About 400 miles south west of Sri Lanka is the Republic of Maldives. It's made up of over 1000 small islands occupying an area of 115 square miles of the Indian Ocean. If you are not a fan of the ocean then this is not the destination for you, as only about one per cent of the Maldives is land.

How to get there
You can catch a flight to the Maldives from Manchester or London, most flights are indirect but Sri Lankan Airways does offer some direct flights to the Maldives. A lot of people choose to book a holiday to the Maldives, getting their flight and hotel as one package.

When to go
For those who are used to British weather, temperature wise in the Maldives things are a bit unusual, as nothing really changes - ever! It's always between 25C and 30C. When it comes to rainfall things are a bit different, May, June, July and August are very wet, with average rainfall of up to 300mm. The driest months are from December to April.

What to do
The Maldives are all about relaxing and leaving the stresses of life at home. Sat under a palm tree on the beach, watching the ocean waves with a cocktail in your hand is where you should find yourself. If you think that might be a bit dull then there are lots of water sports or take an island cruise and explore some deserted paradise. The Maldives also offer some of the best diving in the world with an abundance of coral reefs and marine life.

If you shut your eyes and think of an island paradise you are probably imagining an island that you will find in the Maldives. So stop dreaming and book that flight or holiday to the Maldives .