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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." Vilamendhoo Island Resort & Spa 5 nights from 1,679 per person  The Maldives welcomes you to a tropical paradise of palm trees, white sandy beaches, sparkling clear, warm water in turquoise lagoons and colourful coral reefs teeming with abundant marine life.Vilamendhoo Island Resort, surrounded by a beautiful lagoon, an excellent house reef and long stretches of white, sandy beach, is the only Resort of Vilamendhoo, South Ari Atoll. It is 900 meters long by 250 meters wide, about 55 acres. Your seaplane transfer from Ibrahim Nasir International Airport is a scenic, 25 minute flight. 
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. Angsana Velavaru – All Inclusive SELECT 5 nights from 3,513 per person  WELCOME TO ANGSANA VELAVARUWhere Waters Dance In Shades Of Shimmering Blue Take a seaplane to a fairytale lagoon. Walk on fine sand the colour of icing sugar and feel it tickle your soles. Learn to navigate a coral reef and relish your Maldivian adventure with dolphins and turtles. Live in ocean villas suspended over jewelled waters or stay in land villas with sublime ocean views – the choice is yours at Angsana Velavaru resort. Feast on Asian and Mediterranean cuisines touched with a hint of Maldivian flavour and unwind at our spa with our classic offerings to knead your tension away. 
Maldivian beach villas. Photo courtesy Jon Haase. Typical airfares from New York (JFK) to Male, Republic of the MaldivesConstance 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 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. 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. 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. Angsana Velavaru – All Inclusive SELECT 5 nights from 3,513 per person WELCOME TO ANGSANA VELAVARUWhere Waters Dance In Shades Of Shimmering Blue Take a seaplane to a fairytale lagoon. Walk on fine sand the colour of icing sugar and feel it tickle your soles. Learn to navigate a coral reef and relish your Maldivian adventure with dolphins and turtles. Live in ocean villas suspended over jewelled waters or stay in land villas with sublime ocean views – the choice is yours at Angsana Velavaru resort. Feast on Asian and Mediterranean cuisines touched with a hint of Maldivian flavour and unwind at our spa with our classic offerings to knead your tension away. 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. 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. 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. Vilamendhoo Island Resort & Spa 5 nights from 1,679 per person The Maldives welcomes you to a tropical paradise of palm trees, white sandy beaches, sparkling clear, warm water in turquoise lagoons and colourful coral reefs teeming with abundant marine life.Vilamendhoo Island Resort, surrounded by a beautiful lagoon, an excellent house reef and long stretches of white, sandy beach, is the only Resort of Vilamendhoo, South Ari Atoll. It is 900 meters long by 250 meters wide, about 55 acres. Your seaplane transfer from Ibrahim Nasir International Airport is a scenic, 25 minute flight. 
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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Map of all Resorts in the Maldives |
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