Mauritius Gem

Best time to visit Mauritius

There is no bad month, but there are different months. Summer, November to April, is hot, humid and green, with the warmest sea and the risk of a cyclone between January and March. Winter, May to October, is dry, cooler and windy on the east, with the best hiking and the clearest skies.

Le Morne Brabant, Mauritius
Photo: Máth Dávid - Mdavid89, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Month by month

January to March: hottest and wettest, 30°C+ and humid. Cyclone season; most years pass without one, but if one comes it shuts the island for two or three days. Waterfalls at full flow. Lowest hotel prices outside the holidays.

April and May: the best months. Still warm, rain easing, sea still 27°C, everything green, crowds gone. If you can pick, pick these.

June to August: winter. 24°C by day, cooler nights, dry. Trade wind steady on the east and south, which brings kitesurfers and keeps the east coast beaches empty. Prime hiking. Sea at 23°C, still swimmable.

September and October: warming up, still dry, wind easing. Good all round; October is the second-best month after May.

November and December: hot again, sea warming, occasional short storms. December is peak price for the holidays; November is not.

Pick by what you want

Beach and warm sea: November to April. Hiking and waterfalls with water in them: April to June. Cheapest with good weather: May, June, September, October. Kitesurfing: June to September on the east coast. Whale watching: July to October off the west.

The places

  1. Le Morne Brabant, Mauritius

    01 · West

    Le Morne Brabant

    The UNESCO-listed mountain at the island's south-west tip: a three-hour hike, a maroon-slavery memorial and the best beach on the west coast at its foot.

    When
    May to October for the hike; any month for the beach, with the best light late afternoon
    Time
    Half a day for the hike; an hour for the beach

    HikesViewpointsBeachesCulture & historyFreeSunsets

  2. Black River Gorges National Park, Mauritius

    02 · West

    Black River Gorges National Park

    The island's last big native forest: 60 km of free trails, a gorge viewpoint from the road, and the best chance of seeing a Mauritius kestrel or echo parakeet.

    When
    May to October, cooler and drier underfoot
    Time
    Fifteen minutes for the viewpoint; three to five hours for a trail

    HikesNatureViewpointsWildlifeFreeHidden gems

  3. Tamarind Falls (Sept Cascades), Mauritius

    03 · West

    Tamarind Falls (Sept Cascades)

    Seven waterfalls stepping down a gorge near Henrietta, with natural pools you can swim in. The island's best half-day canyon walk, and best done with a local guide.

    When
    April to November; never during or after heavy rain
    Time
    Two hours for the upper pools; a full day for all seven

    WaterfallsHikesNatureHidden gems

  4. Belle Mare, Mauritius

    04 · East

    Belle Mare

    Ten kilometres of public beach on the east coast, with the old sugar-mill ruins behind it. Windier and emptier than the north; the sunrise side of the island.

    When
    October to April for calm water; any month for sunrise
    Time
    Half a day

    BeachesFreeSunsets

  5. Blue Bay Marine Park, Mauritius

    05 · East

    Blue Bay Marine Park

    The best snorkelling reachable from the shore: a protected lagoon near the airport with corals metres from the beach and a public beach behind it.

    When
    October to April for warmest, clearest water
    Time
    Half a day

    SnorkellingBeachesWith childrenFree

Questions people ask

When is cyclone season in Mauritius?
November to April, with January to March the highest risk. Direct hits are rare; a few days of heavy rain and wind from a passing system are more common. Travel insurance covers it.
What is the cheapest month to visit Mauritius?
February and March for hotels, outside the school holidays, at the cost of heat and humidity. May and June are the best value with good weather.
Is Mauritius good in July and August?
Yes. It is winter: dry, 24°C, windy on the east. The sea is cooler at about 23°C. It is the best time for walking and the plateau.