Lonely Planet Maldives

I would of liked to see more on Mali the capital and the local customs

I'm looking at going to the Maldives sometime in 2010, and I'd love to know more about it before I blindly book a ticket and plan on visiting without knowing more about what I'm getting myself into. The book itself is fairly comprehensive with a lot of information on eco-friendly activities (this seems to be a recent trend in travel books), along with comprehensive information about dive sites. No doubt that the Maldives is one of the most expensive places in the world, and that you'll need time to put away money to going there. When budget hotels start at around $250 a night, I want a book that helps me figure out where and how I can get the most out of my money, and this book helps give me a good foundation on what to expect when landing.

Like all Lonely Planet guides, a mine of useful information, that proves invaluable in picking the resort that best suits your interests and pocket. A good section on diving and snorkelling. Well worth the money.

I find this guide very useful in terms of choosing the resorts. It has good descriptions of all the resorts in terms of facilities, clients, food served and activities. The resorts are in different chapters according to the different atolls. So, it is a good guide for choosing the right resort according to one's taste

There are four main tour books for the Maldives, and this one is a good place to start. (Another good one is the Michelin guide.) This book gives a general overview of the islands and many of the resorts. Divers will want the Divers' Guide to the Maldives to fill out the information here.