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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." Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas 5 nights from 7,893 per person  Surrounded by nothing but turquoise lagoon which melts into sapphire blue, the Maldives luxury resort island of Anantara Kihavah and its pure white sands rise up out of the ocean like a mirage. For centuries, this was where Arab traders sailing to the Far East took shelter; a lush paradise blessed by coconut, papaya and mango trees. Navigating archipelago to archipelago by the stars, the seafarers were also drawn by the riches of the ocean surrounding the island – where a prehistoric volcano sank back into the depths, leaving blooming corals within a house reef and a wealth of lagoon fish. Wishing to keep the pristine nature of the island intact, not one tree has been moved – as evidenced by the villas growing up around them. The design pays homage to the seafarers of old, fusing Indian Ocean, Arab and Portuguese motifs with indigenous materials. Located on the Baa Atoll in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas invites you to imagine your own barefoot luxury paradise. Savour the luxury of space in your private pool beach villa or over water villa. Snorkel with mantas and Hawksbill sea turtles. Stargaze into the night. Dine on a deserted sandbank or beneath the ocean’s surface at this enchanting sanctuary. 
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. The Nautilus Maldives 5 nights from 10,248 per person  A tantalising slice of freedom in the Maldives’ stunning Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, The Nautilus Maldives 5 star resort offers life unbound. Every visitor to our shores discovers life’s rarest treasures. Gifts that money cannot buy – time, freedom, refuge.This collection of 26 immensely private beach and ocean houses exists beyond the bounds of time. Our private Villas in the Maldives is a place where nothing is fixed, and anything is possible. Where you are free to set your own beat. Free to do – and to be – as you please. A celebration of the individual spirit, The Nautilus offers liberation. Freedom unconditional. Space to share, to meet, to be yourself and shape your own personal journey. And, most of all, to celebrate the people you’re with, in any way you choose. Because in the end, it’s these simple, elemental pleasures – that ability to simply be – that form the greatest luxury of all. 
Maldivian beach villas. Photo courtesy Jon Haase. Typical airfares from New York (JFK) to Male, Republic of the MaldivesHurawalhi Island Resort 5 nights from 4,179 per person  Set on an enchanting private island in the pristine Lhaviyani Atoll in the Maldives, Hurawalhi Island Resort is much like your relationship: it is a perfect match of serenity and excitement, comfort and adventure; it stirs up your every atom with an intricate blend of intimacy and thrill.It is at Hurawalhi that you can fill your days with an unsparing amount of extraordinaires, your mind with wonder, and your heart with romance. The 90-villa, adults-only luxury resort is as brilliant as the ocean that laps against its beaches and more magnificent than any island you have visited. You can swoon over photos of the Maldives, but nothing will prepare you for the beautiful blend of barefoot bliss and contemporary design found at Hurawalhi. 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. 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. 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. The Nautilus Maldives 5 nights from 10,248 per person A tantalising slice of freedom in the Maldives’ stunning Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, The Nautilus Maldives 5 star resort offers life unbound. Every visitor to our shores discovers life’s rarest treasures. Gifts that money cannot buy – time, freedom, refuge.This collection of 26 immensely private beach and ocean houses exists beyond the bounds of time. Our private Villas in the Maldives is a place where nothing is fixed, and anything is possible. Where you are free to set your own beat. Free to do – and to be – as you please. A celebration of the individual spirit, The Nautilus offers liberation. Freedom unconditional. Space to share, to meet, to be yourself and shape your own personal journey. And, most of all, to celebrate the people you’re with, in any way you choose. Because in the end, it’s these simple, elemental pleasures – that ability to simply be – that form the greatest luxury of all. 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. Raffles Maldives Meradhoo Resort 5 nights from 6,355 per person  Raffles Maldives Meradhoo is a rare haven. In its remote location on the southern tip of the Maldives archipelago, it is as far away from the rhythm of everyday life as can be. Here, guests find their own rhythm. In harmony with nature, they relax, reconnect and realign. Surrounded by crystalline Indian Ocean waters home to unspoiled house reefs and their incredible inhabitants, it is easy to forget the world outside.Set on 2 private islands in the Indian Ocean, this high-end resort is accessible by seaplane from Male. Thinadhoo is the nearest island. On the beach or over water, the luxurious villas feature private pools, terraces, living areas, marble bathrooms and 4-poster beds. All provide free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, safes, minibars and Nespresso machines. Upgraded villas add gardens; some sleep up to 8 guests. Butler service is offered 24/7. Amenities include 3 upscale restaurants with terraces, and 2 chic bars, as well as a premium spa and a gym. Water sports facilities are available. The place is tranquil, beautiful and pure. The service is discreet, intuitive and gracious. The life is true Raffles luxury. This is elegance at its most natural. 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. Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas 5 nights from 7,893 per person Surrounded by nothing but turquoise lagoon which melts into sapphire blue, the Maldives luxury resort island of Anantara Kihavah and its pure white sands rise up out of the ocean like a mirage. For centuries, this was where Arab traders sailing to the Far East took shelter; a lush paradise blessed by coconut, papaya and mango trees. Navigating archipelago to archipelago by the stars, the seafarers were also drawn by the riches of the ocean surrounding the island – where a prehistoric volcano sank back into the depths, leaving blooming corals within a house reef and a wealth of lagoon fish. Wishing to keep the pristine nature of the island intact, not one tree has been moved – as evidenced by the villas growing up around them. The design pays homage to the seafarers of old, fusing Indian Ocean, Arab and Portuguese motifs with indigenous materials. Located on the Baa Atoll in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas invites you to imagine your own barefoot luxury paradise. Savour the luxury of space in your private pool beach villa or over water villa. Snorkel with mantas and Hawksbill sea turtles. Stargaze into the night. Dine on a deserted sandbank or beneath the ocean’s surface at this enchanting sanctuary. 
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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