Reclaimed resorts to be developed on 10 sand banks in Malé Atoll

Friday, 22 April 2011 00:50 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Maldives Cabinet has decided to reclaim and develop islands at 10 lagoons in Malé atoll, each with an area of 5 to 10 hectares. The nation is dotted with hundreds of coral islands, some nothing more than just sand banks sparkling white on beautiful lagoons - the sand banks are devoid of any vegetation, frequented by a large number of birds.

Sand banks are the infants of islands; it takes years for them to grow naturally into a full-fledged island, and many disappear under the relentless waves of ocean halfway through. The magical beauty of these sand banks makes it the perfect location to have a surrealistic wedding, or to pass a day with your loved one. The several resorts in Maldives make this dream become a reality by offering excursions to the baby islands.

Officials settled on reclaiming 10 sand banks into islands only in the capital atoll “because of the close proximity to major tourism infrastructure in the area”. It is home to Malé International Airport, which is located just five minutes away from the capital city by dhoni (local vessel). From there, it does not take long to reach any location in the atoll by speedboat.

The Cabinet settled on reclaiming islands at the lagoons after discussions with investors, who were interested to establish tourist facilities at the sand banks. The government gave the green light to the investments while highlighting the importance of keeping environment procedures in mind while developing the potential tourist destinations.

They noted opportunities available to reclaim and develop islands using environmentally friendly technologies. While the government will keep an eye open to uphold this approach, the size and shape of the islands will depend entirely on the investors.

The beautiful young lagoons would offer different sights while snorkelling, compared to reefs you would see at resorts on fully formed islands. In addition, it would offer a truly isolated holiday experience, but with all the luxurious amenities, you would want. Maldivian authorities are welcoming more investors to buy and develop the islands.

Another project aimed at making young lagoons more accessible to tourism is also underway; the government leased five lagoons last year to Netherlands’ Dutch Docklands, which plans to build floating properties there. The ‘floating wonderlands’ are futuristic, shaped like a tiered star.

The floating wonderland’ project is also progressing strictly abiding by eco-friendly standards, and the investors promise that they would “minimises the impact on underwater life and reduce changes to coastal morphology.

If the newest plans for reclamation go well, the new venture is sure to prove itself as very attractive to holiday-seekers. The archipelago, as a tourist hotspot, is aiming to reach new heights and gain even more ground worldwide.