We first wrote about The Maldives back in November, and since then, the little nation has gone through some difficult political times.  Difficult, as in, the democratically elected government was overthrown.

Based on what locals told us during our visit, the president didn’t seem to take his job too seriously.  Most days, he would show up at the office for a few hours and then retreat to his personal luxury island resort.  Still though, it’s difficult to watch a democratically elected president getting deposed by radical Islamists.

In the short run, the coupe hasn’t had a big impact on the tourism industry, according to this Reuters report.  And it may not long-term, either. Residents understand full well that there entire economy is based on tourism.

From the visitor’s perspective, everything feels isolated in The Maldives.  The airport is on one island, while the capital city is on another.  Each Hilton and Four Seasons has its own island, so what happens in Male feels worlds away once you’re out in the big blue ocean.  But keep your eyes peeled to see if the Hollywood elite start spending their time elsewhere.