The 1,190 tiny islands that make up the Maldives are not the easiest place to reach. They stretch across a remote section of the Indian Ocean like a delicate string of pearls, and you have to look closely on a map to see them. Yet many travelers are willing to make the journey—and for good reason.
The warm turquoise waters here are so clear that they seem almost unreal. You can stand on a pier and see starfish and schools of fish swirling more than 30 feet below. The sand is so white, it reflects in the water, creating the kind of beach most of us dream of.
