The Maldives
A thousand coral islands in rings across the Indian Ocean.
The Maldives is a chain of atolls south-west of India, each a ring of reef enclosing a lagoon, with islands of white sand and palms scattered along the rims. Most resorts have an island to themselves; the capital, Malé, is a crowded city on another; and the seaplanes and speedboats between them are part of the experience.
Why go
For water of a clarity and colour that has to be seen, and for what lives in it: reefs at the end of the jetty, manta rays and whale sharks in season, turtles in the shallows. A villa over the lagoon is the picture everyone carries; a house reef you can snorkel from the beach is the thing to look for.
And for the pace. Days here are swims, meals, a sunset from the sandbank and not much else, which is exactly the point.
Highlights
What people go for, in no particular order.
01The house reef
Many islands have a reef a few strokes from the beach, with parrotfish, turtles and reef sharks in the channel. Snorkelling gear is usually at the water sports hut.
02Overwater villas
Rooms on stilts above the lagoon, with steps into the water and the sunrise or sunset through the deck. A stay of a few nights over the water and a few on the beach is a common compromise.
03Manta rays and whale sharks
Hanifaru Bay in Baa Atoll draws mantas in numbers during the south-west monsoon, and the reefs of South Ari Atoll are known for whale sharks through much of the year.
04The seaplane
The transfer to the outer atolls is a low flight over rings of reef in a dozen shades of blue. Sit by a window; the view is the introduction.
05Sandbanks and sunset cruises
A picnic on a bar of sand that vanishes at high tide, a dhoni out at dusk for the dolphins, a night fishing trip with the crew.
06Local islands
Guesthouses on inhabited islands such as Maafushi and Thulusdhoo offer a simpler, more local stay, with bikini beaches set aside and boats to the reefs.
Areas
Where to base yourself, and what each area is like.
North and South Malé atolls
The islands closest to the airport, reached by speedboat in under an hour. Convenient for short stays.
Ari Atoll
West of Malé and known for its diving and whale sharks; seaplane or domestic flight and boat.
Baa Atoll
A UNESCO biosphere reserve to the north with the manta season at Hanifaru Bay. Seaplane transfers.
The far atolls
Addu and the southern atolls, and Noonu and Raa to the north, with domestic flights and fewer neighbours.
When to go: The Maldives
- Dry seasonDecember – April
- The north-east monsoon brings dry, sunny weather, calm seas and the clearest water. The high season, and the fullest.
- Wet seasonMay – November
- The south-west monsoon brings showers, some wind and cloud, and the manta season in Baa Atoll. Bright days between the rain, and quieter islands.
Getting there
Airports
One airport in our search serves the Maldives. Distances are measured in a straight line.
- MLEVelana International · Malé
Distance from
- BOMMumbai1,660 km
- DXBDubai3,040 km
- SINSingapore3,400 km
- JNBJohannesburg5,920 km
- CDGParis8,280 km
- LHRLondon8,540 km
- SYDSydney9,140 km
- JFKNew York14,020 km
Getting around: The Maldives
Everything begins at Velana airport on its own island beside Malé. Resorts collect guests by speedboat, seaplane or a domestic flight and boat, and the transfer is arranged with the stay.
On the island everything is on foot or by bicycle. Between islands there are resort boats, public ferries between inhabited islands, and excursions arranged at the dive centre.
Practical facts
The country, its currency and languages, the time zone and the time there now.
- Country
- Maldives
- Currency
- MVR · Maldivian Rufiyaa
- Languages
- Divehi
- Time zone
- Maldives Time
- Local time now
- Calling code
- +960
The atlas
The Maldives in figures
The figures under this guide: the climate on modelled 2001–2020 averages, how far it is from the UAE, and the places around it.
Climate
The weather in the Maldives, month by month
- Jan28°
- Feb28°
- Mar28°
- Apr29°
- May29°
- Jun29°
- Jul28°
- Aug28°
- Sept28°
- Oct28°
- Nov28°
- Dec28°
- Mild to warm and dry
- Mild to warm, humid or showery
- Hot
- Cool
- Wet
- Cold
Good for going, on these averages: January to April and June.
Mean highs run from 28°C in January to 29°C in May, with about 1,723 mm of rain in a year.
These are modelled averages for 2001–2020; the seasons described above are our own reading of a typical year.
Month-by-month climate for the MaldivesThe model's grid cell here is mostly sea, so the daily high and low sit closer together than they do on land: afternoons ashore are usually warmer, and nights cooler.
Modelled averages for an area about 50 km across, not a weather station's record: NASA POWER climatology, 2001–2020.
The figures are modelled at Malé, the atlas city this page's place is measured from.
Airports
How far it is from the UAE
From DXBThe Maldives
3,040 km
4 hrs 20 mins · Estimate
From AUHThe Maldives
3,030 km
4 hrs 20 mins · Estimate
The great-circle distance, and a rough flying time: the distance at an average 850 km/h plus 45 minutes for take-off and landing. Real flights follow airways, meet headwinds and wait for traffic, so schedules differ.
On the map
Places near the Maldives
Plan this trip: The Maldives
Open the trip builder with the Maldives already filled in. Flights, stays and everything else are priced together in one quote, prepared by a person on our team.
