Welcome to the View from Above! A series where we take you on a Journey to some of the most beautiful places on earth! Witness the gem on the Indian Ocean, the Maldives, with a view from above.This video was shot using state-of-the-art unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, mounted with the extremely portable GoPro cameras. From above one can truly witness the beauty and scale of the Maldives islands as the UAV sweeps over virgin, white beaches, deep, blue oceans and ornate, stilted resorts. Capturing the island nation from perspectives that have never been experienced is not only unique, but truly breath-taking. Wherever you go, go with all your heart. These are wise words coming from a Chinese political philosopher over 2500 years ago, but travel was a topic that Confucious was genuinely experienced in. Members of the ancient Chinese empires travelled the globe extensively, frequently criss-crossing the Indian Ocean in search of trade and the promise of wealth. Many Chinese traders had made landfall along the numerous, populated islands that dot the Laccadive Sea, South-West of India and Sri Lanka. The friendly and hospitable locals would have called themselves “the people from the Garland Islands”, a chain of islands that are known in Sanskrit as Maldives. The Maldives is unlike any other island state. The islands are a collection of atolls, or submarine volcanic ridges, that only just break sea-level. This means that the islands, at their highest points, are just 2m above sea-level, and because they are not volcanically active, they are shrinking in size. Unfortunately, the Maldives are unlikely to be around for very long. Due to the extreme circumstances of global warming, the rise of sea levels means that by the year 2100 the Maldives will be all but blanketed by the blue Indian Ocean waters. Read more here: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2013/sep/26/maldives-test-case-climate-change-action So before Maldives departs, likely after our lifetimes, even with the onset of modern medicine, how about planning that tropical island vacation. It may not take a rocket scientist to notice that tourism makes up the largest portion of the country’s GDP, but it may come as a surprise that tourism makes the nation so much money that they propose to buy land in foreign countries once the sea takes over. If you find this hard to believe, read here: http://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Maldives-Buying-Land-In-Australia-As-Preparation-For-Mass-Migration.html Maldives can only be accessed through Male’, the island nation’s capital. Male’ has a population of 150 000 people, but the surprising fact is that all 150 000 people, plus additional tourists, inhabit an area of only 6 square kilometres. From birds-eye-view the island is a cluster of buildings and sky-risers that literally teeter on the edge of the ocean. You’ll be lucky to find any picturesque beaches here, but the city does uncover the rich and vibrant culture of the Maldivians. When in Male’ make sure to visit the famous Fish Market where experienced mongers cut and clean huge tuna in seconds. Also look out for the two symbols of Islamic prevalence in the Maldives, the Friday mosques, or take a trip to the semi-artificial island of Hulhumale to Male’s North. Male’ is the perfect place to book fishing safaris, while snorkelling and diving is best left to the smaller islands in the archipelago. If beaches are your thing, then hit the white sands and calm turquoise beaches on Maafushi Island. With over 30 guest houses and hotels this island is not yet overpopulated, and offers a great relaxing island vibe. The trick is to find a reasonable island resort, and once that is said and done then the visitor can make the Indian Ocean their playground, snorkelling and diving to their heart’s content. For more info on traveling Maldives click here: http://www.visitmaldives.com/en View from Above could not have made these astonishing videos without the help of the DJI unmanned recreational drones. Witness these marvellous feats of modern technology on the website: http://www.dji.com/ Can we please have standing ovations for the gallant little drone, the DJI Phantom 3: http://www.dji.com/product/phantom-3 And a courteous bow to the valiant and impressive DJI Inspire UAV: http://www.dji.com/product/inspire-1 These drones would be nothing without the marvellous GoPro video cameras that make filming so much easier nowadays. Visit their website here: http://gopro.com/ And check out their new baby, the Hero 4 Session: http://shop.gopro.com/EMEA/cameras/hero4-session/CHDHS-101-EU.html This amazing video was shot and edited by: Kai Jonny Venoy http://aerialnorway.com Be sure to check out the other amazing destinations in the View from Above series such as: Panama Sydney Seattle Dubai Rio Sri Lanka New Zealand Poland Japan Germany Norway Netherlands Seychelles Italy Greece Vietnam Ireland

• published: 23 Jan 2016
• views: 280053