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THE SUNNY SIDE OF LIFEMALDIVES

By Atikah Amirah

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IntroductionThe Maldives has always been a unique nation. Apart from a period of Portuguese domination in the Sixteenth century and carrying the sta-tus of a British Protectorate from 1887 to 1965, the ar-chipelago has been an inde-pendent archipelago for at least twenty-five centuries.

The Maldives is a mem-ber of the United Nations, the Commonwealth and the Non-Aligned Movement. The Maldives maintains a very cordial relationship with the international com-munity and the Maldivians themselves take pride in their hospitality and friendliness!

The population of the Maldives currently stands slightly in ex-

cess of a quarter of a million. A common language (Dhive-hi) and a religion (Islam) have been two blessings that unite the people into a cohesive and peaceful society. Pride is taken in tradition though not at the expense of devel-opment and modernization.

Maldivians are generally not race conscious, perhaps be-cause the country has been inhabited for centuries dur-ing which visitors from as far apart as China, Africa, Arabia and Persia have been assimilated into the society.

This tradition of welcom-ing visitors continues?..We dare you to come here and count exactly how many islands there are in the coun-try. They say that count-

ing the islands including the sand spits is like trying to count how many stars there are in the sky! So, the com-monly agreed upon figure of 1190 is but an approximation.

These islands are grouped into natural atolls that are protect-ed by surrounding reefs. The islands are of pure white coral sand are low lying, the high-est point on any give island being no more than a meter and a half above sea level.

Coconut palms and an abun-dance of tropical plants make these islands an idyllic place for your holiday if you want to see nature at its best.The Maldives actually strad-dles the equator. The climate is tropical with no major sea-sonal differences. Though

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the southwest monsoon does bring most of the rain, mostly around June and July, tropical rain showers can occur any time! The skies are usually clear and the sun shines bright-ly. That is when the cooling sea breezes, about which po-ems have been written, bring about the romantic in you.

If you are a surfer you will find just the right waves in some places. If you are a di-vining enthusiast, be prepared for a binge! The white coral beaches are simply unbeliev-able. The fishing is out of this world. Perhaps because of this, the Maldives is in-creasingly becoming one of the most sought after holi-day destinations in the world. We chip in by making our tourist resorts provide all the mod cons to make you all the more comfortable.

And coming here is as easy as catching a plane. Catch one of the many scheduled or charter flights operating on a regular basis from points of origin in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. You, as our wel-come guest, are issued thirty-day tourist visa on arrival at Male? International Airport.

GeographyLike any other ocean in the world, the Indian Ocean has its share of storms and waves. You might be tempted to ask “So what is so special about that?”

What is special is the Mal-divian archipelago. Nature protects these islands so well from the rougher aspects of the greater ocean while with-holding nothing in the mag-ic of a warm tropical sea!

The magic lies in the reefs that make up the atolls. The outermost ‘layer’ of the coral atoll is a fringing reef. This layer, composed entirely of coral debris and living cor-al, presents a formidable barrier to oceanic waves.

Even on the calmest of days, with hardly a no-ticeable ripple on the surface of the sea in-side the reef-enclosed la-goons, waves continue to crash and thunder onto these reefs.

As soon as one finds a natu-ral break in the reef and gains entry within, paradise awaits you if you love wind-surfing, snorkeling, div-ing or one of the many pas-times that sea-lovers enjoy.

The bonus here is that a rela-tively short distance from any of the larger fringing reefs, and very often forming a ring just inside it, you will find a num-ber of islands of different sizes.

These islands have unbe-lievably white coral sand beaches. Lush vegetation, including coconut palms, covers the larger ones.

As you approach your choice of island, the first thing you will probably notice is that each island has its own ‘house reef’. The waters within these house reefs are often so shal-low in places that you can safely wade there in the crys-tal clear water even if you do not know how to swim. That aquamarine halo

around the island in your picture postcard of the Maldives is normally this.This double-reef protection is what has kept the people of this country safe from the sea for centuries. Needless to say, with the highest point on even the largest island rising no more than 1.5 metres above sea level, this is one of the won-ders of nature you must see.Even though the Maldives actually straddles the equator

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and lies outside the treacher-ous cyclone belt in the vicin-ity of the Bay of Bengal, you must expect the country to suffer from scorching equa-torial hear. This is where na-ture blesses us with the best the sea has to offer. All that water acts as a buffer, storing and giving up heat at a much slower rate than solid ground.

