Maldives: Best Country Brand for Beach, Rest & Relaxation

	Looking for Rest and Relaxation? The best place to find it, is in the Maldives

Maldives has been ranked as the Best Country Brand for Beach and Best Country Brand for Rest and Relaxation for the year 2008, according to press release issued by Maldives Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB). MTPB said Maldives also ranked 2nd in the Best Country Brand for Natural Beauty and 3rd in the Best Country Brand for Resort and Lodging Options. The Country Brand Index was officially released during London’s World Travel Market in November 2008.

According to MTPB, Country Brand Index is a comprehensive study of approximately 2,700 international business and leisure travelers from nine countries. It is conducted by Future Brand, a global brand consultancy company and Weber Shandwick which is a public relations firm.

MTPB also informed that the main marketing slogan for the destination Maldives “Maldives, the Sunny Side of Life” and the wellness and relaxation aspect is promoted under the theme of “Maldives, the Spiritual Side of Life” was ranked number one in these two areas. Maldives emerged as the number one in both Beach and Rest and Relaxation categories after successfully competing with countries like Tahiti, Bahamas and Australia.

Maldives also won the 'World's Most Romantic Destination' award at the World Travel Awards last year.

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Maldives plans against becoming Atlantis

	Over 80 percent of the Maldives' are less than 1 metre above mean sea level.

The Maldives new president said his eye-catching plan to buy land to relocate his low-lying archipelago nation when the seas rise was exaggerated by the media, but highlighted the need to plan for climate change.

Mohamed Nasheed, a former democratic activist who was jailed repeatedly by former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, made history in October when he defeated the three-decade incumbent in the Indian Ocean nation's first-ever multi-party elections.

Shortly after his election, he made world headlines by saying his cash-strapped government wanted to buy a new homeland for Maldivians in case the oceans rose and turned his country into another Atlantis -- the fabled city swallowed by the sea.

"How it later went on and on and on in the media I think is a little exaggeration on what it is," he told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.

Maldives is one of the world's most endangered nations due to global warming, which could see many of its low-lying islands submerged if a U.N. climate change's panels predictions about sea levels rising by up to 59 cm (two feet) by 2100 are correct. Over 80 percent of the Maldives' 1,192 islands and atolls are less than 1 metre above mean sea level, with the highest point about 3 metres (10 feet) above sea level.

"The wider and the stronger issue is still that you cannot mitigate climatic change or the impacts of climatic change without good governance. And I think that's the core of the issue," he said.

Nasheed since there was no way to avoid that, the country of 369,000 mostly Sunni Muslims, known mostly worldwide as a luxury tourist haven, needed to make its own plans.

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Kuredu Island Resort: Heaven on Earth

	A waking dream

If you’ve been looking for a slice of paradise where the sands are white, the sea is turquoise, and your every whim is catered for, then Kuredu Resort in the Maldives may be for you. It sits in the Indian Ocean within the Lhaviyani Atoll of the Maldives, and is one of the larger Maldivian islands. With a 40-minute sea plane journey from the capital of Malé to Kuredu, you can gain a whole new perspective on the Maldives as you glide above them.

Kuredu has a range of accommodation to suit all tastes, from garden bungalows set among landscaped gardens to Sangu water villas, raised above the clear waters on stilts. What's more, the furnishings range from simple to luxury, based on your choice of accommodation; but each has an open air shower with heated fresh water, and with an idyll of perfect beaches and cool waters on your doorstep, you won’t be spending much time indoors.

It is important to understand that there is not much in the way of sightseeing on land; however, venture beneath the waves and a whole new world appears. Kuredu is close to over 45 stunning dive sites that will have you mesmerised by the dance of hundreds of tropical fish and other wondrous sea life. You can choose to do a beginners’ diving course to take a closer look, or just strap on a snorkel and take to the sea. Either way, you will be surrounded by colour and life.

For all the stress of modern day living, Kuredu has the perfect remedy. Duniye Spa is a sensory heaven, with a range of techniques and treatments for pampering. As such, you will emerge feeling relaxed, refreshed, renewed and ready to hit the beach. And if all of the pampering makes you a tad peckish, there are a range of restaurants that serve a collection of international dishes from all over the world. So, whether it’s familiar English cuisine or a sampling of the more exotic local dishes, there is something to suit any palate.

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