Determining the best time to travel to the Maldives – both budget and weather are taken into account.
My solo trip to the Maldives happened in the summer: it was hot, windy and without rain. Then I was thrown to the islands in the “high season” – I worked from November to March on a contract – and sometimes the sun was so hot that I wanted to put my head in an ice box for a couple of hours.
Therefore, as a person who has fully appreciated the weather on the islands at different times, I will describe in this article the season for vacation in the Maldives by month and tell you whether it is worth going in summer, when there is not a soul on the beaches, and villas on the water are twice as cheap.
Beginning and end of season in the Maldives
The Maldives is a paradise, and the climate in paradise means sunshine all year round and an average air and water temperature of +25°C to +30°C. Therefore, it can be said that the beach season in the Maldives never stops. The islands are located close to the equator, and there is no division into the usual “hot” and “cold” seasons.
It just rains a little more often during certain periods and the winds blow harder. This is because of the monsoons: wet and dry. And that’s why the Maldives is highlighted:
- The high season or dry season lasts from November to April,
- Low season or rainy season – lasts from May to October.
The high season in the Maldives is hot and cloudless, and the ocean is so calm and clear you can see your life in it. All of this has a big impact on airfare and hotel prices: they fly up like Tesla stock. And that’s when depressing reflections that the Maldives are for Ilon Musks roll in.
In the low season, there is more rain and waves in the ocean. It’s not scary and doesn’t bother you at all, because it rains more often at night. And I’m not taking this from the ceiling: I went on vacation in July. I got a tan, swam, and on the way back we discussed on the plane why they hide from us that vacationing in the Maldives in summer is super, and agreed to leave collective reviews.
Maldives weather by month
The Maldives enjoys tropical weather throughout the year. The average air temperature is +28°C…+30°C (day and night – all twelve months!) and the water temperature never drops below +28°C. Only the amount of rainfall varies within each season. But, as the Maldivians themselves say, due to global warming and climate change, rains in the low season practically do not occur, so there is almost no difference when it is better to go to the Maldives. Well, and now in detail: what is the weather in the Maldives by months.
Maldives in December, January and February
Maldives in winter is the very essence of summer: sunny, windless, almost cloudless days and warm ocean, perfectly transparent for snorkeling and diving. If you go to the Maldives with children, then perhaps this period is the most comfortable: kids can build sand castles and skyscrapers all day long (if you have spf and a panama, of course), and in the water there is less risk of stepping on any animals.
The only disadvantage of local “winter” is that the good half of the world tends to celebrate the New Year in Maldives – so the peak season falls on the end of December-mid January. Prices in winter soar into space, and you should book a hotel in advance.
December in the Maldives is mostly sunny, hot and somehow…blissful. There is no threat of heavy rain, the air is a round-the-clock +28°C and the feeling that life is good. Only at the end of the month there may be small waves in the ocean, and the temperature may drop – oh, horror! – to +26°C. But only outdoors, the ocean is unwavering and maintains its +29 degrees.
In January, flight and accommodation prices at a luxury resort vie with small town budgets. The ocean calms down and there’s a return to the ubiquitous nonchalance. Coral reefs and their colorful fish inhabitants can be studied as if under a microscope.
The perfect weather in the Maldives holds in February, with only the very end of the month when the ocean waves a little more violently – in anticipation of the change of seasons. February is considered the driest month in the islands, and the sun shines for 10 hours a day. So you can swim and sunbathe almost endlessly.
Maldives in March, April and May
What is the best month to travel to Maldives in spring? March is the peak season for hotel bookings and prices gradually decrease. The weather and the ocean are unchanged, with the only exception – the average temperature is higher than usual and jumps to +30°C.
Classic conditions for beach strolls, and the rare rains are even very welcome, you can take a little break from the sun. Visibility in the ocean is excellent, but the waves are already gathering: the Maldives surfing season is starting.
April officially marks the end of the dry season, but not good weather for traveling. Although the skies are more likely to be clouded over by the end of the month and there are occasional rain showers, none of this interferes with the vacation experience. You can continue to hang out quietly in the ocean and look at the patterns on the turtle shell, much like we used to look at the patterns on the wall rug when we were kids.
We, the Howtrip team, traveled to the Maldives in April and here’s something to add – it’s not easy for those who can’t stand the heat. In April, the air is terribly humid, and even as the sun sets, the feeling of stuffiness doesn’t go away.
You can save yourself from this by swimming in the ocean and periodically sprinkling yourself with a portion of sunscreen. Or even supplement your swimsuit with something closed, because it is very easy to get burned in the April nuclear sun (not only on the beach, but also in the water).
It also seemed that in April in Maldives the tides are more pronounced. And this is a little trouble, because in the morning in the lagoon is shallow, in the evening – full of water, but already cloudy, and the best time for swimming, as luck would have it, fell at lunchtime. But maybe this is a peculiarity of Alif-Alif atoll, where we were this time.
In May, the Maldives is still hot – +30 on land and in the water, and the waves appear. There is rain, yes, at night. The sun is bright during the day, too. So is the first plankton in the ocean, which reduces visibility a bit.