Temperatures fluctuate be-tween a minimum 23?C and a maximum of 32?C through-out the year. The thermometer normally hovers around the 30?C mark. There is always a cooling breeze blowing from the sea. This makes even a hot day so pleasant on the beach that even those of us who are used to it never cease to be moved by its sheer magic.

If your life revolves around the traditional four-seasons, our day-equals-night clock, with sunny days throughout the year, will be your next surprise. We have only two seasons – the South West Monsoon and

the North East Monsoon. The South West Monsoon tends to bring with it more rain, normally in June and July. The North East Monsoon is considered to be relatively rain-free. It is traditionally the good fishing season. If you look at the yearly statistics, you will actually notice that things are not that predictable. Rain can occur at any time, often without the slightest warning.

The rain is often of the va-riety that can normally be dealt with by ducking into a shop for a quick browse.

If you happen to be on-beach, the best thing to do is to enjoy a short freshwater soak because the thermom-eter normally ignores rain.

Religion and CultureIf someone tells you that Mal-dives has been inhabited for at least 2500 years, it might come as surprise to you. However, there is linguistic, historical and archaeological evidence supporting that fact.

Though these islands lie in relative isolation in the mid-dles of an ocean, there have al-ways been enterprising sailors who have come to shores by design or mishap. Those that decide to stay earlier almost always welcomed those who arrived later with no ill intent.

Within this scenario arose a nation that sent ambas-sadors to Rome in the 4th Century and a delegation to China in the 7th Century.Understandably, the relative isolation along with the con-stant need to assimilate people

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from different cultures forged a unique island culture that continues to evolve to this day.History indicates that 300 B.C Buddhism ar-rived in the Maldives.

Ruins of stupas and other tem-ples from those days can still be found on some islands. Bud-dhism remained the predomi-nant religion till 1153 AD. A scholarly man of faith con-vinced the ruling monarch at the time of the virtues of Islam.

Nationwide conversion soon followed. Today, it is a matter of pride and honor for every Maldivian to say that he or she is a Muslim. Islam has been a great unifying force and the bastion of peace, understand-ing and harmony in the country.The love of peace has always been a Maldivian trait. Skir-mishes with regional bel-ligerents in days long gone have, at times, helped the Maldivian to value this more.Then came west-ern colonialism.

First came the Portuguese in the 16th Century. They held the nation hostage for about 15 years and 6 months. Then the Maldivians took charge of their own lives again.After a long period of indepen-dence, the Maldives became a British Protectorate in 1887.

In 1965, the country joined the international community as an independent and sovereign na-

tion. In 1968 the country pro-claimed its second Republic.Today, the Maldives is a modern democracy that is proud of its history and cul-ture while forging ahead in the race for development.

People and LanguageThe Maldivians are not a race. The average Maldivian would never look into his neighbor’s face to see if he resembled someone from Kinshasa, Ka-bul or Kuala Lumpur. If you tried to persuade him to do so anyway, he would prob-ably smile and consider the exercise a total waste of time.If you do stop to consider, and

want to find out more, a rather interesting case study begins to emerge.One of the most interesting facets of the Mal-dives it its language – Dhivehi.

The languages spoken by our immediate neighbors in the Indian subcontinent are Dravidian, the major lan-guages in this region being Tamil, Malayalam, Kannado and Telugu. Singhalese, spo-ken by the Singhalese com-munity in Sri Lanka, and Dhivehi are Sanskrit-based.

If you care to listen to the ordinary Dhivehi spoken on the streets today, you

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will still find that it is much closer linguistically to Hin-di, Urdu and Singhalese than the Dravidian tongues.

