Overview

Location

Situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean the Maldives is an Archipelago of 1192 picturesque islands. Here, situated on the teardrop shaped island of Hembadhu, the Taj Coral Reef Resort is a sanctuary of solitude.

Nestled amongst turquoise lagoons, powder white beaches and swaying palms, the resort is just 32km from Male international airport and can be reached in just 45 minutes by luxury speedboat, an exhilarating journey in itself.

Hembadhu Island is in the North Male Atoll which is also home to the capital island of Male and the airport island which all add to Coral Reefs fantastic location.

Geology

The Maldives started as a chain of oceanic volcanoes.

Over millions of years the volcanoes subsided into the ocean often leaving just part the crater exposed. As the volcanoes sank reefs were formed by tiny organisms. Sometimes the volcanoes sank faster than the reefs could grow leaving them under water. In other instances the reefs were left exposed and formed atolls.

Today the Maldives consists of 1192 islands.

The People

The indigenous people of the Maldives were the Giraavaru. In the 12th century a visiting Prince from Sri Lanka settled on the neighbouring island of Male and having adopted the Islamic religion ruled the country for 13 years.

The Giraavaru were forced to move from their native island due to changing weather patterns that took the bulk of their island back into the sea and in 1968 they were ferried to Hulhule Island and then eventually forced into apartment blocks in an isolated part of Male.

Today the Giraavaru are almost extinct.

Weather

The average year round temperature is 25 – 30 C. May to October is the rainy season although the rain is usually short-lived and often a welcome relief from the humidity which is consistently at around 80% all year. November to May is the dry season.

Currency

The local currency is the Rufiyaa but no-one seems to want it. The US Dollar is the preferred currency.

Tipping

It is customary to tip at the end of your stay with the exception of the man that delivers your luggage to the room who will expect a tip immediately.

Tips are normally given to your cleaner, waiter/waitress and bar favourite barman. $10 for a seven night stay and $20 for a fourteen night stay will be adequate. The average wage for the island staff is around $100 per month.

Electricity

Coral Reef uses a 13 amp 240v system as in the U.K. You do not need any electrical adaptors.

Communications

There are internet and email facilities at the resort and every island in the Maldives appears to have a mobile telephone mast! It is quite surreal to be sitting on a beach in the Indian Ocean calling your folks back home.

Wildlife

Apart from the hundreds of varieties of fish there are fruit bats, rabbits, lizards, herons and a wide variety of bird-life.

>Back to Top