From the splendid location of the Kurumba Maldives resort, the ocean is tantalisingly close. At this time of year, its immensity melts into the monsoon shower that blankets it in a rhapsody of blue and turquoise shades at the waterfront and steamy white stretching far into the horizon.
For good measure, there is no shortage of such natural caprices in Maldives. The island nation that straddles the equator is positioned at the crossroads of two monsoons. The southwest monsoon that lasts from April to November is wetter and the northeast monsoon that runs its course from December to March is relatively drier. Rain can occur anytime, and it may take a visitor offguard with all its breathtaking beauty.
The evocative metaphor often used for Maldives, a string of pearls scattered over the deep blue Indian Ocean, conjures up images of pristine white sand, shallow azure seas and unspoilt coral reefs. The country is a chain of 26 coral atolls (the English word derives from atolu in Maldivian language Divehi) southwest of Sri Lanka, extending across the equator in north-south strip.
It is famed for its underwater beauty and aquamarine halo surrounding coral reefs. The prime attraction lies in the reefs that make up the atolls. The outermost layer of the coral atoll is a fringing reef. This layer, composed entirely of coral debris and living coral, is a natural barrier to tidal waves. The underwater visibility, sometimes above 50 meters, coupled with a tropical climate makes the Maldives a delight for windsurfers, divers and snorkellers. Many resorts in the country, like Kurumba, have their own excellent ?house reefs?. You can either take a speedboat or or an aerial tour.
And if you want to experience the genuine Maldivian grittiness, visit a traditional Maldivian village, dotted with trawler yards, fishing boats and football fields. The capital Male, famed to be one of the most crowded places on earth, is awash with shopping centres as well as places of historical importance to the nation.
Government data suggests that tourism accounts for 28% of GDP and earns 60% of the country?s foreign exchange. However there are some disconcerting issues close at hand. Last month, tourism minister Mahmoud Shaugee quit, days after the finance minister?s resignation, reigniting the debate about the sustainability of the country?s rapid tourism development. Differences over the plan to lease more than 30 new resorts to bridge a $180 million budget shortfall triggered his resignation. Shaugee wasn?t alone. Campaigners maintain that tourism has impacted the island?s limited water resources and coral reefs.
The threat Maldives faces from rising sea levels is the scariest. In a grim assessment made in 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change forecaste a rise in sea level of 7 to 23 inches by 2100 and concludes that sea level will continue to rise in this millennium. By comparison, seas rose about 6 to 9 inches in the 20th century. In Maldives, while a 3-m-high wall surrounds Male, none of the islands rise above 1.8 metres above sea level.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Conservation International cautions a drop in the pH of seawater as oceans absorb billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide. Marine biologists suggest this could imperil corals and plankton. Cynics say global affairs have become too complicated now to be solved in a multilateral framework. The failed Doha Round of WTO talks called for international, coordinated efforts. The choices are stark and stakes even higher. If, after seven years of painstaking labour, the international community cannot complete a trade round, would it reach a consensus on climate change, which is arguably much more harder? Amazing why humanity can?t collectively ask the question, cui bono?