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The year 2023 was a huge recovery year for the travel industry, with many countries around the world posting record numbers of tourists.
One of the newest of those countries is the exotic archipelago nation of the Maldives.
Official figures of the Ministry of Tourism in the Maldives shows that the country attracted almost 1.9 million tourists in 2023, which is a new all-time record.
So, what exactly is it about this spread of coral islands and atolls in the Indian Ocean that makes travelers want to go there now?
Unique nature and experiences
The Maldives is home to some of the most incredible natural areas in the world, with locations such as the Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve and Addu Nature Park boasting incredible landscapes and thriving wildlife.
It’s also home to a unique culture, and even if you stay at a luxury resort, it’s quite easy to experience and absorb it.
Visit Maldives suggests learning a few phrases from the official language Dhivehi, then using them to get to know the locals at markets or restaurants – you could even take a cooking class or join in a friendly game of football on the beach.
And if you prefer a more active stay, you can try surfing, where you can rent surfboards and get instruction, or even go fishing with a local guide.
Luxury resorts to die for
As you would expect from a remote paradise island destination, the Maldives has some truly breathtaking luxury resorts to choose from.
The latest figures show that there are 165 different resorts, 11 hotels and 772 guesthouses to choose from somewhere in the region.
Imagine the most stunningly perfect photo you’ve ever seen of an exotic beach location on Instagram – barely believable beach huts, alluring azure seas, pristine white sand and beautiful palm trees – all this is just part of the landscape in the Maldives.
Divine diving
Scattered across the atolls of the Maldives are some of the best diving locations in the world.
From casual snorkelers to experienced divers, the waters surrounding these exotic islands will thrill visitors with the abundance of vibrant aquatic wildlife, from whale sharks to starfish.
One of the most interesting dive sites is the shipyard at Lhaviyani Atoll, home to two 40-year-old sunken ships that have become home to parts of various corals and fish, including yellow sweeper fish, Napoleon wrasse and butterfly fish.
Dives can be organized by resorts, tour companies or local dive guides – all of which will give you the information and guidance you need.
It’s getting easier to get there
There’s no escaping the fact that the Maldives is a long-haul destination for American travelers.
Located about 400 miles south of the southernmost tip of India, this is not a flight for the inexperienced adventurer.
However, there are more choices than ever when it comes to flights to the Maldives from the US
One of the most popular is a route from JFK Airport in New York with Turkish Airlines – this flight has just one stopover in Istanbul before continuing from there to the capital of the Maldives, Male.
There are also similar one-stop flight options via the Middle East with Etihad Airways, Emirates and even American Airlines.
At the time of writing, the cost of round-trip flights for these flight routes ranged from about $1,200 per person to $3,000, with the lower end of that scale seeming surprisingly affordable.
Awarded several times
The popularity of the Maldives alone shows that it is becoming one of the best places to visit, and a series of high-profile awards back this up.
The country has won the World’s Leading Destination Award at the World Travel Awards for the last four years.
In addition, many of the resorts are multi-award winning places to stay, with the most recent examples being Villa Resorts (Luxury Vacation Brand of the Year, Luxuri Magazine), You & Me Maldives (Agoda Circle Choice Award) and Kuda. Villingili Maldives (Best Honeymoon Hotel, White Awards).
This may not be the most important thing for travelers, but it shows that investments and efforts have been made by the Maldives to ensure that visitors have a great experience there.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
