- KLM vs Delta: Is KLM a Good Airline? - January 26, 2022
- The Best Time To Visit Brazil – Seasons, Events, Activities! - January 23, 2022
- The Best Time to Visit Fiji: All About Fiji Travel Seasons! - January 22, 2022
Fiji is a tropical delight with pleasant weather. The country is naturally beautiful Both the land and the underwater are sweet and offer a fantastic experience to visitors and tourists.
Fiji rarely experiences the winter cold. The minimum temperature in Fiji during the winter season is 18 degrees. This feature makes Fiji a great all-year-round tourist destination. However, that doesn’t mean that all months of the year in Fiji are sunny or feature blue skies.
Being a great year-round tourist destination, the best time to visit Fiji depends on individual preference and the type of vacation you’re aiming to have. Some of the factors that you may want to consider to determine your best time to visit Fiji for a vacation can include weather conditions, costs, and crowds.
Fiji Travel Season: The Best Time To Visit
Fiji has two travel seasons and these are the peak season and off-season. The peak and off-peak tourist seasons in Fiji are one of the most factors that may affect your choice of the best time to visit. The reason for this is because the most popular visiting time in Fiji is the peak season.
Besides being the most expensive time to visit Fiji, it is equally the busiest. July and August in Fiji fall within Australian and New Zealand school winter holidays and this is the peak travel season in Fiji because a lot of families go on vacation within this time. Also, the Christmas/New Year period equally falls into one of Fiji’s busiest time as a lot of families visit this time to take a break during the summer holidays of the Southern Hemisphere.
Thus, June to September during the Australians winter season is Fiji’s peak season with the July school holidays having the most crowds apart from Christmas with the largest crowds. If you’re traveling with kids and want to avoid crowds, avoid visiting during Fiji’s winter school holidays.
However, if you must travel within this period, make reservations for rooms as you would find it difficult to get a place to stay if you leave till the last minutes. If you want to visit Fiji from North America, the best time for you would be between late April to early June, or late July to August.
This is because you would normally get cheaper airfares on Air Pacific and Air New Zealand within this time. June to October is Fiji’s coldest and driest months. The months of November and April in Fiji is the Cyclone season. February and March have the least crowds and the prices of hotels and resorts are cheaper within this period.
Your choice may be limited if you’re visiting Fiji with the whole family. However, if you’re traveling with friends, you can grab one of the numerous off-peak deals and quieter islands during the low seasons of February, March, June, October, and November.
These months are the best time for couples to visit Fiji especially if they’re after a peaceful, relaxing and romantic vacation. Nonetheless, whatever is your best time of the year to visit Fiji, you a broad collection of hotels and resorts to choose from.
Looking for sports, concerts, or music festivals? Find your perfect holiday or city break and save now at Expedia.com
Fiji Travel Seasons
Fiji has three different travel seasons: The high season, the low season and the shoulder season.
1. The High Season
Fiji high season falls in July, August, December, and January. These months’ correlates with the European holiday season with Australia and New Zealand school breaks. The month with the largest crowds in August and during the Christmas and New Year period.
Within these periods, the hotel prices are costliest and inter-island boats and planes frequently fully packed. If you’re traveling during this time, remember to book ahead. Bear in mind that December and January are equally Fiji’s peak wet season when you could potentially experience tropical cyclones. This can result in cancellations of boat and plane trips.
2. Shoulder Season
The shoulder season in Fiji falls between May, June, September, and October which could either be the beginning or end of the wet season. These months don’t fall within Fiji’s peak holiday periods. The weather of the shoulder season is pleasant and comfortable.
You’d enjoy clear skies with cool and dry days. Besides, the travel cost within these periods is low yet to soar. It is equally easy to move around and immediately after the cyclone season; the outdoor events begin.
3. Low Season
The low season in Fiji falls within November, February, March, and April. The prices of hotels fall at this time and it is not difficult to book seats on boats and planes. However, you may experience occasional cancellation services due to bad weather. There are constant rains during this period, the humidity is not frequently pleasant, and there are potentials of witnessing cyclones.
Best Time to Visit Fiji for Good Weather: May to October
Fiji has a pleasing and a bit mild weather all the year round because Fiji has a tropical climate. Like all tropical climates, Fiji experiences wet and dry seasons. The wet season in Fiji occurs during summer when temperature increase and high humidity result in increased precipitation. Fiji equally experiences cyclones during this period. The rainstorm of the summer season falls between November and March when the temperature is in the low 30’s during the day and a little less to 27 degrees Celsius at night.
