Best Time To Visit Maldives: Weather and Festivals Guide 2023
Located about a thousand kilometres from the Asian mainland, the Maldives is an island nation all about clear blue seas, white sand beaches, vibrant culture and beautiful underwater landscapes, from corals to marine life like manta rays. But what is the best time to visit the Maldives?
That’s a good question you’ll want to know when travelling to the Maldives. There are only two seasons that dominate this dispersal of coral atolls: wet and dry.
One is very rainy and the other very sunny. Other factors can make the weather unpredictable (or predictable) in the Maldives, but don’t worry. We have you with a guide on when to visit these stunning islands.
Weather In The Maldives By Months
Weather In January
I am so wondering when the best time to go to the Maldives is? Try January! The Maldives are not at their hottest in January; in fact, January is often the coldest month of the year on all the islands, but we would say that it is still quite hot.
The average temperature during the day is 30 ° C, and the sea temperature is 28 ° C, which is quite dry. So, in general, January is a good time of year to visit the Maldives.
There’s nothing to worry about being practically in the middle of the dry season. It is also not that humid. It is also sunny, with nine hours of sunshine a day; any clouds in the sky are carried away by the northeast winds.
Weather In February – Best Time To Visit Maldives
As in January, February temperatures remain fairly constant (at least during the day) at around 30 ° C. Nights are a bit cooler at 26 ° C, but the sea is calm! Heater! What does 29 ° C sound like? This is practically the level of the bathtub.
February is the driest month of the dry season (November to April) and has masses of sunshine. This makes it a famous time of 12 months to go to the Maldives, with many consecutive sunny days and virtually no clouds or rain. Any rain that falls in February is likely to be scattered across the southeastern atolls.
Ten hours of light a day, heat water to rest, predictable good weather. What’s not to like?
Weather In March – Best Time To Visit Maldives
Even in the dry season, March is the hottest month of the year. Temperatures drop below 30 degrees, and the sea remains very warm at 29 degrees. So it’s not the best time to travel to the Maldives. Someone time for a bath?
Even at night, temperatures rarely drop below 27 ° C. There is also hardly any rainfall. Again, any rain that falls will fall in the south; In the Maldives, there are on average only seven rainy days in March.
Although it’s hot, it’s the perfect time to get out of the house. Walk on the islands, snorkel; everything is fine. Just make sure you cover up when the sun is warmer, wear plenty of sunscreens, and stay hydrated.
Weather In April – Best Time To Visit Maldives
In April, temperatures averaged 29 ° C and 26 ° C at night; you still won’t need anything to keep warm at night. But the sea rises to its warmest of the year: 30 ° C. That’s more than air temperature! Insane.
It’s relaxing on the beaches, doing water sports and enjoying the good weather.
However, as of April advances, the rain will intensify as the dry season begins to pause and end. This is happening earlier in the north, thanks to monsoon winds from the southwest. However, only ten days after April 31, he sees rain. And that’s just average.
However, expect a few clouds due to these winds, which means loads of sun!
Weather In May Best Time To Visit Maldives
It was the dry season. May heralds the beginning of the rainy season. Southwest winds are increasing, as is cloudiness and the number of rainy days that accumulate this month of the year.
However, it is still a warm month, but it rains a lot. The humidity rises, making the heat a little unpleasant, so it’s not the best time to go to the Maldives. You should get an air-conditioned place.
The entire Maldives archipelago is being hit by the monsoon, which is the rainy season. This humidity? At this point, it is about 76%, and you will be affected by (on average) 15 days of rain with a median temperature of 30 ° C. Quite sticky and not the best time to visit the Maldives.
Weather In June – Best Time To Visit Maldives
The temperatures in June do not change much, but it is the wettest month of the year, thanks to the rainy season. The winds are up to 30mph, and the humidity of 77% (average) is not very good.
Fortunately, there is still plenty of suns. The rain is usually short, although there is a heavy downpour in the afternoon. In addition, most of the rainfall falls in the southern part of the Maldives, meaning the north remains relatively less humid than these parts.
However, some days can be very grey, with huge monsoon clouds that threaten to rain all day long. The sea temperature is still ridiculous: 29 ° C.
Weather In July – Best Time To Visit Maldives
The Maldives are still in the middle of the rainy season in July. This means stronger winds, high humidity and, of course, heavy downpours. It’s still hot, though. The temperatures are always high here. In July, the daily average is around 29 ° C, which (surprise, surprise) is the same temperature as the very warm sea.
