it is more rainy. You can swim here regardless of the season, because the water temperature never drops below twenty-four to twenty-seven degrees.
Flora and fauna
In the country you will not meet a single poisonous reptile, so there is nothing to fear. Interestingly, it is forbidden by law to keep dogs, so one more trouble in the form of a dog bite does not threaten you. Some tourists are frightened when they learn that whale sharks live very close to the islands. But despite this, swimming remains completely safe, because this species of sharks does not feed on anything other than plankton.
In order to preserve and conserve the flora and fauna of the Maldives, strict scuba diving restrictions have been developed. Thus, it is forbidden to descend more than thirty meters, spend more than an hour underwater, and each driver should carry a special dive computer.
An absolute paradise will be for lovers of a wide variety of fruits. There are a huge number of them, which is facilitated by the climate. Flowers and vegetation on the islands are unusually beautiful. Everything is fragrant, striking in its brightness and splendor. Breadfruit trees, banana palms and bamboo are the most common in the Maldives. Among the exotic flowers are ernadia lily and erminalia catappa. It is easy to meet bats and flying foxes in the Maldives.
You can stay on the paradise islands for no more than thirty days. You should be aware that at customs it is certainly checked whether you comply with the rules by which you enter the country import of the following items is prohibited:
- pork
- animals
- alcohol
- pornographic products
- anti-Islamic literature
Moreover, women who appear in public places should remember that in order to avoid trouble, their clothes should be matched so that their knees and shoulders remain covered.
Despite the many prohibitions that seem strange to us, but very important for local residents, this country remains a particularly attractive place to relax due to its solitude, tranquility and beautiful landscapes.
Many tourists are wondering: do they understand the Russian language in the Maldives and will life be hard there without knowing English in the country? There is really nothing to be afraid of. At the airport, you will be met by a Russian-speaking person representing the agency, who will help you with any questions. In addition, in good hotels, administrators are fluent in both Russian and English. English.
Most Popular Resorts
Ways of transportation
in the Maldives, most of them are water. Traditional transport is the wooden dhoni, which is a local taxi.
In order to avoid troubles related to health, it is recommended to take out insurance, as the medicine in the country is paid. Also get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B.
Rules of conduct on the islands the following:
- spearfishing is strictly prohibited
- unauthorized fishing is also prohibited
- you can not get corals and starfish out of the water
- nude bathing
With the phrase “paradise islands”, these are the first to come to mind, but where are the Maldives on the world map? The Maldives is the perfect beach destination with endless white sand beaches and slender palm trees.
And the title of "paradise" is fully justified - there are magnificent views, secluded bays, always warm, gentle weather with plenty of sunny days. An unforgettable vacation in the middle of tempting lagoons and coral shallows will leave many vivid impressions for any vacationer.
The official name of the islands where the Maldives are located is the Republic of Maldives, they are located in South Asia on a group of atolls in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Finding on the map the place where the islands hid is quite easy, this archipelago is located southwest of India at a distance of about 700 km.
The elongated archipelago stretches along the meridian for almost 820 km, and its width is more than 120 km. The surface of the Maldives rises above sea level by no more than 2.5 m.
Unfortunately, in the future, this threatens that the islands may sink under water due to the constant rise in the level of the world ocean. This could happen within the next 50 years.
The Maldives archipelago unites 19 coral atolls, which consist of more than 1000 small islands, most of them are uninhabited. Only 88 islands are recognized as resorts, and the indigenous people live on the remaining inhabited islands. Such islands are not well-maintained and are not equipped with a road surface; visiting guests rarely drop in there. Small uninhabited islands can be visited independently on a rented yacht.
The Maldives are remote from other countries and do not have land borders with any state, and in the Indian Ocean there are maritime borders with India and Sri Lanka.
Since the Maldives is located almost on the equator, there is always pleasant warm weather with air temperatures in the range of + 30 ° C.
Under the influence of monsoons of various directions, dry sunny weather is observed from November to March, and more rainy from June to August.
Sometimes you can hear the association "Belarusian Maldives", then we are talking about a man-made quarry that was formed after the extraction of chalk. The quarry with several lakes "Belarusian Maldives" is located in the Volkovysk district of the Grodno region, not far from the village of Krasnoselsky.
