Good Time to Visit
Weather
Guinea-Bissau has a hot, humid, typically tropical climate, with a rainy season that lasts from mid June to October, when average monthly rainfall can reach as high as 61 cm (24 inches). The wettest months are July, August and September, and at this time humidity is very high. The average temperature during the rainy season ranges from 79°F to 82°F (26°C to 28°C), but temperatures can exceed 90°F (32°C).
The months of December to April are dry, with hot winds blowing in from the interior. Temperatures can range between 59°F (15°C) and 98°F (37°C) during this period. Temperatures vary with altitude and distance from the coast.
Visitors are advised to bring tropical lightweight cotton clothes and waterproofs for the rainy season.
Festivals
The colourful Latin-style Carnival in Bissau in February is one of the most atmospheric events and sees elaborate floats and costumes. Besides this, some of the major festivals are connected with the Islamic calendar, the dates of which vary year-on-year. Tabaski, the feast of Sacrifice, and Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, are among the most significant.
Public Holidays
The following table shows the public holidays celebrated in Guinea-Bissau:
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day |
| 8 March | International Women's Day |
| 1 May | Labour Day |
| 3 August | Anniversary of the Killing of Pidjiguoiti |
| 24 September | National Day |
| 14 November | Anniversary of the Movement of Readjustment |
| 25 December | Christmas Day |
| Variable* | Korité (End of Ramadan) |
| Variable* | Tabaski (Feast of the Sacrifice) |
* Although Muslim holidays always fall on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date they are celebrated on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year, due to the fact that the Islamic calendar is lunar whilst the Gregorian calendar is solar. Because this lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, Islamic holy days usually shift 11 days earlier each successive solar year. The method used to determine when each Islamic month begins also varies from country to country.