It is not the best time of the year to visit the Maldives, but with that in mind, it is one of the cheapest months to travel to the islands. If you are more concerned with your budget than the perfect weather, July may be a good option.
It rains mainly in the South and Southeast atolls, although all archipelagos have some rain at some point.
Weather In August – Best Time To Visit Maldives
August is still the rainy season, but this is where the winds begin to weaken, at least in the north. Rain still concentrates mainly in the south of the island country.
Humidity is still high, making it sticky, as are temperatures (around 30 ° C). The nights, however, start to cool down to 25 ° C. It is a very tropical time of the year. The sky is grey with clouds, and there is a heavy downpour. Repeat for the next few days! In August, the weather can be unpredictable.
Maybe it’s not the rainiest month, but when it rains, man, is it raining? Expect heavy rains. Even if they only last 20 minutes.
Weather In September – Best Time To Visit Maldives
In the Maldives, the weather doesn’t change that much as the year goes on. It’s hot and dry or hot and humid, and September falls into the latter category.
September means that the southwest winds are still blowing, there are still unpredictable downpours, in the south, it is even wetter than in the north, and there are still big clouds in the centre of the islands. You already know the exercise. It rains around mid-day in September.
No wonder the number of tourists drops in September. Even temperatures are as low as 27 ° C, making it one of the coldest months of the year.
Weather In October – Best Time To Visit Maldives
The rainy season is finally coming to an end as the year in the Maldives approaches October. However, this does not mean that October is free from downpours. There are still many of them; it is the third rainiest month of the year.
There will still be more rain in the southern islands. And it’s still relatively humid, around 75% on average. You will still have around eight hours of sun a day, although the rains can be very intense when they do come. They also don’t make things any less hot.
The temperature at night is 25 ° C and the sea around 28 ° C. In fact, there aren’t many changes, although it starts to rain less at the end of the month.
Weather In November – Best Time To Visit Maldives
The mixed month of November means the Maldives are no longer “officially” in the rainy season … but that doesn’t mean it’s not raining. This month, things finally begin to change, with more sunny than rainy days (yes, finally).
We visited in November, and it turned out to be one of the best times to visit the Maldives. Tourists start visiting a little more in November. The weather becomes more predictable, with tropical storms from time to time.
Temperatures averaged around 20, while the sea is still a warm and salty bath that you should expect when visiting the Maldives. Humidity is also quite high. In November, we visited the Maldives and had only a few days of rain (but not all day) and a mostly nice sunny experience.
Weather In December – Best Time To Visit Maldives
Tourists begin arriving in the Maldives at the end of December. It’s Christmas after all, and who doesn’t want to spend Christmas in the Maldives? It’s sunny, it’s beautiful, it’s amazing and it’s one of the best times to visit the Maldives.
On the other hand, heavy rains still occur in December. However, not as much as in July.
Daytime temperatures rise to around 29 ° C, while after dark, temperatures drop to 25 ° C. The “dry monsoon”, also simply known as the dry season, begins to fall properly towards the end of the month. This means less humidity, fewer clouds, less rain and a slightly more predictable weather. Perfect beach weather, basically.
So When to travel to Maldives?
The Maldives islands have a temperate climate throughout the year, although it must also be said to have a dry and rainy season. The months of the dry season are mostly January, February and March. The rainy season is concentrated between May and October, with June and July being the rainiest months. The rest of the months, such as April, November and December, are ideal for visiting the beaches and enjoying good weather.
On the other hand, the high tourist season is especially concentrated in March so that prices will be higher and it will be more difficult to find accommodation. On the other hand, December to April, except March, is the best time to enjoy underwater life.
If you want to snorkel, dive or surf on the islands, avoid June and July due to the risk of storms. Better choose May, August, and September and October, as there will be less rain. Another perfect time to bathe is between November and December, which, although the temperatures are not that high, they are still warm, and there will be fewer tourists.
In summary, you should know that the average temperature of the Maldives archipelago is around 30ºC for most of the year. Its tropical climate makes this country a climatic paradise despite the monsoons. And speaking of monsoons, the islands are affected by the northeast monsoon between November and April, while the southwest monsoon appears from May to October.
However, and as a summary, the only months to avoid in any case are June and July. For the rest of the year, deciding when to travel to the Maldives is no problem. Let’s see below the best time to visit the islands according to your travel goals.
Festivals In The Maldives – Best Time To Visit Maldives For Festivals
Festivals in December-February
The dry season or winter season as we know it in most of the Northern Hemisphere is an exhilarating time in the Maldives. The rains stop, and the sun comes out to play practically every day. What winter festivals in the Maldives can you expect?
