When to go
You can visit the main island of Mauritius before and after the southern hemisphere winter, that is, in
the second half of May and in the month of October.
In the southern hemisphere
winter, from June to August, and a little less in September, the weather can get a little cool, and clouds alternate with the sun, with some brief showers. In this period, you can go hiking or you can visit the many attractions of the island (Pamplemousses, Chamarel, Grand Bassin, Île aux Cerfs etc.) with more ease. For swimming and sunbathing, given that the wind blows steadily from the southeast, it is preferable to choose a beach along the
north-west coast, on the same side as Port Louis, which is more sheltered and more sunny (but not in the northernmost tip, which is windy as well). On the contrary, surfers will appreciate exactly the wind that blows in this period.
In
December, it is hot and nature is in bloom, the air is humid and the rainy season has already begun, but the amount of sunshine is still acceptable. However, in November the cyclone season begins, and this is a threat to be reckoned with, though cyclones rarely hit a particular location.
From January to March, not only the rains are frequent, but also the air is humid, so the heat is definitely muggy.
In winter,
Rodrigues Island has a slightly better climate, in fact, it is a little less cool and rainy. It goes even better on the more northern islands of
Saint Brandon, and even more on the
Agaléga islands, which are almost equatorial.
What to pack
In
winter (June to August): bring light clothes, a sweatshirt or sweater and a light jacket for the evening, a scarf for the breeze, a raincoat. When going to the reef, you can bring snorkeling equipment, including water shoes or rubber-soled shoes.
In
summer (December to February): bring tropics-friendly, loose-fitting clothing, light shirts and pants of natural fibers (cotton, linen), a light sweatshirt for the evening, a light raincoat or umbrella for the rain showers.
Back to the climate of
Mauritius