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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." 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. 
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. 
Maldivian beach villas. Photo courtesy Jon Haase. Typical airfares from New York (JFK) to Male, Republic of the MaldivesNiyama Private Islands Maldives 5 nights from 5,704 per person  Find a very private setting for intimate, one-of-a-kind experiences. With twin islands Play and Chill, Niyama Private Islands Maldives offers up the luxury of choice.At Play: Frolic in the treetops. Rush into the infinite horizon. Kick things up a notch in villas set on white sands and tailored to adventurous honeymooners, active couples and style-savvy families. At Chill: Revel in a peaceful moment within the cocoon of Drift Spa. Explore culinary heaven offshore. Soothe your soul to the slow rhythms in over water villas. Lounge against the flowing oceanscape in an underwater playground. Discover your island niche and settle in, or jump back and forth between high-energy indulgences and cool serenity. Rated #4 in the ‘Best Resorts in the World’ category of the Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Awards, and #2 ‘Top Resorts in the Indian Ocean’, Nature’s Playground beckons. 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. Hurawalhi 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. 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. 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. Constance Halaveli 5 nights from 6,209 per person  Stroll down white sand beaches and swim in turquoise waters teeming with colourful marine life. Children travelling can unleash their spirit of adventure at the Constance Kids' Club. Lie back and relax on your own private sun terrace, dip in your own plunge pool, or take time to nurture your body and soul with a treatment specially tailored for you at the Spa de Constance.Spa facilities Facilities include: Steam bath Sauna Bath Chill and Hot Plunge pool Relaxing area 7 single treatment rooms 3 double treatment rooms Yoga pavilion Ocean Salon – beauty salon including hairdresser, stylist, bridal consultation, manicure and pedicure Open daily from 9am to 9pm. Fitness Technogym kinesis wall Life fitness cardio equipment TV Screens & USB Port Tennis court 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. Velassaru Maldives 5 nights from 1,845 per person  Perfect Seclusion.Your private coral island in the sapphire Indian Ocean. An exhilarating 25-minute speedboat ride from Malé airport. Chilled drinks and a warm welcome await you at Velassaru Maldives. Glide over diamond waters. Feed your imagination. 
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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