It is however, not a pidgin or a creole. It is a language with its own grammar, its own cul-ture and even its own script.Historical evidence indi-cates that Aryan migration from the northwest parts of the Indian subcontinent, most probably from the an-cient Indus Valley civiliza-tions, at a time circa 500 BC. The Mahavamsa chronicles of Sri Lanka mention the migration of the Prince Vi-jeya of Sinhapura and his followers to Sri Lanka, dur-ing which one the prince’s fleet of ships was blown off course to the Maldives.

The first settlers of the Mal-dives were probably Ary-ans from the northwest parts of the Indian subcontinent.From there on, the Maldives had to become a regional melting pot. There was always the adventurous sailor that

found his way to the Maldives by design or misadventure. He was almost always wel-comed. He brought with him his language and culture.

The Maldivian them-selves sailed near and far and brought home what-ever took their fancy. This added not onlt to the gene pool but also to the language and its culture.

As the country developed an identity and unifica-tion, more daring ventures were undertaken. Maldiv-ians traveling to Bengal and Indonesian-Malaysian region brought in strong flavors of these languages and cultures.

The conversion to Islam in 1153 brought in Arabic and Persian elements. The Por-tuguese who overcame the Maldives and remained in control for fifteen years added their contribution in the 16th Century. And more recently, Maldivians who sought edu-cation in Indian universities

in the 18th Century brought with them Urdu and Hindi.

In the 19th Century, the Brit-ish Empire gave us English! We have always been willing to welcome as accommodate the visitor who came in peace. We have never believed in iso-lationism. We do not boast of racial or linguistic ‘purity’. On the contrary, we believe such contacts to be vital source of enrichment and revitalization.

This, perhaps, is the true fountainhead of Maldivian hospitality.We do, however, take strong exception to those who come in belligerence, in disre-spectful arrogance, or with a desire to conquer or subdues. The Maldivian is very fierce-ly proud of his independence.

ArrivingBe prepared for your first sight of the Maldives. The word ‘island’ takes on its full mean-ing in the Maldives. Male’ International Airport itself is on an island all by itself!As with any international air-

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port, do expect your passport to be checked by Immigration officials. Expect them to smile and bid you welcome as well. They would also issue you your thirty-day on-arrival visa.

Immediately after that, you pick up your luggage at the carousel and move to Cus-toms clearance. There is no Green Channel at the air-port and all inbound passen-gers’ luggage is screened.

This is done electronically. Do keep your keys handy incase an officer asks you to open an item for inspection. You may also be asked to state whether you have any audio-visual media that maybe re-

tained for a short duration fro inspection (please see Article entitled “Restricted Items”).

The Arrivals Point is where you should go next. A repre-sentative of your host will nor-mally welcome you and brief you if you have a reservation at tourist resort, guesthouse or cruising vessel. If no one meets you, look for a coun-ter with the logo of your host.If you do not have a res-ervation, you may use the services of the representa-tive of a local travel agency.

Always insist on representa-tives producing proper docu-mentary identification before you make any commitments.

After you have been received, a speedboat or seaplane whisks you away to your chosen place of adventure in the Maldives.

EconomyAccording to a classification of the UN, the Maldives were among the poorest countries in the world a few years ago, even though the Maldives had statistically considered one of the highest per capita income of Asia (USD 4’212 in 2009). Over the last years the per capita income has rised steadily and today, as per UN criteria, the Mal-dives belong to the “Upper Middle-Income-Countries”.

Tourism is the largest eco-

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nomic sector in the country. It contributes about 30% of the gross domestic product (GDP) and provides more than 60% of foreign exchange earnings.

Over 90% of the tax and cus-toms revenues are tourism related. Unfortunately, few Maldivians directly benefit, since the majority of foreign investors and tenant com-panies. Just as many of the better jobs in hotel manage-ment or lack of qualified local construction workers are oc-cupied by foreigners. Includ-ing many foreign employees come to the islands tourists from other countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines.

The second biggest industry is fishing (about 11% of the workforce). Each year about 105,000 tonnes of fish caught, of which the tuna represent about 90%, which are frozen or canned exported worldwide.Because of the sandy soils, ag-riculture plays a minor role, it will be sorghum, planted corn, sweet potatoes and sugar cane.

