The best time to visit Maldives is between November and April. Some would stretch it from October to May. But keeping historical weather data in mind, the months of December, January, February, and March is the best time to visit Maldives.
Maldives weather
The average temperature in Maldives is around 30 degrees centigrade. That said, the temperature is not the only marker of the climate of a place. Other factors like storms, rainfall, humidity, etc. also play important roles.
Rainfall is an especially important factor that determines the best time to visit Maldives. There is an average rainfall of 2,218 mm in the southern atolls* of Maldives, while rainfall in the central and northern atolls is 1,966 mm and 1,779 mm respectively. On 24 November 2015, Addu City recorded the country’s heaviest rainfall in 24 hours (228 mm).
*(Ring-shaped coral reefs in Maldives are known as atolls. A lagoon is a water body that is surrounded by an atoll. Lagoons and atolls can occasionally shield a main island.)
As you can see, Maldives gets heavy rainfall every year. However, continuous rainfall is not common in this island nation.
If you plan to visit Maldives, you must keep the weather in mind before booking tickets. The summer months generally begin in April and continue till August-September. Summers in Maldives can be very uncomfortable. For example, you would not be able to enjoy beach activities during summer. The same goes for monsoons. It’s best to avoid the rainy season when traveling to Maldives. Heavy rainfall can ruin your experience and confine you to your resort rooms.
We hope this information helps you better plan your Maldives vacation. To avoid the peak tourist season, you can consider visiting in October-November or April-May. The cost of amenities is less during the off-season. However, avoiding the peak season is not necessary if you want to avoid the crowd. Every resort in Maldives has private beaches. You can enjoy a serene and calm environment no matter how many tourists are present on other islands. The island has only about 500,000 native residents, so it’s very sparsely populated.
Should you visit Maldives in the off-season?
The answer to this question is both yes and no. If you are visiting the island nation for a honeymoon or with family, it’s best to avoid the off-season. But if you love adventures and don’t mind a little discomfort, visiting during the off-season can be an exciting experience.
Disturbances in weather, especially storms and heavy rainfall, can disrupt your itinerary. Remember that Maldives is essentially a collection of coral islands. As a result, natural calamities have a huge impact on the people of these islands.
While you can visit the Maldivian islands year-round, the best time to go there is between November and April.
Things to know before visiting Maldives
Now that you have a fair idea about Maldives’ climate, let’s check out some of the other things to know before visiting the island nation.
Maldives Food
Maldives is an international tourist destination. So you can easily find European and continental cuisine here. Apart from that, South Asian cuisine is widely available. Maldivian cuisine is similar to the cuisine of Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, and other South Asian countries. You will get both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. If you are allergic to specific items, let the resort know beforehand.
Maldives Transport
Since Maldives is made of separate islands, each island doesn’t add up to a large land area. You can easily walk your way to different places in the smaller private islands. The larger public islands like Male and Addu have efficient road transport systems. Speedboats are the primary travel option to get from one island to another.
Taxis are widely available in Male and Addu, and they are priced reasonably. You will also find buses running between Male and Hulhulmale run by the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC). While buses are cheaper, they only run within specific routes. If you want a uniquely Maldivian experience, book a seaplane to get from one island to the next.
Maldives Alcohol
Although Maldives is an Islamic nation, alcohol is widely available within resorts. However, keep in mind that there are no local breweries and all alcoholic drinks are imported. As a result, the cost of alcohol is quite high. You should also not carry your own drinks as it’s against the law.
Having said that, you can enjoy amazing drinks in premium resorts. You can have your drinks by the beach while watching the sunset, or enjoy it on your personal deck overseeing the ocean.
Maldives Language
Maldivian residents speak Maldivian Dhivehi – a dialect of Sinhalese. Sinhalese is the most spoken language in Sri Lanka. Both the Arabic script and language is widely used in the country. However, almost everyone in Maldives can speak and understand English. English is the operational language in all the resorts. Even the local population can speak fluent English. Language shouldn’t be an issue in Maldives for anyone who knows English.
Maldives Religion
Maldives is an Islamic country. In 2002, the country adopted Islam as its official religion. Though there aren’t many examples of Islamic architecture on the islands, the local customs vividly reflect Islamic influences.
Maldives Etiquette and customs
Tourism is the main driver of the Maldivian economy. As a result, the country is very tourist friendly. It’s also extremely safe and crimes are virtually nonexistent on the resort islands. However, you should be careful about petty theft in the more densely populated cities.
Conclusion
Maldives is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful places on earth. Even during the pandemic months of 2020, Maldives received 550,000 tourists. It’s a stunning island nation with clear white beaches, tranquil oceans, mesmerizing coral reefs, and amazing food. Every traveler should visit Maldives at least once in their lifetime.
POPULAR RESORT IN MALDIVES
