Shop a Review

Where is the country of Madagascar located? Madagascar is an island or country southeast of the African continent. Madagascar is blessed with an impressive nature, thanks to a fairly large variety of climate types, where rainforest, mountains and steppes alternate. Madagascar mainly has large differences in the amount of precipitation that falls. This is caused by the fact that most depressions are supplied from the east or the northeast. In the center of the island, the long ridge ensures that most of the rain falls on the eastern side, the northeast and the northern tip of Madagascar. This area therefore has tropical climates, where the amount of precipitation determines whether there is a tropical rainforest climate, a tropical monsoon climate or a tropical savanna climate.Köppen classification as Cwa and Cwb. The western part of Madagascar has a warm steppe climate (type BSh) and a small area around the mouth of the Mangoky River has a warm desert climate.

Seasons

Madagascar is located in the Southern Hemisphere, so the seasons are reversed compared to ours. There is no spring, summer, autumn and winter in Madagascar. There are actually two seasons: the wet season (rainy season, monsoon) and the dry season. In some places in the east and north of the country, the differences between the two seasons are marginal. The amount of precipitation is lower in winter than in summer. With a monthly precipitation sum of more than a hundred millimeters, it is actually still too wet in those places to speak of a real dry period. The differences in temperature are not so great on the entire island. In most places, maximum temperatures are around tropical values ​​of around thirty degrees throughout the year.

The hurricane

Madagascar has the dubious honor of being one of the countries in the world where the probability of hurricanes and tropical storms is quite high. The hurricane season in Madagascar starts in December and lasts until mid-May. Especially in the months of February and March there is an increased risk of tropical depressions and hurricanes. The east coast is most likely to be hit by a hurricane. The smallest chance of dealing with a hurricane is in the southern tip of Madagascar.

Climate figures

The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).

Best time to visit Madagascar

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Madagascar? You can determine the best time to travel to a destination based on the weather and climate. In addition, there are other factors that are not directly related to the weather and that can influence the best travel periods for a travel destination. Think, for example, of holidays or festive periods, which makes traveling more interesting or not, because daily life comes to a standstill as a result. The Republic of Madagascar is a country belonging to Africa that consists of several islands, of which the island of Madagascar is the main island and by far the largest island. Madagascar is located in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique. The elongated island has a fairly large variation in the climate, partly because of the Central Highlands. This ensures that there are different parts of Madagascar that each have their own weather and their own best time to travel. In general, you can say that the months of September and October are the best travel times for a holiday to Madagascar. You avoid the most stuffy days, there is hardly any chance of a cyclone and the chance of rain is limited during this period.

The Far North

The northernmost tip of Madagascar is tropically warm all year round with maximum temperatures of around 29 to 32 degrees Celsius. The annual rainfall for Madagascar is not too bad at this location. Count on about 1100 to 1300 millimeters. The sun is visible all year round, but especially in the period from April to November. The rainy season is from December to early April. The best time to travel for a holiday in the Antsiranana area is from May to October.

The Northwest Coast

The climate of the northwestern coastal area of ​​Madagascar resembles that of the north: tropical with a distinct rainy season and a dry season. There is more precipitation here, especially on the offshore island of Nosy-be. Since April is still part of the rainy season here and the second half of October is already becoming less stable, the period from May to mid-October is the best time to travel here.

The west coast

The western coast of Madagascar, where Morondava is located, is a bit drier than the coastal areas further north. This area, together with the southwest, is one of the sunniest parts of Madagascar. There is hardly any rain here from December to mid-March. The best time to travel to this part of Madagascar is therefore from May to November. We don’t mention April, because it’s still quite hot then. At the town of Morondava you can admire the famous Allée des baobabs.

The Southwest

The southwestern part of Madagascar, located around Toliara, is the sunniest and driest area within Madagascar. You can actually travel here all year round, because even in the wettest months the amounts of rain are not that bad. The best time to travel here is from April to November, with the caveat that April can be very muggy.

The east coast

The trade winds and the supply of depressions from the eastern directions mean that the eastern coastal areas of Madagascar are relatively wet and also somewhat bleaker than the west. As you go further south on the west coast, the precipitation decreases. The months of September, October and November are the best time to travel to the east coast. In the south, around Tolanaro, August is also a great month.

The Central Highlands

With mountains that sometimes exceed two kilometers in height, the Central Highlands of Madagascar has a significantly anchored climate type than the rest of the country. It is cooler in the interior than on the coast. During the local winter (our summer) maximum temperatures are around 18 to 24 degrees Celsius. It can be cooler at higher elevations. During the local summer (our winter) the maxima shoot towards the tropical limit of 30 degrees Celsius. This is the wettest period in the interior. The best travel time for this part of Madagascar is therefore from the end of April to September.