The best time to visit the Maldives from South Africa
For weather, the best time to visit the Maldives is January to March, the dry north-east monsoon: February is the driest month, with rain on about 3 days. Mid-May to November is the wet south-west monsoon, but it stays at 30°C to 32°C and our packages cost about a fifth less.
When is the best time to visit the Maldives?
We suggest January to March for the weather. It's the dry season, with rain on only three to six days a month at Malé, more than 9 hours of sun a day in February and March, and days of 31°C to 32°C. It's also the most expensive time outside Christmas.
The right month depends on who's travelling:
- Best weather: January to March.
- Best value: mid-April to September. Prices drop by about a fifth, and the rain usually comes in showers, not all day.
- Honeymooners: February or March for sun; May, June or September for value.
- Families tied to school holidays: the Easter holiday is the only one in or near the dry season. The June/July holiday is in the wet season but costs less.
- Surfers: March to May and September to November.
- Manta rays: about May to November, at Hanifaru Bay in Baa Atoll.
- Least suited, for sun: October and November, the wettest months at Malé.
Maldives weather month by month
The Maldives is hot all year: average daytime highs run from 30°C to 32°C, and nights stay at 26°C to 27°C. The sea is about 28°C. What changes is the rain: at Malé it falls on about 3 days in February and on about 15 days in May, September and October.
Average daytime high and night-time low, monthly rainfall, days with rain and daily sunshine at Malé:
| Month | Day / night | Rain | Rain days | Sun a day | Our view |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31° / 26° | 87 mm | 6 | 8 h | Dry season: our pick |
| Feb | 31° / 26° | 38 mm | 3 | 9 h | The driest: our pick |
| Mar | 32° / 27° | 49 mm | 5 | 9 h | Dry and sunny: our pick |
| Apr | 32° / 27° | 127 mm | 9 | 9 h | The hottest; the changeover |
| May | 32° / 27° | 238 mm | 15 | 7 h | Wet monsoon begins |
| Jun | 31° / 26° | 146 mm | 13 | 7 h | Wet season, lower prices |
| Jul | 31° / 26° | 198 mm | 14 | 7 h | Wet season, lower prices |
| Aug | 31° / 26° | 193 mm | 13 | 7 h | Wet season, lower prices |
| Sep | 31° / 26° | 214 mm | 15 | 7 h | Wet season, lower prices |
| Oct | 31° / 26° | 245 mm | 15 | 7 h | The wettest |
| Nov | 30° / 26° | 236 mm | 14 | 7 h | Wet, easing late in the month |
| Dec | 30° / 26° | 212 mm | 12 | 7 h | The changeover, festive peak |
Averages for 1991-2020 from the Maldives Meteorological Service's station at Hulhulé, next to Malé, rounded. Rain days are days with 1 mm or more; sunshine is the monthly total divided by the days in the month.
- January: the dry north-east monsoon, with about 87 mm of rain on 6 days and 8 hours of sun a day. Schools reopen on 13 January 2027.
- February: the driest month: about 38 mm on 3 days, and more than 9 hours of sun a day.
- March: still dry, and the month with the most sunshine. The Easter school holiday starts on 20 March 2027.
- April: the hottest month, at about 32°C, and the changeover between the monsoons; rain rises to about 9 days. The Easter holiday runs to 5 April 2027.
- May: the south-west monsoon arrives in mid-May, with rain on about 15 days. Prices are at their lowest.
- June: the least rainy month of the wet season, at about 146 mm. The school holiday starts on 26 June 2027.
- July and August: wet season, rain on about 13 or 14 days, but still about 7 hours of sun a day. The school holiday runs to 19 July 2027, and Women's Day falls on Monday 9 August 2027.
- September: rain on about 15 days. The spring school holiday starts on 23 September 2027.
- October: the wettest month at Malé, about 245 mm. The school holiday runs to 4 October 2027.
- November: still wet, about 236 mm on 14 days.
- December: a changeover month, wetter than many expect: about 212 mm on 12 days. School holidays start on 10 December 2026 and 9 December 2027.
The two monsoons
The Maldives has two seasons, set by the monsoon winds, not a summer and a winter.
- North-east monsoon, January to March: the dry season. Calmer, clearer, sunnier weather, and the highest prices outside Christmas.
- South-west monsoon, mid-May to November: the wet season. More cloud, rain on about half the days and stronger winds, often in heavy showers with sunshine between.
- December and April: changeover months. December can be wet; April is fairly dry and the hottest month.
The wet season doesn't mean grey weeks: even the wettest months average about 7 hours of sunshine a day at Malé. It does mean a boat trip or a seaplane flight may move by a few hours.
North or south: does the atoll matter?
A little. Most resorts, including all of ours, are in the central and northern atolls, a speedboat ride or a short flight from Malé, so the Malé figures are the best guide.
The far south is different. At Gan, in Addu Atoll, rain is spread more evenly through the year, and the dry season is wetter than at Malé: January averages about 204 mm there, against 87 mm at Malé. If your heart is set on the driest weeks, we suggest a resort in the central atolls.
Does the Maldives get cyclones?
Rarely directly. The Maldives Meteorological Service says cyclones rarely pass directly over the islands, which lie close to the equator. Storms far away can still bring wind, rain and rough seas for a few days.
