Where Heaven Meets Earth

As an introduction to the Maldives, throbbing Malé is at odds with the rest of this ultra-peaceful remote archipelago. Bustling and busy, Malé is the reality to the rest of the country’s island fantasy. Tall bright buildings. Daily markets full of activity. Mosques and museums. Quirky bars and restaurants (no alcohol is served).

Only 2,100 inhabitants share the five islands that make up the Vaavu Atoll, a combination of Felidhoo Atoll and the uninhabited Vattaru Falhu Atoll. Fishing and quietly building simple boats are how the locals spend their days here. Diving is excellent for both beginners and experienced scuba divers – a local guide can be brought onboard. Manta rays, whale sharks, Grey and white-tip reef sharks, and even hammerheads, can be spotted.

A paradise for both surfing and diving, the 8 inhabited islands of Meemu are best visited by boat. You’ll find great surf spots on the eastern side of the atoll - the most adventurous surfers should head to Mulee Point, Veyvah Point or Boahuraa Point.

66 Paradise islands form the perfect circle of the Thaa Atoll. More than anywhere else in the Maldives, Thaa is a haven for sea and surf. The Laccadive Sea meets the Arabian Sea to enrich a festival of underwater life, all of which can be seen from the deck. Giant manta, whale sharks and leatherback turtles are best spied with a mask and snorkel. The warm offshore surf is ideally witnessed on a short board – with no wetsuit required.

The Laamu Atoll boasts 82 islands, only 10 of which host any form of human life. Indeed, the Maldives chain contains 800 such desert island gems. Its coral reefs harbour 1,000 species of fish, 20 species of whales and dolphins, and more colour than a Paul Smith catwalk show. It’s like sitting in your own 90,000km2 tropical bath.

This atoll is considered one of the richest in terms of places of interest and natural wonders. There is no end to the untouched islands and all you have to do is put your head underwater anywhere to admire intact coral reefs, teeming with fish and full of coral.

The stretch of reef between Rathafandhoo and Kaduhuludhoo is one of the best spots for deep bottom fishing in the entire archipelago.

A snorkeller’s paradise. These extraordinary sites offer crystal clear water, excellent light and plentiful deep sea fish.