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The Maldives are a group of atolls in the Indian Ocean to the south west of Sri Lanka. As flights to Male increase in popularity with holiday makers, many tour operators are offering package holidays to many of the better known resorts that are literally a boat ride from the airport. However, for those who want to experience the luxury and tranquillity of atolls that are unspoilt by comparison, the South Nilandhe Atoll has recently opened its luxurious doors.

Getting to South Nilandhe Atoll requires a further flight, this time by seaplane. It is 150kms away from Male and is one of the smallest atolls in the archipelago. In total, the coral islands that make up South Nilandhe Atoll measure 38kms in length and are 23kms wide. Of the 46 islands in the atoll, only eight are inhabited and only two have resorts on them. Virtually unexplored, there are plenty of boat trips to the islands, many of which do not even feature on maps.

Amongst the islands, two have found fame: Rimbudhoo and Hulhudheli. These have earned their reputations as homes to the most gifted goldsmiths and silversmiths in the Maldives. Many of the craftsmen now use black coral and Mother of Pearl to create unique and desirable pieces of jewellery. A Maldivian legend says that the natives learned their skills from a royal jeweller who was exiled to the islands by a sultan for stealing gold from him. Hulhudheli is the most remote island of this atoll and has a population of around 750 people.

Kudahuvadhoo is the capital island of the South Nilandhe Atoll, with a population of 1,500. The sparkling waters that lap the white-sanded beaches also act as home to two wrecks: the Utheemu 1, which sank in 1960 and the Uffey. The Uffey is a much older wreck, having sunk in 1879. Now, it houses a variety of marine flora and fauna and attracts numerous divers to its skeletal hull, searching for the spectacular marine life that now occupies it. Kudahuvadhoo is also set apart from the other islands by the curious ruins that mark its landscape. These ruins, known as Hawittas, are thought to be the remains of temples from the atoll's Buddhist era. While many of the islands are thought to hold Buddhist artefacts, they have yet to be properly excavated and are waiting for would-be treasure hunters to stumble upon them. Another major landmark to this island comes in the form of an old mosque. Carved from coral-stone and with astonishing examples of masonry techniques that were well ahead of their time, the mosque is considered to be a masterpiece by many of the world's leading archaeologists. Today, the inhabitants, though few, are a welcoming people who need no excuse for a celebration. These celebrations are very much in keeping with the traditions laid down by the first settlers to arrive here, thousands of years ago.

The South Nilandhe Atoll was created millions of years ago as a range of volcanoes rose from the floor of the Indian Ocean. Over time, the volcanoes sank back, leaving submarine reefs and coral islands where the peaks of the volcanoes once towered. The volcanic range itself covered around 90,000 square kilometers, but 99 percent of this is now underwater. The islands have formed in ring-like formations, creating natural lagoons in which an abundance of sea life has flourished. Typified by white sands, clear blue waters and a tropical climate throughout the year, this particular region of the Maldives has, so far, remained relatively unnoticed by the tourist industry and, as such, offers the chance for the ideal tropical island getaway.

There are some inspiring things you can do during your stay, such as chartering a boat and exploring the neighbouring islands; going 'big game' fishing and landing a marlin, surfing in the spectacularly clean and clear waters, learning to dive in the still waters of the natural lagoons, exploring the Hawittas and mosques of Kudahuvadoo, relaxing in style on one of the spas that are part of the resorts on the islands or visiting the gold and silversmiths of Rimbudhoo and Hulhudheli.