Maldives

There are many places around the world that attempt to lure the traveller with pictures of white sands, blue skies, palm trees and clear waters. The Maldives is one of the few that not only delivers on this promise from the moment you step out of the plane, but keeps on delivering every day.

This tiny country in the middle of the Indian Ocean to the south-west of India is made up of 1200 tiny coral islands. With the highest point above sea level being around 2M, the Robinson Crusoe life style is everywhere you look.

The main income for the country is tourism and many of the islands boast resorts catering to every type of traveller from backpackers to the rich and famous.

Having said that though, the government is very aware of the fragile nature of the environment they live in and tightly control the impact of tourists on both the local environment and population.