First Day Abroad

Maldives weather and the best time to visit

Part of the Maldives arrival guide.

This information may change. Always check the official source.Last verified: August 2026 by

Best time to visit Maldives

December to January — the months averaging 18–27 °C by day. No other month of the twelve falls inside that band in Malé.

Warmest
April, 29 °C
Coolest
January, 27 °C
Driest
February, 40 mm
Wettest
May, 224 mm

How this is worked out: a month qualifies when its mean daytime high falls between 18 °C and 27 °C. Where more than five qualify, the answer is the driest run of consecutive qualifying months; where none do, it is the driest three months in a row if the year is hot throughout, or the warmest three if it never gets there. The figures are the thirty-year monthly averages charted below, and they are averages, not a forecast — any single year can miss them by a wide margin.

What the numbers mean for a trip

It is 27-29 °C every single month, day and night. The only thing that changes is rain: February and March are the driest months, and the wet half runs from May to December.

  • The temperature never changes. Daytime means run 27-29 °C and overnight means 26-27 °C in every month of the year - the smallest annual range of any destination on this site.
  • February and March are the driest, at about 40 and 53 mm, and they are the peak of the high season for exactly that reason.
  • May, then September to December, are the wet months, each averaging 190-225 mm - which also makes them the cheaper ones.
  • Wet does not mean washed out. Rain here arrives as squalls; a wet-season day is typically sunny with an hour of heavy rain in it.
  • The sea is warm all year, so the season affects visibility, crossings and price rather than whether you can swim.

A country with one temperature

The table above barely moves: 27-29 °C by day, 26-27 °C at night, all year. Nothing about packing changes between January and July, and the shoulder-season logic that governs most destinations does not apply.

What does change is rain, and it changes a lot:

StretchMonthly rainWhat it is like
February-March40-53 mmThe driest months, and the high season
January, April, June-July82-140 mmIn between - mostly fine, occasional squalls
May, September-December190-225 mmThe wet half: heavier, windier, cheaper

What the wet season actually costs you

Not sunshine. A wet-season day in the Maldives is usually a sunny day with a squall in it - the rain arrives quickly, empties itself and leaves. What it does affect:

  • Crossings. Speedboat transfers to outer atolls are rougher, and seaplanes are grounded by weather more often. This is worth knowing when a connection is tight.
  • Underwater visibility, which is the reason divers pay attention to the season at all.
  • Price. The wet months are considerably cheaper, and for a trip built around a single resort island that trade is often worth making.

Malé

Long-term averages for Malé: the mean daily high, the mean overnight low and the mean monthly rainfall across 30 years of ERA5 reanalysis data (1995–2024).

DayNight
2530°C0250mmJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: Day 27 °C, Night 26 °C, Rain 82 mm. February: Day 28 °C, Night 26 °C, Rain 40 mm. March: Day 28 °C, Night 27 °C, Rain 53 mm. April: Day 29 °C, Night 27 °C, Rain 121 mm. May: Day 29 °C, Night 27 °C, Rain 224 mm. June: Day 28 °C, Night 27 °C, Rain 116 mm. July: Day 28 °C, Night 26 °C, Rain 140 mm. August: Day 28 °C, Night 26 °C, Rain 149 mm. September: Day 28 °C, Night 26 °C, Rain 191 mm. October: Day 28 °C, Night 26 °C, Rain 196 mm. November: Day 28 °C, Night 26 °C, Rain 217 mm. December: Day 27 °C, Night 26 °C, Rain 209 mm
Show the monthly table
MonthDay (°C)Night (°C)Rain (mm)
January272682
February282640
March282753
April2927121
May2927224
June2827116
July2826140
August2826149
September2826191
October2826196
November2826217
December2726209
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Sources (1)

What this guide was checked against. Rules and prices change — follow the official link before you rely on a detail.