Good Time to Visit
Weather
The rainy season in Malawi runs from November to March. Winter, from May-July, is dry, and nights can be chilly, particularly in the highlands. Around Lake Malawi, the climate is particularly dry with pleasant cooling breezes. (For more information, see Climate in Malawi).
Visitors are advised to bring lightweight clothing when staying in the Lake Malawi area, with warmer clothes recommended for the mountains and elsewhere, particularly for chilly evenings and during winter. It should be noted that the UV rays are very strong in Malawi and burn times very short - great care should be taken.
Festivals
The Lake of Stars Festival is held in early September and features local bands playing jazz and kwaito as well as international DJ's and bands.
Public Holidays
The following table shows the public holidays celebrated in Malawi:
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day |
| 15 January | Chilembwe Day |
| March/April (variable) | Good Friday |
| March/April (variable) | Easter Monday |
| 3 March | Martyrs' Day |
| 1 May | Labour Day |
| 14 June | Freedom Day |
| 6 July | Republic Day |
| 2nd Monday in October | Mothers' Day |
| 25 December | Christmas Day |
| 26 December | Boxing Day |
| Variable* | Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan) |
* 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.