Located in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives is a chain of 1,200 small coral islands and sandbanks that is loved by the rich and famous. And it’s easy to see why. With crystal clear waters and stretches of fine white sand beaches, it’s the ultimate tropical paradise. But when is the best time of the year to visit the Maldives? Felicity Carter reports.
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When Is The Best Time Of The Year To Visit The Maldives?
Generally, the Maldives is regarded as an all-year-round holiday destination, and famously there is a local saying, ‘it’s always summer in the Maldives.’ It’s consistently hot and often humid due to its tropical climate; there are, however, two very distinct seasons, and this will impact your holiday timings.
For those who want to go in full, picture-perfect season, the best time of the year to visit the Maldives is during the Northeast Monsoon, also known as the dry season which extends from December to April. At this time, average rainfall amounts are at their lowest, and the hours of sunshine is up – visitors are greeted by the infamous sun, sand and sea, along with a range of unique experiences.
Southwest Monsoon, also known as the wet season, runs from mid-May to November and this comes about due to the change in wind direction, which brings the rain and is felt more in the north. As a result, there may be slightly more hotel availability, at slightly cheaper prices. In reality, though, there are very few days of rain, and even if it does pour, it often clears quickly – but this is still a little risky.
So, when is the best time of the year to visit the Maldives?
Spring
If you’re looking to visit the Maldives in spring, expect the hottest temperatures from March to May, with the most amount of sunshine during this period, especially in March. This is set against rain showers, which tend to ramp up in April through to mid-May. Then, stormy weather may hit.
Summer
From June to August is the Maldives’ wet season, but there’s still high temperatures and humidity and, as such, the weather is temperamental, with sun and intermittent rainfall that varies from light to complete downpours with strong winds. The rain at this time can last between hours to a continuous drizzle throughout the day.
Autumn
Though autumn is regarded as the wettest season in the Maldives, there are still sunny periods with hot temperatures, too. From October to November, the winds change again, and it starts to become drier and sunnier.
Winter
The weather is a little changeable, still with a few showers (due to the North East winds changing), but from December, the Maldives is predominantly hot and dry. As such, it kicks off peak season – so book ahead so you don’t miss the best time of the year to visit the Maldives.
Featured Image via Unsplash.
