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Lonely Planet Maldives (Country Travel Guide)

Which island paradise is the one for you? For this 7th edition we walked barefoot along every dazzling white beach, dipped our toes in every aquamarine lagoon, and checked the view from dozens of beachside pools. Plunge into these pages to reap the benefits of Lonely Planet's thoroughly enjoyable research.

Lonely Planet guides are written by experts who get to the heart of every destination they visit. This fully updated edition is packed with accurate, practical and honest advice, designed to give you the information you need to make the most of your trip.

In This Guide:

No hype assessment of resorts. Read this book before you book!
Snorkelling and Diving chapter to get you underwater with manta rays and turtles
Most romantic island resorts and beaches

"Darling," he said, staring deeply into his new wife's sparkling eyes, "You'll never know how much today means to me. I have dreamed of this for so many years and now it has finally come true ..."

He left the comment hanging in the air of the crowded reception room, said loudly enough to elicit noises of approval from those guests around them, but also said only to her. She smiled. She too had waited for this day, had weathered the endless objections of her over-protective mother.

"You're too young ... "
"He's not good enough for you ... "
"What would your father have thought ... "
"Think of your future ..."

Such had been the comments which had filled the long phone calls with her mother for more than six months now, but she had ignored them. She knew that he was the one. They liked the same things, they thought the same thoughts, they held the same views - well, most of the time anyway. And she did not mind that it meant moving away from her family and friends, because they would be together. So many new experiences, adventures in a new world - well, new to her.

And she didn't care that they would not be living the life of luxury she had become accustomed to. A small house in the north of England would be just as much fun. So it didn't have the six bedrooms her mother enjoyed, and it wasn't in the Surrey commuter belt, and yes, London would be a long way away, but what did that matter? They would be together.

They finally said their farewells and got into the car, 'Just Married' plastered to the rear windscreen and an assortment of cans and plastic bottles tied to the back of it. She was so full of anticipation and excitement that she couldn't wait a moment longer.

"Darling," she purred, "Where are we going on our honeymoon?"

"To the most romantic place I could think of. Somewhere I have always wanted to go to ..." Her mind raced ahead of him - what a sweetheart he was. He knew that she had always said that the Maldives were the most romantic place she had ever visited, "... a place where we will be totally on our own, with no-one around to disturb us," he continued, "with endless views over a wide blue sea, passing boats our only company." He smiled quietly to himself at the giggle that escaped from her lips - a giggle created by her vision of the small dug-out fishing boats slowly making their way past their palm-filled private island, as she lay in the heat of the sun watching the waves and listening to the soft breeze in the trees.

"And the good thing is," he continued,"we'll be there in less than four hours - none of those boring long-haul flights to sit through."

She felt uncomfortably surprised.

It would take much longer than four hours to reach the Maldives.

Maybe he had decided that a Greek island would be romantic? Yes, that was it - they would be going to Greece, that was less than four hours away. That would do. So maybe it wasn't as unusual as Hermione Babistock's cruise of the Antarctic, but it would be wonderful ... she was with him. The most handsome, perfect, caring, understanding man she had ever met - with the exception of her father of course ... and Rodney Willoughby, her first love ... and her brothers Tarquin and Torquil. But then no-one could ever be like
T n T, they were dynamite as she always jokingly told her friends - Hermione had been so lucky when Torquil asked her to marry him ...

He was still talking, but she was no longer listening, wondering how she could persude Hermione that Greece was the place to be seen these days. She suddenly noticed that they had missed the exit to Heathrow - just like him, so intent on what he was saying and making sure that she was happy, that he had forgotten to leave the motorway.

"Darling, you've missed the turning, you silly old thing!"

"No, no," came the reply, "We stay on this motorway for a while before we head north."

North.

NORTH! The word rang in her head like daddy's old alarm clock. They were flying from a northern airport? Why? Was it because the flights were cheaper for people up there? Yes, that must be it - he had decided to fly from Manchester because it would be cheaper. Just like him, always wanting to save the pennies when he could. Which would be sensible after all, now that she would no longer have mummy's allowance.

She calmed herself again and smiled happily as she looked out of the window watching the world flash by. Car travel always made her feel sleepy, and she was sure that if she really tried she would find the seats of the little Ford just as comfortable as mummy's Bentley.

He listened to her gentle snoring as the journey continued, pleased that she was so happy and relaxed. They were nearly there now and he was so excited at the thought of waking up in the morning with her, the whole week stretching out in front of them with no