Best Time to Visit Antsiranana

For Antsiranana, a place that is relatively warm throughout the year, the travel experience is more influenced by the rainfall. Therefore, the best visit time is the dry season from April to November. Specifically, these months are characterized by low rainfall, which provides long hours of sunshine on one hand and ensures good road conditions on the other. All of these factors allow you to access various attractions you want to visit. In addition, during the dry season, Antsiranana experiences gentle breezes that effectively lower the apparent temperature to a comfortable level and create excellent conditions for kitesurfing on the sea. 

Beautiful Sea View in Dry Season

However, if you wish to avoid crowds or cut down travel expenses, you are advised to avoid visiting Antsiranana in the summer vacation of July and August. Additionally, April and October are less recommended if you are particular about the weather, as they tend to have slightly more rainfall than the other months of the dry season. 

 See also: Antsiranana Weather

The worst months for traveling in Antsiranana are January and February. The average rainfall in each of these two months exceeds 300 mm, and the average number of rainy days per month is around 20. During these two months, you will find that it is difficult to avoid continuous rainy days even if you check the weather forecast in advance. Moreover, the roads are muddy and slippery due to continuous rainfall. Even on sunny days, the road conditions may not return to a good state. On top of that, the high humidity coupled with high temperature make you feel a bit stuffy.

Whether or not it is a good time to visit Tsingy Rouge or national parks depends greatly on the road conditions. Therefore, the dry season from April to November, when the weather is relatively sunny and stable and the roads are less affected by the rain, is a more recommended time to hike in these places. Among these months, May to October have the least rainfall and the best road conditions, and thus are the best months to visit. Moreover, the temperature in these months is slightly lower than the other months, and you won’t feel hot while hiking.

People Hiking in National Parks

In addition, if you want to spot wildlife in national parks, September to November are more recommended, because the animals are more active at that time.

Overall, the best time to go to the beach is also the dry season, from April to November, when the weather is sunny. However, the best time for different activities at the beach varies:

(1) For Enjoying Sunbathing on the Beach

The best time to enjoy sunbathing on the beaches is from May to August, when the climate is stable and Antsiranana boasts long hours of sunshine as well as not very strong UV rays.

In addition to the above months, September to November also have long sunshine hours. However, it should be noted that the UV rays are very strong during this period, so if you go to the beach to sunbathe in these months in 2025, it is best to avoid 10:00 - 14:00 when the UV rays are the strongest.

People Enjoy Sunbathing

(2) For Kitesurfing

Kitesurfing has certain requirements for wind speeds. In general, the best wind speed for kitesurfing beginners is 9 - 30 knots (17 - 56 kph or 11 - 35 mph). Therefore, if you want to try kitesurfing for the first time in Antsiranana, the most recommended months are May to November, when the wind speed averages 20 - 29 kph (12.4 - 18 mph). For those old hands, July to October, with higher wind speeds, may provide you with a more exciting experience.

(3) For Snorkeling/ Diving

Snorkeling requires high underwater visibility, warm sea temperatures, and calm seas. Therefore, April to June and October to November, when the climate is clear, the sea temperature is cozy at around 25℃ (68℉), and the average wind speeds are below 25 kph (16 mph), are the most suitable months to go snorkeling in Antsiranana, to enjoy the beautiful coral reefs and abundant underwater life.

Undersea View of Antsiranana