Maldives
Satellite: Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 by EOX (CC BY 4.0). Outline and points © OpenStreetMap contributors / Natural Earth. North up.
In numbers
2.1km²
Area
10km
Coastline
17m
Highest point
153,379
People
30°C
Warmest sea
April
604km
To the mainland
When to go to Male Island
Best for the beach from January to March.
The sea is warmest in April (30 °C) and coolest in January (28 °C). You can swim comfortably all year (21 °C or more).
Averages 1991–2020. Sea: NOAA OISST, the water within 35 km of the coast. Air, rain and sun: NASA POWER. Best months weigh warm afternoons (23–30 °C), sea of 24 °C or more and few wet days.
Island in Maldives
Male Island is an island in Maldives. It covers 2.1 km², with 10 km of coastline. Its highest point rises to 17 m. About 153,379 people live on it. The nearest mainland is 604 km away.
Getting there
- Velana International Airport (MLE)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 3 km in a straight line
- FerriesHotel Shuttle, Malé-Gulhi no311, Malé to Villimalé Ferry, Airport to Dhigurah via Dhangethi (Endheri Express speed boat)
- 604 km from the mainlanddistance to the nearest continental coast
- From January to Marchbest months to go (from 30 years of averages)
Plan the trip
Ferries, stays and things to do
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On the island
What you find on Male Island.
- 3beachesRansfannu Beach, Raalhugandu, Male' Artificial Beach
- 1viewpointsBridge View
- 7ferry terminalsJetty #7, MLE Airport Employees Ferry (Jetty #5), Jetty #6 and 4 more
- 6marinasMale SW Harbor, Male South Harbour, Male Airport Jetty and 3 more
- 1dive centresMA Services
- 1surf spotsRaalhugandu
- 34hotels, guesthouses and apartments
- 173restaurants, cafés and bars
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit, inside the island's outline. A low number may only mean nobody has mapped it yet.
The shape of the land.
On average the island stands 5 m above the sea. 100 % of it is below 200 m.
- 100 %0–50 m
Share of the island's area in each altitude band, from the Copernicus DEM (30 m, read at 30–240 m on large islands).
Size, for real
Next to islands you may know.
2 km
All outlines drawn to the same scale (Natural Earth and OpenStreetMap).
Towns on the island
- Male103,693 people
Month by month
The weather on the island.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoon high (°C) | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
| Night low (°C) | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 |
| Sea (°C) | 28 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 |
| Rain (mm) | 53 | 37 | 50 | 98 | 191 | 148 | 165 | 193 | 185 | 186 | 232 | 184 |
| Wet days | 11 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 21 |
| Sun h/day | 8.4 | 9.0 | 9.1 | 8.3 | 6.8 | 6.9 | 6.6 | 7.0 | 6.9 | 7.2 | 6.3 | 6.7 |
| Wind (km/h) | 19 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 17 |
Averages 1991–2020 for the ~55 km NASA POWER cell over the island; the sea from NOAA OISST.
Recent years
Warmer and cooler years at sea.
Each month's sea temperature compared with its 1991–2020 average, in degrees.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +0.6 | +0.5 | +0.3 | +0.7 | +0.3 | +0.3 | +0.7 | +0.6 | +0.3 | +0.1 | +0.7 | +0.9 |
| 2021 | +0.6 | +0.4 | +0.1 | −0.1 | +0.7 | +0.2 | +0.2 | +0.3 | +0.3 | +0.3 | −0.2 | +0.4 |
| 2022 | +0.6 | +0.5 | +0.1 | +0.5 | −0.1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | −0.5 | −0.3 | −0.4 | −0.3 | ±0.0 |
| 2023 | −0.1 | −0.1 | −0.5 | +0.4 | +0.5 | +0.2 | +0.5 | +0.7 | +0.5 | +0.6 | +0.8 | +1.1 |
| 2024 | +0.7 | +0.7 | +0.6 | +0.9 | +0.5 | +0.5 | +1.1 | +0.6 | +0.7 | +0.5 | +1.0 | +1.0 |
| 2025 | +0.3 | +0.4 | +0.2 | +0.2 | +0.3 | +0.5 | +0.7 | ±0.0 | +0.4 | +0.6 | +0.3 | ±0.0 |
+1 warmer than usual −1 cooler than usual
Photos
Seen by visitors.
Nearby
More islands nearby.
About these numbers
| Names, area, population | Wikidata (Q1888052) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Outline | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Sea temperature | NOAA OISST v2.1 · 1991–2020 |
| Climate | NASA POWER · 1991–2020 |
| Relief, 3D model | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Beaches, ports, lighthouses, trails | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Towns | GeoNames · CC BY 4.0 |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
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