Where to go when in the Indian Ocean

Travel

Whether you want perfect weather in the Maldives or a cultural immersion in Sri Lanka, here’s your month-by-month guide to the Indian Ocean.

ByAnthony Ham

Published September 30, 2023

• 6 min read

This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

January: Lamu, Kenya

Ideal conditions await you in Lamu, the island off mainland Kenya, in January: skies are clear, waters are translucent for diving and snorkelling, and afternoon sea breezes keep temperatures balmy. It can be busy early in the month, but the archipelago has plenty of hidden corners where you can find solitude.

February: Maldives

The Maldives is glorious at most times, but February is when the weather rounds the corner into perfection. It’s one of the brightest months in the archipelago, with up to 10 hours of sunshine per day, and you can expect calm waters and ideal conditions for snorkelling and diving. Temperatures reach highs of around 30C, and only dip by a few degrees at night.

March: Sri Lanka

This month you can immerse yourself in Maha Shivaratri, when Sri Lankan Hindus commemorate the deity Shiva’s marriage to Parvati in a mix of solemn vigils and joy that overflows from family homes onto the streets. It’s a great time to be on the island for weather, too, with blue skies and warm temperatures across the country’s different regions.

April: Île Sainte-Marie, Madagascar

Jazz comes to beautiful Île Sainte-Marie off the east coast of Madagascar with the Nosy-Boraha Jazz Festival in April, when acts fill sultry tropical evenings with Indian Ocean soul and swing. It coincides with the island’s emergence from rainy season, when many people are ready to party. 

May: Mahé, Seychelles

The Seychelles is the place to be in May: visitor numbers are relatively few, temperatures are mild and weather conditions favour long, lazy days spent lounging on the beach. Best of all, FetAfrik is this month, when the archipelago pays homage to its population’s African origins with a festival of music, dance and irresistible merriment. 

June: Réunion

June is optimal for exploring the volcanic drama of Réunion’s hiking trails: this is the heart of the dry season, with cool days bathed in crystalline light. For steps of a different kind, head to Sakifo, the island’s festival of Creole music; dance to local maloya beats, as well as lively salsa, blues and African rumba. 

July: Zanzibar, Tanzania

Over two wonderful weeks, Zanzibar’s Festival of the Dhow Countries celebrates the culture of coastal Tanzania and other Indian Ocean countries; the dhow is a traditional wooden sailboat that once plied the region’s medieval spice routes. Come for music, dance and the Zanzibar International Film Festival. 

August: Kandy, Sri Lanka

August means fabulous festivals in Sri Lanka. Kandy carouses over 10 days for the Esala Perahera, when the sacred fuses effortlessly with the profane in holy processions alongside dancers, drummers and stilt-walkers. Passions run similarly high during the festival at Jaffna’s Nallur Kandaswamy temple, a roiling juggernaut of floats and devotees in trance-like states.

September: Mozambique

Pick your preferred stretch of Mozambique’s coast and watch the humpback whales on their annual pilgrimage between feeding grounds in Antarctica and the bath-warm waters of the Mozambique Channel. It begins in July, reaches its high point in September, and can be spectacular whenever you see it.

October: Mauritius

Hindus around the Indian Ocean mark the festival of light, Diwali (Deepavali), in late October and into early November. It’s a special, spiritual time to be in Mauritius as candles and lamps light the way for Rama, a Hindu deity, to find his way home from exile after his victory over demon-king Ravana. 

November: Mombasa, Kenya

At once both gritty and graceful, coastal Kenya’s premier city turns on a show come November with the Mombasa Carnival, when the city sways with music, dance and other performances. It can coincide with the arrival of the rains; there’s nothing quite so joyous as a Mombasa dance party during a cooling monsoonal downpour.

December: Rodrigues, Mauritius

There aren’t many better places to be at year’s end than Mauritius. The three-day Festival Kréol is a deeply loved series of food-centric Creole celebrations, especially on the outlying island of Rodrigues. At the same time, Mauritian Tamils light up the night for the fire-walking ceremony of Teemeedee, which can feel deeply magical.

Published in the Indian Ocean supplement, distributed with the September 2023 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).
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