Ten Curiosities about the Maldives

23 wrz Ten Curiosities about the Maldives

The Maldives has been a popular tourists destination for over 40 years now. Its pristine, white sand beaches and turquoise waters with best marine life on earth is a huge magnet, especially for honeymooners. Everybody can find something interesting to do to make their stay an amazing experience. There is something great about the Maldives islands that make you come back. I am still keeping in mind the warm, crystal clear waters with little baby sharks swimming. Adding the delicious food and comfortable bungalows the Maldives is always a good choice. But, how much do you know about Maldives? Here are ten curiosities about this beautiful place.

1. Not Only for the Rich. You do not have to be rich to go to the Maldives. You can travel there with a small budget, too. I stayed in North Male Atoll on Bandos Island. It was 30 minutes away from the airport, inexpensive with a private beach, cozy and comfortable bungalows. Another option is to get a cheap accommodation in guest houses for $50-60 a night, and travel by a speedboat to an island to use all facilities that a hotel has. When you travel cheap, you need to have local currency, the Maldivian Rufiyaa. You can haggle to get a cheaper deal on food.
2. High Cost of Living. Male, the capital, is an island. With the increasing number of people, the prices for land go up too. The rent can reach even $1,500 per month!
3. Man-made islands. Not all of the islands are natural. Some of them are man-made. Like for example Huhulmale, the island closest to the main airport in Male is an artificial island created in 2004 with sand and concrete.
4. The Maldives is the Flattest Country in the World. Most of the islands are about 1.8 meters above sea level, which make them all vulnerable to a rise in sea level because of the climate change.
5. The World’s Highest Literacy Rate. Literacy rate in the Maldives is one of the highest in the world (98%). The textbooks in schools are in local language called Dhivehi, and also in English. Therefore, the locals speak English.
6. The Maldives is Different. It is one of the most disparate countries in the world. It has 1,200 islands that are spread on over 90,000 m².
7. Undersea Restaurants. When in the Maldives do not forget to dine in one of the three undersea restaurants: Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, Kuredu Resort and Hurawalhi Island Resort. Wear smart and book a place in advance.
8. Manta Rays. The Maldives has the world’s largest population of manta rays. The best time to go and spot manta rays is between November and April because of its high plankton concentration.
9. Unique Beaches. Maldivean beaches are one of a kind in the world. The high quality of these island beaches are due to the coral they are made of. Most of the beaches are made of quartz, while a coral beach is made from dried and sun-bleached Coralline beaches are rare and constitute only about 5% of the world’s beaches.
10. Bioluminescent beaches. They are a rare phenomenon in the world. In the Maldives bioluminescent phytoplankton light up the water. Here you can see it more intense than anywhere else, especially in the Dusit Thani Maldives in the Baa Atoll. At night it is giving an amazing glowing, starry and unforgettable

Vocabulary

pristine – in its original condition; unspoiled (nieskazitelnie czysty)

curiosities – a strange or unusual object or fact (ciekawostki)

man-made – made or caused by human beings (sztuczny, wytworzony przez człowieka)

vulnerable – in need of special care, support, or protection because of age, disability, or risk of abuse or neglect (bezbronny, narażony na niebezpieczeństwo)

textbooks – a book used as a standard work for the study of a particular subject (podręcznik)

spread – extend over a large or increasing area (rozciągnięty)

disparate – essentially different in kind (zasadniczo odmienny)

undersea – below the sea or the surface of the sea (podwodny)

manta ray –  extremely large pelagic tropical ray that feeds on plankton and small fishes; usually harmless but its size make it dangerous if harpooned; devilfish (diabły morskie)

sun-bleached – make whiter or lighter in color, as by exposure to sunlight or a chemical agent; remove the color from (wyblakły od słońca)

bioluminescent –  the biochemical emission of light by living organisms such as fireflies and deep-sea fishes (bioluminescencyjny)

starry – resembling a star in brightness or shape (gwiaździsty)

unforgettable – memorable (niezapomniany)