When is the best time to visit the Maldives? This is our experience of booking in the low season in the Maldives.
There are two seasons in the Maldives. The high season in the Maldives is from November through March and the low season is from April through October.
The Maldives is one of the most luxurious destinations on the planet. With its crystal clear waters, beautiful untouched coral reefs and world-class resorts; you want to make sure whenever you book your trip that you are going at the best time of year.
However, the temperature in the Maldives is on average 30c throughout the year. So is it really worth paying the (often) double prices for visiting during the high season? Or is it worth booking your holiday during the low season and taking a risk?
Our Experience Booking Low Season
We travelled to the Maldives in September. Our island was based in the Lhaviyani Atoll, which is a 40-minute seaplane away from Male.
Rainfall is often the biggest factor in booking during the high season. The other reason is that rainfall can also impact your travel plans to your resort island if the rain is too heavy as seaplanes and speedboats can be cancelled.
September is one of the wettest seasons in the Maldives, alongside November. Each island has a microclimate you need to consider. After all, many of the islands are scattered across the vast Indian Ocean.
Many of the outer islands that are away from the mainland can only be reached by seaplane. Seaplanes can be grounded in bad weather. Which can mean time trapped on the mainland if the weather is too bad to fly.
When we arrived on the island with vibrant sunshine, with no hitches we didn’t realise that two weeks prior there had been two straight weeks of downpours affecting the travel of many holiday-goers to Komandoo. We were fortunate enough to have tropical weather on our side.
Throughout our stay, there was only one rainfall which cleared after 10 minutes. The weather was perfect for the rest of our stay. Our overwater villa cost half the price of what it would if we went during high season, which meant we had more money to spend on other comforts whilst travelling as well as booking the best package for our stay.
In our experience going off-season is a risk, however, tropical weather is unpredictable you could go during high season and still have a bad spate of luck with the weather. We felt it was worth the gamble and it paid off for us.
Takeaway of Our Komandoo Trip
There is no bad time to visit the Maldives, but it depends on what you want to get out of your trip. If you are planning your getaway, consider why you are travelling, if it is to experience certain marine life then researching the best months for this is crucial.
If you want to minimise risk go during high season. Or consider booking island resorts that are closer to the mainland. So seaplane travel is less at risk of being cancelled if you just want a relaxing sunshine-filled holiday.
Either way our stay in the Maldives was an unforgettable experience with great weather, the best food as well as full of marine-spotting.
Want to know more about our stay at Komandoo? We have guides and review on food, activities and what to expect.
