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Best Time of Year to Visit the MaldivesExplore > Travel Planning Articles > Best Time of Year to Visit the MaldivesDate published: 2023-05-07
Photo courtesy Jon Haase.
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Where are the Maldives?The Maldives are a coveted vacation spot as the smallest country in Asia (regarding both size and population). This beautiful destination has historically been known under different names in the Sanskrit language, translated as "Necklace Islands," "Garland of Islands," and "Hundred Thousand Islands." Six Senses Laamu 5 nights from 7,571 per person  Beautifully remote, yet easily accessible by plane and boat from Malé, Six Senses Laamu is set in a lagoon where dolphins swim along the sandy shoreline. With villas set over-water and on the palm-fringed island, there are all the creature comforts, plus a choice of overwater lounges and restaurants and amazing excursion experiences. Six Senses Laamu is the only resort in the Laamu Atoll, deep in the Indian Ocean. The resort is a combination of on-land and over-water villas constructed of sustainable materials and set around the palm-fringed paradise.Sea breezes drift among the rustic woods under high palm-thatched roofs at Laamu’s six bars and restaurants, most set over water. Edible memories at each venue are enhanced by enchanting tropical vistas, from inspiring equatorial sunrises above the translucent turquoise lagoon waters to romantic rose-coloured sunsets that dissolve into the evening sea. Set right on the beach, Six Senses Spa offers four uniquely designed couple's treatment nests, four secluded couple's treatment pavilions plus one Ayurvedic treatment pavilion, all within the island’s natural vegetation. Highly skilled therapists use a variety of natural products to provide a comprehensive range of award-winning signature treatments, and rejuvenation and wellness specialties of the region. Some of the best visiting practitioners offer guests personal consultations and holistic therapies to achieve a better state of mind and more fulfilling life experiences. Dolphins swim along the seashell dappled shores of Six Senses Laamu, the only resort in Laamu Atoll and just five degrees north of the Equator. Guest snorkel in Laamu’s coral rich house reef among Oriental Sweetlips, parrotfish and even green turtles. Yin Yang, the Maldives’ most famous surfing wave that breaks just offshore is an impressive attraction. The waters have so much to offer for fun activities. Six Senses Laamu is a children-friendly resort. On site we have a our children's club called, The Den, which is a professionally managed children's club with a wide range of activities and games. Babysitting services are on request. Around the resort and in the villa: Children toys, baby chairs at restaurant, baby cots, family activities, hammocks. With sunshine and sand, children will enjoy a great outing. They have a choice of outdoor and indoor games. If they are able to swim well, and with the permission of the parents, they can go snorkeling to see the wide variety of sea creatures in our house reef. A wedding to remember for always can be beautifully catered for at Six Senses Laamu. We cherish this and provide you a location and services that dream weddings are made of. We offer unique locations, either on land or over water to affirm your love with a private or small ceremony. Reconfirm you commitment of love against a backdrop of some of the most beautiful natural scenery anywhere in the world. Let your creativity, with that of our Experiences team, plan something really special, either over water or on land. Everything is possible. 
Wedding pavilion at Angsana Resort & Spa Ihuru. Photo courtesy the resort. As a cluster of small islands in the Indian ocean, the Maldives are made up mostly of the water in between its 1,190 islands, about 90 of which are developed as tourist resorts. Their unique layout into a double chain of 26 atolls spread out over roughly 35,000 square miles. Each atoll adds to a variety of vibrant coral reefs teeming with lush underwater life including fish, sea turtles, whales, and dolphins. Royal Island Resort & Spa 5 nights from 1,602 per person  Escape to a tranquil and secluded oceanfront oasis, where a pristine private beach gives way to the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Immerse yourself in tropical splendour, enjoying breathtaking views and five-star amenities at every turn.Come experience the Maldives you've always dreamt of at Royal Island Resort & Spa. Amidst the sparkling jewels of the Indian Ocean, our exquisite Maldives luxury hotel shines and dazzles above all. Indulge and immerse yourself in a colourful journey of discovery, where shores lined with luxuriant banyans and lush palms yield to a majestic underwater world that will render you speechless. Enjoy unmatched services and facilities, including the lavish Araamu Spa and a fabulous selection of restaurants and bars . Relax and unwind with a vast selection of resort activities , including a fully equipped gymnasium, tennis, and squash to scuba diving and water skiing . All of this awaits you at our Maldives luxury resort – just let us show you the way. -Set on the island commonly known as Horubadhoo, located in Baa atoll 118 km Northwest of Malé -Featuring luxury villas and suites with magnificent views of the Indian Ocean -With two world-class restaurants and four vibrant bars and lounges -A 35-minute seaplane ride from Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, also reachable in 30 minutes by domestic flight (Wheeled aircraft). Our pleasure is your service at Royal Island Resort & Spa , where each guest is royalty. An aristocrat would feel perfectly at home in our elegant Maldives luxury villas. Rich, coloured textiles, exquisite marble, intricately carved wooden furniture, and subtle lighting provide alluring ambience and stately splendour. Here, complete privacy and solitude are taken for granted. The beach and crystal clear waters of the lagoon are just a few steps away from your private verandah. Each Maldives luxury rental offers a truly unique retreat, where warm water breezes and dramatic views offer a stirring sense of escape at every turn. 
