Seychelles · sailing season
Seychelles sailing season: wind and sea month by month
Seychelles weather runs on two trade-wind seasons and two short calms between them, and each month reads differently once rain is separated from wind. Below is a month-by-month reading built only from the Seychelles Meteorological Authority and long-term climate averages — meant to help choose dates for a crewed yacht trip, not to forecast a specific week.
Two trade-wind seasons and two calm months
Seychelles weather runs on two opposing trade winds, with two short calms between them. From December to March the wind blows from the north-west: the gentler of the two seasons, averaging 5–10 knots and usually strongest at daybreak, in a season that is also warm and wet. From June to September it blows from the south-east: drier, and steadier through day and night, averaging 10–15 knots, with gusts that can exceed 30 knots at the peak. April and November sit between the two trades as calm transition months, with light and variable wind. May and October are shoulder months, when the south-easterly trade is setting in and fading.
Rain and wind, month by month
Rain figures are long-term averages for Victoria, Mahé, from Climates to Travel; wind and sea descriptions are the Seychelles Meteorological Authority’s own wording. The two sources count rain days differently: the Met Authority names October the month with the most dry days, while the averages below list 16 days with some rain that month — so compare months within one column, not across the two sources.
| Month | Rain (mm / days) | Wind & sea |
|---|---|---|
| January | 405 mm / 20 days | NW monsoon; winds not very constant, with occasional lulls. |
| February | 250 mm / 13 days | Conditions at sea fairly good; rainfall depends on cyclone activity in the south-west Indian Ocean. |
| March | 200 mm / 15 days | Conditions at sea become more pleasant. |
| April | 185 mm / 16 days | Monsoon changeover, light and variable winds; sea “can’t get more pleasant,” ideal for fishing. Can be uncomfortably hot. |
| May | 160 mm / 16 days | SE trades set in; sea “not yet forbidding,” gentle SE breeze. Sunniest part of the year. |
| June | 115 mm / 17 days | SE trades established, windy; ideal for windsurfing and sailing. |
| July | 90 mm / 17 days | Very windy; sea can be pretty rough, amateurs should keep near shore. Seaweed washes onto south-east-facing beaches. |
| August | 120 mm / 16 days | Rather cool and very windy, rough seas; sea “certainly forbidding for amateurs.” |
| September | 165 mm / 17 days | SE trades weakening but still fairly strong. |
| October | 180 mm / 16 days | The “dry season” draws to a close; winds drop. The Met Authority calls it the month with the most dry days. |
| November | 190 mm / 16 days | Winds drop significantly and swing to the west; conditions at sea quite pleasant. |
| December | 305 mm / 21 days | NW monsoon established, usually fairly light winds (a cyclone far to the south can raise moderate winds for a couple of days); conditions at sea quite pleasant. |
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The captain reads the week, not the calendar
Every Seychelles yacht trip with us comes with a captain and a crew. The captain sets the daily route around the wind and the sea, not around a fixed itinerary printed in advance. The month-by-month table above is the backdrop for that decision — what a given month is usually like — not a substitute for it.
Calmest water: April, November, and the seasons around them
The calmest water is in April and November, the two short transition months when winds are light and variable. December to March, May and October are gentler than the June–September trade-wind season, without being as calm as April and November. Guests who most want comfortable, easy water tend to look at these windows first.
Sailing with wind: June to September
Guests who want to feel the wind under sail look at June to September, when the south-easterly trade blows steadily through day and night, typically 10–15 knots. Open water facing south-east can turn rough in July and August, when gusts in the peak can exceed 30 knots, so the captain may keep the route to more sheltered water on those dates rather than push into open sea. No specific anchorage is promised in advance. Beaches facing south-east also collect seaweed washed ashore in July and August.
Wettest and driest months
December and January are the wettest months, averaging 305 mm and 405 mm of rain. July is the driest, at 90 mm.
Climate, not a forecast
All of this is climate, built from long-term averages and the Meteorological Authority’s own seasonal wording, not a forecast for a specific week. Whatever month is chosen, the actual conditions for those dates are confirmed with the captain before departure.
Sources
[1] Seychelles Meteorological Authority — Seychelles Climate Guide. meteo.sc. Accessed September 2026.
[2] Taylor Smith Naval Services — Sailing Seychelles: advice & tips. tsnaval.com. Accessed September 2026.
[3] Climates to Travel — Seychelles climate (Victoria, Mahé averages). climatestotravel.com. Accessed September 2026.
Common questions
- When is the sea calmest in the Seychelles?
- April and November are the calm transition months, with light and variable winds — the calmest of the year. December to March, May and October are gentler than the June–September trade-wind season, though not as calm as April and November.
- When is the best time to sail with wind?
- June to September, when the south-easterly trade is established and blows steadily, around 10–15 knots. Open water facing south-east can get rough in July and August, so on those dates the captain may keep the route to more sheltered water; specific anchorages are never promised in advance, and seaweed can wash onto south-east-facing beaches in July and August.
- Which months are wettest and driest?
- December and January are the wettest months, at 305 mm and 405 mm of average rainfall. July is the driest, at 90 mm. These are climate averages, not a forecast: a specific week is always confirmed with the captain before departure.
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