The Maldives is the most coveted holiday destination in the world. Popularly known as the tropical paradise on the earth, its azure-colored oceans, fabulous white sand beaches, marvelous lagoons, forests of palm trees, attractive lush vegetation, wonderful sea creatures, a year-round tropical climate, and hundreds of world-class resorts offering a wide range of holiday activities attract thousands of tourists every year. But, If you do not know what is the best time to visit the Maldives then you will be missing the mystery of this magical island.
What is the best time to go to the Maldives?
Maldives Weather:
The Maldives, the sunny side of life, has been blessed with amazing sunshine throughout the major part of the year with average temperatures of 23ºC-31ºC. It has a tropical monsoon climate with two dominating seasons -- a dry season associated with dry northeast winter monsoons and a wet season associated with moist southwest monsoons and strong winds and storms. The dry season which lasts from December to April has little rain and low humidity. The wet season which lasts from May to November is characterized by stronger winds and rain.
The annual rainfall averages 254 centimeters (100 in) in the north and 381 centimeters (150 in) in the south.
The monsoonal influence is greater in the north of the Maldives than in the south, more influenced by the equatorial currents.
The best weather – and the best time to visit the Maldives – is between November and April. The monsoon runs from May to October, reaching its peak around June. The northern atolls witness the highest rainfall between May and November; the southern atolls witness the highest rainfall between November and March. Paying more and visiting the Maldives during the dry season is worth the money.
Visiting the Maldives in January:
This is a month of plenty of sunshine and warmth which is great for beach holidays. This period is ideal for diving and snorkeling due to its high visibility. This is a very busy month for travelers to the Maldives. Make sure to book in advance to avoid disappointments.
Visiting the Maldives in February and March:
These are the driest months with high temperatures and low humidity. The visibility is great for diving and snorkeling. These are the busiest months among travelers to the Maldives. Make sure to book in advance before all the resorts get filled.
March is the last month of the Maldives' drier months. So, if you don't want to face the wet monsoon season which will bring a lot of rain to the island, then this month is your last chance to avoid rain until November. The weather change brings the best surfing swells and light winds in March.
Visiting the Maldives in April:
This month is witnessed by plenty of sunshine and good water visibility which is good for traveling, however, there may be sudden downpours, especially towards the end of the month.
In April, surfing season is at its peak with great swells in both the northern and southern atolls. Day temperature increases gradually in April and the sea gets warmed up.
Visiting the Maldives in May:
May is the beginning of the wet season lasting until September. Those who love rain will be enthralled by some of the best sunsets on the island. You can expect around 8 inches of rain. Ticket fares drop from May through July.
The southwestern monsoon brings swells and light winds and facilitates happy surfing and divers can move to the eastern side of the archipelago through November. Whale sharks start to move back to the western side of the island chain, where they will hang out until December.
Surfers will enjoy the swells and light winds brought by the southwestern monsoon, while divers will have to move to the eastern side of the archipelago through November. Meanwhile, whale sharks begin moving back to the western side of the island chain, where they'll hang out until December. Diving waters become calm but may get a bit rough with the southwestern monsoon.
Visiting the Maldives in June:
June is another one of the wettest months in the Maldives due to heavy monsoon rains producing marvelous sunsets. The visibility is not the best due to frequent rainfalls. Fish species such as Hammerheads and reef sharks are most common during June and are visible in much shallower waters due to the cooler water temperatures.
Light winds and storms are produced by the southwestern monsoon. Storms bring a lot of plankton, especially to the Baa atoll's Hanifaru Bay, the reason for the presence of whale sharks. Divers can spot them in this area. Also, in June, a lot of surfers make their way to the island to take part in the WQS surfing competition. Airfares also tend to increase gradually during June, July, and August.
Visiting the Maldives during July:
In July, surf swells can rise up to seven feet or more due to the tropical storms; the visibility is weak during this period which is not good for divers. This is one of the wettest months witnessing frequent, short-lived rains almost every day.
Visiting the Maldives during August and September:
During August, Maldives enjoys 7 hours of daily sunshine and this month is perhaps the most unpredictable month. Surf swells are still high during August, and prices begin to rise as school holidays bring swarms of tourists to the Maldives. The south-eastern monsoon can bring about virtually instantaneous rainstorms that fall on the archipelago within minutes and disappear as quickly as they appeared.
The August weather consists of heavy rains, high humidity, and typical temperatures in the mid-80s. The daytime average temperature is around 28 degrees Celsius (82°F), Midday high temperature is around 29 degrees Celsius (84°F) while the nighttime temperature drops below 26 degrees (79°F).
This month experiences up to 188 mm of monthly precipitation, with 14 days of rainfall on average. August is not the rainiest month but it certainly has the strongest rainstorm when it does rain over the Maldives.
September represents the ultimate wet season at the archipelago of Maldives. This is the rainiest month with less number of tourists resulting in low prices. During this month, the average daytime temperature drops to 27 degrees Celsius (81°F); Midday peaks reach as high as 29 degrees (84°F), with rainy nights with temperatures going up to 25 degrees (77°F).
Visiting the Maldives during October and November:
October is the last rainiest month ending the wet monsoon season in the Maldives witnessed by strong and frequent rains that last for a day at a time. In October, the average daytime temperature drops down to 27 degrees; midday peaks reach up to 29 degrees on a clear day, with nighttime low temperatures reaching 25 degrees.
During November, the average daytime reaches around 27 degrees Celsius, with midday high peaks reaching up to 29 degrees and rainy nights reaching up to 24 degrees Celsius.
November brings an end to the wet season and the begin the dry monsoon season in the Maldives. This is a fairly predictable and surprise-free month during which one can experience the transition of seasons in the Maldives.
Visiting the Maldives during December:
In December one cannot see any rainstorms until the beginning of the new wet season in April. The first half of the month witnesses rainfall, for 13 days of the month, and hence tourists tend to visit the Maldives at the end of December to enjoy the tropical weather and also to celebrate Christmas and New Year.
In this month, the daytime average temperature reaches around 27 degrees Celsius; midday temperatures reach around 29 degrees and peak time-temperature never drops below 25 degrees.
Whale sharks begin their migration to the eastern side of the archipelago, where they can be spotted until April. Divers can follow the whale sharks to the eastern side of the islands through April.
Why choose Zeldiva Luxury to organize your best holiday during the best time in the Maldives?
Our experience and expertise:Being natives of the Maldives we know everything about the Maldives: its tourism industry, culture, climate, and everything else. We have all the information about the best resorts, their holiday packages and the best time to travel to the Maldives. All our travel consultants are highly knowledgeable and experienced and they can find you nothing but the best holiday package.
We value your time and money:Your holiday is the most awaited and precious one for you. We understand this and we want to make every moment a memorable one for you. Since we have partnered with only the best resorts offering the best packages, we save your time and money.
We are unique:We don’t follow the status quo, we like to be brave and unique in our approach by integrating our business workflow with the latest technology for maximum productivity and performance and that’s how we stand apart from the rest.
24/7 customer support:Our team works 24 hours and they will back you starting from the beginning of your journey until the end of your journey. They will make sure to make your holiday a lifetime experience.
Thinking of ‘Maldives holidays’ with your family or friends? You are in the good hands of our friendly, experienced, and dedicated personal concierges. Just call us and we will find you the best package in the best resort in the best season to visit the Maldives.