Christmas is not officially celebrated as it is a Muslim country, but other international holidays appear. However, January 1 is an official holiday.
The Chinese community will celebrate Lunar New Year (January 25, 2023), and many hotels will embrace its spirit.
Depending on the lunar calendar (February 28, 2023), Huravee Day celebrated the expulsion of the Malabars from southern India almost 900 years ago.
The National Day (or Qaumee Dhuvas) falls between February and March and is celebrated in Rabee-ul Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. It commemorates the Maldives’ victory over the Portuguese invaders in 1573. Expect parades and marches throughout the archipelago.
Festivals in March-May
Holidays in the Maldives in the spring, at the end of the dry season include some festivities. April is the Martyr’s Day. Calculated according to the Islamic (lunar) calendar, it honours all martyrs throughout Maldivian history.
Ramadan, also known in the Maldives as Ramazan, begins with a 28-day fasting day and ends with …
Festivals in June-August
Eid ul Fitr! Eid ul Fitr is a typical summer event in other countries, but in the Maldives, this festival (sometimes in May, sometimes in June) occurs when the rainy season starts. Expect banquets and revelations.
Independence Day (July 26-27) celebrates the end of being a British protectorate when an agreement was signed in 1965 between two (now) sovereign countries. This is a great time to be in the Maldives, which has many celebrations. See people taking to the streets in colourful costumes.
August festivals in the Maldives include Bodu Eid. This is 66 years after the end of Ramadan and marks the beginning of the traditional pilgrimage to Mecca.
Festivals in September-November
Celebrated in late September, after another long fasting session like Ramadan, Kuda Eid consists of three days where people gather, visit the mosque, celebrate and dance. It relies heavily on food!
At the end of October/beginning of November (November 10-11, 2019), the Maldives celebrates the birthday of Prophet Muhammad! As you might expect, there is a feast and joy. Head to the capital city of Male to see the range of the celebrations.
As the Maldives begin to move away from the rainy season (only slightly), November 11 is celebrated as Republic Day. Today the Maldives was founded in 1968, three years after independence from Great Britain. This means marching bands, parades and marches.
Frequently Asked Questions: Best Time To Visit Maldives
Which month is the best month to visit Maldives?
The best time to visit the Maldives is between November and April – at this time of year you can expect dry, sunny days and plenty of blue skies.
When should you avoid Maldives?
During the dry season (December to March), you can expect low rainfall, low humidity and lots of sunshine. The wet season – known as the “South West Monsoon” – runs from May to November, and this is considered the worst time to visit the Maldives.
What is the cheapest month to go to Maldives?
Lodging prices vary, depending on exactly where you’re staying, but it’s a safe bet to say the wet season – specifically, May through August – is the cheapest time to stay in the Maldives. According to travel search site Kayak, average hotel prices are at their lowest in May, when you can expect to pay $369 per night.
How many days in Maldives is enough?
How many days to spend in the Maldives? 4 to 5 days are usually enough to spend in the islands of Maldives. You can easily explore the major places in 5 days.
Is it worth going to Maldives in July?
If you’re planning a trip to the Maldives, we highly recommend staying in July. Even if you experience a little rain, the peaceful island is so relaxing (and warm) during any weather. Overall, yes, you take additional weather risk to travel to the Maldives during their rainy season.
Why Maldives will sink?
The Maldives could disappear by the end of the century if the world does not act quickly and cohesively to combat climate change, said the country’s minister of environment, climate change and technology. The World Economic Forum has estimated that by 2050, 80% of people in the world will be impacted by climate change.
Is it expensive in Maldives? – Best Time To Visit Maldives
Prices do drop quite a lot in the wet season – say May to November – but the Maldives is still expensive. It is not just the cost of accommodation but also the cost of food and drink. Then there are taxes and service charges which can add 20% to the cost of food and drink and other services.
Is it OK to go to Maldives in May? – Best Time To Visit Maldives
May is hot, with average maximum temperatures of 31°C, but is the start of the Maldives’ official wet season and comes with risks of storms and possible whole days of rain. Diving visibility is slightly reduced due to the plankton in the water.
Are there sharks in the Maldives?
Maldives is home to over 25 species of sharks. The most common are the Black-Tip, White-Tip and Grey Reef Sharks. These baby sharks are totally harmless and will most likely swim away if you come too close.
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Best Time To Visit Maldives