Traveling to the Maldives frequently has helped me learn a lot of information about the island. I find the Maldives to be one of the breathtaking destinations I’ve been to. That’s because this island has many attractions. However, I felt that I didn’t know much about the Maldives islands location apart from its usual tourism hype so I decided to delve into its history. After I learned about this nation, I thought I better put together a guide for anyone visiting the Maldives for the first time. In my guide, I have included the most interesting and unprecedented facts about this Indian Ocean island, including its Maldives islands location, history, food, marine life, and more.

I’m delving into the Maldivian history to find out how it all began. The Maldives is an independent nation, situated in the Indian Ocean. My favorite spot in the country is the capital city Male. And the closest neighbor to the nation is Sri Lanka which is roughly 1000km away. A very mind-blowing fact I learned about the earliest inhabitants of the Maldives is that they were the Sinhalese from Sri Lanka and the Tamils from India.

Just like in every other nation’s history I’ve learned, The Maldives was also colonized, in the 16th century it was the Portuguese. I was taught by the country’s history that after a back and forth of several colonizers, the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887. The population isn’t much, with over 530,000. It’s amazing how the locals and the country as a whole practices the Islamic faith, despite the huge role the tourism industry plays in the Maldivian economy

I believe, the Maldives is so famous because it’s the dream holiday destination for most people, particularly for couples and families. What I found to be most attractive about the Maldives is its stunning natural beauty. I love the clean beaches, unclouded seas, and the tropical climate of the island. I can’t forget to mention the marine life in the Maldivian waters because this is another highlight that draws many ocean lovers like me to the island.

I went for a scuba diving session to Addu Atoll where I saw many interesting underwater creatures with unique features I’ve never seen before. There was a wide variety of sea turtles, whale sharks, manta rays, and even magnificent coral reefs. I can’t believe the sheer number of accommodation options available at the Maldives for all types of guests. My friends and I have visited numerous places in Maldives islands location providing luxurious amenities such as private islands, luxury resorts, beach houses, overwater villas, and more.

For someone who’s not an expert in geography, I know that the Maldives islands location is in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives location on the map is in South Asia, and the Maldives islands location is in the south west of Sri Lanka and India.

I consider it a shame to admit that I only knew the Maldives is an archipelago after visiting the island. There are nearly 1200 islands surrounding the Maldives. Traveling to some of the local islands in the Maldives I found out that only very few of them are inhabited with local population. I have been to some of the Maldives islands close to Male are Maafushi, Gulhi, and Dhiffushi.

The private islands I’ve traveled to in the Maldives are owned by luxury resorts. Plus, I also visited some coral islands which has many dive sites and house reef so I engaged in activities like snorkeling and scuba diving.

I really love the Maldives weather. Although, initially I only knew the island has a tropical climate, when in the Maldives I got to know that the seasons are divided into wet and dry. I visited the Maldives in March and it was the dry season. Typically in the Maldives, the dry season starts in November and ends in May.

I was lucky enough not to visit the island between May and October because this is wet season in the Maldives. During my stay at the Maldives the temperature was 28C and the highest it reached was 32C. The locals told me that when the Maldives monsoon season begins the temperature drops to 24C. I also researched about the Maldives sea temperature and found that it’s usually between 27C to 30C. This was crucial information for me because I’m a water sport fanatic.

Trying to exchange some dollars at the airport I saw that the Maldivian currency is called Rufiyaa. I got some Maldives money in notes ranging from different values like from 50s, 100s and also 500s. After visiting some countries in South Asia, a remarkable information I found out is that the Maldivian Rufiyaa has a higher value than most South Asian currencies.

When I was going to take the plane to the Maldives, my family had just one question. Maldives how long flight is it? Since I was traveling to the Maldives from the UK, it took me nearly 10 hours to reach the Velana International Airport. I checked the Maldives airport code which said MLE.

The travel time to the Maldives via flight usually depends on various factors like distance, flight path, and transits. Moreover, I took the liberty to research in the Maldives Ministry of Tourism website to find out the travel time it takes to travel to the Maldives from some of the major cities across the globe.

Source: Maldives Ministry of Tourism

According to Statista, for the year of 2024, the Maldives GDP per capita is 17,371 in estimate. Based on the Wise website I have found the estimated cost of living table for 2 people so that it’s easier to understand.

Source: Wise

Many people ask me why I visit the Maldives regularly. It’s because this small island nation in South Asia has everything I adore. I love the tropical climate which makes navigating across the country and its other islands convenient for me. Being a marine enthusiast, it has been easy for me to go on water adventures year round in some of the best dive sites in the Maldives. I was fortunate enough to witness the beautiful marine life and even take pictures of them.

A huge misconception I had regarding the tourism sector in the Maldives is that it’s overly expensive. I was so wrong here because after visiting islands in the Maldives like Maafushi, I encountered extremely budget-friendly accommodation. Even in some of the premium resorts with top-class amenities I enjoyed affordable deals. These resorts have always been the buzz among couples who frequently choose the Maldives as their initial honeymoon destination. That’s because the Maldivian private resorts offer complete privacy and a plethora of amenities to couples.

The meals I’ve had at the restaurants are just tongue-smacking and the locals are also very welcoming too. If somebody were to ask me why Maldives is a country everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime, then these would be my reasons to convince them.