The Absolute Best Time to Visit the Seychelles 

The Seychelles is one of the most popular tropical destinations in the world. The island paradise is known for their beautiful beaches, year-round warm weather, stunning luxury hotels and gorgeous scenery. Honeymooners, couples, families and friends from around the world head to the Seychelles each year. But despite the perfect weather, you can’t just visit the Seychelles whenever you want. Much like Aitutaki, Puglia or Mallorca, you need to know when to visit – and where to stay. Here’s my complete guide to understanding the best time to visit the Seychelles, based on everything the locals told me in the Seychelles and my own experiences. 

DON’T HAVE TIME TO READ THIS RIGHT NOW? PIN IT HERE!

Understanding the Weather in the Seychelles

The Seychelles has perfect weather nearly year-round…But when you decide when to visit the Seychelles, you need to be thinking about more than the temperature. The key to understanding the weather in the Seychelles is understanding the winds. Before I planned our honeymoon to the Seychelles, no one told me about the winds. 

From November to March, northwest trade winds blow across the island. 

From May to September, the winds switch direction and blow southeast. 

What does this mean for you? Well, when the winds blow on a certain side of the island, you can expect seaweed to build up on beaches (A LOT of seaweed!) and dangerous currents. When we visited in June, it was dangerous to swim on those beaches due to rip tides and heavy currents. 

Understanding these winds will help you pick a hotel accordingly, depending on the time of year you visit. 

The Best Time to Visit the Seychelles

The Seychelles sees temperatures around 86°F (or 30°C) year-round, which makes it the perfect tropical destination. One of the key differences between seasons is the quantity of sunshine and tropical showers and sea breezes. 

This island nation sits just south of the Equator and away from any large land masses, which makes the weather unpredictable. When we visited in June, it was very hot and very humid – and yet, it rained at least four days out of our two weeks there. The weather can be tricky to forecast, and showers may linger – or drift away in an hour. 

Despite the unpredictable weather, the best time to visit the Seychelles remains April to June or October and November. During this time, the Seychelles gets less rain and sees hotter temperatures, all while experiencing calmer winds. 

Still, to truly determine the best time to visit the Seychelles, consider comparing your chosen resort with your dates. 

For example: we stayed at Constance LeMuria on Praslin (a total dream!) in June. However, the beaches were completely inaccessible due to heavy winds and strong currents. On the other side of the island, the Raffles Resort saw completely calm waters and pristine conditions. 

When to Visit the Seychelles: April to May

The period from April to May remains the best times to visit the Seychelles if you want to avoid crowds. Humid northwest trade winds transition to dryer southeast winds. Rainfall isn’t as frequent as the previous months. Because this is a shoulder season, expect lower hotel prices, too. 

The weather is still warm, but milder and not as humid as later months. Expect temperatures from 70s to 80s. 

When to Visit the Seychelles: June to September

June to September marks one of the best overall times to visit the Seychelles. This period is peak season in the Seychelles. 

With cool, dry weather and lots of sunshine, this period is one of the most popular times to visit the Seychelles. Temperatures reach the high 90s and above, with humidity at its peak. 

If you’re visiting the Seychelles from June to September, be sure to book accommodations months in advance, at least. However, from my experience, despite the number of tourists, the islands’ beaches were calm, peaceful, and not too crowded. 

When to Visit the Seychelles: October to November

If rain doesn’t bother you, then you may want to visit the Seychelles from October to November. October to November is officially the fall shoulder season, so you’ll find cheaper flights and cheaper accommodations. However, you will likely see much more rain than the warm summer months. Temperatures will remain in the mid 80s. 

When to Visit the Seychelles: December to March 

The northwest trade winds usher in the Seychelles’ rainy season from December to March. I’d recommend skipping these months, especially if beaches are the primary purpose of your visit. Along with more rain, this season also means much higher humidity. 

Visitors still come to the island around December and January for Christmas and New Year’s, though, so expect peak prices during this time. Book in advance if you plan to visit during the holiday season.

LIKED THIS ARTICLE? PIN IT HERE!

Samantha Tatro

Samantha Tatro is a Czech-American third culture kid who grew up living and traveling abroad. Many years later, after living in California and working as a journalist, she decided to take the leap and move abroad again…this time to Prague, Czech Republic. Samantha started Undiscovered Path Home to help couples and solo female travelers find the courage to visit countries – and locations – off the beaten path. Her work has appeared in Bon Appetit, NBC News, The Adecco Group, and more.