The water in the lakes, illuminated by the sun's rays, acquires a beautiful bluish tint, which can be seen on the beaches of the Maldives.
Popular resort destinations
Where the Maldives is located on the world map, there are gorgeous beaches on several of the most famous atolls visited all year round:
- Male is the capital of the Maldives, with an area of only about 2 km², but even in this tiny area there is something for tourists to see. The list of local attractions includes the Presidential Palace, the National Museum, the ancient Good Friday Mosque with exquisite golden domes and many fruit, vegetable and colorful handicraft markets.
- Faafu is a paradise for those who are accustomed to comfortable living, there are many restaurants and various spa centers.
- Dhaalu - Dhaalu Island has long been chosen by divers and scuba divers.
- Ari - this island attracts with a variety of flora and fauna, there are turtle bays. Here you can go water skiing, go sea fishing or simply retire to an expensive hotel on a deserted coast.
The islands are distinguished by such a feature that there are very few cities and therefore the possibilities for accommodating vacationers are limited. On one island, you can usually find only one luxury villa or hotel, with the most expensive and comfortable rooms. However, you can stay not only in hotel rooms, but also in modest thatched-roof bungalows scattered along the coast.
exotic in the Maldives animal world, but there are no dangerous predators or poisonous reptiles. You will not see dogs there, it is forbidden to keep them by law, but domestic cats come across.
On some islands, goats are grazing, which are bred for meat, and cows are not bred due to poor pastures, and pig breeding is also limited. But on close range from the shore you can watch dolphins or a huge whale shark, which should not be feared, these giant fish feed only on plankton and are not inclined to attack people. In the evenings you can watch bats and foxes. There are many amphibians and marine life on the islands: turtles, lizards, centipedes, mollusks.
Stay in the Maldives
The Maldives is a visa-free country, so you do not need to contact the consulate for a visa to visit it. Here you can freely stay for 30 days on a tourist visa, which is put in your passport for free when you arrive in the country.
When going on vacation, you should definitely remember that in this Muslim country it is strictly forbidden to appear topless or in the nude, and when visiting restaurants and public places, women must cover their shoulders and knees with clothes, and should not appear in beach attire.
Local seafood delicacies and plants are at the heart of national cuisine Maldives, which largely copies the traditions of Indian and Arabic cuisine.
Maldivian dishes consist of the following main ingredients:
- fish;
- coconuts.
For dessert, you can order bondi - white coconut sticks, as well as a variety of fruit salads with pineapples, bananas, mangoes, papaya. As a main drink green tea with added milk and sugar.
Despite some behavioral restrictions, the Maldives is the perfect place for a serene, relaxing holiday. Everywhere on the walk you will be accompanied by a refined aroma of hibiscus, orchids, magnolias, the rich colors of which leave a stunning impression.
The Maldives is an ideal place for those who dream of escaping civilization and the constant bustle of the city. Here you can feel complete harmony with nature of stunning beauty and relax well.
The first question that interests all tourists who are going to travel to this resort sounds something like this: Where is the Maldives? Let's try to figure it out.
Pick up a map of the world and find the Indian Ocean there in part of Asia. Right in the middle of the ocean expanses, you can see two lines of islands that are parallel to each other. They are very close to the equator line. This is the point we are looking for.
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The coral chain stretches for almost 820 kilometers from north to south, and for 130 kilometers from east to west. Not so far from this resort area are India and Sri Lanka. In general, there are more than a thousand islands, only about 100 are open to tourists, and only 200 are inhabited.
Most of them are quite small in size, so study everything thoroughly interesting places and nooks and crannies will not be difficult. The main part of the resort is the sea.
Where the Maldives is located, there are no mountains, all the islands rise no more than a few meters above sea level. There is an opinion that this place in a couple of decades may disappear from the world map altogether, due to the constantly rising water level in the ocean.
The climatic conditions on the islands are tropical warm. There are no sharp temperature fluctuations throughout the year. The average air temperature is about 30 degrees, and water - 25 degrees. The chance of rain is highest between May and October.
The local climate creates very favorable conditions for growing various exotic fruits - coconuts, papayas, pineapples, mangoes. Therefore, you can fully enjoy the exotic during your vacation.
