With enchanting white sandy beaches, swaying palms and warm sunshine Maldives is a romantic paradise. This alluring archipelago of islands is located in the azure waters of the Indian Ocean. Although Maldives is mainly home to Sunni Muslims the country welcomes visitors from around the world. The major drive of the Maldivian economy is tourism. This is quite obvious as tourists from across the globe come in search of the enchanting tropical beauty of the Maldivian islands. Although the islands were once under British rule, today the nation is a republic. Male, the capital of Maldives is located in the Male Atoll. The visitor will find mosques, restaurants, and markets of all sorts in Male. There are many souvenir shops where you can buy gifts for your family and friends in remembrance of your exotic stay in the islands.
Maldives offers some of the best seafood dishes which is perhaps no surprise as it is a collection of charming islands. However, Thai food also is quite a speciality in the Maldive islands. The visitor will find that most of the resorts and hotels in Male as well as in the islands have restaurants dedicated to serving Thai cuisine. Thai jasmine rice, noodles and chicken, prawn cakes and beef with oyster sauce are some of the delicacies that will delight your taste buds. You will find the friendly staff and relaxing atmosphere in these Thai restaurants a captivating experience.
You can engage in a host of aqua sports while visiting these alluring islands. Most of the hotels and resorts provide snorkelling, sailing, diving, jet skiing and many more exciting activities to add adventure to your vacation. Scuba diving is a popular activity in the Maldives as the underwater coral life is an amazing tapestry of colour and movement. Apart from the spectacular fish and marine plants you might even catch a glimpse of a shipwreck under the Indian Ocean.

A Maldives resort will pamper you with exotic luxury in a heavenly tropical setting. Maldives bungalows are built on stilts over a lagoon so that you will feel as if you are on a secluded romantic island of your own. Anantara Veli Maldives is one such place where you can relax and rejuvenate or embark on a water sports adventure.