Maldivian beach villas. Photo courtesy Jon Haase. Typical airfares from New York (JFK) to Male, Republic of the MaldivesTaj Exotica Resort and Spa 5 nights from 6,898 per person  Part of the renowned Taj Hotels brand, Taj Exotica Resort & Spa Maldives is an exclusive, private and romantic island resort. Incredible rooms and a choice of gourmet cuisine, water sports, and recreation make for a complete and exclusive destination. The resort is a Member of The Leading Small Hotels of the World. Taj Exotica Resort & Spa spreads idyllically along a pristine beach and serene lagoon. The award-winning resort seamlessly extends the magic of the island's blessed natural beauty in its design even as it offers the finest in contemporary luxuries and services. Jiva Grande Spa, an authentic Indian spa, offers a range of signature wellness experiences. A choice of gourmet cuisine, water sports, and recreation make for a complete and exclusive destination. The resort is only 15 minutes by a private luxury speedboat, available 24 hours, from Malé International Airport. Most of the resort's luxuriously designed villas are perched over the lagoon with nothing but blue ocean waters and glorious sunsets to block the view. Only a wooden ladder separates you from a refreshing dip in the lagoon. Then you can climb back up and begin a tropical makeover as the sun warms your skin. All the villas are palm-thatched, built of finest natural wood finishes on the exteriors and the interiors are delightfully appointed in classic Maldivian style. The villas offer sundecks, and some offer private plunge pools, outdoor showers, verandahs with day beds and private spa rooms. Dark woods, rich textures and vibrant accessories make the time you spend indoors just as beautiful as the time you spend swimming with dolphins or gazing into the infinite horizon. Our spa experiences are offered by trained experts using exclusive natural products in a fresh and harmonious setting. Signature Jiva Grande Spa experiences bring guests the essence of traditional royal wellness and therapeutic experiences. Jiva Grande Spa also offers Alepa, a signature treatment that evokes the aura of the fabled and privileged lifestyle of Indian royalty. Alepa - literally the act of anointing the body - is a wellness experience drawn from sacred and ceremonial time-honoured Indian bathing rituals. Savour this exquisite experience in a stylish and contemporary spa suite. See & compare all resorts in the Maldives atollsIf you're trying to decide where to stay on Ari Atoll, Lhaviyani Atoll, Male, North Male Atoll, North Baa Atoll, or South Male Atolls, we can help! For the 28 resorts there, we've got nearly 500 high-resolution photos, 7 videos, and 13 virtual tours to help you find your Maldivian dream resort. Click here to use our Visual Explorer to check out all of them. 
Photo courtesy Jon Haase. Velaa Private Island 5 nights from 14,849 per person  Velaa Private Island is the realisation of a dream to create a ‘beyond luxury’ exclusive boutique hideaway. This unique destination was developed to embody the very best of this unique archipelago, bathed by azure skies in the aquamarinewaters of the Indian Ocean. Located in the gorgeous Noonu Atoll, 187 kilometres north of Male, Velaa. Private Island is an exceptional luxury retreat where our guests are treated like royalty. Velaa Private Island has been designed and curated with privacy and comfort as the guiding principles while allowing the Indian Ocean to take centre stage. At one with nature, each of the private retreats is built using local materials, combining contemporary flourishes with interiors designed for sensory exploration. Best time of year to go to the MaldivesAs a tropical monsoon climate, the Maldives have 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 has little rain and lower humidity; it lasts from December-April. The wet season is (you guessed it) wetter, characterized by stronger winds and rain; it lasts from May-November. For divers, both the dry and wet seasons have their advantages: during the dry season, visibility is superb, due to currents beginning to flow in November from the northeast; the currents start to weaken in February. During the wet season, the water temperatures are a couple of degrees lower, and this seems to inspire larger numbers of hammerhead sharks and reef sharks to congregate, and to do so in shallower waters than in the dry season. Visibility isn't as good, however, as the currents are less. 