The capital of Male is one hour different from Moscow. That is, if in Moscow now, for example, 12.00, then in the Maldives - 13.00.
Maldives: where they are, how to get there and how long you have to fly
So, we have already found out that the Maldives are islands located somewhere in the middle of the Indian Ocean, not far from the equator. Now let's look at questions about how long a flight can take and how to get there.
Getting to this resort, unfortunately, is not very easy. You may need some transfers, you may need to pick up various connecting flights. However, today there are some direct flights. For example, from Moscow - "Moscow - Male".
On one of the islands - Hulule, there is a convenient international airport. A kilometer away is the capital of the Maldives - Male, which can be reached by a special boat transfer in just ten minutes.
Consider the possible total to the place where the famous Maldives are located, from several popular cities in Russia:
- From Moscow - 8-8.5 hours.
- From St. Petersburg - 10.5 hours on the way and 6.5 hours between flights.
- From Vladivostok - 12 hours on the way and 5.5 between flights.
- From Yekaterinburg - 12.5 hours on the way and 3.5 hours between flights.
Now, having a clear idea of the location of the Maldives, you should safely choose the date of the trip, the best option for the flight and go on a trip for a lot of vivid and unforgettable experiences. The nature of these places is truly amazing and unique. Here you can fully enjoy the alluring noise of the azure sea waves and the pleasant warmth of the hot tropical sun.
But to the question: - Where are the Maldives? not everyone will be able to give the correct answer. Meanwhile, finding their location is not at all difficult. Pick up a map, find the Indian Ocean. Two parallel chains of islands, southwest of India and not far from the equator, are the coveted Maldives.
A bit of geography
Exotic coral islands stretch from north to south for 820 kilometers. The total area of the Maldives is 90 thousand square kilometers, but only 298 square kilometers are allocated to land, the rest of the territory is occupied by the sea. Coral atolls unite 1192 delightful islands, of which 994 are uninhabited.
The population of the paradise country is 393 thousand people who settled on two hundred islands. About half of them hospitably host tourists from all over the world who know very well where the Maldives is located on the world map and strive to come here as often as possible. The islands are very small, a few square kilometers, so each of them has no more than one hotel. Blue transparent lagoons, amazing sandy beaches, unique vegetation and the highest level services make the stay here delightful and unforgettable.
Weather
Where is the Maldives located? Where there is no winter. The subequatorial monsoon climate provides an average annual temperature of 24-30 degrees. From November to March, the weather here is dry, warm and the thermometer does not fall below 17 degrees. There are rains, rough seas and temperatures of 30-32 degrees. It's nice to swim here all year round, because the water temperature is constantly kept at the same level - 24-27 degrees.
Flora and fauna
A distinctive feature of the animal world is the complete absence of poisonous reptiles. And you can not even be afraid of a dog bite here, the keeping of these animals is prohibited at the legislative level. But enough at a short distance from the coast you can see a huge whale shark, but, as you know, giants feed only on plankton, so those who want to swim can do it without fear.
Fans of exotic fruits just need to know where the Maldives are, because there are a great many of them. The unique climate allows you not to experience a lack of vitamins all year round.
Coconuts, bananas, mangoes, papaya, pineapples delight tourists and natives with their juicy pulp. Everywhere the delicate aroma of orchids, hibiscus, roses, their diversity and color is amazing.
Tranquility, silence and complete unity with nature allow you to completely abandon existing problems and give yourself a good rest.
The smallest capital
The city of Male is recognized as the smallest capital in the world, because it covers an area of only 2.5 square kilometers. This is a tiny cozy town, the main attractions of which are the Great Friday Mosque with a sparkling golden dome, located in the Sultan Park, the National Museum, the Presidential Palace and the legendary burial places of the Maldivian saints. There are no noisy entertainment venues here, but you can stroll along the picturesque embankment, enjoy the floral aroma in a shady park, visit original vegetable and handicraft markets. Everything in this country is subject to the laws of nature, and it’s probably even good sometimes to take a break from the hustle and bustle of megacities in such a cozy and peaceful place.
Visa and customs control
Where the Maldives is located, those who have managed to visit this wonderful exotic corner and, for sure, will visit it again, are well aware.
