Maldives

No larger on the map than a few ink splashes by a busy cartographer, the Maldive Islands stretch from the south-western tip of India all the way to the Equator.

One of the most attenuated countries in the world, the 1,196 Maldive Islands, in 26 distinct coral atolls, are spread over a total area of 90,000 square kilometres (about 36,000 square miles) of the Indian Ocean, yet less than 0.5 percent of this is dry land. Some 200 of the islands are inhabited.

Until the arrival of tourism, fishing was the main occupation in this nation of seafarers, and the relaxed pace of life in the Maldives seems to have carried over into the twenty-first century.

The graceful sailing dhonis of old may have given way to motorised versions, but fishing with pole and line is still a common sight throughout the Maldives.

The Maldives has the most beautiful tropical scenery, graceful coconut palms leaning over crystal-clear lagoons, coral reefs promising great snorkelling and scuba diving, and lots of sunshine. In fact, all the ingredients that make up the classic desert island.

With the increasing need for a break from the fast pace of life in the modern world, the Maldives is now the ultimate getaway for those who like sun, sand, sea and doing nothing …the last Paradise.