Aerial view of Sheraton Full Moon Maldives. Photo courtesy the resort. Average temperatures in the MaldivesThe temperature remains fairly consistent year-round, ranging only from the low- to mid-80's (Fahrenheit). September-January tend to hover around the 80 degree mark, and February-August tend to reach a little higher around the mid-80's. Chances are any time you decide to visit, the Maldives will be pleasantly warm. Royal Island Resort & Spa 5 nights from 1,602 per person Escape to a tranquil and secluded oceanfront oasis, where a pristine private beach gives way to the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Immerse yourself in tropical splendour, enjoying breathtaking views and five-star amenities at every turn.Come experience the Maldives you've always dreamt of at Royal Island Resort & Spa. Amidst the sparkling jewels of the Indian Ocean, our exquisite Maldives luxury hotel shines and dazzles above all. Indulge and immerse yourself in a colourful journey of discovery, where shores lined with luxuriant banyans and lush palms yield to a majestic underwater world that will render you speechless. Enjoy unmatched services and facilities, including the lavish Araamu Spa and a fabulous selection of restaurants and bars . Relax and unwind with a vast selection of resort activities , including a fully equipped gymnasium, tennis, and squash to scuba diving and water skiing . All of this awaits you at our Maldives luxury resort – just let us show you the way. -Set on the island commonly known as Horubadhoo, located in Baa atoll 118 km Northwest of Malé -Featuring luxury villas and suites with magnificent views of the Indian Ocean -With two world-class restaurants and four vibrant bars and lounges -A 35-minute seaplane ride from Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, also reachable in 30 minutes by domestic flight (Wheeled aircraft). Our pleasure is your service at Royal Island Resort & Spa , where each guest is royalty. An aristocrat would feel perfectly at home in our elegant Maldives luxury villas. Rich, coloured textiles, exquisite marble, intricately carved wooden furniture, and subtle lighting provide alluring ambience and stately splendour. Here, complete privacy and solitude are taken for granted. The beach and crystal clear waters of the lagoon are just a few steps away from your private verandah. Each Maldives luxury rental offers a truly unique retreat, where warm water breezes and dramatic views offer a stirring sense of escape at every turn. Storms in the MaldivesDuring the winter rainy season, afternoon showers occur with frequency. In the case of a tropical storm or cyclone, residents and travelers are relocated to safe areas. Fortunately, the Maldives are not as prone to cyclones as other islands; only 11 cyclones have affected the Maldives in over 128 years. 
Overwater villas in the Maldives. Photo courtesy Jon Haase. One and Only Reethi Rah Maldives 5 nights from 14,687 per person  Surrounded by the crystal blue wonders of the Indian Ocean, this superb all-villa resort offers an unrivalled level of style, choice and personalised exploration. Sleek and spectacular, with unprecedented privacy, One&Only Reethi Rah inspires extraordinary journeys for the soul.Set on one of the largest islands in North Male' Atoll, adorned with endless white sand coves and turquoise bays, all villas enjoy beautiful ocean views and direct access to the lagoon. One&Only Reethi Rah offers the ultimate holiday experience to those seeking the pinnacle of tropical luxury. Nowhere else in the Maldives is there a resort with this much space and exclusivity. With an eye towards perfection, the resort features its own organic Chef's Garden, and speciality items such as Kobe beef and toro from Japan are shipped on a regular basis. At One&Only Reethi Rah, island chic is the keynote for evenings, and the innovative and fresh cuisine is prepared with passion and flair. One&Only, together with ESPA, has created a luxurious island spa retreat...a tranquil place where tension dissolves with the gentle ebb and flow of the ocean as the cares of the world outside quietly drift away. Here on idyllic sandy shores, succumb to the expert care of therapists trained in ancient healing philosophies and modern-day sciences. Luxurious treatment villas, nestled beneath thatched roofs each with spectacular ocean views, provide the perfect tranquil space for your individualised, holistic wellness journey. What's special about the Maldives?Tourism is relatively recent here--really, it all started for the Maldives in 1972 with just 2 resorts. It's grown to over 80 resorts today. It's the lowest country in the world (yes, it's in the record books) with an average altitude of only about 5 feet above sea level. You're going to get fabulous lagoons protected by coral reefs and other atolls, and gorgeous beaches. But you won't get the knife-edge mountain backdrops you'd see somewhere like Bora Bora, or jungle hikes to waterfalls like you'd get in Hawaii, Fiji, or the Seychelles. 
