Be careful, this post could be dangerous for your spirits, specially if you are reading it on Monday morning, beginning of a new working week, and if the weather is as bad as by us :-)

As we cannot fight against the weather, we decided on last Friday to choose and to book our next “family winter holidays” at the beginning of February 2005. We hesitated between three sunny destinations: the Seychelles, the French west Indies and the Maldives. After some studies (thanx Internet :-), we chose the Maldives. The average precipitation is almost the same at home and in the Maldives in February (4 cm), not exactly the same for the temperature:

– at home (North-East of France): avg. low: – 1.7°C, avg. high: 6.1°C

– the Maldives: avg. low: 26°C (no, it’s not an error), avg. high: 30°C

Some interesting statistics about the Maldives from the Maldivian Ministry of Tourism:

– Situated southwest of Sri Lanka, on the equator

– 90’000 km2, 99% covered by the sea

– 1’190 coral islands, 820 km north-south, 120 km east-west

– Highest point: 8 feet (!)

– More than 200 islands are inhabited

– Capital: Malé, about 75’000 people

– February is the month with the highest occupancy rate: 97.7%!

– Average duration of stay: 8 days

– Tourism growth 2003-02: + 39.6%

– More than 560’000 people visited the Maldives in 2003, thereof 41’000 from France. Interesting to notice that the Italian market is from far the biggest market for the Maldives (about 25%)

Now, the Maldives are confronted with some instability, specially in Malé. People are pushing a process of democratic and institutional reforms. One unique party with the same leader since 1978 is ruling the country (President Gayoom)… News articles here and here.

Here we are, some pictures of the island we will visit ;-)