Maldives in the Green Season — Travel Guide
By Harry Nara · Last updated
Maldives in Green Season offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for budget & manta rays. Expect temperatures of 26–31°C, around 13–15 days of rain, and low crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around $100–350 for mid-range travellers. Rooms are easy to find last-minute and hotel prices stay noticeably softer through the season.
Contents16 sections
- At a Glance
- Weather in Maldives in Green Season
- May to October in the Maldives
- What to Do in Maldives in Green Season
- Getting Around
- Budget & Costs
- Food & Dining
- Nightlife
- Shopping
- Culture & Etiquette
- Essential Local Phrases
- Packing List
- Backup Plans (Heavy Rain Days)
- Safety & Health
- What's New for the Green Season 2027
- About This Guide
#At a Glance
The Maldives' green season runs from May to October, the half of the year ruled by the southwest monsoon. It is warmer and wetter than the dry season, with rain on about half the days and some stretches of grey, windy weather, but the temperature barely moves from 31°C, the sea stays at bath heat, and the sun shines through most days between the squalls. In return, resort rates are the lowest of the year, the surf season is at its best, and the manta rays gather in Baa Atoll.
The holidays of 2027 fall early: Eid al-Adha around 16 May, the Islamic New Year in early June, and Independence Day on Monday 26 July. May and October are the shoulder months; June to September are the heart of the monsoon.
#Weather in Maldives in Green Season
Maldives in Green Season averages 26–31°C (79–88°F) with around 13–15 days of rain, and crowds are low.
| Month | Daytime high | Overnight low | Rainy days | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May | About 32°C / 89°F | About 27°C / 80°F | About 15 | 6:11pm on the 1st |
| June | About 31°C / 88°F | About 26°C / 79°F | About 13 | 6:20pm by the 30th |
| July | About 31°C / 88°F | About 26°C / 79°F | About 14 | 6:21pm by the 31st |
| August | About 31°C / 88°F | About 26°C / 79°F | About 13 | 6:12pm by the 31st |
| September | About 31°C / 88°F | About 26°C / 79°F | About 15 | 5:59pm by the 30th |
| October | About 31°C / 88°F | About 26°C / 79°F | About 15 | 5:49pm by the 31st |
Figures are Maldives Meteorological Service and NOAA averages for Malé.
What that actually means for your trip:
- The temperature hardly changes. Every month of the season averages 31°C by day and 26°C at night; what changes is the wind, the cloud and the sea.
- Rain usually comes in squalls. A heavy shower or a storm that passes in an hour or two is the typical pattern, but a low-pressure spell can bring several grey, windy days in a row.
- The sea is rougher on the south-west. Swell and wind hit the southwest-facing sides of the atolls; lagoons on the sheltered side stay calm, and transfers across open water can be bumpy.
- The visibility drops on some reefs, while the plankton that clouds the water feeds the mantas and whale sharks.
Is the green season a good time to visit the Maldives? Yes, for value, surfing and big marine life. The same overwater villa can cost far less than in February, and the islands are quiet. It is a gamble for a short trip built entirely on sunbathing; a week usually brings plenty of sun, but a long weekend can catch a bad spell. Choose a resort with a sheltered lagoon and a short transfer, and give yourself a few days.
#May to October in the Maldives
May brings the monsoon in, with the first rough seas and the year's first big drop in resort rates.
Eid al-Adha is expected around 16 May 2027, confirmed by the moon; on local islands it is a holiday of several days. See our Maldives in May guide.
June to August are the heart of the season.
The Islamic New Year is expected in early June, a public holiday.
Independence Day, Monday 26 July 2027, marks the end of British protection in 1965, with parades and celebrations in Malé.
The Prophet's Birthday is expected in mid-August, another public holiday. This is the peak of the surf season in North Malé Atoll, and the manta gatherings in Hanifaru Bay usually build from July.
September and October see the monsoon easing towards its end. The mantas stay in Baa Atoll into the autumn, the resort rates are still low, and by late October the first calmer days hint at the dry season ahead.
All season, whale sharks are seen in South Ari Atoll, and in the southwest monsoon the plankton that feeds the mantas drifts to the eastern side of the atolls, so the best manta sites shift with it.
#What to Do in Maldives in Green Season
Solo Travellers
Join a liveaboard for manta and whale shark sites, or stay on Dhigurah in South Ari, a local island where whale shark trips cost guesthouse prices.
Surfers can book a camp on Thulusdhoo beside the Cokes break.
Couples
The green season is when an overwater villa comes within reach; pick one over a lagoon protected from the south-west. A dolphin cruise at dusk and breakfast on a sandbank are the classic extras.
Families
For children, the deciding features are a shallow, sheltered lagoon, a kids' club for the wet afternoons and reef close enough to the beach to snorkel without a boat. The marine biologists at many resorts run guided snorkels and talks for young visitors.
Groups
A whole surf or dive boat chartered for a week works out cheaper per head than resort rooms; on land, a guesthouse booked out by one group gets its own boat trips.
#Getting Around
All international flights land at Velana International Airport, on Hulhulé beside Malé.
Resorts in the Malé atolls send a speedboat; those further out use a seaplane, or a domestic flight and a boat. Seaplanes fly only in daylight and in safe weather, and a storm can delay them by hours, more often in the green season than in the dry.
Guesthouse islands are reached by public ferry or shared speedboat.
