Pristine white sandy beaches and crystal blue waters that are ideal for relaxing beach holidays and is what Maldives is best known for. The Maldives is made up of about 200, already inhabited islands of almost the same landscapes and is clustered by 26 natural atolls, some in the form of islands and isolated reefs. Some of the atolls create perfect diving grounds for its visitors to venture out and explore the hidden mysteries and wonders of life under the sea. Owing to this advantage, there are a large number of Maldives luxury resort that are built closer or in the areas surrounding the atolls. One such resort is the COMO Maalifushi, The Maldives which is luxuriously nestled on the Thaa Atoll, or more locally known as Kolhumadulu. Most atolls in the Maldives are separated by vast expanses of deep blue waters.
An atoll is usually circular in shape and takes the form of islets or coral reefs and surrounds a body of water which is known as a lagoon, eventually connecting back to the sea through water channels. Atolls are known to have developed from underwater volcanoes, referred to as seamounts. The islands form once the volcano erupts and pushes the land to the surface which transforms to an oceanic island, which eventually are inhabited by corals and other marine life.
The word ‘atoll’ was said to have originated from Dhivehi (Maldivian language), ‘atholhu’. Twenty of the Maldivian atolls are now been classified for administrative purposes and been given unique names, ensuring that visitors can explore the wonders of the atolls by staying in the large variety of resorts, hotels and other types of accommodation in the Maldives. Visitors can also experience the beauty of these atolls by going diving, snorkelling or on boat rides for an exclusive exploration of nature’s breath-taking wonders, as the atolls are all coral reefs guaranteeing an abundant marine life.
Roland Lefevre is a travel writer who specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe. Google+