That's a real difference from Mauritius, where the official cyclone season runs from November to mid-May. See the best time to visit Mauritius.
Sea, snorkelling, diving and surfing by season
The sea is warm all year, about 28°C, so snorkelling and diving go on in every month. What changes is the light, the wind and what visits.
- Sunny, calm days for snorkelling: January to March, in the dry season.
- Manta rays: about May to November, during the south-west monsoon, at Hanifaru Bay in Baa Atoll, a UNESCO biosphere reserve where mantas gather to feed.
- Surfing: mid-February to November, best from March to May and from September to the end of November, says Visit Maldives. North Malé Atoll has the best-known breaks; Adaaran Select Hudhuranfushi sits beside the Lohis break.
- Seaplanes: they fly in daylight only, in every season. Land in Malé by 15:30 to reach a seaplane resort the same day.
What each season does to the price
The season moves the price more in the Maldives than on any other island we sell. On our live packages for 2026/27:
- Mid-April to September is the cheapest time at almost every resort. Kuredu, for example, was R33,930 per person for five nights full board from May to September 2027.
- January to mid-March, the dry season, costs about a quarter more: R46,900 at Kuredu.
- Christmas and New Year cost the most: R48,995 at Kuredu, and R95,480 at Siyam World, against R65,970 in early December.
- November to mid-December sits in between.
So the best weather and the best price don't coincide. If the dates are yours to choose, February or March for the sun, or May, June or September for the price. For full prices by resort, see what a Maldives holiday costs.
Our clients' Maldives trips are spread through the year: May, December, September and June are their commonest months.
Flights by season
No airline flies non-stop from South Africa: you change planes once, usually in Dubai or Doha, about 14 to 18 hours in all. The routes run all year.
- Johannesburg: Emirates via Dubai and Qatar Airways via Doha, plus Etihad and Turkish Airlines.
- Cape Town: Emirates and Qatar Airways, without going through Johannesburg.
- Durban: Emirates daily via Dubai, or a connection in Johannesburg.
- Arrival times: Emirates and Qatar land in Malé in the morning (about 07:30 to 09:30) or mid-afternoon (about 14:50 to 15:30). For a seaplane resort, choose the morning arrival in every season.
- Christmas, New Year and the school holidays: flights fill first. Book these dates early.
South African school holidays 2026-2027 and the Maldives weather
In 2026 and 2027 all public schools follow one national calendar, published by the Department of Basic Education.
| School holiday | Dates | Maldives weather | Our advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 2026 | Schools close 9 Dec 2026, reopen 13 Jan 2027 | The changeover: about 212 mm in December, drying in January | The dearest weeks of the year. Book early, or travel in the second week of January |
| Easter 2027 | Schools close 19 Mar, reopen 6 Apr 2027 (Good Friday 26 Mar, Family Day 29 Mar) | End of the dry season, the hottest days | Our pick for families. Prices fall at many resorts from about 30 March |
| Winter 2027 | Schools close 25 Jun, reopen 20 Jul 2027 | Wet season, but June is its least rainy month | Good value; expect some showers |
| Spring 2027 | Schools close 22 Sep, reopen 5 Oct 2027 (Heritage Day 24 Sep) | Wet season | Value, with rain on about half the days |
| December 2027 | Schools close 8 Dec 2027 | As December 2026 | The 2028 calendar isn't final, so the reopening date isn't known |
Two more points:
- Short breaks: the journey takes most of a day each way, so the four-day weekend of 24 to 27 April 2027 is too short for the Maldives. Mauritius, four hours non-stop, suits it better.
- Private schools set their own dates. Check yours before you book.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to visit the Maldives?
February or March. February is the driest month at Malé, with about 38 mm of rain on 3 days, and March has the most sunshine. January is dry too. Expect the highest prices outside Christmas.
When is the rainy season in the Maldives?
Mid-May to November, during the south-west monsoon, with rain on 13 to 15 days a month at Malé. October is the wettest month, at about 245 mm. December and April are changeover months.
Is it worth going to the Maldives in the rainy season?
Yes, if price matters. It's still 30°C to 32°C, with about 7 hours of sun a day, and the rain usually comes in showers. Our packages cost about a fifth less from May to September than from January to March.
Is December a good time to go to the Maldives?
It's a changeover month and wetter than many expect, about 212 mm of rain on 12 days at Malé. Christmas and New Year are also the most expensive weeks of the year. For drier weather and lower prices, the second half of January is better.
What is the weather like in the Maldives in June and July?
Warm and wet: about 31°C by day, with rain on about 13 or 14 days a month, usually in showers between sunny spells. June is the least rainy month of the wet season, and prices are among the lowest of the year.
Does the Maldives get cyclones?
Rarely directly. The Maldives Meteorological Service says cyclones rarely pass over the islands, though distant storms can bring wind, rain and rough seas for a few days.
When can you see manta rays in the Maldives?
The best-known site, Hanifaru Bay in Baa Atoll, has its manta season from about May to November, during the south-west monsoon. Mantas are seen elsewhere through the year.
What is the cheapest time to go to the Maldives?
Mid-April to September, at almost every resort we sell. The dry season, January to March, costs about a quarter more, and Christmas and New Year the most.