While the Maldives may be famed for its secluded beaches and thrilling water sports, it’s also a fantastic destination for stargazing. It’s a “nightlife” experience you don’t want to miss!
Why the Maldives?
The country is ideal for stargazing because of its location; since it’s just above the equator, one can enjoy views of both southern and northern hemisphere stars. Even if you are staying at a city hotel or a luxury Maldives water villa, observing constellations is easy to do.
Places for Stargazing
The great thing about stargazing is that you can enjoy it with the naked eye or a pair of binoculars. To truly appreciate the heavenly wonders, certain resorts even have their own observatories; one example would be the overwater observatory at Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas, the first of its kind in the country.
What You Can See
With the naked eye, Venus, Mercury and Mars can be seen along with Sirius (“Dog Star”) and Hyades (star cluster). The Beehive Cluster and the Orion Nebula can be spied via binoculars, while Asteroid 3 Juno and Asteroid 7 Iris can be spotted with a small telescope. With the nation’s most powerful telescope at the SKY overwater observatory, one can even see Messier 13 with its more than 300,000 stars!
Best Season
On any clear night, one can engage in stargazing in Maldives! That said, November to April which is the country’s dry season is particularly suitable for this activity due to the reduced denseness and frequency of clouds.