Everyone knows the Maldives to be one of the most beautiful places on the planet. The waters are crystal clear, the sand is soft and wonderfully white, the weather is fantastic all year round; the Maldives is a paradise that most holiday makers will happily save up for.
Maldives beach – photo by nattu
Full of honeymooning newlyweds, celebs and luxury seekers, a lavish treat that not all of us are lucky enough to experience. The islands are known not only for their insane natural beauty but also much talked about for being in danger from the effects of global warming. However, there are many other facts you may not know about the Maldives.
5 things you probably didn’t know about the Maldives:
1. It’s one of the world’s most dispersed countries – the Maldives in the Indian Ocean, is made up from over 1000 coral islands, which are grouped in a double chain of 26 atolls. The atolls are made of coral reefs and sandbars, and these warm waters are home to a number of different eco systems. The country is recognised for its amazing coral reefs which house so many different species of fish, making it a desirable diving location.
Crystal clear waters – photo by Mal B
2. It’s the flattest country in the world – did you know that the Maldives is the flattest country on the entire planet? There are no mountains or hills and the maximum elevation is only 2.4 metres. For anyone who is looking for a fell walk or some mountain climbing activities, these islands sadly can’t offer that!
3. Alcohol is not permitted – The Maldives is a Muslim state, meaning that alcohol has been banned. But never fear, cocktail lovers, you will be able to find alcoholic beverages in hotels and resorts that cater to tourists. But please be aware that you will not be able to drink alcohol anywhere else in public.
Flower on beach photo by Mal B
4. Tipping is frowned upon – unlike most countries where not putting your hand in your pocket is frowned upon, there is no need to leave a tip in most cases. A 10 per cent service charge is automatically added to everything and adding a tip on top of that is not a done thing.
5. Divorce is high – strangely enough, the Maldives has the highest divorce rate in the world. The current rate of divorce is 10.97 divorces per 1,000 marriages. One of the reasons for this could be that a marriage can be easily terminated, simply by the verbal pronouncement of the husband.
Maldives paradise – photo by Sarah_Ackerman
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Never been to the Maldives but it looks stunning. Helpful note on tipping. Hope the islands don’t disappear forever …
Interesting facts about the Maldives here. I had no idea that divorce was so high or it was the flattest country in the world. This weirdly makes me want to go there even more (if that’s possible) to see if I can find any more unexpected things.
Better get there soon Monica JIC it disappears 😉
Fascinating insights, particularly about the tipping! Yet another one to add to the ever-expanding wish list.
Cheers Linzi – it’sthat kind of info that is really useful when going on holiday isn’t it 🙂
I’ve learned heaps of things from your post. I’ve always wanted to visit. The photos are gorgeous!
Always good to learn new things about places isn’t it Shelley 🙂 Must admit I always search for top tips when I’m planning my travels. I remember going to South Africa and tipping the hair dresser and being told it wasn’t the ‘done thing’.
There are serious breaches of human rights taking place in the Maldives, which makes me reluctant to visit. Read this from Amnesty International, for example, about a 15 yr old rape survivor sentenced to jail and 100 lashes for fornication.
Anne – that is a dreadful thing to hear and I can quite understand your reluctance to visit.
There really are some beautiful resorts in the Maldives. Pure luxury and a perfect honeymoon destination.
They do look lovely don’t they Charlotte.
I actually had to look up “verbal pronouncement” – You were right, I didn’t know these things about the Maldives 🙂
Isn’t it great when we find out something new Annie! Hopefully the Maldives won’t disappear just yet – and that they keep things liberal enough for general, sustainable tourism to flourish.
Going in eight days, found this helpful.
Decided to research the divorce rate and it’s so high because all a husband has to do is say divorce three time in quick succession and it counts as a legal divorce. Reminds me of Beatle juice but instead a family disputes lawyer appears!
I think that saying ‘I divorce you’ three times was common in many Muslim countires but thought it was illegal now. Hope you have a lovely trip anyway 🙂