The Republic of Maldives, is an independent island country in the north-central Indian Ocean, comprised of nearly 1,200 coral islands. All of the resorts have coral plantation programs that guests can take part in.

The peak season for visiting The Maldives is between November and April. The months with the least rain are January through April.

While staying at luxurious resorts on a Maldive vacation will afford you the opportunity to dine elegantly on fine food, you may want to try some of the local specialities, largely influenced by the abundance of local seafood, coconut and influences of its neighbors. /em>Garudhiya is a fragrant fish soup served with lime, rice, chilli and onions. Kulhi Boakibaa is a fish cake of smoked tuna, coconut, onions and ground rice. The local version of tuna salad is Mas Huni (Masroshi), is a chapati with shredded smoked tuna, grated coconuts, lemon and onions. Gulha are dumplings with tuna, onions, chilli and grated coconuts. Bis Keemiya is a pastry filled with tuna/ and egg, onions and sautéed cabbage. Banbukeylu harissa is a curry of breadfruit, chili, onion, and coconut. Vegetable curry has sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and other vegetables flavored with pandan and curry leaves. On the sweeter side, sago pudding is made from coconut milk and condensed milk. Aluvi Boakibaa is a cake made from cassava and coconut.

books: The Maldives: Islamic Republic, Tropical Autocracy Book (J. J. Robinson), Gatecrashing Paradise: Misadventure in the Real Maldives (T. Chesshyre), Folk Tales of the Maldives (X. Romero-Frias).