Seychelles · Seychelles
January
Northwest monsoon peak — the most expensive month with significant rain, but calm west-coast seas and good snorkelling.
Worth considering
#11 of 12 months
There are better months for Seychelles — see the full ranking below.
See when to go instead →Climate
High
30°C
Low
25°C
Rain
250mm
Sun
6.5hrs/day
30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5
How January scores in Seychelles
Weather
Good
Value
Below average
Crowds
Below average
Events
Above average
Atmosphere
Very good
What you gain in January
- ↑The northwest monsoon creates calm, protected conditions on the west-facing beaches of all islands: Beau Vallon (Mahé), Anse Lazio (Praslin), and Anse Cocos (La Digue) face west or north-west and are fully sheltered in January — the flat, clear water makes snorkelling and kayaking ideal even in the rainier months
- ↑January is the best month for pelagic fish diving in Seychelles: the NW monsoon brings warm water and nutrients that attract whale sharks, manta rays, and giant trevally to the outer reef systems; the dive sites around Mahé's southern coast and the Sainte Anne Marine Park are accessible despite the rain
- ↑The Christmas/New Year season extends into early January and the energy of the island resorts is at its most festive — live Sega music (the traditional Creole music of the Indian Ocean islands), beach barbecues, and the full operation of all resort facilities creates the most socially active atmosphere of the year
What you sacrifice
- ↓January is the wettest month of the northwest monsoon: 250mm is the highest rainfall of the year, and the showers — while often short — can be intense; extended beach days are possible but require accepting the rain as part of the tropical experience rather than a failure of planning
- ↓Peak season pricing makes January the most expensive month in Seychelles: the luxury resorts on Mahé, Praslin, and the private island retreats are at their annual rate ceiling, and the combination of New Year demand and NW monsoon means the highest prices coincide with the wettest weather — a poor trade for the cost
- ↓Flights from Europe fill quickly for the holiday-into-January period, and the islands are operating at maximum capacity; day-trippers between islands, boat excursions, and popular snorkelling sites are all at their busiest
How January compares to April (best month)
| Factor | January | April ★ |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | 6 | 9 |
| Value | 3 | 6 |
| Crowds | 3 | 6 |
January in other destinations
Lisbon (13.6°C)Barcelona (13.2°C)Tokyo (9.8°C)Bali (30.2°C)Santorini (13.4°C)Paris (7°C)New York (3.3°C)Marrakech (17.3°C)Amsterdam (5.6°C)Maldives (30.1°C)Rome (11.6°C)Bangkok (31.1°C)Istanbul (8.7°C)Vienna (3.2°C)Seoul (1.1°C)Dubrovnik (11.1°C)Rio de Janeiro (30.9°C)Kyoto (9.2°C)Phuket (31.5°C)Cape Town (26.1°C)Prague (2°C)Amalfi Coast (12°C)Mexico City (21°C)Medellín (28°C)Fiji (31°C)London (8°C)Sydney (26°C)Iceland (2°C)Tulum (28°C)Dubai (24°C)Singapore (30°C)Hoi An (24°C)Chiang Mai (29°C)Miami (24.1°C)Florence (9.2°C)Queenstown (22°C)Madrid (9.4°C)Porto (14°C)Edinburgh (7°C)Copenhagen (4°C)Budapest (4°C)Kraków (2°C)Tbilisi (6°C)Palawan (29°C)Hanoi (18°C)Osaka (9°C)Goa (32°C)Cusco (19°C)Buenos Aires (30°C)Mykonos (13°C)Zanzibar (32°C)Sri Lanka (31°C)Costa Rica (25°C)Cancun (28°C)Krabi (32°C)Athens (13°C)Seville (15°C)Cartagena (31°C)Siem Reap (29°C)Havana (26°C)Split (10°C)Taipei (19°C)Kuala Lumpur (32°C)Valletta (15°C)Ho Chi Minh City (33°C)Hawaii (27°C)Cappadocia (4°C)Dominican Republic (28°C)Jamaica (30°C)Tanzania (28°C)Nepal (18°C)Jordan (12°C)Azores (17°C)Bora Bora (30°C)Los Angeles (19.8°C)Cairo (19.1°C)Kenya (26.8°C)Jaipur (22.2°C)Las Vegas (13.9°C)San Francisco (13.2°C)Madeira (19.5°C)Vancouver (6.9°C)Muscat (26.4°C)Lima (26.2°C)Cinque Terre (11°C)Kotor (10°C)Tel Aviv (18°C)Santiago (30°C)Bogotá (19°C)Bruges (5.8°C)Penang (31.5°C)Lombok (30.8°C)Cape Verde (26.2°C)Fez (13.8°C)Kerala (31°C)Kigali (26°C)Hong Kong (18°C)Oslo (-1°C)Auckland (24°C)
Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within Seychelles, not across destinations. Methodology →