The Maldives

MALE, Maldives

How many times can you say, “It’s so beautiful”? How about 1,197, once for each island in the Maldives? Flying in over some of the palm-fringed specks that make up the 26 atolls, it is as if precious stones in every shade of blue were tossed from the heavens. Coral formations encircle lagoons in this 85-mile-wide, 475-mile-long swath of atolls south of India, about 300 miles southwest of Sri Lanka.

The Maldives quickly melt away malaise, delivering an extraordinary vacation for honeymooners, romantics, luxe travelers, spa connoisseurs, families and, especially, divers. “Our first [dive] trip here we likened to golf at Pebble Beach,” says Kristin Cancilla of Colorado.

The Maldives - tropical, exotic, international - remain largely undiscovered by Americans (about 2 percent ofvisitors) but popular with the British, Germans, Japanese, Koreans and Russians. Italians are attributed with the start of tourism here in 1972, and there are still a couple of islands regarded as predominantly Italian.

Dive director Alexis Vincent of Conrad Maldives Rangali Island says, “I get that a lot: Mal-what? What’s that?” The “what” is blissful isolation in an increasing luxury market. About 200 islands are inhabited by natives, and another 87 hold resorts, most of them claiming they are five- and even six-star destinations.

“I like to say it’s a thousand stars,” says Dominick Ruhl, Anantara resort’s general manager.

It takes commitment to get here. Emirates airline’s direct New York-Dubai flight helps (there’s a layover and then on to Male) but even without delays, start to finish took us more than 30 hours. Yet, we’d do it again and again.

The Republic of the Maldives is 99 percent water, with a total land mass of 115 square miles. (Rhode Island has 1,045.) A third of the population, 89,000, live on Male (pronounced “ma-lay”), making it one of the world’s densest capitals.

Vacationing here requires two decisions:

First, a traveling companion. Visitors are mostly couples and families.

Second is choosing a resort, especially important here, as there’s little interaction with the native islanders. Visiting a local island, as they’re called, requires an invitation, although nearly any resort will be able to offer a tour.

If you visit the Maldives, get under the water; otherwise, you’ll miss the amazing sea life that attracts many. Some visitors say it’s the best diving in the world. Conrad’s dive director puts it this way: “For diving worldwide, I would say, it’s the most consistently good diving especially in regards to the variety and abundance.”

At any of the many five-star resorts, programs include diving, sunset and dolphin cruises, traditional Maldivian hand-line fishing, stunning beaches and fish-laden reefs, gourmet cuisine, eye-popping spas, infinity pools and modern conveniences including wireless Internet (even at sea with the Four Seasons Explorer yacht).

Similarities aside, each resort is unique. Here’s a sampling:

m The Beach House at Manafaru Maldives is turning heads as one of the newest and northernmost resorts. Just 11 percent of its 35 lush acres were developed, with 68 designer villas including stunning over-water accommodations.

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