When to Go to Madagascar: Climate, Best Time, and Months to Avoid

The vast island of Madagascar features a diverse range of landscapes, several climates, and an interesting characteristic: its seasons are reversed compared to Europe. Let's explore together the best time to travel and when it's better to avoid going.

Madagascar is located in the Indian Ocean, and enjoys seasons reversed compared to ours. Winter runs from May to October, while summer is from November to April. There are 4 distinct climate regions that characterize this large African island, which are:

To recap, the best seasons to visit Madagascar are from spring to autumn, when the weather is less oppressive and quite dry.

In general, from December to March/April for the arrival of the rainy season, which affects all of Madagascar.

Specifically, between November and March/April, the Bemaraha National Park, the Tsiribihina River, and the coastal area between Morondava and Toliara are inaccessible.

In the eastern region, from January to April, cyclones frequently occur that come from the Indian Ocean.

Madagascar is a large island in the Indian Ocean, with a tropical climate, rainy along the eastern coast, arid in the southwest, and mild in the mountains. In the interior areas, the presence of mountain ranges mitigates the climate. Being in the Southern Hemisphere, the country has reversed seasons compared to Europe.

Rainfall varies depending on the exposure of the slopes and occurs in the form of afternoon showers, thus, particularly in the morning, the sun is always present.

The rainy season is from November to March, but it is milder in the arid southwest while it rains all year round on the eastern coast.

The dry season is from April to October, but does not reach the eastern coast where it always rains, while it is from May to September in the north.

During the cool period, from mid-May to September, and sometimes even in October, cold air masses can arrive from the southwest, bringing cooler nights, especially in the central-southern areas, and cold in the interior.

In the tip of Madagascar, the far north of the island, it is warm all year round, and the rainfall is light: it hovers around 1,000/1,200 mm annually. In Antsiranana, it is warm all year round and the sun shines even during the dry season, although there is a slight decrease in temperatures from June to September. In the city, abundant rains occur from December to March, totaling around 1,200 mm of rain per year. The sea temperature is always suitable for swimming.

Recommended period: from mid-May to October

The temperatures of the northwest coast of Madagascar are similar to those of the far north, and it is warm all year round. The only difference between the two areas is that here the rainfall is more abundant, and in some areas can exceed 2,000 mm. Again, the sea temperature is always suitable for swimming.

In Nosy Be, located a few kilometers from the coast, the period from November to March is the rainiest but also warm and humid, given the presence of the famous summer.

Recommended period: from mid-May to October

In the southern region of Madagascar, which also includes the southwestern coast, the amount of rainfall is relatively low compared to the rest of the country: it falls below 500 mm per year. In winter, temperatures drop significantly, especially at night, due to the area's exposure to cool air masses coming from South Africa, in the months from June to September, and sometimes in May and October. In Toliara, rain is very rare, averaging just 420 millimeters per year. The southwestern region is the hottest in the entire country and can reach 40 degrees from December to March.

Recommended period: April-May and September-October

In the interior areas, the presence of mountains at various altitudes mitigates the climate, and above 2,000 meters, temperatures can drop below zero during winter. In the central-southern region, in Andringitra National Park, elevations reach 2,500 meters. The capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo, is located at an altitude of 1,300 meters and has a pleasant climate. Winter is therefore cool.

Recommended period: April, September, and October

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