Best time to go to Martinique for a perfect weather and where to go?
Lucie Lhortolat and Tony Samson last update: 27/05/2024When is the best time to go to Martinique?
The weather is favorable all year round for traveling to Martinique. Temperatures range between 25 and 30°C (86°F) and the sun is mostly shining. However, the best time to visit Martinique is between mid-December and April, during the dry season. It's the perfect time to enjoy the island's beaches without risking a downpour.
During this season, tourist traffic is significant. Indeed, the year-end holidays in particular are very lively periods in Martinique. Many vacationers want to escape the winter cold in Europe. Additionally, Easter is also a very touristy period.
Nevertheless, during the rest of the year, even if rains are possible, they are moderate enough to allow for a variety of activities. On this island that delights hikers, all you need is to bring some waterproof clothing to continue enjoying the trails of the Trace des Caps or des Jésuites.
So, if you're wondering when to go to Martinique, know that the rainy season is also interesting for travelers. Moreover, many local events take place during this season. In July-August for example, you can attend the Yoles Round Tour, which features traditional Antillean boats.
Furthermore, this less crowded period will be perfect to take advantage of favorable rates.
Annual weather in Martinique
For information about the climate and the weather city by city in Martinique for a specific month, click on the corresponding line below:
| Month | Our opinion | View Details | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 81°F | good weather | |||
| February | 81°F | good weather | |||
| March | 81°F | good weather | |||
| April | 83°F | good weather | |||
| May | 85°F | good weather | |||
| June | 85°F | good weather | |||
| July | 85°F | good weather | |||
| August | 86°F | tolerable weather | |||
| September | 86°F | tolerable weather | |||
| October | 86°F | tolerable weather | |||
| November | 85°F | good weather | |||
| December | 83°F | good weather |
Best time to travel to Martinique by cities
Climate and Weather in Martinique
Martinique, located in the heart of the Caribbean, close to Dominica, Guadeloupe, and Saint Lucia, is a French overseas region where the sun shines all year round. Ideal for beach holidays, the sea is never cold and the weather is mostly sunny.
The climate of Martinique is characterized by constant heat and high humidity. Indeed, like elsewhere in the Caribbean, the island benefits from a tropical climate.
There are two seasons in Martinique:
- Carême, from mid-December to mid-April, corresponds to the dry season
- Hivernage, from mid-June to November, corresponds to the rainy season
The months of November-December and April-May are transition periods. They can be relatively dry or rainy depending on the year.
Moreover, in Martinique, climatic differences can be significant from year to year. It can sometimes be very gray and stormy in January, and beautiful sunshine can be found throughout the month of August. Indeed, here too, there are some disturbances in the climate, and the norm tends to change.
Finally, days are short in Martinique, as in the rest of the Caribbean. In this tropical region, the day generally starts before 6 a.m., but night falls between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.. This element should be taken into account when organizing your stay. It will be necessary to be vigilant when scheduling certain activities, especially hiking.
Let's take a closer look at the different seasons in Martinique.
The dry season
The dry season is the ideal period for a stay in Martinique. Indeed, during Lent, the island is subject to the northeasterly trade winds, typical winds of the tropical climate. These winds blow regularly, which helps slightly lower the temperatures and reduce humidity. Temperatures range from 26 to 30°C (86°F) .
Furthermore, even though it rains 10 days or more per month, there are only very brief showers of low intensity. For example, there is an average of 30 mm of precipitation in February compared to 130 mm or more in August. Additionally, it is important to know that Lent gradually settles in over the weeks. While the weather generally becomes drier at the end of December, the months of February and March are the ones when rain is least frequent.
Therefore, although the period is very touristy during the holiday season, the weather in Martinique will be even more favorable at the beginning of the year.
The rainy season
During the wintering period, humidity and heat are more significant. Indeed, the trade winds are less present. This results in a heavy atmosphere, with temperatures around 27 or 30°C (86°F) and humidity in the air close to 80%. Moreover, showers are common during this period, especially in the afternoon and evening. The sky is also cloudy at times, although the sun remains mostly present.
Furthermore, Martinique experiences a hurricane season between the months of June and November. It is not uncommon for the island to be hit by tropical depressions or hurricanes, especially in August and September. The damage can be considerable, but the island is fortunately well adapted to this situation. Effective alert measures are in place, which helps limit the consequences of these events. Wintering in Martinique corresponds to the low tourist season due to the rains and the risk of hurricanes.
Nevertheless, it is entirely possible to travel to Martinique during this period. The climate remains mild, and most showers pass quickly. Moreover, precipitation is heavier between July and September. Therefore, it is possible to enjoy a very pleasant stay between May and June. Finally, while the sea temperature is always suitable for swimming in Martinique, it is warmer during this season, often reaching 29°C (85°F) .
Martinique's Climate: Regional Differences
It should be noted that the climate varies from one region to another in Martinique. Indeed, coolness is more present in the highlands, especially around Mount Pelée. On-site, it can be 20°C (68°F) when it is 30°C (86°F) in coastal cities. Furthermore, generally speaking, the north of the island receives more precipitation than the south. For example, it rains more in Fort Saint Pierre than in Sainte-Anne.
Temperatures and rainfall in Martinique
On these 3 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Martinique and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of Fort-de-France, Caravelle peninsula, Grand'Rivière, Le Diamant and Sainte Anne, as well as the month-by-month sea temperature for coastal cities.
Peak visitor numbers and tourist seasons in Martinique
Find out when Martinique has its high tourist season (the period when the influx of tourists is highest) and off-peak tourist season using our data and figures.
Tourist seasons in Martinique
The months with low numbers of tourists are: March, May, June, July, September, October and November. The number of visitors to Martinique is high in: January, February, April, August and December.
- Very low season in Martinique: June and September.
- Low season in Martinique: March, May, July, October and November.
- High season in Martinique: January, February, April and August.
- Peak season in Martinique: December.
Figure: Visitor index for Martinique month by month
Average price for flights to Martinique
A return flight between Montreal and Fort-de-France is generally cheaper if you go in april ($ 756 on average): this is the best time for travellers on a tight budget. In contrast, you may end up paying $ 400 more for your airline ticket to Fort de France if you go in july.
Find the best price for your flight Flight prices to Martinique
Where to go in Martinique?
This table allows you to see the maximum temperature for each city and our opinion on the weather month by month (see colour legend below the table).
| Cities | jan. | feb. | mar. | apr. | may | jun. | jul. | aug. | sep. | oct. | nov. | dec. |
| Fort-de-France | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Caravelle peninsula | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Grand'Rivière | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Le Diamant | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Sainte Anne | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Sainte-Luce | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Bellefontaine | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Anse Couleuvre | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Cap Macré Beach | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Carbet | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Case-Pilote | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Fonds-Saint-Denis | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Gros-Morne | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| La Trinité | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Lamentin | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Le Morne Larcher | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Le Morne Rouge | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Les Anses d’Arlet | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Les Boucaniers | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Les Trois-Ilets | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
Legend:
good weather
tolerable weather
About Martinique
What can I do in Martinique?
Beaches / swimming
Nature and countryside
Culture and heritage
Sports
Family travel
Crafts / shopping
Gastronomy
Nightlife
Is this weather information for Martinique reliable?
Climate data for Martinique has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Martinique allows us to determine the average for each month in Fort-de-France, Caravelle peninsula, Grand'Rivière, Le Diamant, Sainte Anne, Sainte-Luce, Bellefontaine, Anse Couleuvre, and 27 other cities.
So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.