The kingdom of the islands. Malè, Maldives

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Maldives! Eccomi Hulhule International Airport, located on an island not far from Malé, the capital. Everything is built on an island, the airport, the capital, villages and factories in the rest ... there are only islands! To understand the term "Kingdom Islands" (way Maldivians like to call your country) you must take a step back.
I am sitting comfortably on board intent to read a magazine article on board the Kingdom of the Isles, when I see faces and appear to oblivion, at sea, under me, more than 8,000 meters, the myriad of islands that characterize this archipelago in the world. Sense that the title could not be more well-so much so that I have possession for my trip report. Seen from the Maldives islands are even more beautiful: endless circles of coral, pale green, turquoise and blue, all around ... and tiny islands. Officially, the islands are 1192, but often appear new and the old disappear, for so it is almost impossible to define the exact number. Just 26 have, however, the atolls on which the islands are distributed. For about an hour the show is insured, until it lands.

You leave there is a long row of small bars under the name of any specific tour operators who collect the groups of its tourists. We proceed further in the direction of a pier where we docked some dhoni, the traditional craft of the place, still used for transporting goods, people and in fishing.
In English, we turn to a guy at the helm of one of these dhoni for information. To our surprise there he answered in Italian. To accompany us to our resort, the Giravaru, located in the south of Malé North dell'atollo, asks $ 15 U.S. per person. According to reports taken before departure found that the price is right, then we accept, for once, without haggling. But we must wait until the boat is filled with people. We wait thirty minutes before leaving. With us there are only Maldivian, all directed at the time of the capital. Just ten minutes dhoni stops on the island of Male. Abandoning Malè see the dome of the Great Mosque, covered entirely with gold leaf, which can contain up to 5,000 faithful.
Along the way we see here is there, more or less nearby small islands. Let, then, faced with a larger fully occupied by a factory. From Malè spend 30 minutes to Giravaru Island.
Lead in the room immediately to putting on costumes to go the first of many bathrooms. After about an hour to paddle in water and after another hour of absolute rest on deck chairs there who already feel a sense of claustrophobia. Opt for an exploration of where we finished. After ten minutes we are back to square one.
If it were not for two trips to make in the days of our stay the trip is already finished ...
There is nothing apart from the sea, however, that sea! The water is amazingly crystal clear and transparent. For five days we live in a pretty bungalow just ten meters from the sea, on a white sandy beach because of the small corals that compose it. Spend our days in water before breakfast in the morning, afternoon, ending with idyllic swimming at sunset. For those looking for relaxation, for those lovers of the sea the Maldives are truly a paradise. The temperature of the sea is the ideal 26 ° constant throughout the year.
Mavi for me and the best hobby is snorkelling. Armed with mask and fins to explore fur shallow water along the circle dell'atollo it's on our island, in the direction of the horizon. These depths are less spectacular than those enjoyed in the Red Sea. The coral is not colored because it is largely dead, and as regards the fish seem more or less the same. However the bottom is, however, nothing short of fascinating. Let us snorkeling for two hours keeping always there where the sea is green sign that water is not very deep. Returned to the shore we say we have not burnt, but almost! The days to follow you and Simona Mavi sprinkle with protective creams, and myself constantly wearing a T-shirt, also during the baths.
The next day we share to more intensive half-day to an uninhabited island. In the distance we see from the surface barely. It is no coincidence the Maldives are in Guinness Book of Records for being the country most of the flat world. The maximum elevation is 3 meters above the sea level! The island has a charm, nothing but palm trees, sand and Sea, a place untouched without traces of human presence that inspires at the same time, fear and serenity: peace for the extraordinary beauty, fear for the desert solitude. Man, when we approach the dhoni see the whites of the waves splashing s'infrangono on the reef, then, the green palm trees and finally the beach. The island is still smaller than that of our resort, the beach even more white, the water even more crystalline. Looking on the horizon the sea merges with the sky. The palm trees seem to fall into water almost to want to caress. We are in paradise!
The next day we hike into the open sea, near a beautiful coral reef, where some guests of the village told us that he saw the turtles. The reef is actually very beautiful, the bed because of the colorful coral alive. We see Napoleon fish, clown, emperor angel, then grouper and dense schools of fish shiny glass, but not for sea turtles. It is not necessary, however, go off to watch the marine world. We saw a moray eel winding swim a few meters from shore.
At six in the afternoon of our last day of vacation we are on a characteristic of moles of Giravaru, constructed with blocks of madrepores and coral, waiting for the sunset. During the wait can see the giant crabs. Almost as if we knew the nature reserve a fantastic sunset. The sun radiates shooting the eye can see an orange light, our bodies are wrapped in seeing one of those unforgettable sunsets that remain indelible in the memories. Become a night, but not dark, a big full moon and a galaxy of stars are light enough. As set forth on the beach in front of us escape paciugo cloud of light running on the sand in all directions.
The Maldives is the "republic of the holidays." A place for tourists not to travel. The place is such as to the photos and that the various brochures, advertisements, a tale, as it was written on a sign at the airport: the paradise on earth for those seeking peace and rest, sleep and for those in love of the sea. Here is an explanation of the Maldives so hasty. I really Mavi, more accustomed to move and travel at night we feel like prisoners, even in paradise. My brother and Simona have instead enjoyed the treasures of this eden: infinite horizons, the silence of the great outdoors, night sky studded with stars, sun and warm tropical waters of the color blue, light blue and green, white beaches of fine coral, scenographic palms towards the sea, beautiful backdrops and colorful fish. Maldives, a golden prison or a paradise? Or, only the kingdom of the islands