Information for backpacking in the Maldives

Population: 338,000 (UN, 2005)
Capital: Man
Area: 298 square kilometers (115 square miles)
Main language: Divhi
Major religion: Islam
Life expectancy: 67 years (men), 66 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 rufiyaa = 100 laari

Republic of Maldives is the epitome of a dream that is “a sunny side of life”. The Maldives islands conjure up an image of a string of glorious white pearls floating in a cobalt blue of infinity, which is the Indian Ocean. Its paradisiacal beauty is absolutely stunning and the coasts are of the purest white that in recent years has earned the prestige of “The most romantic destination in the world”. The true jewel of the world, it is a destination beyond all destinations. Unfortunately, such a paradise that bathes in crystal clear blue waters and washes in pristine blue waters comes at a price (a very high one too!) with its appeal almost exclusively affordable to all the well-to-do. Recognized on paper as possibly the richest country in South Asia, the locals, however, suffer from a different side of life that results in darkness and clouds. In fact, the local way of life in a storm-battered land with soil too thin to support a harvest is a far cry from the brochure images of honeymoon suites and first-class service. But from the multi-billion dollar travel industry, the estimated 300,000 islanders do not make a profit. Now it is the government’s battle to integrate progress into society.

GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE

In the Maldives, life is a beach, with around 1,190 corals strung on a total area of ​​90,000 km2, most of which is water, and only 298 km2 is land mass. Paradise is endowed with the deep blue of the ocean, the white of the sands and corals, the gold of the sun, and the color scheme of different species of foliage and marine life. The terrain of the world’s lowest country is generally flat beaches with the highest point only at an elevation of 2.4 meters on Wilingili Island in Addu Atoll, raising some recent ecological concerns and policies and open to dialogue. In truth, it is one of the most vulnerable places, if not the most, to sea level rise. The Kingdom of the Thousand Islands is located at the geographical coordinates (3 15 N, 73 00 E) right in the middle of the vast Indian Ocean, sunny as ever with warm tropical weather and a perfect temperature of 24°C-30°C. offset by the coolness of the constant sea breeze. As the ultimate “winter getaway”, the Maldives are very touristy from the months of December to April, but a bit of caution, from the months of February to April, the island is at its hottest in every sense of the word. word, and from June to August, the monsoon effects on the island with heavy rains. Regardless, there is absolutely no bad time to visit the Maldives. As a nation praying for future safety in the ocean where it lies, there can never be an exceptionally better time to explore this crown jewel than now, when the sun is high and the waters are low.

PEOPLE AND CULTURE

The small South Asian archipelago is home to a small community of 396,334 (July 2009) Maldivians from the South Indian, Sinhalese and Arab ethnic groups with their own culture and traditions. More than 300,000 of the population are adherents of Sunni Islam. Adult literacy is 99%, and although MALDIVAN DHIVEHI, a dialect of Sinhalese, is the language of the islands, ENGLISH is widely spoken, not just by the elite and government officials, not just for business and state, but by the general public. audience. The traveler will be surprised at how friendly and talkative the locals are, so you can talk anywhere in the archipelago. Their goal is to entertain as hospitality comes naturally to Maldivians.

ATTRACTION

Therefore, no prior visa is required, and a 30-day visa is free on arrival for all visitors, but the immortal question remains for the independent traveler on a budget. What awaits the backpacker, our modern explorers? It should be known even at the low end, Maldives is still not cheap. Well, Malé has great budget options ranging from the mid $50 range for boutique brands to budget and eco-friendly hotels, and the upper $90 range. Backpackers are a rarity in these places really, but we are talking about a “vacation of a lifetime” and “the best value for money”. It’s worth going to the Maldives archipelago more than once if possible before the 23-inch sea level rise (that’s almost 2 feet of water). Maldives is the place of the “tourist package”, but to know the islands is to become independent. Good planning and sweet decent financial lubrication will suffice for the traveler on a budget. With 40% of Maldivians living on less than $1 a day, so can you. Tourism policies tend to restrict contact with locals and tourists, so it makes a lot of sense to have your authentic Maldives vacation on any of the 200 inhabited islands like Malé, if you can’t afford to stay on one of the 80 tourist islands. The honeymooner or sun worshiper can find paradise on a few other non-resort inhabited islands such as Viligili, Hulhumale’, Thila Fushi and Himmafushi.

FOOD

It is on these non-resort islands that you will find a true taste of the Maldives. Maldivian cuisine is another word for exotic gourmet, or so they say. The first wave of European travelers did not like the food, thus the story of a Maldivian sophistication began. Traditional Maldivian cuisine is completely different from the Maldivian gourmet introduced in hotel restaurants and is based on fish (tuna), coconut, rice and other forms of starch. Dessert is another cultural experience because instead of a sweet filling of jam or chocolate, the meat of the fish is nestled inside a puff pastry. Desserts show a more tame side of Maldivian cuisine like Foni boakibaa, a square sweet baked dessert made with coconut, rice, flour, water, sugar and rose water. Banana in coconut milk and watlappan, which is like coconut flan with walnuts, are also smooth and delicious.

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Joseph

backpacker addiction
Email: [email protected]