Vitamin D in Madagascar: best months for sun and a travel guide

The best months for vitamin D in Madagascar are May to November. In November, a full dose of about 1,000 IU takes around 6 minutes at midday for skin type III at age 30, with 8.9 usable sun hours a day. For a beach stay it is rainy or stormy from December to April.

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Madagascar month by month

Madagascar is rated at its median coastal place, for skin type III at age 30. Click a month for the details.

Month	Rating	Sun window	Peak UV	Full dose, age 30	Full dose, age 65	Afternoon high	Rainy days
January	Bad weather	7.5 h	8.4	6 min	12 min	29°C	26/30
February	Bad weather	8.7 h	9.3	6 min	11 min	30°C	28/30
March	Bad weather	8.0 h	8.6	6 min	12 min	30°C	27/30
April	Bad weather	7.6 h	7.8	7 min	13 min	31°C	19/30
May	Good	6.9 h	6.2	9 min	16 min	33°C	0/30
June	Good	6.5 h	5.6	10 min	18 min	31°C	0/30
July	Good	6.7 h	5.9	9 min	17 min	29°C	0/30
August	Excellent	7.4 h	6.8	8 min	15 min	30°C	0/30
September	Excellent	8.2 h	8.0	7 min	13 min	31°C	1/30
October	Excellent	8.5 h	8.8	6 min	11 min	32°C	2/30
November	Excellent	8.9 h	9.3	6 min	11 min	33°C	8/30
December	Bad weather	8.9 h	9.3	6 min	11 min	33°C	18/30

Sun window is the number of hours a day with UV Index 2.5 or higher. Full dose is the minutes at midday for about 1,000 IU of vitamin D with a quarter of the body bare, for skin type III. Rainy days are days with at least 1 mm out of 30.

Travel guide: why go to Madagascar

Why go

Madagascar is a world apart for wildlife, with lemurs, baobabs and warm tropical beaches on the north-west islands.

Best for

Adventurous travellers, wildlife lovers and divers.

What to expect

A dry season from May to October, hot humid summers with cyclones on the east coast, and long, rough road journeys. Services are basic outside tourist islands.

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Places in Madagascar

Each place has its own climate, so its best months can differ from the country as a whole.

Nosy Be best: Excellent

Main beach island of the north-west, with lemurs and ylang-ylang farms.

Best for couples, divers, nature lovers

Best months May to October · Avoid rainy or stormy from November to April

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Île Sainte-Marie

Former pirate island with whales in season.

Best for couples, whale watchers

Best months none · Avoid rainy or stormy all year

Antananarivo best: Excellent (inland)

Hilly capital and the arrival point for most trips.

Best for transit stays, culture travellers

Best months April, May, July, September to December · Avoid too cool in June and in August; rainy or stormy from January to March

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Ifaty best: Excellent

Dry south-west coast with a coral reef and spiny forest.

Best for snorkellers, nature lovers

Best months April to December · Avoid rainy or stormy from January to March

Morondava best: Excellent

Gateway to the Avenue of the Baobabs.

Best for photographers, adventurous travellers

Best months April to November · Avoid rainy or stormy from December to March

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Antsiranana best: Excellent

Northern port near a huge bay with a sugar-loaf rock.

Best for kitesurfers, adventurous travellers

Best months May to November · Avoid rainy or stormy from December to April

Some short descriptions come from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Questions about vitamin D in Madagascar

When is the best time to visit Madagascar for vitamin D?

Can you get vitamin D from the sun in Madagascar in June?

Yes, but slowly. In June a full dose takes about 10 minutes at midday for skin type III at age 30, with 6.5 usable hours a day.

How long do I need in the sun in Madagascar?

In November, the best month, about 6 minutes at midday with a quarter of the body bare, for skin type III at age 30; about 11 minutes at age 65. Darker skin needs longer and fair skin burns sooner, so keep sessions short. This is an estimate for planning, not medical advice.

Which months should I avoid in Madagascar?

For a beach stay, avoid the months when it is rainy or stormy from December to April.

What is the best place in Madagascar for vitamin D?

In November the strongest sun of the places we rate is around Ifaty. Each place has its own rating, so open the place list to compare them.