Seychelles is warm all year, usually 27 to 31 degrees, and sits outside the cyclone belt. December to March is hotter and more humid under the northwest monsoon. May to September is cooler, drier and breezier under the southeast trades. April, October and November are the calm transition months, with the lightest winds, the clearest water and the best conditions for swimming, snorkelling and diving.
Here is the thing most weather pages will not tell you plainly. Seychelles does not really have a bad time to visit. It lies close to the equator, well outside the Indian Ocean cyclone belt, so the temperature barely moves all year and the sun is never far away. What changes is the wind, and once you understand the two monsoons that drive it, the fear of the word “rainy season” disappears and choosing your month becomes simple.
Think of it as two long seasons with two short, golden gaps in between. Get the timing right and you land in glassy, clear water with hardly a breeze. Get it wrong and you simply trade a little calm for cooler air and a fresher sea, which plenty of travellers actually prefer.
The two seasons that shape the year
From December to March the northwest monsoon settles over the islands. Days are hot and humid, around 30 to 31 degrees, and when the rain comes it tends to arrive in short, heavy bursts, often overnight or as a quick afternoon downpour that clears within the hour and leaves everything greener than before. The reward in this season is the sea. Early in the year the water turns glassy and underwater visibility is at its very best, which is why serious divers quietly book February and March.
From May to September the southeast trade winds take charge. The air feels noticeably cooler and drier, closer to 26 to 28 degrees, and a steady breeze keeps even midday comfortable. The trade off is choppier water on the south and east coasts and, in the windiest weeks of mid-winter, patches of sargassum seaweed that drift onto the beaches facing the wind. The sheltered western bays stay calm and clear right through.
Between the two come the changeovers, April and the run from late October into November. The wind drops away, the sea flattens to a sheet of glass and visibility peaks again. If your dates are flexible at all, aim for these weeks. They are the islands at their most flawless.
Month by month at a glance
| Month | Weather | Sea and what to expect |
|---|---|---|
| January | Hot, humid, the heaviest rain | Warm sea, lush green hills, fewer crowds and better value |
| February | Hot, humid, frequent showers | Calm early-season seas and superb underwater visibility |
| March | Hot, the showers easing | Calm and clear, one of the best months of all for diving |
| April | Warm, calm, very little wind | The all-round sweet spot, glassy water and peak clarity |
| May | Warm, the trades arriving | Drier air, a fresh breeze and good shoulder-season prices |
| June | Cooler, breezy, dry | Lively surf on south coasts, calm on the sheltered west |
| July | Coolest, windy, dry | Some seaweed on windward beaches, prime conditions for sailing |
| August | Windy, dry, busy | Peak European holiday season, so book well ahead |
| September | Wind easing, dry | Seas beginning to settle and the crowds thinning out |
| October | Calm returning, warm | Clear water again and excellent snorkelling and diving |
| November | Warm, calm, first light rain | Quiet, clear and good value before the festive rush |
| December | Hot, humid, rain building | Warm sea, with festive crowds arriving late in the month |
The seaweed question, answered honestly
This is the worry the brochures skip. During the southeast trades, roughly June to August, beaches that face the wind on the south and east can gather sargassum seaweed that washes in and is raked away each morning. It is seasonal and patchy, a nuisance rather than a wall of weed, and it almost never reaches the west-facing and leeward bays. The fix is easy. If you travel in those months, pick a hotel or a beach on the sheltered western side of the island and you will barely notice it.
The best months for what you came to do
- Beaches and pure sunshine. April to May and October to November, when the wind is lowest and the sea is calmest.
- Diving and snorkelling. March to May and September to November, for the clearest water and the longest visibility on the reefs.
- Fewer crowds and softer prices. May, June and November sit neatly between the peaks and hand you quiet beaches.
- Green, dramatic scenery. January and February, when the rains keep the forests and hills at their most vivid.
Whichever month you settle on, you are travelling to a place that stays warm and welcoming the whole year round. Choose the window that fits the holiday you have in mind, then lock in where you are staying and how you will get around early, because the calm months and the school holidays are exactly when the best villas and cars are taken first.
Frequently asked questions
What is the rainy season in Seychelles?
December to March, under the northwest monsoon. The rain usually falls as short heavy showers, often overnight, rather than all day, and the islands stay hot and green throughout.
What is the best month to visit Seychelles?
April, and the run from October into November. These calm transition months bring light winds, glassy seas and the clearest underwater visibility of the year.
Is there seaweed on Seychelles beaches?
During the southeast trades, roughly June to August, some windward beaches on the south and east collect seasonal sargassum that is cleared each morning. West-facing and sheltered bays stay clear, so choose your beach accordingly.
Does Seychelles get cold or have cyclones?
No. Temperatures hold around 27 to 31 degrees all year, and the islands sit outside the Indian Ocean cyclone belt, so the cooler months simply feel fresher and breezier rather than cold or stormy.
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