Mahe seasonal overview
Best Surf Season (June - September)
The southwest monsoon is the engine that drives Mahe's surf. As low pressure builds over northern India and the Mascarene High pushes strong cross-equatorial winds up the Arabian Sea, consistent W/SW/WSW swell flies straight into Mahe's west-southwest-facing beach. Average wave heights climb to 2-3ft (0.6-0.9m), periods sit between 8.8 and 10.0s, and the ideal wind percentage ranges from 20 to 27%. August often gets the crown for best trade-off: waves stay consistent while the wind is more often groomed by cross-offshore NW/WNW flow.
Fair Surf Season (May & October)
May and October are transition months. In May, the monsoon is firing up: swell sizes increase, W/SW directions begin to dominate, and the first clean windows appear. October still has long-period SW/WSW swell, but the size fades away as the monsoon retreats. You can find fun waves on the right day, but consistency and wind quality are unreliable.
Low Surf Season (November - April)
The northeast monsoon season brings mostly dry, light offshore winds but almost no swell. Average wave heights hover at 1ft (0.3m) to just above knee-high, and the surfable percentage is tiny. April and November are the least-bad months because longer periods arrive, but without size the exposed banks stay almost flat. For a true 'surf trip,' Mahe's low season is best avoided unless a late-season tropical low decides to stir the Arabian Sea.