When to go and climate
When
to go
When
planning a trip to Madagascar,
travellers should have
in mind what they do not want to miss from this extraordinary land and
which
their personal interests are, since each season has its own highlights.
In
general, the period between May to October (winter
in the southern hemisphere) is the most pleasant time to travel to Madagascar,
with cooler temperatures and little rain. However, since the last years
the
traditional weather pattern is no longer reliable due to global
climatic
changes. You can have plenty of rain during the dry season and vice
versa, so
be ready for anything!
The touristic season begins in
April after the
cyclones. The rainy season is almost over but some areas are still hard
to
reach because of the terrible roads after the rainfalls. Until June it
is “low
season”, so prices are cheaper now than during the following
months. This is
the season of the rice crops on the highlands, a real impressive event
to see.
The months of July and August
are the peak of
the "high season" because it is the time when most tourists come here
since they are on holidays. So if you are planning to visit Madagascar during
“our summer” in Europe and USA,
you should
book in advance (both plane tickets and accommodation in busy beach
areas).
July and August are the “coolest” months of the
year, which is not bad at all
in the coastal regions where you can perfectly bath without being burnt
by the
sun. For nature lovers there are good and bad news: it is the whale
season on
the east season but at the same time many reptiles and small mammals
are
hibernating. You can never have it all!
 |
The months from September to
December are also
a very popular period to visit Madagascar.
It is hotter than during the last months and it does not rain a lot
(the rainy
season starts at the end of December). It is the best time to enjoy
beach
holidays and to observe the rich wildlife, since chameleons, lizards,
snakes
and rodents are active again.
The only time you should avoid is January to
March, when heavy rain can make many roads muddy and impassable, and
when
there's a high risk of cyclones in the east and northeast. Certain
hotels are
closed and even some big tour operators are not operative. |
Cyclone
Ivan struck the northeastern part of Madagascar in February 2008
© Madagascar Travel Guide |
|
Climate
The
climate of Madagascar
is subtropical, with a hot and rainy season between November and April
(summer),
and a cooler dry season from May to October (winter). However there is
a big
temperature variation depending on altitude and geographical position.
The west
coast is drier than the east coast, whilst the far south and south west
is a
semi-desert region that experiences very little rainfall. Temperatures
are much
cooler in the highlands. Night temperatures in Antsirabe can descend
below 5°C,
so do not leave a warm pullover at home. Antananarivo
has a pleasant, temperate climate thanks to its 1300 m altitude. Along
the
coast temperatures are much higher than in the capital and range from
27°C to
32°C in the wet season and 18°C to 22°C in the
dry season. If you are
travelling to the Eastern region, do not forget your rain gear:
rainfalls are
expected to happen the whole year. On the Masoala Peninsula
and around Maroantsetra the wettest months are from July to September.
You
find more specific information about the different climatic conditions
in Madagascar
in the sections
dedicated to each zone in this travel guide. Just click on the area you
want to visit to find out: The Highlands, The
South, The North, The East and The West
