Mauritius in August and September: What It Was Really Like
Published 30 October 2026
We had some gorgeous beach days in Mauritius, but I'll be honest: the weather was more hit and miss than I expected. August and September are technically winter there, and after being so lucky in Zanzibar and the Seychelles, we had more cloudy days, a little bit of rain and wind that could set in out of nowhere. Le Morne was closed when we tried to hike, I had to dig my jumper out at a tea tasting inland, and the catamaran crossing had a big swell both ways. I'd still happily plan a trip in this part of the year, with a little space for the island to do its own thing!
Quick answer: did August and September work for us?
Yes. We spent 13 August to 13 September 2026 there, with beach time, boat outings and everyday life across Grand Baie, Tamarin and Blue Bay. Because we had the whole month, we still managed pretty much everything we wanted to do, except the Le Morne hike. On a shorter trip, I'd put the weather-sensitive plans, like boat days and the hike, early in the stay and keep a spare day or two after them.
Our actual dates and places
We had 31 booked nights: eight in Grand Baie, nineteen in Tamarin and four in Blue Bay. From Tamarin we visited Le Morne and Chamarel, and we stopped at Bois Chéri on the drive across to Blue Bay. So we saw the north, the west coast, the inland hills and the southeast, just at different points in the month.
The weather swung around a lot. Our first few days in Grand Baie were super average, then the catamaran day turned out perfect. In Tamarin we had a few beautiful days, then a super overcast morning on exactly the day I remembered to bring my camera on our morning walk. Typical! Later there was a whole week where it was on and off pretty much every day. Our last few days in Blue Bay had really average weather too, before one gorgeous sunny day by the beach.
When someone says the weather was good or bad, it's worth asking what they wanted to do. A breezy day can wreck a hike or a boat trip and barely touch a café morning. A cloudy inland outing can still be lovely if you've brought a layer.
What the longer-term climate says
Mauritius Meteorological Services describes June to September as the relatively cool, dry winter period. The cool part matched our month, but dry didn't mean rain-free for us: we still had showers and plenty of cloud.
Check its current forecasts closer to your plans, especially before a sea or mountain activity.
What surprised me most was how quickly it changed. The morning we went to hike Le Morne was sunny with only a few clouds, nicer than the days we'd been waiting through, and by the time we reached the mountain the wind had picked up and the hike was closed. A beautiful start to the day doesn't always last, so it pays to have a plan B ready.
Beach days were still a big part of the month
Le Morne and Blue Bay gave us some of the scenes I was most excited about: clear water, white sand and the mountain backdrop around the lagoon. Tamarin was lovely for ending the day near the beach after coffee, work and cooking, with the sun setting directly over the water.
On our catamaran day we pulled up to Flat Island after a few grey days and the water was crystal clear! In Blue Bay, we'd tried our little stretch of beach the day before in bad weather, and when the sun came back we sat out there with a whole pineapple and the bluest water! Our beach guide compares each beach we actually visited.
Having a month meant we could wait for the good days rather than feel every cloud had ruined a tightly packed holiday. On a shorter trip, you can't create a month of spare days, but you can leave a little room between your most weather-sensitive bookings.
The Le Morne hike we didn't do
Le Morne was the one that got away. We'd been waiting through a few cloudier days for a clear one, and our last day in Tamarin finally looked perfect. That morning there were huge waves breaking about a kilometre out to sea, so we went down to watch them and fly the drone. It flashed a wind warning for really heavy winds and only just made it back to shore! We drove up the very bumpy road to the base anyway and found the gates fully closed because of anticyclone weather. There were no signs on the road on the way up, so we only found out once we got there.
The hike is free and you can park right at the base, so the real cost of trying is time. My advice: don't leave it until the end like we did. Plan your trip with a few extra days around it, because the wind sets in suddenly here, and it happens quite often.
We turned it into a lovely day anyway! We drove back through Chamarel, finally stopped at the viewpoint we'd driven past before, had a set lunch at Palais de Barbizon and finished with tea at Bois Chéri on our way to Blue Bay. By the time we reached the tea plantation it was so overcast that, honestly, it was probably a good thing we weren't up the mountain.