Located in the Southern Hemisphere, the dry season occurs in Fiji from May to September when the weather is cooler and the temperature of the water is warm enough for swimming. The weather of this period is equally great for sunbathing and a collection of popular activities and tours.
By and large, the best time of the year to visit Fiji with regards to the dry and wet season is from late October to early November. During this time, the cost of traveling to and staying in Fiji is yet to reach its peak. Also, the weather is dry, relaxed and warm. The beaches and resorts are equally less crowded because it isn’t yet the school holiday.
Mean temperatures in Fiji
Between May and November of the winter season, the temperatures in Fiji are warm during the day and roughly 80 degrees Fahrenheit and cool at night and in the early mornings. During the summer and rainy season in Fiji which falls from November to April, the temperatures can rise to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
There are usually late afternoon showers. Fiji has a tropical climate with high humidity and rainfall during the summer and low temperatures with dry air during the winter. Nevertheless, the windy weather creates a climatic difference from one island to the other. Discuss with your travel agent to find out what is the weather condition around your hotel or resort.
Fiji Rainstorm
When it normally rains during the winter, afternoon showers occur frequently. During moments of tropical storms or cyclones, the natives and visitors in affected areas are relocated to safe locations. Tropical storms are a common occurrence during the rainy season. The last serious cyclones that occurred in Fiji took place in December 2012, March 2010, December 2009, December 2007 and December of 2003.
If you visit Fiji when it rains, that’s a perfect time to have a task of kava with the locals. Kava is a traditional drink produced from the kava root. It has a mild and calm effect, and each sip is celebrated with a local ceremony. The drink tastes a little like dirty water but a sparkling flavor.
If the weather becomes incremental, you may want to let go of snorkeling and try to witness a Lovo. Lovo is a traditional feast in Fiji which tastes a little like the Hawaiian luau. It includes a pig roasted in an underground oven and wrapped in banana leaves. This is frequently combined with the Meke which is a traditional story-telling dance concert with the performance of an orchestra using percussion instruments.
Visiting Fiji and Weather by Month
Fiji January Weather
January in Fiji is still the peak of tourist season due to the Australian and New Zealand school holidays. January is equally the middle of the rainy season in Fiji. When there are no rainstorms, the temperatures rise but only roughly 5 degrees high to a maximum of 30 degrees Celsius. However, the high relative humidity can make it difficult for most tourists to visit during this time. Try to check the local media, hotel news and official website for information about potential cyclones.
Fiji February Weather
February carries the most risk of a potential cyclone. Fiji experiences an average of one cyclone in a year. Some years are cyclone-free. In April 2018, the country experienced two cyclones in a single week and Winston which was the strongest in the whole of pacific south caused serious disaster in February 2016.
Although most of the cyclones didn’t pass through the major tourist centers, the peripheral effects of the winds and rains make air, boat and road travel a bit difficult.
Fiji March Weather
March is the wettest month in many parts of Fiji. Suva, for example, experiences rain three days out of thirty-one days in a month. This month is usually characterized by heavy and short downpours. However, sunshine usually follows almost immediately after. Nonetheless, it still disrupts boat travel and flights may be canceled while some roads are damaged by floods.
April weather in Fiji
The heavy downpours begin to go down in the middle of April. This month equally marks the end of the standard cyclone season and the relative humidity is much lower. However, it may potentially rain. So, if you are traveling this time, don’t forget to still carry your umbrella and rain gear.
Fiji and May’s Weather
May is the beginning of the dry season and formally ends the potentials for cyclones. The weather fast gets cooler and drier, however less-heavy rains that don’t last long could still fall for one or two weeks more. Fiji Waters in May is clearer for snorkelers and divers, and the winds and waves are milder to pave way for the surfing season.
June’s weather in Fiji
This is great weather to visit Fiji with no more experience of heavy rains. The humidity is equally low and visitors have many days of the month dry and clear and this month starts the beginning of the peak season. The weather is cold at night and this makes sleep enjoyable and you may want to put on your sweater when the weather gets dark.
July’s weather in Fiji
From July, the weather in Fiji starts to get cooler and more pleasant. There is little or no rain. The weather can get chilly at night and become as low as 18°C.
