Seychelles · Month comparison
October vs September
September ranks #1 overall vs October at #10. Transition to calm — trades ease, both coasts begin recovering, and the second sweet spot approaches.
October
#10 of 12 months
Worth considering
The second finest month — calm on all coasts, 8 sunshine hours, and every beach at its best.
- ↑October replicates April's inter-monsoon calm: both coasts of every island are simultaneously accessible, sunshine hours reach 8.0, and the water clarity is at its best — the combination of warm temperatures (28°C), calm seas, and peak snorkelling visibility makes October arguably the finest single month for an Indian Ocean holiday
- ↑Whale shark encounters in October: the outer atolls (accessible from Mahé by charter flight or boat) see the first whale shark aggregations as the northwest monsoon current begins to develop — October is the start of the whale shark season that peaks in January, and early-season encounters can be less crowded than the peak months
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 | October | September |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 3 | 8 |
| Value score | 5 | 6 |
| Crowd score | 5 | 6 |
| Events score | 6 | 6 |
| Atmosphere | 9 | 8 |
| Avg high temp | 28°C | 27°C |
| Monthly rain | 161mm | 136mm |
| Daily sunshine | 11.1hrs | 10.6hrs |
October trade-offs
- ↓October demand has been building since September and the best rooms at sought-after properties on La Digue and Praslin book out for the October peak; planning a spontaneous October Seychelles trip is difficult, and the quality accommodation requires 2–3 months advance booking
- ↓102mm of rain reflects the beginning of the northwest monsoon building for November: October showers are typically brief and afternoon, but the transitional weather means a small number of days with extended cloud cover are possible
- ↓Prices edge toward the higher end of "moderate" in October — the sweet spot quality pushes demand, and the gap between October and January pricing at top properties is narrower than the gap in weather quality might suggest
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 →