The Maldives contains some of the most beautiful scenery in the world when it comes to tropical island splendor. Ranging from suns-swept beaches, panoramic rain-forests, to unique infrastructure that simultaneously blend into and compliments the nature of their surroundings, the Maldives is a haven like no other, and an ideal escape for those seeking a beach-bound escape into serenity. There is many a luxury resort Maldives has on her expansive repertoire that is sure to provide you with the exact definition of bliss that you seek, such as the Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort, which is one of the most popular in the nation.
The Maldives are also a group of islands that are immensely rich in heritage, and has a history that is as colorful and vibrant as the culture of the people that inhabit the islands, and the colors of the coral reefs that adorn the sub-marine expanses beyond her beaches. The Maldives group of islands were initially very heavy on Buddhism , and there are many sites that exist today that allow one to witness the presence of Buddhism that was once prevalent on their land.
One such site is that of Fua Mulaku Havitta, which refers to the ruins of a Buddhist religious site known as a chaitya, which is a Buddhist shine or prayer hall. The most notable feature of the site is the ruined stupa. The ruins was first discovered by HCP Bell, who as conducting research to clarify that the Maldives had indeed been a predominantly Buddhist nation before Islam gained dominance. He spent several days studying the stupa and the areas surrounding it. Currently the shape of the stupa has been lost due to careless efforts to uncover treasure supposedly buried within.
When exploring the many beautiful beaches of the Maldives, be sure to visit the famed stupa that is Fua Mulaku Havitta to catch a glimpse of the not so distant past of the Maldives.
Uditha Dharmawardhane is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Roland Lefevre. He specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe.
