Same Day Loans: Best Financial Aid With Immediate Response

Ideally spread out across the Indian Ocean, the Maldives can best be described as paradise on earth. With a majority of its landmass surrounded by sandy beaches, the natural atolls of the country are also home to some of the most spectacular coral reefs in the world. A popular hotspot among avid divers and snorkelers, the island enclave encompasses a whopping 26 natural atolls with nearly 2000 vibrant coral reefs dotting the ocean floor.

Experts believe that the origin of the Maldives' extensive coral reef heritage is due to a monumental underwater volcanic eruption that rocked the ocean bed. It should also be noted that the coral reefs themselves contain a number of stunning and breathtaking lagoons within their folds. Complete with coral outcrops and sandbars, the Maldives is home to perhaps the globe's most complex and diverse composite coral reef network. Providing shelter for many colourful varieties of fish and other marine creatures, coral reefs are the most diverse ecosystem for marine life. Almost a thousand fish species are said to inhabit the Maldivian reefs including plankton and sharks while 200 varieties of coral have been identified in the country.

Ideal for snorkelling and scuba diving activities each atoll on the islands comprises of large reefs, as well as several faros reefs with individual reef channels, rims and inner lagoons. The most popular form of diving in the Maldives is setting adrift on liveaboards where the ocean's current is used to move from one location to another. Guests can get a firsthand look at snappers, Napoleon wrasses, barracudas, sweetlips and jacks while parrot fish are also frequently spotted by divers.

When diving in the channels, visitors can enjoy the overhangs, caves and caverns in which soft corals grow and flourish. Expect to see gorgonian fans, vibrant sponges and invertebrates that inhabit the waters. In the regions inside atoll lagoons, divers can see towering rock peaks that reach the surface in some cases. Known as 'Thilas', these areas are infested with colourful sessile creatures. Such formations are believed to cause water to surge from the ocean bed to crash against the walls, simultaneously nourishing the soft corals, sponges that dwell on the sides. Sustaining a host of crustaceans and species of resident fish, the formations also create an environment rich in marine life and thus perfect for divers.

Visitors in search of luxury Maldives hotels should look no further than the John Keells Hotels Group for the best rests in the island enclave. A renowned name in the Maldives travel industry, the stylish establishments under the group's management are some of the finest hotels in the country.