Fiji and the August Weather
While the nights are becoming cooler and cooler, the weather during the day gets milder and no hotter and there is hardly any heavy rain during this time. The weather in Europe at this time is commonly hotter and so a lot of visitors come into the country from Europe for the calm and pleasant weather. Besides, the temperatures of the water are still sufficiently warm for swimmers to enjoy.
September visit in Fiji and the Weather
September is one of the best months to visit Fiji. The month is blessed with continual dry and pleasant weather. The crowds have significantly reduced at this time and the hotel rates are cheaper.
Fiji and the October Weather
October is the last month that experiences calm and dry weather. The local gets anxious due to the potential of cyclones occurring. This results in the reduction of water sports activities or the entire close down of a few water-sports centers. It equally gets more frustrating to engage in diving and snorkeling at this time because the waters get cloudy. Surfers equally stop working due to the increase in temperature and humidity.
Fiji visit and November Weather
November is the beginning of the Fiji rainy season equally referred to as the ‘summer’, which continues to April. The temperature increases a bit and the humidity makes the weather a little uneasy.
Cyclones can potentially occur at this time. You must, therefore, be vigilant if you’re visiting at this time. The weather on the main mountainous islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu may differ along the coastlines.
December Visit and Fiji Weather
Fiji’s wet season continues in December and there could be heavy downpours that may disrupt holiday activities. This is made worse by the high humidity which can occur before it rains. Also, there are large crowds during the Australian and New Zealand school holidays. Because of the weather condition, boat and plane travel may be postponed. The roads may be flooded. However, the rain only lasts for a short while and flooding could rarely occur. Most days are also sunny.
Best Bargain Time To Visit Fiji
The peak tourist season in Fiji falls around July, August, December, and January. This time is crowded and hotel rates are high. Sometimes, you may find that the boat fares and air tickets are entirely booked out. If you’re looking to get a good bargain, avoid visiting Fiji during any of these months.
Best Time To Visit Fiji For Sightseeing
When visiting Fiji for sightseeing, there are two essential factors to look at. The first is the peak seasons, which covers the school holidays in Australia and New Zealand with the longest of it starting from the middle of December to the end of January. The second factor is the wet season which lasts from November to April.
At this time, cyclones are common, there is also constant heavy rain and the humidity can be discomforting. Therefore, your best times to visit would be May to October but especially- May, June, September, and October. If you’re visiting Fiji for Honeymoons, the best time is equally from May to October.
Best Time to Visit Fiji for Diving and Snorkeling
You will likely experience calmer and clearer waters during the dry season-May to October and potentially one month before and after. Thus, the best time to visit Fiji for Diving and Snorkeling is from May to October. The waves and winds can disturb the water during the wet season and affect visibility.
However, it is less of a problem in the calm and non-tidal lagoons which surround a lot of the isles and bigger islands. The Fiji water temperatures are warm throughout the year. However, if you hope to engage in deeper dives, don’t forget to pack some thin wetsuits.
In the north where the Vanua Levu and Taveuni Islands are located, the rainy season which starts from November to April will have a big effect on your diving. If you plan to dive in those locations, do that only during the dry season. For the Mamanucas, Beqa, and Viti Levu the effect of rain is less. Also, diving and weather are generally very pretty nice throughout the year.
Fiji locations popular for diving:
- The Black Forest
Here, you’ll find ancient black coral trees, different types of fish and marine life, close to Wananavu Beach Resort.
- Close to Taveuni, there are The Ledge, The Great White Wall, Jerry’s Jelly, and Annie’s Bommie; A few closes by resorts are Qamea, Laucala, Matangi, Taveuni Palms, Paradise Taveuni, Maravu, and Taveuni Island Resort.
- The Great Astrolabe Reef is close to Kadavu Island. It is taken as the biggest living organism in Fiji, with many different types of hard and soft corals and assorted marine life. It is roughly 40 miles from the key resorts at Beqa Lagoon
- Naiqoro Passage has both broad different types of coral with colleges of sharks and barracuda
- Beqa Lagoon, located close to Beqa Lagoon Resort, Lalati, Royal Davui, and Shangri La, is popular for encountering sharks and brilliantly colored coral. It is taken as one of the best diving lagoons in the South Pacific.
- The Mamanucas where there are beautiful corals, a few sharks, and a lot of colorful fish and marine life, particularly around the Malolo Barrier Reef. Popularly visited sites in this location include Supermarket, Salamander shipwreck, Plantation Pinnacles, and Magic Island. You have a lot of resorts in the Mamanucas. Thus, you have diverse options.
