The Maldives are an archipelago of 1,192 coral islands grouped into 26 coral atolls in the Indian Ocean. They lie south-southwest of India and are considered part of Southern Asia. The two main towns are Malé and Seenu and these make for nice day trips. The British, Dutch and Muslim influences which have created the modern Maldivian culture are of some interest for the tourist.
The primary activity on the Maldives is scuba diving. The atolls are all coral reefs hundreds of kilometers away from any major landmass, meaning that water clarity is excellent and underwater life is abundant. Manta rays, sharks, even a few wrecks, you name it, you can find it in the Maldives. Diving is also very good by world standards even in the immediate vicinity of Male, visibility and the chance of encountering large pelagic increases as you head to the outer atolls. The Maldives is becoming an increasingly popular surfing destination too. Turquoise water and perfect waves makes it an ideal and uncrowded destination for surfers looking for smooth surfing condition
The Maldives have a tropical climate with abundant rainfall and high temperatures around the year. The northern islands have a rainy season from May to November with most rain in July and August. The islands near or south of the equator have rain more evenly distributed throughout the year and in the case of the most southern parts most rain falls in the period November to March.
The northern islands are occasionally affected by tropical cyclones between August and November. These bring very strong winds and torrential rain. Temperatures are around 30 °C during the day and around 25 °C at night, with little variation between months and between the islands.