The Best Time to Visit Mauritius: A Month-by-Month Weather Guide for 2026-2027

Sea conditionsWarm and calm inside the lagoon; occasional swell on the exposed south and east.

What's onNew Year (1-2 Jan) is the island's busiest week. Thaipoosam Cavadee falls in late January in 2027.

Best forSun-seekers who do not mind an afternoon downpour, and anyone who wants the lagoon at its warmest.

Editor's verdict: Hot, wet and expensive. Come in January for the sea temperature, not the weather forecast.

Sea conditionsWarmest of the year at 28 °C, but the most likely month for a cyclone swell to close water sports.

What's onAbolition of Slavery (1 Feb). Chinese Spring Festival falls on 6 Feb in 2027.

Best forBudget travellers who can be flexible, and divers chasing 40 m visibility between systems.

Editor's verdict: The wettest month and the peak of cyclone season. Rates drop for a reason - but the reason is real.

Sea conditionsStill 28 °C and still warm enough for hours in the water; visibility good between rain bands.

What's onMaha Shivaratree sees thousands walk to Grand Bassin. Independence Day is on 12 March.

Best forDivers, and anyone who wants an authentic look at the island's Hindu calendar.

Editor's verdict: March gives you February's warmth with slightly less rain - and one of the island's great cultural spectacles.

Sea conditionsSea still 27 °C. Trade winds begin to return late in the month; kite spots start filling up.

What's onOugadi, the Telugu new year. Easter dates move each year and push rates up when they land here.

Best forCouples wanting warmth without February's rain, and early-season kitesurfers.

Editor's verdict: The first genuinely good month of the year. Cyclone risk is falling and the humidity breaks.

Sea conditions26 °C and settling. Trade winds steady on the south-west - Le Morne comes alive.

What's onLabour Day (1 May). The island is quiet between the European and southern-hemisphere holidays.

Best forAlmost everyone. Honeymooners, families, hikers, kitesurfers, first-time visitors.

Editor's verdict: Our pick for the best single month of the year. Warm, dry, uncrowded and cheap - the rare month with no trade-off.

Sea conditions25 °C - still swimmable for most, and flat inside the lagoon on the north and west.

What's onHumpback whale season opens. Southern swells arrive at Tamarin and One Eye for surfers.

Best forHikers, surfers, kitesurfers, and anyone who finds 30 °C oppressive.

Editor's verdict: The best month for walking Le Morne or Black River Gorges. Bring a light layer for the evening.

Sea conditions24 °C. Noticeably cooler in the water; the east coast gets windy and choppy.

What's onPeak European and South African school holidays. Humpback whales are being sighted regularly off the west coast.

Best forFamilies travelling on school holidays, whale watchers, kitesurfers.

Editor's verdict: Great conditions, high prices. Book the west or north coast - the east is windy in July.

Sea conditionsCoolest sea of the year at 23 °C. Fine for a swim, cold for a long snorkel without a shorty.

What's onAssumption of Mary (15 Aug). Peak humpback whale encounters.

Best forWhale watchers and kitesurfers above everyone else. Le Morne is at its best.

Editor's verdict: If you have come to see humpbacks or to kite, August is the month. If you have come to swim, it is not.

Sea conditions23 °C and beginning to warm. Only 12 rain days - the second-driest month of the year.

What's onGanesh Chaturthi brings statue immersion processions on the west coast beaches.

Best forWhale watchers, walkers, photographers, and anyone hunting value.

Editor's verdict: The quiet star of the calendar. European crowds have gone, the rain has not arrived, and rates have dropped.

Sea conditions24 °C and climbing. Diving visibility is at its annual best - 40 m is not unusual.

What's onDiwali falls around late October or early November - the whole island lights up.

Best forDivers, photographers, couples, and anyone who wants the driest weather of the year.

Editor's verdict: The driest month in Mauritius, with only 50 mm of rain. Our second pick after May.

Read the full guide to Mauritius in October.

Sea conditions25 °C and warming fast. Lagoons calm, winds dropping off.

What's onAll Saints and Arrival of Indentured Labourers. Diwali also falls in November some years.

Best forHoneymooners, families before the December rush, and anyone who wants warmth without crowds.

Editor's verdict: Warmth returning, rain still low, prices still sane. The last good-value month before the December surge.

Sea conditions27 °C and lovely. Humidity climbs through the month and afternoon showers become routine.

What's onChristmas and the run-up to New Year. Resorts are full and minimum-stay rules apply from mid-month.

Best forAnyone who wants a hot Christmas and is prepared to pay for it.

Editor's verdict: The first half of December is quietly excellent. The second half is the most expensive fortnight of the year.

For festive-season details, read our guide to Mauritius in December.