Best time to visit the South Pacific Islands

September is lovely in the South Pacific. Peak vacation season is over, humidity is lower and cyclone season has yet to darken the skies.
It’s always hot in the South Pacific with more tropical climes the closer you get to the equator. The wet season falls between November and April, when it’s humid and sticky, while the dry season from May through to October brings milder temperatures and clearer skies. When choosing the best time to visit the South Pacific you’ll also need to bear in mind what you want to do there, whether that’s swimming with humpback whales in Tonga and Tahiti, snorkelling in the waters off Fiji, or avoiding the chock-a-block Antipodean school vacation season.

South Pacific islands, month by month

As the drier, cooler season lasts from May, to September or October in the South Pacific this is a great opportunity to explore more of the islands without the heat and humidity; though June and July are busy times with Kiwis and Aussies fleeing the Antipodean winter. From July to October you can swim with humpback whales in the waters off Tonga and August is an ideal month for dolphin spotting in Fiji. From October the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tahiti will just be beginning their rainiest months, with the rains moving into Fiji Vanuatu and Tonga in November. December, January, February, March and April bring not only rain but cyclone season to the islands of the South Pacific. Tropical cyclones can occur at any time of year though, so do keep abreast of regionalised warnings. December and January coincide with the Australian and New Zealand summer vacations when accommodation is fully booked and planes are at capacity.

Fiji Weather Chart

 
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
23
30
308
FEB
23
30
293
MAR
23
30
356
APR
22
29
288
MAY
21
28
142
JUN
20
27
113
JUL
19
26
86
AUG
19
26
103
SEP
20
27
123
OCT
21
27
152
NOV
21
29
181
DEC
22
29
226

Our top South Pacific Islands Vacation

Pacific Islands tour

Pacific Islands tour

Discover some of the world's smallest nations

From £13195 27 days ex flights
Small group travel:
2023: 28 Sep
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about South Pacific Islands or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.

South Pacific Islands festivals & events

Pacific Games

Every four years, the multi-sport Pacific Games takes place in a different city in the region. The South Pacific’s answer to the Olympics, it features around 4,000 participants from 22 Pacific nations taking part in around 30 sporting events. In 2019 they will be held in Samoa, and in 2023 in the Solomon Islands.
Written by Nana Luckham
Photo credits: [Page banner: Chris Isherwood] [Intro: Arnie Papp] [What happens when: Jeff Marquis] [Pacific Games: Augusto Garrido]