Infinity pool at the Four Seasons Resort at Kuda Huraa. Photo courtesy the resort. Certainly it's famous for fantastic snorkeling, scuba diving, and above-water sports too. Like the Seychelles, you're going to be a long ways from a major land mass, which means dense schools of fish, less pollution, and more privacy. The roughly 1200 islands are all quite small, with none of them larger than 5 miles across. Each atoll has on average about a half dozen inhabited islands, plus 20 to 60 that are uninhabited. Six Senses Laamu 5 nights from 7,571 per person Beautifully remote, yet easily accessible by plane and boat from Malé, Six Senses Laamu is set in a lagoon where dolphins swim along the sandy shoreline. With villas set over-water and on the palm-fringed island, there are all the creature comforts, plus a choice of overwater lounges and restaurants and amazing excursion experiences. Six Senses Laamu is the only resort in the Laamu Atoll, deep in the Indian Ocean. The resort is a combination of on-land and over-water villas constructed of sustainable materials and set around the palm-fringed paradise.Sea breezes drift among the rustic woods under high palm-thatched roofs at Laamu’s six bars and restaurants, most set over water. Edible memories at each venue are enhanced by enchanting tropical vistas, from inspiring equatorial sunrises above the translucent turquoise lagoon waters to romantic rose-coloured sunsets that dissolve into the evening sea. Set right on the beach, Six Senses Spa offers four uniquely designed couple's treatment nests, four secluded couple's treatment pavilions plus one Ayurvedic treatment pavilion, all within the island’s natural vegetation. Highly skilled therapists use a variety of natural products to provide a comprehensive range of award-winning signature treatments, and rejuvenation and wellness specialties of the region. Some of the best visiting practitioners offer guests personal consultations and holistic therapies to achieve a better state of mind and more fulfilling life experiences. Dolphins swim along the seashell dappled shores of Six Senses Laamu, the only resort in Laamu Atoll and just five degrees north of the Equator. Guest snorkel in Laamu’s coral rich house reef among Oriental Sweetlips, parrotfish and even green turtles. Yin Yang, the Maldives’ most famous surfing wave that breaks just offshore is an impressive attraction. The waters have so much to offer for fun activities. Six Senses Laamu is a children-friendly resort. On site we have a our children's club called, The Den, which is a professionally managed children's club with a wide range of activities and games. Babysitting services are on request. Around the resort and in the villa: Children toys, baby chairs at restaurant, baby cots, family activities, hammocks. With sunshine and sand, children will enjoy a great outing. They have a choice of outdoor and indoor games. If they are able to swim well, and with the permission of the parents, they can go snorkeling to see the wide variety of sea creatures in our house reef. A wedding to remember for always can be beautifully catered for at Six Senses Laamu. We cherish this and provide you a location and services that dream weddings are made of. We offer unique locations, either on land or over water to affirm your love with a private or small ceremony. Reconfirm you commitment of love against a backdrop of some of the most beautiful natural scenery anywhere in the world. Let your creativity, with that of our Experiences team, plan something really special, either over water or on land. Everything is possible. 
Underground wine cellar and chocolate cave at Gili Lankanfushi, North Male Atoll, Maldives. Photo courtesy the resort. Traditional Maldivian cuisine is based on coconuts, fish, and starches. Skipjack tuna, yellowfin tuna, frigate tuna and wahoo are common in Maldivian cuisine. As well, a thick brown paste made from tuna, called Rihaakuru, is an essential part of many dishes. Maldivians don't eat raw fish, however (but that doesn't mean you won't ever find sushi in resort restaurants). Their starches are typically rice, taro (the root ingredient of Hawaii's poi), sweet potato, and cassava. You'll find a strong Indian influence--not surprising, given the proximity--and a plethora of different curries. As a tourist in the resorts, expect to find Indian and Maldivian options, but also food styles from around the world. The resorts are well aware that many guests will want to what what's familiar to them. Check this video overview of the Maldives, courtesy Maldives Tourist Promotion Board (MTPB): 
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