Best Time to Visit Mauritius
Discover when is the best time to visit Mauritius and start planning your dream vacation on this tropical island in the Indian Ocean. Read our guide including our thoughts and travel tips.
Whether you're planning a long-awaited honeymoon, fun-filled vacation full of adrenaline activities, or romantic getaway, Mauritius is one of the best places to visit in the world. In this blog post, we'll share with you tips and information on the best time to visit Mauritius as well as our thoughts and tips. Discover the best time to visit Mauritius, a small tropical island packed with stunning beaches, lush green forests, and crystal clear waters.
Luckily, Mauritius is one of those places that you can visit all year round. However, before you set off on your dream vacation, there are a few things to know and consider.
The best time to visit Mauritius depends on what you're hoping to see and things you would like to do.
Water activities such as snorkeling or scuba diving are way more enjoyable when the sea is calm, and the visibility is excellent. On the other hand, waterfalls such as Tamarin Falls or Chamarel are less impressive in the dry season, but the hiking trails are dry, so your experience will be less muddy.
Being located south of Equator, Mauritius has opposite seasons.
This is perfect for us Europeans, North Americans, etc., as there is nothing better than to visit the tropical island in December or January when the temperatures are dropping below zero Celsius (ok, you guys from California probably don't know how it feels, but it's great).
During the high season, the prices skyrocket, and the accommodation availability is limited.
On top of that, flight tickets are not cheap either (for a reasonably long flight), and you might struggle to find a good deal. So when you finally find a cheap ticket, it, in the end, can be for a completely different date than you were searching for.
But, once again, regardless of the time of the year, Mauritius is well-worth visit even in the low season, you only have to know what to expect.
THE BEST TIME TO VISIT MAURITIUS
Mauritius has two main seasons: dry warm winter and hot wet and humid summer.
In general, the best time to visit Mauritius is from November to April.
However, this is a peak season, and it has all the pros and cons that high season usually brings. The temperatures are high, as well as the prices, it may rain, and there will be tourists everywhere you go.
Being said that, the hot and humid weather and the warm sea is probably the tropical experience you are looking for. Keep in mind, that this island has wet cyclone season from January to March, although it's rare for the cyclones to hit the island. Rainfall increases during these months, though the showers are heavy, and they don't last very long.
May to September is the low season when the temperatures are cooler (yet very warm and pleasant). Rougher seas mean that places such as Gris Gris or Le Souffler will be wilder than ever, however, the water visibility will be lower and not ideal for activities such as scuba diving.
Wintertime is perfect for travelers who love exploring tropical islands without suffering high temperatures throughout the day. Shoulder seasons offer something in between, fewer tourists, very pleasant weather, and though it's possible for bad weather to hit at this time of the year, it won't last very long.
October is considered by many to be one of the best months to visit Mauritius, as this spring month brings excellent weather, everything is in bloom (perfect time to visit Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden), and the atmosphere is more relaxed.
In other words, Mauritius has been blessed with an excellent climate, and you can visit the island all year round.
One last thing to know, each coast gets slightly different weather. North Coast (together with West Coast) is usually calmer and sheltered from the strong winds that East Coast and South Coast receive each year.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
OUR EXPERIENCE
We visited Mauritius at the beginning of September, and the weather was really pleasant. We stayed on the West Coast and were spoilt with hot days, warm evenings, and plenty of sunshine.
We could enjoy watching amazing sunsets while sitting on the beach wearing only shorts and a t-shirt throughout the evening. Admittedly, we may have had a few drinks (of local rum) to keep our bodies warm.
A lot of the days were somewhat cloudy, but the clouds were a majority of the time hovering above the hills and mountains. It rained a few times, but it was mostly quick showers that didn't last long.
It kind of looked like that the island is covered with clouds (often heavy and dark gray), but the edges were free of clouds meaning that the beaches were almost all the time sunny.
One thing that surprised us was that the days receive a very similar amount of daylight regardless of the month of the year ranging from 11 hours in winter to 13 hours in summer.
WHERE TO STAY
Mauritius is not the most budget-friendly place when it comes to accommodation, but everyone will eventually find a nice place to stay. Each coast has its pros and cons, west and north being the most popular.
In order to make your choice easier, we've handpicked a great hotel on each coast.
West | Les 2 Canons - This small and quiet hotel features a private parking, and offers its guest perfect value for money.
North | Garden Villas - Located on the way to Pointe Aux Cannoniers, Garden Villas offers a quiet location close to the beach, great facilities, amazing views over the bay, and very clean rooms.
South | LUX Le Morne - The whole area around Le Morne mountain features many luxury resorts, and LUX Le Morne is one of the best hotels you can find there. The hotel has a perfect location as it sits on a private stunning white sand beach surrounded by palm trees. The rooms are immaculately clean, the staff is super-helpful, and you can choose from many activities and water sports to fill your day with fun things to do.
East | Constance Prince Maurice - Situated in the northeastern part of Mauritius, this luxury hideaway features a floating restaurant, secluded beach, spacious air-conditioned suites, wellness centre, and spa.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
