Who wouldn’t want to spend Christmas and New Year in the Maldives on a tropical island, lounging on a beach by the warm ocean and dodging falling coconuts? Many dream of it, even if only for 3-4 days in paradise to escape our winter and enter a tropical haven. I’ll tell you everything about spending Christmas and New Year’s in the Maldives: how it goes, what the features, pros, and cons are, and the decision is yours.

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Christmas and New Year in the Maldives: pros

There are many advantages to spending Christmas and New Year’s in the Maldives, here are the most important ones:

  • Summer all year round and +30°C
  • December-January is high season. Dry, sunny, windless, and the ocean water is +29°C
  • At this time, there is a season of bioluminescent plankton, and there aren’t many places in the world where you can easily see it. You can learn more about this phenomenon in the article “Night Maldives.”
  • The water is very clear in the Maldives in winter, which means it’s the best time for snorkeling and diving with sharks, manta rays, turtles, and stingrays. You can find everything about diving in the Maldives: prices, where to find it, and more.
  • No visas, vaccinations, or PCR tests are required to enter the Maldives; just bring your passport and go. You can find everything about visa-free entry and entry requirements into the country.
New Year in the Maldives
Celebrating New Year’s in the Maldives is undoubtedly much better than at home in -10°C.

It’s needless to say that it’s absolutely safe here, tourists are treated with great care, and the vacation turns into a real fairy tale. The Maldives have several disadvantages, but they’re present all year round, not just on New Year’s. You can learn more about this in the article “5 Pros and 5 Cons of the Maldives for Tourists.”

Even these disadvantages won’t spoil your vacation if you know them and prepare in advance. In this matter, the principle applies: forewarned is forearmed.

New Year’s Maldives Cons

Now, here are the main disadvantages you’ll face on New Year’s in the Maldives:

  • Accommodation occupancy tends to be at 100% during the holiday season.
  • Prices are 20-30% higher starting from Christmas (December 24) to January 2-3.
  • You need to book Christmas and New Year’s tour packages and accommodation in August. In November, there won’t be any good options at reasonable prices.
  • Tour packages to the Maldives from London: prices, where to look, what to pay attention to.
christmas in the maldives
You will only find artificial Christmas trees here. In the Maldives, all trees are palms.

It’s important to know that:

the Maldives is an Islamic country with a 100% Muslim population. New Year’s Eve is not a holiday for locals. Their main holidays are the month of Ramadan and Eid al-Adha.

Therefore, there are no big celebrations, fireworks, or anything particularly interesting happening on New Year’s Eve in the Maldives. By midnight, everyone is already asleep.

The locals on the local islands and resort hotels know how important Christmas and New Year’s Eve is for us, tourists. They decorate the island in advance, hang up garlands, and even put up artificial Christmas trees. But that’s usually the extent of it.

Travel tips

The main idea that I want to convey to all tourists who are planning to celebrate New Year’s Eve in the Maldives is as follows:

  • Accommodation during New Year’s Eve is much more expensive than at any other time.
  • You will also have to pay an additional $100-200-300 for a New Year’s Eve dinner. It will be festive and delicious, but even without it, the food and the selection of dishes are great at any time, not just on New Year’s Eve. Learn about the Maldivian cuisine.
  • You don’t have to expect any big celebrations, concerts, or fireworks. Everything happens quietly, without much fanfare, and by midnight, everyone is already asleep. In the end, the overpayment for celebrating New Year’s Eve in the Maldives is significant, but in my opinion, it’s not worth it.

Tip:

My advice: celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve at home with friends and family. Recover on January 1st and go visit your loved ones on January 2nd. Then, on January 3rd, hop on a plane and come to the Maldives for a week or so.

And also, in any hotel in the Maldives, you can organize a wedding ceremony, but that’s a completely different story.

In conclusion, New Year’s Eve in the Maldives is overrated because our expectations of this holiday are too high. In reality, much more fun and grand celebrations take place at home, while in the Maldives, everything is quite modest. However, locals try to create a festive atmosphere for tourists. I recommend coming here right after New Year’s Eve, it’s much cooler.

Resources to help you plan your dream trip to the Maldives

  • Flight tickets and the best deals

  • Hotels and guesthouses on any island: Booking

  • Tour packages (from budget to luxury): Expedia

  • Comprehensive insurance: EKTA

  • eSIM virtual SIM card with internet package at the same price as in telecom store in Male