A place to go before it’s gone

Posted: August 01, 2008

When you are the flattest country in the world, even a small rise in sea level is a worry.

The highest point in the Maldives is 2.3 metres above sea level. In the last 100 years, sea levels have risen by 20 centimetres and the trend is leading to disaster in paradise.

The 1,192 islets of the Maldive Islands are situated 435 kilometres south west of Sri Lanka. Two hundred and fifty islands are inhabited. If you fancy being Robinson Crusoe, there are plenty of deserted islands to discover.

The Maldives has a population of only 300,000 including 70,000 foreign workers. In its history, it has been a sultanate, a monarchy and a colony but is now an Islamic republic. Maldivians practice a liberal form of Islam with women playing a major part in society because many men are away fishing during the day. Visitors are sure to see dhonis, the traditional fishing vessel.

Tourism is the major contributor to the economy and employment. There are 87 resorts in the country scattered throughout the archipelago. Catching a float plane taxi to your resort is a fantastic way to start your holiday. Once you’ve seen the magically blue ocean from the air, it is not surprising that scuba diving, snorkelling, swimming and boating are very popular. Visibility underwater can often be an amazing 50 metres. Thousands of spinner dolphins and twenty different whale species visit the islands.

The country is passionate about protecting the environment. Game fishing is only allowed on a ‘tag and release’ basis, turtles, whales and dolphins are protected and thousands of trees have been planted in recent years.

The locals are very friendly and you will meet them at your resort and in the capital Mare’. Maldivians like to keep their local culture separate from the western world so there will be limited opportunity to see their villages first hand. Mare’ is a modern city with high rise buildings interspersed with the more traditional narrow alleyways and markets. It is surrounded by a sea wall to protect it from tidal incursions like the tsunami in 2004.

Late November is a good time to visit the Maldives because it is the Islamic holiday of Eid-ul Al’h’aa. Locals who can afford it, take a pilgrimage to Mecca whilst everyone else visits family and joins in sports, music, dance and feasting.

With only a four hour time difference with eastern Australia, the Maldives is a place not to be missed – before it disappears.