#Budget & Costs
| Travel style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | US$100–170 | Local-island guesthouse, island meals, shared excursions |
| Mid-range | US$350–620 | A 4-star island resort with breakfast and dinner, speedboat transfer |
| Luxury | US$950+ | A water villa on full board, with the seaplane both ways |
The green season is low season, with the year's lowest resort rates from June to September and frequent offers of free nights, meals or transfers.
Costs worth knowing:
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Green Tax, resorts | US$12 per person per night |
| Green Tax, small guesthouses | US$6 per person per night |
| Tourism tax (T-GST) | 17% on resort bills |
| Departure tax, economy | US$50 |
| Resort service charge | Usually 10% |
- Add the extras before comparing resorts: service charge, tax and the Green Tax.
- Seaplane transfers are charged per person.
- Travel insurance that covers weather delays is worth having.
#Food & Dining
Low-season packages make half board or all-inclusive the better deal at many resorts.
On local islands, eat mas huni, shredded tuna with coconut and chilli, with roshi flatbread at breakfast, garudhiya fish soup at lunch, and the teashops' hedhikaa short eats in the afternoon. Alcohol is served only on resorts and liveaboards.
#Nightlife
Nightlife is the resort bar, a beach dinner and the stars between the clouds. Local islands are alcohol-free and quiet after dark.
#Shopping
There is little to buy on a resort beyond the boutique. A few hours in Malé between transfers can take in the fish market at its busiest in the late afternoon and the craft stalls near the harbour. Coral, shell and turtle products cannot legally be exported.
#Culture & Etiquette
- Dress for a Muslim village when you step off a resort: shoulders and knees covered, swimwear only on a marked bikini beach.
- Leave alcohol behind: customs confiscates it, and only resorts and liveaboards may serve it.
- On public holidays, local islands slow down; greet people with "Eid Mubarak" at Eid.
- Never touch coral, turtles, mantas or whale sharks.
#Essential Local Phrases
| English | Dhivehi | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Assalaamu alaikum | As-sa-LAH-moo a-LAY-kum |
| Thank you | Shukuriyaa | Shoo-koo-REE-yaa |
| Yes | Aan | Aan |
| No | Noon | Noon |
| How much? | Kihaa vareh? | Kee-HAA VA-reh? |
| Good | Rangalhu | RAN-ga-lu |
| Island | Rah | Rah |
| Goodbye | Dhanee | DHA-nee |
#Packing List
- Clothes that dry overnight in humid air
- A packable waterproof
- A long-sleeved rash vest and mineral sunscreen
- A roll-top bag to keep a phone dry on the boats
- Seasickness remedies for windy transfers
- A sarong or long skirt for village visits
- A mask that fits, if you snorkel a lot
#Backup Plans (Heavy Rain Days)
On a stormy day, book the spa, a cooking class, a wine tasting or a resort talk on marine life; most storms pass within a few hours.
If the boat trip is called off: the leeward edge of your own island's reef is usually still swimmable; the excursion team will offer the next calm slot.
If the weather sets in for days: book dives with the resort's dive centre, which knows the sheltered sites, or take a spa package and wait for the next calm morning.
#Safety & Health
The Maldives is safe. In the green season, respect the sea: currents in the channels are strong and can strengthen with the monsoon, so stay inside the marked areas unless a guide is with you. Lightning storms pass quickly; leave the water when one approaches.
Emergency: 119 for police, 102 for an ambulance.
#What's New for the Green Season 2027
- Eid al-Adha is expected around 16 May 2027, and the Islamic New Year in early June
- Independence Day falls on Monday 26 July 2027
- The Green Tax is US$12 per person per night at resorts, doubled from 1 January 2025
- The departure tax for economy passengers is US$50
- Hanifaru Bay remains snorkel-only, with guided, time-limited visits
#About This Guide
By Harry Nara (founder of WhenToWander), updated October 2026 for the green season 2027. Climate figures are Maldives Meteorological Service and NOAA averages for Malé. Dates and prices verified against:
- Maldives Meteorological Service for climate data
- Time Out for Hanifaru Bay's manta season and rules
- Maldives Inland Revenue Authority for the Green Tax and T-GST
- Travel Trade Maldives for the 2025 Green Tax change
- Visit Maldives for travel information
For each month in detail, see May, June, July, August, September and October.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth visiting the Maldives in the green season?
Yes, for value, surfing and marine life. Resort rates are the lowest of the year, the manta season runs in Baa Atoll and whale sharks are seen in South Ari. Expect rain on about half the days, usually squalls between sunny spells, and choose a resort with a sheltered lagoon and a short transfer.
How bad is the rain in the Maldives green season?
Each month from May to October averages 13 to 15 rainy days, but most are a heavy shower or a storm that passes in an hour or two. A low-pressure spell can bring several grey, windy days in a row. The temperature stays at about 31°C by day and 26°C at night throughout.
When is the best time to see manta rays in the Maldives?
Mantas are seen all year. The famous gatherings at Hanifaru Bay in Baa Atoll run from about May to November, at their biggest from July to October; the bay is snorkel-only, with guided, time-limited visits. In the southwest monsoon the best manta sites are on the eastern sides of the atolls.
Are resorts open in the Maldives green season?
Yes, all year. The green season is low season, with the lowest rates from June to September and frequent offers of free nights, meals or transfers. Seaplanes fly only in daylight and good weather, so allow a margin before onward flights.
How much does it cost to visit Maldives in Green Season?
Budget-conscious travellers can expect daily costs of $100–350, covering accommodation, food, and local transport. Quieter periods usually push prices toward the lower end of this range.