Seychelles · Month comparison
May vs September
September ranks #1 overall vs May at #9. Transition to calm — trades ease, both coasts begin recovering, and the second sweet spot approaches.
May
#9 of 12 months
Worth considering
Second sweet-spot shoulder — the southeast trades begin to establish but conditions remain excellent.
- ↑May shares April's transitional quality before the southeast trades fully establish: 7.5 sunshine hours, 95mm of rain, and temperatures dropping slightly to a more comfortable 28°C make May the most pleasant for outdoor activity and hiking — the Morne Seychellois National Park trails on Mahé are at their coolest and most accessible
- ↑Vallée de Mai (Praslin) is at its most photogenic in May: the UNESCO-listed primeval palm forest where the coco de mer produces the world's largest seed (25kg) is perfectly lit by the May sunshine filtering through the canopy; morning guided visits before the tour boats from the cruise ships arrive are the finest way to experience the forest
September
#1 of 12 months
Best match
Transition to calm — trades ease, both coasts begin recovering, and the second sweet spot approaches.
- ↑September marks the beginning of the second transitional period: the southeast trades ease, both coasts begin to calm, and by mid-September the west-facing beaches start to recover their sheltered character; visiting in late September catches this transition and accesses both island coasts for the first time since April
- ↑Hawksbill turtle nesting season continues into September: both nesting and hatching can be observed in the same period on Cousin Island, and September is specifically the peak of hatchling emergence — watching dozens of hatchlings navigate from nest to sea on a moonlit beach is among the most moving wildlife moments in the Indian Ocean
| Factor | May | September |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 3 | 8 |
| Value score | 6 | 6 |
| Crowd score | 6 | 6 |
| Events score | 5 | 6 |
| Atmosphere | 8 | 8 |
| Avg high temp | 28°C | 27°C |
| Monthly rain | 218mm | 136mm |
| Daily sunshine | 10.2hrs | 10.6hrs |
May trade-offs
- ↓The southeast trades begin to arrive in late May on the eastern coasts — Anse Intendance on Mahé and Grand Anse on Praslin become progressively rougher as the month progresses; the west-facing beaches remain calm but the full inter-island symmetry of April begins to narrow
- ↓95mm of rain is still moderate — May showers are typically brief and afternoon-concentrated, but the month is not reliably dry; visitors who need guaranteed sunshine every day will find May less certain than June–August on the now-sheltered east coasts
- ↓Inter-island ferry schedules can be affected by the building southeast swells in late May — the Cat Cocos ferry between Mahé and Praslin/La Digue can experience 30-minute delays or cancellations in heavy swell conditions; allow buffer time on ferry days
September trade-offs
- ↓Early September still carries trade wind weather on the west coasts — the transition is gradual, and the first two weeks may see west-coast beaches still rough; the easing happens progressively through the month rather than on a specific date
- ↓September's 88mm of rain is similar to August — the transition between the two seasons doesn't significantly reduce rainfall, and afternoon showers remain part of the daily pattern; the improvement from August is primarily in sunshine hours (7.5 vs 7.0) and wind reduction rather than dryness
- ↓Demand from European autumn half-terms begins building in late September — accommodation in quality properties starts to fill for October, and September late bookings may find the best rooms unavailable
Scores compare months within Seychelles. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →