Paradise lost...and found
From the air, the Islands of the Maldives are iridescent pearls studded in an aquamarine canvas. Meandering across sugar white sand past palm fronted villas, it is hard to believe that a few years ago this paradise was submerged under water...
The Maldives are made up of 2000 atolls, stretching like strands of diamonds southwest of Sri Lanka, created by rings of coral growing on the peaks of collapsed volcanoes.
The 90 Resorts attract shoals of guests, blending seamlessly with the natural beauty of the Islands, and, along with a lucrative fishing industry, provide the bulk of the country's income.
The lesser-known victim of the Tsunami, the Maldives suffered severe flooding due to the water level, which had risen to seven foot. Instead of a wall of water laden with debris, as described by witnesses in Thailand and Sri Lanka, the Maldives were met by a steady flooding.
One of the lowest lying countries on Earth, out of 200 inhabited Islands, 20 were totally destroyed.
Coral reefs are thought to have helped minimise further damage, acting like a giant underwater colander, stripping the waves of energy.
The Tsunami took 294,000 lives across 11 countries, hitting Indonesia hardest, and leaving three million people homeless. 81 people were killed in the Maldives alone.
Today, the physical perfection and tourist numbers are back to what they were before the wave struck. All resorts are now equipped with lifejackets for each guest, ropes to sling the length of the Island, and designated meeting spots at the highest point.
The likelihood of another Tsunami hitting is small; prior to 2004, the deadliest ever recorded was in 1782, in the South China Sea. Experts say countries such as New Zealand are now more vulnerable, due to the Ring of Fire, the zone of earthquakes that bounds the Pacific.
The Maldives have perfected that balance of startling solitude and creature comforts, making each Island a private sanctuary, even during the Christmas peak season.
Beaches unmarred by footprints fade into an infinite rhapsody of blue, attracting a strong celebrity following, (Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes honeymooned there), as the Island setting deters many eagle-eyed paparazzi.
A brief flirtation with the lifestyles of the rich and famous comes with a hefty price tag, with little Change from £2000 for a weeklong jaunt. Once on an Island, however, it is easy to believe sand dollars are currency, with a daily bonus of silver flashes as the reef sharks glide silently below.
There is a fear that as sea levels continue to rise, the Maldives will be swamped and disappear, but today, calm waters whisper on the shores, and honeymooners sunbathe on spotless beaches. Imagining the Maldives as anything other than this postcard of perfection is impossible.
Picture by muha