The dry northeast monsoon from December to April is peak season, with the clearest water, lowest humidity, and best snorkeling visibility; it is also the priciest and busiest, especially around Christmas, New Year, and Easter. The wet southwest monsoon (May to November) brings short, heavy downpours and choppier seas, but also lower prices and quieter beaches, with manta and whale-shark sightings more common around the atolls. February and March offer the best all-around conditions, while November and April are sweet-spot shoulder months. Note that as a Muslim island, Maafushi observes Ramadan (dates shift yearly), when some local cafes keep limited daytime hours.

Everyone arrives via Velana International Airport (MLE) in Male. From there the easiest option is a shared speedboat transfer (around 30 to 45 minutes, roughly $25-35 each way), which guesthouses arrange and which runs on a fixed schedule throughout the day. The cheap alternative is the public ferry from Male's Villingili terminal (about 90 minutes, under $4), but it runs only a few times daily and not on Fridays, so confirm times in advance. On Maafushi itself you do not need transport at all: the island is tiny and entirely walkable in 15 minutes end to end. Everything (guesthouses, dive shops, restaurants) clusters along a handful of sandy lanes.