Summer
Dec → Feb29 to 30°
nights 24 to 25°
- 28 rainy days · 450 mm
- sea 31°
When is the best time to visit Nosy Be?
- Jan29°not recommended
- Feb29°not recommended
- Mar29°not recommended
- Apr30°fair
- May29°recommended
- Jun28°recommended
- Jul27°recommended
- Aug28°recommended
- Sep28°recommended
- Oct29°recommended
- Nov29°recommended
- Dec30°fair
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Nosy Be, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29° | 24° | 680 mm | 29 d | 30° | |
| February | 29° | 25° | 386 mm | 27 d | 31° | |
| March | 29° | 25° | 384 mm | 28 d | 31° | |
| April | 30° | 25° | 147 mm | 25 d | 31° | |
| May | 29° | 24° | 63 mm | 17 d | 30° | ✓ |
| June | 28° | 23° | 39 mm | 13 d | 29° | ✓ |
| July | 27° | 22° | 32 mm | 9 d | 27° | ✓ |
| August | 28° | 22° | 39 mm | 12 d | 27° | ✓ |
| September | 28° | 22° | 54 mm | 16 d | 28° | ✓ |
| October | 29° | 24° | 100 mm | 20 d | 29° | ✓ |
| November | 29° | 24° | 184 mm | 26 d | 31° | ✓ |
| December | 30° | 24° | 285 mm | 29 d | 31° |
The four seasons in Nosy Be, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Nosy Komba) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Autumn
Mar → May29 to 30°
nights 24 to 25°
- 23 rainy days · 198 mm
- sea 31°
Winter
Jun → Aug27 to 28°
nights 22 to 23°
- 11 rainy days · 37 mm
- sea 28°
Spring
Sep → Nov28 to 29°
nights 22 to 24°
- 21 rainy days · 113 mm
- sea 29°
Book early for May to November
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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What to do in Nosy Be, month by month
EventsDonia FestivalMay to JuneHumpback whalesJuly to SeptemberWhale sharksOctober to DecemberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
Beach & swimming: good conditions all twelve months.
Diving & snorkelling: good conditions all twelve months.
- Hiking: July
- Towns & culture: July, August
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in Nosy Be, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. One of these events fills the hotels and pushes prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- May to JuneDonia Festival big crowds
Five days of concerts, pirogue races and parades in Hell-Ville, around the Pentecost weekend.
- July to SeptemberHumpback whales
The whales travel up the Mozambique Channel and pass off the island between July and September.
- October to DecemberWhale sharks
Whale sharks come to feed at the surface north of the island from October to December, often very close to the boat.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended29°24° at night
- 680 mm · 29 d
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended29°25° at night
- 386 mm · 27 d
- sea 31°
Low season, lower prices
March
Not recommended29°25° at night
- 384 mm · 28 d
- sea 31°
Low season, lower prices
April
Fair30°25° at night
- 147 mm · 25 d
- sea 31°
Low season, lower prices
May
Recommended29°24° at night
- 63 mm · 17 d
- sea 30°
High season, book early
June
Recommended28°23° at night
- 39 mm · 13 d
- sea 29°
High season, book early
July
Recommended27°22° at night
- 32 mm · 9 d
- sea 27°
High season, book early
August
Recommended28°22° at night
- 39 mm · 12 d
- sea 27°
High season, book early
September
Recommended28°22° at night
- 54 mm · 16 d
- sea 28°
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended29°24° at night
- 100 mm · 20 d
- sea 29°
Busy, without the crush
November
Recommended29°24° at night
- 184 mm · 26 d
- sea 31°
Busy, without the crush
December
Fair30°24° at night
- 285 mm · 29 d
- sea 31°
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. 29 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. A very wet month, 680 mm of rain over 29 days. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. 29 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 386 mm of rain over 27 days. The sea is at 31 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. 29 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 384 mm of rain over 28 days. The sea is at 31 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. 30 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. Frequent rain: 147 mm over 25 days. The sea is at 31 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. 29 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Frequent but light showers: 63 mm over 17 days. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
June. 28 °C in the afternoon and 23 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (39 mm). The sea is at 29 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
July. 27 °C in the afternoon and 22 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (32 mm). The sea is at 27 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
August. 28 °C in the afternoon and 22 °C at night. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (39 mm). The sea is at 27 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
September. 28 °C in the afternoon and 22 °C at night. Frequent but light showers: 54 mm over 16 days. The sea is at 28 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
October. 29 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Frequent rain: 100 mm over 20 days. The sea is at 29 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
November. 29 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Frequent rain: 184 mm over 26 days. The sea is at 31 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
December. 30 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Frequent rain: 285 mm over 29 days. The sea is at 31 °C, a proper swim. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Nosy Be?
May to November: over these months, recorded highs range from 27 to 29 °C, with 16 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Nosy Komba).
Which month should you avoid in Nosy Be?
January: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 680 mm over 29 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Nosy Komba).
What is the hottest month in Nosy Be?
April, with 30 °C on average in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Nosy Komba).
What is the coldest month in Nosy Be?
July, with 27 °C at best during the day and 22 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Nosy Komba).
What is the driest month in Nosy Be?
July: 32 mm over 9 days of rain, against 680 mm in January, the wettest month.
When can you swim in Nosy Be?
The water never drops below 22 °C: from 27 to 31 °C depending on the month (warmest in February), measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast (Nosy Komba).
When is the best time to hike in Nosy Be?
July: highs between 12 and 29 °C and no more than 9 days of rain a month according to 2015-2024 records (Nosy Komba), the safest windows for walking.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Nosy Be guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit Madagascar: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
Compare with other destinations
Photos: Manel Cusido / Pexels · Gavin Rain / Pexels · Dick Hoskins / Pexels · louloua asgaraly / Pexels · tato grasso / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)