Winter Escapes

They are some of the world's most beautiful islands, but the appeal of the Seychelles and Maldives goes beyond picture-perfect views

- By April Hutchinson

THE MALDIVES

Iconic scenes of overwater villas, turquoise-hued horizons that never end, curvaceous white beaches, and an unbelievable underwater world that leaves you feeling like you're part of a David Attenborough documentary are all part of the appeal of the Maldives, but there's even more to this country if you scratch beneath the surface.

People have been settling in the Maldives for 2,500 years, particularly from the Indian subcontinent, and the Maldivian language of Dhivehi has its origins in Sanskrit.

The garlanded islands sit on vital trade routes, making them a natural stopover for those transiting the world's oceans. This includes Abdul Barakat Yoosuf Al Barbary, who introduced Islam to the island nation in the 12th century, and whose tomb is a popular sightseeing spot in the small, densely-packed capital of Malé. As a Muslim country, the Friday Mosque in Malé is deemed the nation's most important heritage site. It is one of the largest coral stone buildings in the world and has been in continuous use since 1658.

Over on the island of Kaashidhoo - about two hours from Malé by speed boat - one of the country's largest archaeological sites reveals a Buddhist past, too. The excavated site of Kuruhinna Tharaagandu shows the ruins of an ancient Buddhist monastery complex, abandoned 900 years ago.

The place to tie everything together is the National Museum in Malé, built by China as a gift to the country. Among its treasures are examples of the lacquer-work boxes for which the Maldives is famous, along with the minutes of the famous underwater cabinet meeting held by President Nasheed in 2009 to highlight the issues of climate change and its impact on the country - some predict it may even disappear by 2050, given the islands' low-lying nature, with around 80 per cent of the landmass less than one metre above sea level.