Rice is imported. The most important crop for export is the coconut palm, are ex-tracted from the copra, co-conut fiber and coconut oil.

Flora & FaunaThrive on the islands despite the nutrient-poor soil about 250 plant species. The most common of course, the coco-nut palm that is well adapted to these conditions. On many islands, also about 10 m high screw pine have settled with their typical stilt roots, which grow perpendicular to the ground to support the branches.

Its fruits are similar in size and appearance of a pine-apple, they are only green and change color red as they ripen and are eaten cooked. Also impressive final size of the banyan tree, also known as strangler fig or Nika. Near the beach grow up to 3m high Scaevolabushes, with hand-sized, leather-like leaves, they are salt-tolerant and therefore insensitive to spray brackish water and saline.

Also widespread is the Beach lily, bougainvillea, and with white and red buds Fran-gipani and red hibiscus.The small size of the is-lands has only a limited land wildlife habitat. The her-mit crab is one of the best known of the many types of cancer, otherwise there are lizards, geckos, various in-sects and bats, a Maldivian subspecies of the Indian fly-ing fox, which hang upside down in the high treetops. The birds include the Mal-divian representatives gloss crow, heron, a cuckoo bird called Koel, who makes with strange call attention to them-selves, as well as gulls, terns and frigate birds occasionally.

However, the flora and fau-na underwater is one of the most impressive maritime areas of the world with a seemingly inexhaustible va-riety of species and colors.

The Maldives are considered the richest fishing grounds in the world and its coral reefs are among the greatest.

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Protect the MaldivesThe Maldives are one of the last paradises on earth – please help us to ensure it remains so. You will have a wonderful holiday here. With your co-operation, future generations will also have the opportunity to enjoy this paradise. As Jacques Cousteau said about the Maldives, The human being is a guest in this paradise and should behave accordingly. Our request to you is, please keep to the following guide-lines during your holiday and, if neces- sary, request others to do so too.The Maldives are unique on earth. You are presently stay-ing on an island formed by coral. If it wasn’t for the coral, there wouldn’t be any islands. That is why we have to protect the coral. You think you see a stone in the water? No you do not! It is a living coral. What you see is a limestone product, which has been built over thousands of years by millions of pol-yps. These polyps are so small that you can-not see them. When you touch a coral, you destroy these polyps. The coral reef is, after

the rainforest, the most complex ecological system on earth. More than 100.000 species live here. Coral is the centre of this ecosystem.Therefore, Do not touch the coral! Every is-land has especially created, marked entrances to enable easy access to the reef for diving and snorkelling. Please use these entrances, do not trample on the coral and bear the change of the tide in mind on your snorkelling trips. Seek information at the dive base. If you swim over the reef at high tide, your way could be barred at low tide. Never walk on the top of the reef! The coral gardens of the Maldives are consid-ered to be some of the most beautiful in the world. The complexity of this ecosystem can hardly be imagined. Every living creature has its place, except for the human being. There-fore: please behave like a guest in this fascinat-ing underwater world. Do not touch anything! Respect the living space of the animals and en-joy as a guest the astonishing variety of species.Respect the living space of the ani-mals and do not touch any of them.

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What are the Activities to be Performed in Maldives

Island Hideaway at Dhonakulhi

Kayaking at the Maldives Sailing in Maldives

Skuba Diving in Maldives

Honeymoon in Maldives

Taking into account that the country is comprised of several different islands nestled in the Indian Ocean, it is apparent that swimming and scuba diving are the main pursuits for the tourists and guests. Not only that, visitors could take pleasure engaging in different water sports and the like. Moreover, guests may attain comfort and relaxation through spa and wellness being offered by different resorts and hotels; and of course, your vacation expe-rience wouldn’t be complete until you get to travel around the nation and witness natural sceneries as well as other synthetic structures.Considering that Maldives consists of stunning and unique features supplemented with tranquil and exclusive areas, it is regarded as one of the ideal places to celebrate wedding ceremonies, gatherings, seminars, meetings and the equivalent.With all the matters and attributes aforementioned, there is no doubt that there is more fun and excitement in Maldives. It goes without saying that it is the heaven on earth.