Any part of Fiji, you choose to dive in, the diversity and density of underwater life will amaze you. The Somosomo Strait is mostly used by divers who want the soft corals and wall dives. The Beqa Lagoon is popular because of the presence of sharks. The Malolo Barrier Reef offers divers a lot of things for sightseeing. It is located close to the Mamanuca islands and is not normally deep. It is great for fresh scuba divers and snorkelers.
Best Time To Visit Fiji for Outdoor Activities
As you’d expect, Fiji’s weather determines how easy you can access and enjoy everything outdoors during your visit. There are usually heavy downpours in the wet season which runs from November to April. The heavy rain can initiate landslides, high waves, and rough winds, and anytime there is no rain, the humidity can be uncomfortable.
You should not venture outdoors anytime there are cyclones. The best time to go hiking is between May and October, while the best time to go rafting is from December to May. For Outdoor Activities, concentrate on only May to October.
The Best Time to Visit Fiji for Beaches
The dry season which starts from May to October is frequently regarded as winter by the locals. Daytime temperatures can be roughly 25 degrees Centigrade. It can get a bit cooler in the afternoon and the evening. However, the sea temperature remains consistently inviting.
Swimming is more attractive in the wet season when people look for a respite from the heat and humidity. However, ensure you stay out of the waters during any bad weather especially when there is lightning. Remember always to use sunscreen even when the weather looks cloudy or mild.
Best time to Visit Fiji For Surfing
Because Fiji has pleasant weather throughout the year, any time of the year is great for surfing. The tropical storms and cyclones between November and March from North Queensland produce outstanding waves and smaller swells. Nonetheless, the wet season can cause strong winds and tropical downpours.
This period is equally less busy in Fiji and the crowds are less at the waves. The best time to visit Fiji for surfing is when you’ll find the most dependable swell which could go up to 8 to 10 feet high between April and October.
Best Time for Nightlife
Any time of the year is great for nightlife in Fiji. However, you may want to avoid visiting between November and April if you hope to stay in the smaller and far islands because this period has less to offer.
The best time to visit Fiji: Seasons consideration
1. Fiji Winter (dry) season: The dry season known as Winter in Fiji runs from May to October
The winter months in Australia overlaps with the cooler months in Fiji. However, winter in Fiji or their dry season is warmer than the Australian winter. The daytime temperatures in Fiji at this time hovers around 26 to 27 degrees centigrade. Although it is cooler at night, the weather is still pleasant although may not feel the same to the Fijians. During Fiji’s dry season or winter, the sky is blue, clear, the rate of rainfall diminishes and the humidity is a mile.
Also, it is less likely for cyclones to occur. The benefit of visiting Fiji during the Winter besides the fantastic weather is many. These include favorable weather for surfing, snorkeling, and diving. Besides, you enjoy a lovely view of the sun at sunsets. At the beginning of Fiji’s winter or dry season, you experience a fantastic view of the color spectrum. The light displays found all over the sky is a great natural sight to behold.
This period is equally the best time to go diving and snorkeling. The clearest time falls between May and September ending. A few divers, nevertheless, fancy the wet season because the water temperature at this time is a bit warmer which means they won’t have to put on wetsuits.
What you can do when you visit Fiji this time
Fiji has a great sea life, and especially a very colorful coral. The Great Astrolabe Reef is the fourth- biggest barrier reef and wraps around the faraway island of Kadavu in the South. The Somosomo Strait between the northern islands of Vanua Levu and Taveuni, is popular for its attractive soft corals. At Savusavu located on the Vanua Levu Island, you can join in the Cousteau’s flippers, at the popular Jean Michel Cousteau Fiji Island Resort.
You can also try underwater diving on the following sites -Chimneys and Alice in Wonderland, where you’ll experience mushroom-shaped corals, sea enthusiasts, and clownfish.
You can equally go deeper to diving sites like the Grand Central Station located at Namana Marine Reserve. The locals of Cousteau take this site as one of the best ten dive sites around the globe.
Major Fiji Events in winter
The Hibiscus Festival
The Hibiscus Festival is one of the largest events in Fiji. It is well attended and results in the stoppage of all other activities in Suva. It is celebrated in August and lasts for one whole week. The event celebrates different cultures and diversity in Fiji including their foods, rides, theatre, sporting activities, an opening march, floats parade, talent competition, village arts and many more.
