Things to do
Stretching across the Indian Ocean just southwest of Sri Lanka, the Maldives is renowned for countless paradise isles ringed by silky white sands, swaying palms and waters too clear to be true.
When to Go
Maldives conjures up visions of overwater villas on turquoise waters and couples on romantic honeymoons in five-star resorts. With its white sand beaches and incredible diving and surfing, there is so much to enjoy on these islands.
Ready for a holiday? As a year-round destination, it’s almost always a good time to go to Maldives. However, if you want guaranteed sunshine, it's best to aim for December to March for your visit. Outside those months there will be plenty of sunshine, but it will be broken up by rain and clouds - though you may save a bit of money. Whatever you decide, you will still get the quintessential Maldives experience. Here’s how to choose the best month to go to Maldives.
High Season: December to February
“Best time for guaranteed sunshine “
Maldives enjoys its best weather from December to February. Travelers can expect little rain, low humidity and blue skies. However, Christmas and New Year holidays involve huge price hikes and often resorts require minimum stays of five days or more.
Shoulder Season: March to April
“Best time for heat-seekers “
The great weather continues until the end of April, when temperatures are at their hottest. The surf season begins in March and continues until October. While this is the traditional shoulder season, the prices do jump during Easter.
Low Season: May to November
“Best time for budget travelers “
Good to Know
The Maldives consists of 1,192 coral islands grouped in a double chain of 26 atolls, that stretch along a length of 871 kilometres (541 miles) north to south, 130 kilometres (81 miles) east to west, spread over roughly 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 sq mi), of which only 298 km2 (115 sq mi) is dry land, making this one of the world's most dispersed countries. It lies between latitudes 1°S and 8°N, and longitudes 72° and 74°E. The atolls are composed of live coral reefs and sand bars, situated atop a submarine ridge 960 kilometres (600 mi) long that rises abruptly from the depths of the Indian Ocean and runs north to south.
Only near the southern end of this natural coral barricade do two open passages permit safe ship navigation from one side of the Indian Ocean to the other through the territorial waters of the Maldives. For administrative purposes, the Maldivian government organised these atolls into 21 administrative divisions. The largest island of the Maldives is that of Gan, which belongs to Laamu Atoll or Hahdhummathi Maldives. In Addu Atoll, the westernmost islands are connected by roads over the reef (collectively called Link Road) and the total length of the road is 14 km (9 mi).
The Maldives is the lowest country in the world, with maximum and average natural ground levels of only 2.4 metres (7 ft 10 in) and 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) above sea level, respectively. In areas where construction exists, however, this has been increased to several metres. More than 80 per cent of the country's land is composed of coral islands which rise less than one metre above sea level.[75] As a result, the Maldives are at high risk of being submerged due to rising sea levels. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that, at current rates, sea-level rise would be high enough to make the Maldives uninhabitable by 2100
