When to visit the Maldives

Noted has having both a pleasant and a consistent climate throughout the duration of the entire year, the best time to visit the Maldives is simply put, whenever you decide you'd like to visit. With that said, there are some subtle differences going from one season into the next. In order to help you figure out when the best time to visit the Maldives is for you and your party, we've included some details, below.

In spite of having a very small population, the Maldives is actually spread out over a very expansive section of the Indian Ocean. Because of this, the weather in the north can be (and will be) very different from the weather of the south from one day and into the next. You'll also want to note that most private-island resorts featuring water villa resorts in the Maldives are pretty close to the capital city of Malé, but a few of them are considered to be quite remote, including at least one that is located south of the equator.

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Weather in the Maldives

Generally speaking, tropical islands tend to have the same weather throughout the duration of a year. This is certainly true for The Maldives. For more information detailing the weather as it is month to month, see our main Maldives weather by month article. In that article, you’ll find information relating to the temperature averages as well as information about the mild monsoon seasons. The summary is basically, that for the Maldives every day is warm and humid, and it can rain in short bursts at any time of the year, though some months are wetter than others.

High season for hotels: December through April

Not only are the months from December through into April considered to be the “dry season” in the Maldives, but the highest demand comes from Europeans who are fleeing their cold winters. Because of this, resorts, especially the water villa resorts, up their rates so that they are the highest rates of the year during this period.

The peak season for hotels in this region is considered to be the weeks of Christmas and New Years. You’ll want to make sure to book well in advance if you are coming around this time, as it’s the only part of the year that pretty much every resort is completely full. In addition, there are rarely any cancelations, so once a resort is booked solid, it tends to stay that way for the rest of the season.

What about crowds?

One of the most attractive things you’ll notice when visiting the Maldives is that almost every resort is situated on a private island. With this, you’ll also note that each island has a maximum capacity and number of rooms that insures that the beaches will never be crowded.

Because of the limited amount of guests at each of the country’s overwater resorts, you’ll find that the care and attention to detail is very high. You’ll also find that help is available much more quickly than at big crowded resorts where the staff members are stretched thin.

Best scuba diving: November to May

The Maldives is very famous for great scuba diving throughout the entire year, but most experts would agree that the most reliable times to jump in the water also coincide with the drier season that ranges from November and into May. This is because the quick downpours of summer will disrupt the clear water for short periods of time, and even though they can and do happen at any time of year, you are less likely to have any interruptions during the dry season.

Off season: May through November

Resorts here are known to drop their rates from May through November, with the lowest rates being resented during the months of July and August. This isn’t because the weather is bad, it’s just that most Europeans prefer resorts closer to home during this part of the year.

November in particular might be the best time to visit the Maldives, and this is because the monsoons are over and hotel rates are still in low-season mode. Also, during this month, you’ll find great weather with lower accommodation prices compared to if you were traveling during the winter months.

Top photo courtesy of Badruddeen on Flickr

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