Fijians are great party-lovers. You can join in the celebratory mood of the National Fiji Day when the country celebrates the anniversary of its independence from British colonial rule.
2. Summer in Fiji also known as the wet season falls within November to April
The summer season is characterized by heavy downpour and unlike regular tropical rains which are commonly short-lived, Fiji’s rain can last for some days. However, as soon as the rain is over, you’ll experience hot weather due to the high humidity.
The south-east part of Viti Levu close to Suva experiences a little more rainfall than the surrounding of Nadi which is most commonly utilized for resort and is located in a drier zone. Because of the drier environment in this area, you’ll get more resort located here. If you’re visiting during the summertime, you may want to put that into consideration.
It is important to mention that even while it rains, the weather is still sufficiently warm and if the sun emerges, the weather gets hot. What you can do at this time is to visit the beach and relax under a coconut tree and swim in the cooling waters filled with fishes. You can equally go over to the swim-up bar and purchase more coconut mojito.
The best time to experience Fijis waterfall is in March at the end of the wet season. The forest floors are commonly submerged at the end of the raining season. The rivers also flow at this time. There are equally abundant colorful flame trees during the festive season.
These brilliantly colored flame trees produce stunning flowers during the Christmas period.
A lot of tropical plants equally produce blooms and this implies Fiji has a lot of color outbursts and new life within this period. Even though the Christmas falls during Fiji’s Wet season, this festive period is very busy in Fiji because many families from Australia and New Zealand visit Fiji during this time. This is why December is the worst month to pay for airfares in Fiji. Nevertheless, you can get cheap flights in late January and February when the school holiday is over and kids have returned to school and their parents have gone back to their works.
The advantage of visiting Fiji during this period is that the crowds have reduced and the accommodation cost is low. However, the disadvantage of this time is the cyclone risks.
Although the locals are given sufficient warning. And they build cyclone-proof shelters, cyclones often occur and can sometimes disrupt your holiday plans. It can affect your ability to move about by road, boat or air. Get a ticket with flexible travel dates and don’t forget to get sufficient travel insurance.
Activities you want to try while visiting Fiji at this time
You can take to Sigatoka River Safaris to get an idea of the past life in Fiji. You can paddle through knee-deep water with hurricane lantern and visit the biggest cave in Fiji known as the Naihehe Cave.
It is located deep within the 170-meter cave and continues to be a horrid remembrance of Fiji’s past life of cannibalism. You’d see a cannibal oven, a ritual podium and the hallowed priest compartment.
Main Fiji Summer events
Coral Coast Sevens tournament
This is a seven rugby tournament that is held annually in late January at Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka. During the event, you would get a fantastic opportunity to witness the tremendous pool of Fiji’s rugby talents.
The best time to visit Fiji and experience the comfort it has to offer is during Fiji’s winter or dry season and around October. The temperature around this time is 25 degrees centigrade during the day and at night, it drops around 19 to 20 degrees centigrade.
Although it is the best comfortable time to visit, it is the busiest period because it falls exactly during the Australian winter when many families escape the country on a holiday for warmer weather. The best time to visit Fiji, thus, depends on the type of holiday you’re aiming to have and the experience you’re looking forward to.
FAQs
Fiji is a very costly country to travel around even for visitors who have a large budget. If you plan to visit any of Fiji’s outer islands, the numbers of available backpacker resorts in each Island is limited.
The best time to visit Fiji is from end of October to the beginning of November. This period is outside the school holidays, therefore, resorts and beaches have fewer crowds.
Room rates are cheap and the weather is more stable, dry and constantly warm. The peak season is from July to September and if you visit outside these periods, you can save a lot.
The best time to visit Fiji starts from May, June, September and October. Thus if you’re looking to experience the best Fiji weather, the best time is from May to October.
Fiji takes roughly a 10 1/2-hour non-stop flight from Los Angeles. Although the flight schedule says a +2 arrival, it doesn’t take two days of flying but it only means two calendar days will pass.
Conclusion
If you want to avoid the crowd and reduce cost, avoid visiting during Antipodean school holidays as this period tends to be busy. Also, the air tickets and resorts tend to be fully packed at this time and the travel costs are on the high side.
This peak tourist season occurs mainly during the July, August, and Christmas vacations. For minimized cost and better weather, the best time to visit is between mid-October to mid-November.
Quick & Easy Way To Book a Hotel. Best Price Guaranteed! Find the Lowest Room Rates with One Easy Search. Book & Save Today.