If you could imagine paradise, how would you describe it? Tranquil? Pristine? Cheerful? Well, these words and more paint an accurate picture of The Maldives. This tropical wonderland is almost a mystery to those who have never been here, while the ones who have, cannot stop praising its beauty. But before we go on about this earthly haven, we can hear you asking – “Where is Maldives?”
The Maldives is a group of islands scattered across the Indian Ocean. This piece of information might lead you to ask another question – “Is it located in India?” Quite simply, no.
The Maldives is an independent country, very distinct from India or even the Indian subcontinent. Even though the vast Indian Ocean has been named after India, it does not necessarily mean that all islands in this ocean belong to India.
India does have many islands under its administration, though. Some of these are the Andaman and Nicobar group of islands to the Lakshadweep group to several smaller collections of isles off the coasts of many states of mainland India. In any case, The Maldives is not a part of India.
Sporting its own national flag and government, The Maldives is a collection of almost 1,200 tiny islands. These islands are further grouped into 26 natural atolls, depending on their proximity to one another and the ease of administration. Most of the islands in The Maldives are uninhabited. Only about 200 Maldivian isles are inhabited by the local Maldivians.
However, the uninhabited islands are not necessarily deserted. A major proportion of these are private islands which are owned by large hospitality groups from across the world. True to the spirit of The Maldives’ ‘one-island one-resort’ theme, each private island is home to one luxury resort that sprawls all over the isle. Some of the best all-inclusive islands in The Maldives offer everything, from a 5-star stay to international dining to an array of activities that can be enjoyed right on the private island.
Apart from the resort islands, specifically dedicated to tourism, some uninhabited islands are used for industrial purposes, for the construction of factories or as dumping grounds. In fact, the Maldives International Airport is located on the uninhabited island of Hulhulé. The airport island is reserved just for the purpose of flying in and out of the country or to different local islands that dot the seascape of this region.
The inhabited islands are often called public islands. Only a few local islands are open to tourists at present, as most Maldivians are generally shy and prefer not to have their ethnic culture diluted by way of foreign influence. Malé – capital city of The Maldives, is a great place to begin your sightseeing as this is the entry-point to the country, and the inhabitants are always expecting new guests around.
Where is The Maldives?
After reading so much about this idyllic archipelago, you must be burning with the question – “Where is The Maldives Located?” We are not going to bore you with the technical details of its longitudinal and latitudinal position or its extent in values you may not find relevant. Simply put
The Maldives is located in South Asia, sprawled across the equator, making it one of the few countries in the world to exist in both the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere.
Maldives Map from India
If you happen to travel from India, you will find this cluster of palm fringed islands to the south west of the nation. Specifically, The Maldives is approximately two thousand odd kilometres from mainland India. Since the islands are infinitesimally small, they are not normally shown on the world map unless you zoom in to get the details.
Much of The Maldives lies on the Laccadive Sea and the bordering Arabian Sea. It is hard to distinguish sea borders, especially when they are part of the same ocean (the Indian Ocean in this case). However, a unique phenomenon you’ll find in these coral atolls are the intermixing of two seas, where the turquoise shade of one appears contrasting to the blue of the other.
How to Reach Maldives from India
There are only two ways to reach The Maldives from India. Since there is no land connectivity, you can either take the air route or the sea route. Quite a few airlines operate flights to and from the Velana International Airport, Maldives from a number of different Indian cities. Air India, Indigo and SpiceJet are only a handful of the scores of airline choices you will have.
If you are looking for direct flights to Malé International Airport, Air India and Indigo offer non-stop options from certain cities. However, if time is not a constraint and you don’t mind a layover, especially if it’s in another country, then there are multiple options to choose from – SriLankan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Etihad Airways, and many more.
For leisure travellers who prefer more luxurious vacations, a cruise might be an excellent option. New on the bloc, opulent cruise liners are now available for the India to Maldives route. At the moment, it is possible to begin your journey from either Mumbai or Kochi. The luxuriant cruise takes about 3 days, with the first one for boarding, the second on the sea and the third day for arrival at Malé.
The Best Time to Visit The Maldives From India
The Maldives is blessed with soft white sands, gentle sea breeze and sparkling blue lagoons. It is common knowledge that Maldives’ weather remains clement round the year. However, it is more pleasant to visit in the winter months of December and January.
Traditionally, November to March is said to be the tourist season. But this is also when most of Maldives’ luxury villas are fully booked or overpriced to say the least. Besides, you will likely find plenty of other holidayers taking a slice off your privacy in certain public island resorts.
On the other side of the spectrum, the low season in The Maldives is from May to September as these are the monsoon months, with June and July receiving the lion’s share of the rains. While you might find some of the top Maldives water villas at throwaway rates, you might have to miss out on certain activities to do in Maldives. Water sports and snorkeling are best done on a clear day when the sea is calm and the clouds don’t threaten to rain.
India to Maldives Packages
A brilliant midway to this dilemma is to travel in the shoulder season. The months off April and October offer you the best of both worlds, with reasonable discounts on resorts in The Maldives and plenty of fair weather days to get on some of Maldives’ diving tours.
All of the weather guidelines outlined above refer to the northern atolls of The Maldives which are above the equator. You can essentially travel to this island nation any time of the year as the exact opposite season will be on in the southern atolls which fall below the equator. Plan your honeymoon thoughtfully and book Maldives honeymoon packages from India that caters to your needs.
Select from various Maldives tour packages from India that let you understand Maldives’ history & culture. You will be pleasantly surprised to hear that there are so many ways to explore Malé – the world’s smallest capital. Sign up for one of the specially curated Maldives walking tours to discover this city on foot, or go on a culinary excursion around town. You will never have a dull moment when holidaying here!