Photo: Heijo xxx via Google
When to Go to Seychelles for the Beach
The two trade winds, the calm shoulders and the weeks worth avoiding.
The verdict
- Best forTravellers who want warm water year round and will trade a little wind for clearer seas.
- Top pickApril and October are the calmest, clearest all round windows.
- One thing to knowThere is no bad month for warmth, only trade offs between wind, rain and crowds.
Published 13 March 2026. Last reviewed 7 April 2026
Seychelles sits close to the equator, so the beach is warm every single month and the sea hovers around a bath like 27 to 29 degrees all year. What actually changes is the wind, and with it the rain, the seaweed and which coast looks its best. Understand the two monsoons and you can pick not just the right month but the right side of each island.
The northwest monsoon runs roughly from November to March. It is the hotter, more humid half of the year, with the heaviest rain falling in December and January, usually in short tropical bursts rather than all day grey. Seas are generally calmer on the east and southeast coasts during this spell, which suits swimmers who want glassy water in the morning.
The southeast trades take over from May to September. This is the drier, breezier, slightly cooler season, when the wind freshens the southeast coasts and can drift seaweed onto exposed beaches. The northwest facing bays such as Beau Vallon stay sheltered and pleasant, which is why we steer summer visitors that way. April and October are the prized transition weeks, when the wind drops, the sea goes clear and diving visibility peaks.
Month by month at a glance
| Month | Air | Sea | Rain | Crowd | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30C | 29C | Heavy | Peak | Hot, festive and wettest, with calm east coast seas between showers. |
| February | 30C | 29C | High | Busy | Warm and humid with easing rain and gentle water for swimming. |
| March | 31C | 29C | Moderate | Steady | The last of the calm monsoon, often hot and still before the trades. |
| April | 31C | 29C | Low | Busy | A glassy transition month and one of the best all round windows. |
| May | 30C | 28C | Low | Steady | Trades begin, drier air arrives and the northwest coast shines. |
| June | 29C | 28C | Low | Steady | Breezy and dry, cooler evenings, some seaweed on exposed sand. |
| July | 28C | 27C | Low | Peak | Windiest and busiest, lush and dry, best on sheltered north bays. |
| August | 28C | 27C | Low | Peak | Much like July, fresh trades and full hotels, plan around the wind. |
| September | 29C | 27C | Low | Steady | Trades ease through the month as the calm shoulder approaches. |
| October | 30C | 28C | Moderate | Busy | The second sweet spot, calm clear seas and superb diving. |
| November | 30C | 29C | Moderate | Steady | Warm and greening up as the northwest monsoon settles in. |
| December | 30C | 29C | Heavy | Peak | Festive and humid with the year's heaviest showers and calm seas. |
When each month earns its place
April. If you can only pick one month, April is the safe answer. The trades have not yet arrived, the northwest monsoon has run out of rain and the sea turns glassy with visibility that divers dream about. It is busy and priced accordingly, but the conditions justify it.
July and August. The peak of the southeast trades is dry and lush but genuinely windy, so base yourself on the sheltered northwest coast at Beau Vallon or Port Launay rather than the exposed southeast. Expect full hotels, European school holiday crowds and the chance of seaweed on east facing sand.
October. The quieter twin of April, October calms down as the trades fade, the water clears again and diving visibility climbs. Rain starts to creep back late in the month, but the first three weeks are often a superb and slightly less crowded window.
December and January. The festive season is hot, humid and the wettest stretch of the year, though the rain usually comes in short heavy bursts rather than ruining whole days. Seas on the east and southeast coasts are calm, which is good for swimming, but book early because prices and crowds peak.
Get the Seychelles beach calendar
Before you go
What is the best month to visit Seychelles?
April and October are the standouts. Both sit between the two monsoons, so the wind drops, the sea turns clear and diving visibility peaks. They are popular and priced for it, but the all round conditions are the best of the year.
When is the rainy season in Seychelles?
The wettest weeks fall during the northwest monsoon, peaking in December and January. The rain usually arrives in short tropical downpours rather than all day grey, so beach days are still very possible between showers.
Which months are windiest?
July and August, at the height of the southeast trades. The wind is refreshing and keeps things dry, but it can stir seaweed onto exposed beaches, so favour the sheltered northwest coast in those months.
Is the sea warm enough to swim all year?
Yes. The Indian Ocean here stays around 27 to 29 degrees every month, so swimming is comfortable whenever you visit. The variable is not temperature but how calm or clear the water is on a given coast.
Which coast should I stay on and when?
From May to September favour the sheltered northwest, such as Beau Vallon, to dodge wind and weed. From November to March the east and southeast coasts are calm and lovely. In April and October almost everywhere is at its best.