Darker cells are stronger weather or travel-fit months. The second row is crowd pressure.
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Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
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Quick answers
When is the best time to go?
Start with December, January, February, March & April. Choose June only with a written reason.
Is this a good honeymoon pick?
Romance score 98/100 sits next to crowd 70/100 — read both.
How crowded does it get?
On red months, empty midday or change region.
What should I budget per day?
Use bands in MVR. Mid is the baseline. Not a live fare.
Do I need a visa?
Many passports enter visa-free for a short stay — verify yours.
How many days do I need?
Countries breathe at 7–12 days, honeymoon islands at 5–8. Continents: pick one region.
Read Maldives as regions such as North Male atoll, Baa atoll, Ari atoll, not as a pin.
Male-seaplane-resort is the spine.
Regions
- North Male atoll — North Male atoll is stop 1 in a Maldives map. Give it a night, not a cameo.
- Baa atoll — Baa atoll is stop 2 in a Maldives map. Give it a night, not a cameo.
- Ari atoll — Ari atoll is stop 3 in a Maldives map. Give it a night, not a cameo.
- South Male — South Male is stop 4 in a Maldives map. Give it a night, not a cameo.
- local islands — local islands is stop 5 in a Maldives map. Give it a night, not a cameo.
- seaplane lagoons — seaplane lagoons is stop 6 in a Maldives map. Give it a night, not a cameo.
Routes
- Male-seaplane-resort — Male-seaplane-resort — budget a day for the transfers, not a half-day fantasy.
- Male-speedboat-near atoll — Male-speedboat-near atoll — budget a day for the transfers, not a half-day fantasy.
- Baa biosphere hop — Baa biosphere hop — budget a day for the transfers, not a half-day fantasy.
- local-island hop — local-island hop — budget a day for the transfers, not a half-day fantasy.
Icons
- North Male atoll — Why North Male atoll photographs well, and why it closes in the afternoon.
- Baa atoll — Why Baa atoll photographs well, and why it closes in the afternoon.
- Ari atoll — Why Ari atoll photographs well, and why it closes in the afternoon.
- South Male — Why South Male photographs well, and why it closes in the afternoon.
- local islands — Why local islands photographs well, and why it closes in the afternoon.
Pairings
- Slow pair — Pair North Male atoll with Baa atoll; drop a third stop before you add one.
- Weather pair — Do not force a wet coast and a dry highland into the same week.
- Honeymoon pair — Two city nights plus three quiet nights recover better than a trophy circuit.
Dropping the third city is usually a gain.
When to goPlacesHow to travelCultureCostHoneymoon notesToday