Maldives in June, July, August
Summer is often referred to as the period when you should not go to the Maldives, but this is not true. Air and water temperatures do not drop critically, remaining at +30°C, only the rains become longer (up to 3 hours in a day). The waves in the ocean are getting stronger (hello surfers!), but the beach season is still in force – despite the cloudiness, it is easy to tan and burn.
The big bonus of the Maldives in summer is the reduced hotel prices. Any, even the newest or incredibly expensive resort, is decently cheaper. We have to support the fallen demand! In the next section we will compare the cost of accommodation in high and low season.
In June in the Maldives it is hot, cloudy and rainy. The water in the ocean is not so clear because of plankton – it, by the way, attracts mantas and whale sharks, and they, in turn, attract divers.
In July, the weather is not much different from June. By the way, on July 26, Independence Day is celebrated in the Maldives: you can see mini-parades from locals, though only if you find yourself on a local island.
August in the Maldives is still above normal warm, with occasional clouds and short rains.
Maldives in September and October and November
But there are also those who are happy about the conditions: surfers and divers. While the former perfect their stance on the high ocean waves, the latter are filling up their scuba gear as the famous manta season begins.
For ordinary tourists who come for a quiet vacation, there is also nothing critical: there are no squally winds and showers all day long on the islands. Maldivian rain in principle is short and brings freshness (remember the very wet smell on a warm summer day), and the sand on the beach dries even too quickly. By the way, sometimes it doesn’t rain for weeks – it’s just a matter of luck.
- Important! In the fall in the Maldives do not be fooled by cloudiness, and for every day you need sunscreen with the maximum degree of protection: a little offensive if the tan will remotely resemble the flag of Poland.
In September in the Maldives there is rain and wind, because of which visibility in the ocean is slightly worse than in the high season, but by the third decade of September the clouds clear up and the ocean becomes calmer.
In October on the islands, temperatures dip to a blissful +28°C. If the rain catches you during the day, this is the perfect opportunity to try out some of the hotel’s services, such as a spa treatment (many hotels offer discounts during the low season). Surfers start to feel sad in October, as their season is coming to an end.
In November, the seasons change: the wet monsoon recedes and the dry monsoon takes its place. It is not possible to go, but necessary – to pay less for something that will rise sharply in price in December.
When is the best time to vacation in the Maldives?
To summarize briefly, I will say that the Maldives is definitely worth seeing at any time of the year. The proximity to the equator mitigates any bad weather, which you can painlessly experience in your villa. In general, rain on the islands can even be put on your list of life adventures: you are on a piece of land in the ocean, far from cities and bustle, and only the hum of heavy rain against the roof breaks the silence.
The resort season lasts all year round with slight differences in rainfall and wind strength in high and low season.
The best month in the Maldives is March
Alternatively, you can travel during the intermediate months of the year, such as when the season starts (November) and ends (April-May). If you are planning a vacation with children, the best option is, of course, the high season.
In general, the main thing in this matter is to choose a family hotel, where there is a small kindergarten and tutors who can look after the kid and keep him busy with all available entertainment: for example, collecting Legos or making necklaces from plumeria flowers.
When is it cheaper to vacation in the Maldives?
About the season in the Maldives and when is the best time to vacation, now let’s look at the magic of pricing depending on the time of year.
It happens that some hotels for promotional purposes make discounts on reservations up to 50%, offer free shuttle service to the island or free room upgrades. But there is a general trend: accommodation is always cheaper in the low season from May to October and much more expensive from November to April.
And another important point: it is better to prepare for a vacation in the Maldives in advance and book hotels six months in advance, or even earlier. Despite the price tags, hotels sell out quickly, especially on holiday dates.
My review and tips for the Maldives
Having been to the islands in both high and low season, I say that any time of the year is the time for the Maldives. Yes, the probability of rain is higher in summer, but you should not expect floods, storms and other cataclysms. In the question of when it is better to go on vacation to the Maldives, you should focus not only on the weather, but also on seasonal offers and discounts.
- Don’t trust the general forecast in the Maldives: most often it’s for Male’, but in reality all atolls – especially those far from the capital – are at the mercy of their own weather conditions.
- Don’t be alarmed if rain is predicted for the whole month: more often it is a “re-assurance”.
- Cloudy weather in the Maldives is no reason to give up on spf: you can successfully get a spotty tan in January and July.
- You can fly to the Maldives very cheaply, if you plan a vacation in the style of “backpacker”: stay not in an island resort, but in a guesthouse on a local island (for example, on Maafushi).
- Beach and bathing season on the islands lasts all year long, however, you should remember that the Maldives is Islamic – so you can be in a bikini on the beach only on the islands-resorts. If you are on local islands with locals, you should cover your shoulders and knees and sunbathe on a specially designated for tourists “bikini beach”. Alcohol is prohibited in any form.
- In low season, accommodation prices drop by up to 50% and many resorts offer a free shuttle service to the island: all you have to do is peruse hotel guest reviews and make your decision.
- How much money do you need for a vacation in the Maldives? This is very individual, and depends on which island you are going to: resort or local; how you will have fun; and, of course, the type of food (restaurants in resorts are expensive).