Boat days need their own weather plan
Our northern-islands crossing from Grand Baie was choppy, about an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half each way with a big swell there and back. A catamaran handles it pretty well, but if you get seasick, keep it in mind. The island beaches looked beautiful when we arrived, and the journey was part of the experience too. Ask the operator how it decides whether to run and what happens if the programme changes.
Our private Vitamin Sea sunrise was the biggest highlight of the whole trip for both of us. Vitamin Sea hosted that outing. We set off in the dark at about 5:30, and for the first hour we had the dolphins all to ourselves! The sea was so flat that morning, despite a little bit of rain, that the clouds were reflecting on the water. Afterwards we snorkelled in the Le Morne lagoon and stopped at Crystal Rock on the way back, about three hours in total.
I'd choose a boat day with room on either side where possible. The catamaran guide and private sunrise account go through each trip in detail.
Inland felt different from the coast
At Bois Chéri, we paid MUR250 each for the tea tasting (our September 2026 price), with biscuits and as many cups as we wanted, overlooking the plantation and lake. The weather took one big turn while we were there. It got cold and so overcast that I had to get my jumper out! My favourite was the caramel black tea, then the lemongrass, then the jasmine green, and Daniel loved the coconut black. I really liked that change of scene from the beach.
Chamarel was another inland day, with the waterfall viewpoints and the Seven Coloured Earth. It's about 30 minutes from Tamarin, and the last 20 minutes or so of road are very winding, so keep that in mind if you get carsick. We arrived for the 8:30 opening and were the first ones in! The Chamarel article keeps the actual stops together.
What I'd pack and leave flexible
I'd bring beach things plus a light jumper, and the right shoes for the outings you've planned. Most of our photos are sunny coast, but the day at Bois Chéri was genuinely cold, and I was so glad I had a layer with me.
Keep your plans easy to move where it matters: boat days, the Le Morne hike and the days you cross between bases. Read the change terms when you book, so a weather day doesn't cost you the activity.
Don't fill every remaining hour with a paid activity. Coffee Shore mornings, cooking at home and slow beach evenings were part of why we loved Tamarin. Our ten-day itinerary leaves a breathing-room day for a reason.
Would I change the accommodation plan for this season?
Not really. Grand Baie suited our northern outing, Tamarin the everyday routine and southwest visits, and Blue Bay the quiet finish. Tamarin was our favourite, partly because a cloudy day there was still a good day: amazing cafés and restaurants, a really good gym and supermarkets, everything we needed to feel at home.
When you compare places, look at the apartment itself as well as the beach photo. On a grey afternoon, a comfortable apartment with a kitchen and a routine you enjoy makes a real difference. Our where-to-stay guide is based on those practical choices.
I'd go with the right expectations: lovely days, changeable plans and a few grey ones in between. That matched our month much better than either “perfect weather” or “don't go”.
Watch our Mauritius trip
Watch our Mauritius vlog on YouTube, 45m21s. This is also our newest public full-length video, verified for this article.
FAQs about August and September in Mauritius
What dates were you there?
From 13 August to 13 September 2026, with 31 booked nights across Grand Baie, Tamarin and Blue Bay.
Was it sunny the whole time?
No. It's winter in Mauritius at that time of year, and we had more cloudy days and a bit more rain than we'd had in Zanzibar or the Seychelles. We still had plenty of beautiful beach days, and with a whole month we did almost everything we planned.
Can I assume the west coast always has better weather?
Not from our trip. Tamarin, on the west coast, had a whole week of on-and-off weather, and the wind closed the Le Morne hike in the southwest, while we had a perfect catamaran day in the north and sunshine in Blue Bay. Go by the current forecast for your dates.
Why didn't you hike Le Morne?
It was closed because of anticyclone weather on the day we went. It was sunny when we set off, but the wind picked up suddenly and the gates at the base were shut. We'd left it until our last day in Tamarin, so leave yourself spare days.
