Unrivalled luxury, stunning white-sand beaches and an amazing underwater world make the Maldives an obvious choice for a true holiday of a lifetime. The Maldives is home to perhaps the best beaches in the world; they’re on almost every one of the country’s nearly 1200 islands and are so consistently perfect that it’s hard not to become blasé about them. While some beaches may boast softer granules than others, the basic fact remains: you won't find consistently whiter-than-white powder sand and luminous cyan-blue water like this anywhere else on earth. This fact alone is enough to bring well over a million people a year to this tiny, remote and otherwise little-known Indian Ocean paradise.
With some of the best diving and snorkelling in the world, the clear waters of Maldives are a magnet for anyone with an interest in marine life. The richness and variety is astonishing; dazzling coral walls, magnificent caves and schools of brightly coloured tropical fish await you when you get down to the reef. In deeper waters lurk manta rays, turtles, sharks and even the world’s largest fish, the whale shark. The best bit? The water is so warm many people don’t even wear a wetsuit.
Climate of Maldives
The Maldives has a warm and humid tropical climate, all year round and is influenced by two dominating monsoons.
The fact that the Maldives is located at the equator, Maldives receives plentiful sunshine throughout the year. The temperatures of Maldives range between 25° Celsius and 32° Celsius throughout the year.
The dry season (northeast monsoon) runs from December to April. While the rainy season (southeast monsoon) runs from late May to November.
Maldives in Dry Season (December to April)
Temperature – 31 degrees celsius by day and 24 degrees Celsius by night
Weather – This is the best season to visit the Maldives. It is perfect for sightseeing, enjoying cultural activities, water sports and savouring the local cuisine. During these months, the weather is dry, devoid of humidity, and pleasant with moderate temperatures. The best month to swim in the sea is in April when the average sea temperature is 30 degree Celsius.
Significance – One gets to see and experience the best that Maldives has to offer during this season. All locations are well populated and the environment tends to be celebratory and busy.
Why you should visit now – Clearly the weather and the resultant all-around beauty make this season the best time to vacation. Minimal precipitation and warm weather make it an ideal setting. The rainfall too is very light and hence not a hindrance.
During the dry season, visibility is also excellent, because of the currents begin to flow in November from the northeast. This helps you further enjoy the breathtaking view of fabulous lagoons protected by coral reefs and other atolls, and gorgeous beaches.
Maldives in Wet Season (May to November)
Temperature – 31 degrees celsius by day and 25 degrees Celsius by night
Weather – The annual rainfall averages 254 centimetres (100 inches) in the north and 381 centimetres (150 inches) in the south. September tends to be the wettest month.
The intermittent and heavy rains make the destination less attractive for most vacationers. However, there are some carefree ones who are more than happy to visit during this time. Venturing into the water, however, is not often advisable in this season and should be done at one’s own risk.
Significance – This time of year is popular with surfers because the area sees bigger waves and better swells for surfing during these months. While the waters can be dangerous, the truly adventurous traveller with the right gear can look forward to a whale of a time.
Why you should visit now – The Holy month of Ramadan which tends to be in May is one of the best times to visit Maldives as you get to savour a lot of traditional delicacies. Experience the restaurants which also offer special iftar meals and rose, apricot and kamardine-flavoured juices.
Fairly reasonable prices, less crowded resorts and optimal surf and scuba conditions make some of the more adventurous tourists actually prefer this time to travel. In the wet season, the water temperatures are also a couple of degrees lower, which appears to inspire larger numbers of hammerhead sharks and reef sharks to come together, and to do so in shallower waters than in the dry season. Visibility however isn’t as good as what is experienced in the dry season as the currents are less.
Best Time to Visit Maldives
Maldives is a beach destination that is sun-kissed and has weather which is year-round suitable for a trip. However, the best time to visit the Maldives is between November and April, i.e., during the dry season. December to March marks the peak tourist season or the best season to visit the Maldives as, during this season, rainfall is almost negligible, and weather remains extremely pleasant. This period is also regarded as the best season to visit the Maldives for the honeymoon as couples get an opportunity to enjoy all types of activities due to ideal weather conditions. Though, is the busiest season in Maldives, it is also the period when beach resorts in Maldives are expensive.