To travel here, you do not need to visit consular offices -.
You can rest here for 30 days, this is the period indicated in the tourist visa, which is placed in the passport for free upon arrival in the country. At customs, they can check whether you comply with the rules by which it is prohibited to import:
- drugs;
- pork products;
- animals;
- alcohol;
- anti-Islamic literature;
- pornographic products;
- military paraphernalia.
In addition, when going on an exotic vacation, it should be remembered that nudism and topless are prohibited in this Muslim country, and women should not wear beachwear when visiting the capital and areas where natives live, knees and shoulders must be covered.
Attractiveness of the Maldives
Bans and restrictions that are important for local residents and not at all burdensome for us do not detract from the merits of a holiday in this fabulous country. Now you know that the Maldives is where the transparency of the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, exotic fruits and the aroma of exquisite flowers, sprawling palm trees and flocks of colorful fish, calm silence and solitude on a small colorful island in the middle of the ocean expanse. The Maldives is a paradise on earth, a delight and bliss that you can give yourself.
"Maldives" - one name of these islands sounds like some kind of marvelous music, and in the minds of everyone there is an instant picture of a serene paradise beach. But it seems that many of us are not very clear about where exactly Maldives is located on the world map. Let me close this little gap quickly :)
The Maldives are located in the Indian Ocean very close to the equator. Almost at the equator. The easiest way to find them on the map is like this:
- India (Hindostan peninsula) - slightly lower and to the right (i.e. closer to the equator and east) -
- the large island of Sri Lanka - and now to the left (west) -
- Maldives!
The Maldives are located 700 kilometers west of Sri Lanka. The Maldives is an archipelago that consists of more than twenty atolls. An atoll in the case of the Maldives is a group of small islands of coral origin that form a ring. The islands most likely have a volcanic "history": it is believed that once there were ancient volcanoes here, overgrown coral reefs, and then they were gradually flooded by the waters of the Indian Ocean.
The coral islands that form the atolls are perfectly visible from the plane: intricate outlines, spots of turquoise lagoons on the blue surface of the ocean.
There are no large, large islands in the Maldives archipelago. Even the airport had to be built on a separate island: on the island of Male, where the capital of the republic is located, it did not fit;) Even the most major islands have a length of no more than two kilometers.
The position of the Maldives on the world map near the equator determines, of course, the climate. It is soft and warm here, a real tropical one. Although the sun in the Maldives is very hot, there is no unbearable 40-degree heat. The usual temperature is +28. On clear days, the sun can be a few degrees hotter. But hardly more than +33. Add to this the fresh breath of the ocean. You may not even feel the heat - but sunburn on the skin - a must if you do not use sunscreen! The tropical sun is dangerous, you can easily get burned in the water. You will sunbathe even under clouds in cloudy weather and in the shade under palm trees.
The air and water temperature practically does not change throughout the year. The Maldives has a high (approximately from October to April) and low seasons (from May to September), they differ in that it sometimes rains during the low season, and the sea can be rough. Tour operator websites claim that severe storms and tsunamis are extremely rare in the Maldives. However, for example, the island of Villivaru is now closed to the public, because the hotel that was there was destroyed by the tsunami in 2004. Of course, this is not a reason to refuse a trip, but if you are going fishing or diving in the open ocean, check the weather forecast in advance .
There are no mountains in the Maldives, no hills, no boulders and large stones, here, in fact, there is not even soil (that fertile layer dark color to which we are accustomed), there is only sand. The highest point in the Maldives is 2.4 meters. If global warming is really coming, if the glaciers are really melting and the water level in the oceans is rising, then the Maldives will disappear from the world map. And perhaps it will happen in a few decades.
The Maldives is something truly extraordinary and unforgettable! It's worth visiting at least once in your life! Of course, these are paradise islands, beautiful landscapes, absolutely delightful water, palm trees gracefully bending towards the water, soft white sand, but perhaps the most important wonders are hidden under water - this is the amazing underwater living world of the Indian Ocean! And now you can definitely find the Maldives on the map, right?)
You may also be interested in: How to have a cheap holiday in the Maldives | Dangers in the Maldives | Alcohol in the Maldives | Photo Maldives - islands and beaches
