The Best Time to Visit Fiji

SD › Fiji When to Go
Updated: June 2, 2021
By Santorini Dave

See Also

• Where To Stay in Fiji

What is the best time to visit Fiji?

The months of May-June and September-October offer the best weather in Fiji while avoiding the peak rush of July-August. These months are a great time to catch good deals on hotels as well as for sightseeing and water sports.

• Best Time to Visit Fiji: May, June, September and October.
• Best Time to Visit Fiji for Good Weather: May to October.
• Best Time for Sightseeing: May to October.
• Best Time for Honeymoons: May to October.
• Best Time for Diving & Snorkeling: May to October.
• Best Time for Outdoor Activities: May to October.
• Best Time for Nightlife: Anytime, but less promising during the wet season (November to April) on the smaller and more remote islands.
• Best Time for Saving Money: Avoid the peak seasons (July, August, December, and January), when increased demand means increased hotel rates, and sometimes, booked-out flights and boats.
• Best Time for Sightseeing: There are 2 very important factors in deciding when to travel. Firstly, the peak seasons, which include the school holidays in Australia and New Zealand (the longest is mid-December to the end of January), and the main European holidays of July, particularly August. The second factor is the wet season, which lasts from November to April. At this time cyclones are not uncommon, heavy rain is frequent, and the humidity can be draining. Therefore, the best times to visit are May, June, September, and October.
• Best Time for Diving & Snorkeling: Calmer and clearer waters are most likely during the dry season (May to October), and probably a month before and after. In the wet season, the waves and winds can churn up the water, affecting visibility, but this is less problematic in the calm and non-tidal lagoons that surround many of the atolls and even larger islands.
• Best Time for Outdoor Activities: Not surprisingly, the weather affects the accessibility and enjoyment of all things outdoor-y. The wet season (November to April) brings heavy downpours which can trigger landslides, high waves and strong winds, and when it’s not raining the humidity can be debilitating. Obviously, don’t go anywhere outdoors during any cyclonic activity. Hiking and surfing are best from May to October, while rafting is optimal from December to May.
• Best Times for Beaches: The dry season (May to October) is often referred to by locals as ‘winter’. Daytime temperatures can hover around 25°C, and become comparatively cooler later in the afternoon and during the evening, but the sea stays a constantly inviting temperature. Swimming is, perhaps, more appealing in the wet season to seek relief from the heat and humidity, but obviously avoid any bad weather (particularly lightning). And never forget the sunscreen, even if it’s mild or cloudy.

Fiji Travel Seasons

• High Season (July, August, December, and January): This coincides with the European holiday season and the school breaks in Australia and New Zealand. The highest of the high is August, and around the Christmas/New Year period, when hotel rates peak and inter-island boats and planes are often full – so book ahead. And remember: December and January are also in the middle of the wet season, with cyclones always possible and cancelled boat/plane trips not uncommon.
• Shoulder Season (May, June, September, and October): These months are either side of the start and finish of the wet season, and exclude the peak holiday periods. The weather at this time is very comfortable – with clear, cool and dry days – and prices haven’t increased yet. Traveling around is easy, and outdoor events start after the cyclone season.
• Low Season (November, February, March, and April): The good news is that hotel rates plummet at this time, and finding seats on boats and planes is never a problem – although services can be cancelled because of bad weather. But rain is frequent, the humidity often unpleasant, and cyclones always possible.

Fiji Weather by Month

• Fiji Weather in January: Still at the peak of the high season, with Australian and New Zealand school holidays, this month is also in the middle of the wet season. When it’s not raining, temperatures are higher (but only another 5 degrees or so to an average high of 30°C), but the humidity can force some visitors back inside. Always check the local media, hotel announcements and official website about possible cyclones.
• Fiji Weather in February: The highest risk of cyclones is in this month. On average, 1 cyclone passes through Fiji each year. Some years there are none, but in April 2018 there were 2 in 1 week, and Winston (the most intense ever in the entire South Pacific) wreaked havoc in February 2016. While most cyclones miss the main tourist centers, they still bring peripheral winds and rains that make travel by plane, boat, and even road almost impossible.
• Fiji Weather in March: In many parts, especially the main islands, this is the wettest month, with Suva experiencing rain on 23 of 31 days. Downpours are usually short but heavy, with sunshine immediately after, rather than cloudy drizzles that last days. But still expect possibly rough travel on boats, cancelled flights, and maybe, flooded and damaged roads.
• Fiji Weather in April: As the heavy rains start to dwindle by the middle of the month, locals become evidently relieved. This is the end of the official cyclone season and humidity levels drop. But don’t put away the umbrella and wet-weather gear just yet.
• Fiji Weather in May: Start of the dry season and official end of possible cyclones. The weather quickly becomes cooler and drier, but short less-heavy rains may linger for a week or 2 longer. Waters become clearer for snorkelers and divers, and the milder winds and waves herald the start of the surfing season.
• Fiji Weather in June: Usually perfect weather, with heavy rains (hopefully) gone, low humidity, and endless dry and clear days coinciding with the start of the busier season. Nights are cooler, making it easier to sleep, and taking a jumper with you after dark isn’t as silly as it sounds.
• Fiji Weather in July: By now, some locals even start to complain about the ‘cold weather’! Day after day, it’s cool and pleasant, with little or no rain. And it can even become comparatively chilly at night, with temperatures down to 18°C.
• Fiji Weather in August: As the nights turn even cooler, and the days continue to be mild rather than hot, any heavy rain is likely to make front page news. The downside is the masses arriving from Europe, where ironically, it’s probably hotter. Water temperatures are a little cooler, but the sea is still very swimmable.
• Fiji Weather in September: 1 of the best months, with continuing dry and pleasant weather and a significant reduction in tourist numbers and hotel rates.
• Fiji Weather in October: The last month for calm and dry weather, with anxiety growing among locals as possible cyclones loom. Some water-sports centers slow down or even close down, with diving and snorkeling increasingly frustrating because of cloudy waters. Surfers pack up their boards and head elsewhere as the temperature and humidity increase.
• Fiji Weather in November: Start of the wet season, also called the ‘summer’, which continues until April. Temperatures rise by a few degrees (in Celsius), while the humidity becomes noticeably more uncomfortable. And cyclones are now possible at any time, so keep alert. On the major mountainous islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu the weather can vary along the different coastlines.
• Fiji Weather in December: The wet season continues, with periods of heavy downpours that could affect holidays, exacerbated by high humidity (especially before rain) and big crowds during the Australian and New Zealand school holidays. Boat and plane trips may be postponed, and roads sometimes flooded, but rain is often brief and floods quite rare, while there’s still sunshine on many days.

