The best time to visit the Seychelles from South Africa

When is the best time to visit the Seychelles?

We suggest April and May, or October and November. They're the changeover months between the two wind seasons, with light winds and the calmest sea of the year, which is what you want for snorkelling, boat days and island hopping. May is also the sunniest month, with about 8 hours of sun a day.

The right month depends on who's travelling:

• Calm sea and snorkelling: April, May, October and November.
• The most sun and the least rain: May to September. July is the driest month. It's also the windy season, so choose a sheltered beach.
• Families tied to school holidays: Easter, with the lightest winds of the year. The June/July holiday is dry but breezy, and the spring holiday comes as the winds ease.
• Honeymooners: October and November. Calm, sunny and quiet, before the Christmas prices.
• Least suited: January, the wettest month, though even January has sunny spells.

Seychelles weather month by month

Mahé's average daytime high stays between 29°C and 32°C all year, and nights between 24°C and 26°C. What changes is the rain and, above all, the wind: the average wind is about twice as strong in August as in April.

Average daytime high and night-time low, monthly rainfall, daily sunshine and average wind:

Averages for 1991-2020 from the Seychelles Meteorological Authority's station at Seychelles International Airport on Mahé, rounded. Sunshine is the monthly total divided by the days in the month; wind is the monthly mean speed.

• January: the peak of the rainy season and the north-west monsoon, with showers day or night, often in the late morning and afternoon. Sunny spells of three or four days still happen. Schools reopen on 13 January 2027.
• February: still wet, but drier and sunnier than January, and the sea is fairly good.
• March: much less rain, lots of sun and calmer seas as the monsoon weakens. The Easter school holiday starts on 20 March 2027.
• April: the monsoon reversal, with light, variable winds and the calmest sea of the year. Also the warmest month, at about 32°C. The cyclone season officially ends.
• May: the south-east trade winds arrive, but the sea is still kind. The sunniest month, and slightly cooler.
• June: dry, with any rain short and mostly before dawn. The trades settle in and the sea gets choppy towards the end of the month. The school holiday starts on 26 June 2027.
• July: the coolest and driest month, and very windy, with rough seas. South- and south-east-facing beaches collect seaweed; the west and north-west coasts are sheltered. The school holiday runs to 19 July 2027.
• August: the peak of the trade winds: cool for the Seychelles, very windy and rough at sea. Women's Day falls on Monday 9 August 2027, a long weekend.
• September: the trades ease but still blow, and it gets a little warmer and wetter. The spring school holiday starts on 23 September 2027.
• October: the winds weaken a lot, and it's the month with the most dry days, about 16. Whale sharks visit. The school holiday runs to 4 October 2027.
• November: the winds drop and swing to the west, the rains start, and the sea is pleasant.
• December: well into the rainy season, but with at least 10 dry days on average and fairly light winds. School holidays start on 10 December 2026 and 9 December 2027.

The two wind seasons, and the calm months between them

The Seychelles has two wind seasons, not a summer and a winter, and they shape the sea more than the rain does.

• North-west monsoon, about December to March: the hot, humid, rainy season. The winds are fairly light and unsteady, so the sea is usually pleasant.
• South-east trade winds, about May to September: cooler, drier and sunnier, but windy, peaking in July and August, with rough seas on exposed coasts.
• The changeovers, April to May and October to November: light winds, the calmest and clearest water, and the best months for snorkelling, diving and boat trips between the islands.

Which beaches are calm in which season

From June to September the south-east trades blow onto beaches facing south and south-east. The sea there can be rough, and seaweed washes up. Beaches facing west and north-west are sheltered.

On Mahé that means:

• Beau Vallon and Port Launay, on the north-west and west coasts, are good choices in the windy months.
• The south coast, such as Anse Forbans, can be windy, with seaweed, from June to September.

From December to March the wind comes from the north-west, but it's lighter, so most beaches stay swimmable. Tell us your dates and we'll suggest hotels on the right side of the island.

Does the Seychelles get cyclones?

Rarely. The Seychelles Meteorological Authority says cyclones in the south-west Indian Ocean normally curve away to the south and rarely affect the main islands of Mahé, Praslin and La Digue. The official season ends in April.

That's a difference from Mauritius, which lies on the cyclone track: its official season runs from November to mid-May. See the best time to visit Mauritius.

Snorkelling, diving and wildlife by season

• Calm, clear water: April to May and October to November, says the Seychelles Tourism Board.
• Whale sharks: October.
• Turtles nesting: October to February, on beaches such as Constance Lemuria's on Praslin.
• Windsurfing and sailing: June to September, when the trades blow steadily.
• Boat transfers and day trips: easiest in the calm months. In July and August the Mahé-Praslin ferry crossing can be rough; the 15-minute flight is the gentler option.

What each season does to the price

Outside Christmas and Easter, Seychelles prices barely move. On our live packages for 2026/27:

• Christmas and New Year cost the most: typically about 40% more than early December. At Constance Ephelia, five nights went from R40,130 per person in early December to R67,880 over New Year.
• Easter costs more at the bigger resorts, such as Constance Lemuria (R64,660 over the Easter weekend against R52,970 in February).
• Mid-May to July is usually the cheapest time: Coral Strand on Mahé, for example, was R21,545 against R24,340 in early December.
• January to mid-March costs about the same as mid-May to July.

So the calm months of April to May and October to November cost little more than the cheapest, unless they fall on Easter. For full prices, see what a Seychelles holiday costs.

Flights by season

Air Seychelles flies non-stop from Johannesburg on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday all year, in about 4 hours 55 minutes.

• Christmas and New Year: an extra Saturday flight runs from 12 December 2026 to 9 January 2027. Festive seats still go first, so book early.
• December to March: from 7 December 2026 to 23 March 2027, the Tuesday flight leaves at 09:00 and lands at 15:55, early enough to reach Praslin the same day. The other flights land at 20:45.
• Cape Town and Durban: no non-stop flight in any season. You connect in Johannesburg, and the connection is in your package.

South African school holidays 2026-2027 and the Seychelles weather

In 2026 and 2027 all public schools follow one national calendar, published by the Department of Basic Education.

Two more points:

• A long weekend: schools close on Monday 26 April 2027 (a special school holiday) and Tuesday 27 April (Freedom Day), making 24 to 27 April a four-day weekend. April is the calmest month, and the flight is under five hours, but with only three flights a week a short stay is hard to fit. Ask us.
• Private schools set their own dates. Check yours before you book.

December is the commonest month for our Seychelles clients, followed by October and September.

Related

• Seychelles holidays
• How much does a Seychelles holiday cost from South Africa (2026/27)
• The best time to visit the Maldives from South Africa
• The best time to visit Mauritius from South Africa
• Mauritius holidays