Vitamin D in Maldives: best months for sun and a travel guide

The best months for vitamin D in Maldives are June to August, October, December to March. In March, a full dose of about 1,000 IU takes around 6 minutes at midday for skin type III at age 30, with 8.5 usable sun hours a day. For a beach stay it is rainy or stormy from April to May and in September and in November.

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Maldives month by month

Maldives is rated at its median coastal place, for skin type III at age 30. Click a month for the details.

Month	Rating	Sun window	Peak UV	Full dose, age 30	Full dose, age 65	Afternoon high	Rainy days
January	Excellent	7.8 h	8.1	7 min	12 min	28°C	12/30
February	Excellent	8.4 h	9.1	6 min	11 min	29°C	12/30
March	Excellent	8.5 h	9.4	6 min	11 min	29°C	12/30
April	Bad weather	8.1 h	8.8	6 min	11 min	30°C	21/30
May	Bad weather	7.5 h	7.7	7 min	13 min	30°C	23/30
June	Excellent	8.1 h	7.7	7 min	13 min	29°C	14/30
July	Excellent	8.1 h	7.9	7 min	13 min	30°C	14/30
August	Excellent	6.6 h	7.3	7 min	14 min	29°C	16/30
September	Bad weather	7.9 h	8.6	6 min	12 min	29°C	23/30
October	Excellent	7.7 h	8.3	6 min	12 min	29°C	15/30
November	Bad weather	7.4 h	8.0	7 min	13 min	28°C	25/30
December	Excellent	7.8 h	7.8	7 min	13 min	29°C	10/30

Sun window is the number of hours a day with UV Index 2.5 or higher. Full dose is the minutes at midday for about 1,000 IU of vitamin D with a quarter of the body bare, for skin type III. Rainy days are days with at least 1 mm out of 30.

Travel guide: why go to Maldives

Why go

The Maldives is the classic overwater-bungalow honeymoon, with 1,000+ coral islands, blue lagoons and some of the best snorkelling anywhere.

Best for

Honeymooners, divers, couples and luxury travellers.

What to expect

Warm all year, the driest season from December to April, and a wetter southwest monsoon from May to October. Most resorts take a whole island, so you eat and sleep in one place. Budget trips are possible on local islands with dress rules.

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Maldives in more detail

Where to base yourself

There are two ways to do the Maldives. A resort island, where you stay on a single island with a lagoon (a classic honeymoon with overwater villas), or a local island such as Maafushi, with guesthouses and a lower budget. Atolls such as Baa and Ari are known for manta rays and whale sharks in season.

Choosing the month

The driest season is from about December to April, with calm seas and clear skies. From May to October the south-west monsoon brings more rain and wind, though there are still many sunny days.

Getting around and good to know

Seaplanes, speedboats and domestic flights link resorts, so transfers are part of the cost and the day. On local islands, alcohol is not served and swimwear is restricted to the designated tourist beach, so dress rules matter.

Places in Maldives

Each place has its own climate, so its best months can differ from the country as a whole.

Malé best: Excellent

Dense capital city and the airport gateway.

Best for transit stays

Best months June to August, December to March · Avoid rainy or stormy from April to May and from September to November

The capital and by far the largest city, crammed onto a small island and by some measures the world's densest city

Maafushi best: Excellent

Popular local island for budget guesthouses and sandbank trips.

Best for budget travellers, couples

Best months June to August, October, December to March · Avoid rainy or stormy from April to May and in September and in November

Baa Atoll best: Excellent

UNESCO biosphere reserve with manta rays in season.

Best for divers, honeymooners

Best months December to April · Avoid rainy or stormy from May to November

Ari Atoll best: Excellent

Whale shark and reef diving atoll.

Best for divers, snorkellers, couples

Best months June, July, October, December to March · Avoid rainy or stormy from April to May and from August to September and in November

Addu Atoll best: Excellent

Southern atoll with wrecks, quieter water and a mix of old and new resorts.

Best for divers, adventure travellers

Best months June to August, October, December to March · Avoid rainy or stormy from April to May and in September and in November

Some short descriptions come from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Questions about vitamin D in Maldives

When is the best time to visit Maldives for vitamin D?

Can you get vitamin D from the sun in Maldives in August?

Yes, but slowly. In August a full dose takes about 7 minutes at midday for skin type III at age 30, with 6.6 usable hours a day.

How long do I need in the sun in Maldives?

In March, the best month, about 6 minutes at midday with a quarter of the body bare, for skin type III at age 30; about 11 minutes at age 65. Darker skin needs longer and fair skin burns sooner, so keep sessions short. This is an estimate for planning, not medical advice.

Which months should I avoid in Maldives?

For a beach stay, avoid the months when it is rainy or stormy from April to May and in September and in November.

What is the best place in Maldives for vitamin D?

In March the strongest sun of the places we rate is around Baa Atoll. Each place has its own rating, so open the place list to compare them.