Fiji Holidays, Events & Festivals

Fiji Events in January

• New Year’s Day – celebrated by everyone, with the start of festivals that can last a week, even all month. Usually, a coconut tree climbing competition at Denarau on the main island.
• Chinese New Year (January/February, changeable) – the sizeable Chinese minorities in the larger towns celebrate this with gusto, including the usual lion dances.
• Thaipusam (January/February, changeable) – not to be outdone, the Hindu Fiji-Indians celebrate for about 10 days at the Sri Siva Subramaniya temple in downtown Nadi.

Fiji Events in February

• Panguni Uthiram (February/March, changeable) – boisterous Hindu festival celebrated in Nadi, particularly at the Sri Suva Subramaniya temple.

Fiji Events in March

• Holi (1 day after the full moon) – the Festival of Colors is a worldwide event, also celebrated by Fiji-Indians to mark the victory of good over evil. Participants pour colored water over each other and share sweets.
• Ram Navami (March/April, changeable) – another Hindu festival, celebrated more in homes than temples. Some worshipers in Suva enter the sea and throw flowers.
• National Youth Day (26th) – a UN-sanctioned public holiday.

Fiji Events in April

• Easter (March/April, changeable) – as a country of (mostly) devout Christians, Easter is celebrated with passion throughout the islands; even more so in the villages. Easter Sunday is the time to visit a church. Many shops and restaurants are closed for 4 days, sometimes for the entire Holy Week, while Good Friday, the subsequent Sunday, and Monday are public holidays. Some particularly pious worshipers partake in the Fijian Crosswalk, carrying a wooden cross for over 200km from Suva to Nadi.

Fiji Events in May

• Fiji Pro (May and June) – international surfing contest at the Mamanuca Islands.

Fiji Events in June

• Queen’s Birthday (15th) – still celebrated by a few royalists, but no longer a public holiday.
• National Sports Day (26th) – a public holiday in the sports-mad country since 2014.

Fiji Events in July

• Bula Festival (July/August, changeable) – to coincide with the middle of the peak seasons for weather and tourist numbers, this amazing week-long festival in Nadi celebrates all things Fijian, with parades, food stalls, and a Miss Bula pageant.
• Fire-walking (July/August, changeable) – not the traditional kind, but something a few Hindus in Suva undertake, probably rather gingerly.

Fiji Events in August

• Fiji Hibiscus Festival (changeable) – held in Suva for up to 9 days, it attracts visitors from across Fiji for cultural performances, parades, live music, and a beauty pageant. Plenty of fun for the family.

Fiji Events in September

• Constitution Day (7th September) – started in 2016, it celebrates the passing of Fiji’s fourth constitution.
• Sugar Festival (changeable) – likeable Lautoka town, north of Nadi, hosts parades and another beauty pageant over a week.
• Friendly North Festival (changeable) – long-established event at Labas on Vanua Levu island.
• Coral Coast Festival (changeable) – more parades, dances and music held at Sigatoka on the main island.
• Fiji Regatta (changeable) – a week of racing and networking for yachties at the Musket Cove Marina on Malolo Lailai Island.

Fiji Events in October

• Fiji Day (10th October) – Fiji Week culminates on this day which commemorates the independence of Fiji.
• Diwali (October/November, changeable) – this important worldwide festival is celebrated by Hindus. Lanterns, lights, and candles are hung on homes. As part of the festivities, music and dance shows are held at the Uprising Resort in Pacific Harbour.

Fiji Events in November

• Balolo Rising (changeable) – for a week after the full moon, traditional communities across the islands celebrate the harvest of sea worms with plenty of singing, dancing and eating.
• Savusavu Music Festival (changeable) – week-long, with local and international musicians and dancers at the delightful town of Savusavu on Vanua Levu Island.

Fiji Events in December

• Fara Festival (December and early January) – the partying starts in earnest on the remote Rotuma Island, with dancing, singing, eating, and drinking for about 6 weeks.
• Christmas Day (25th) – celebrated fervently by the majority of Fijians. A public holiday, with most shops and restaurants closed for several days, and public transport very limited.
• Boxing Day (26th) – Christmas celebrations continue with this public holiday.
• New Year’s Eve – Fijians love to commemorate the changing of years with parties, much drinking and fireworks (most noticeably in Suva).