The Maldives has two seasons — dry (Nov–Apr) and wet (May–Oct) — but resort rate cards don't map cleanly onto either. Every resort sets its own low/shoulder/peak windows, and the difference between them is real money.
How resort seasons actually work
Most 5★ properties treat the second half of September as low season (deep discounts, occasional offers). From 1 October onwards, rates step up into shoulder and stay there until roughly 19 December, when peak holiday pricing takes over through the first week of January. From 6 January to 30 April is typically shoulder, and from May the low-season window opens again.
Budget and 4★ properties compress this into two bands rather than three, but the peak window (Christmas + New Year) is universal.
Weather vs price
The wet season is misunderstood. Storms are usually brief, sunshine dominates, and the water is calmer for snorkelling. If you're comfortable with an afternoon shower once every few days, June–August delivers the same overwater villa at ~40% of the peak-week rate.
Manta and whale-shark season
Baa Atoll's Hanifaru Bay is one of the world's most reliable manta and whale-shark aggregations, running roughly June–November. Book Baa (Amilla, Soneva Fushi, Reethi) in shoulder-into-low for the manta window against a much friendlier rate.
What to avoid
The 20–31 December stretch is priced as a completely separate rate card at nearly every resort — often 2×–3× shoulder. Unless you have a specific date lock, shifting your trip by 10 days to early December or mid-January cuts the total by lakhs.