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Maldives is an exotic abode that boost blue
sparkling waters, corals, and sandy white beaches. The country has
many tourist destination that attracts tourists from all over the
world.
Sun, sand and sea, a thousand ‘Robinson Crusoe’ islands, massive
lagoons with different depths and infinite shades of blue and
turquoise, dazzling underwater coral gardens; a perfect natural
combination for the ideal tropical holiday destination. However
there is more to the Maldives than just that.
The islands of Maldives persuade tourists with promises of 'the
last paradise on earth', and if your idea of paradise is white sand
beaches with turquoise waters glistening, tropical gardens exploding
in beautiful color and picture perfect sunsets igniting the sky,
then the Maldives will never let you down. It's also a major
destination for scuba divers, who come for the magnificent coral
reefs and the wealth of marine life.
Ptolemy, the Greek geographer describes the Maldives as a multitude
of islands. Ancient Chinese navigators, referring to the maze of
lagoons and reefs that require great care in navigation, knew it as
the Three Thousand Weak Waters. Marco Polo, the Venetian traveler,
found the islands to be "the flower of the Indies". For Ibn Batuta,
who traveled extensively during the 14th century and actually lived
on the islands, the Maldives was "one of the wonders of the world".
It is believed that these unique coral atolls were formed about 65
to 200 million years ago from the crust of a deceased volcanic
mountain range. The atolls (the word atoll was adapted to English
from its Maldivian origin "atholhu") are formed from coral barrier
reefs. The part of the reefs which protrude from the sea form into
islands, as destroyed coral parts gather thus giving them the
attribute of white sandy beaches. Having being protected by the
reefs, the lagoons are calm and crystal-clear with abundant species
of fish and coral.
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