When Should You Visit Niue?
With gloriously warm weather all year round, idyllic snorkelling and scuba diving whatever the season and more, Niue is easily a year-round destination. But when should you go to Niue?
Ok, if we have to choose for you, we suggest looking at some of the more seasonal interests you might have for visiting Niue. For instance, there is a specific season for swimming with whales, seasons with fewer rainy days, and seasons with more events happening on the island. We’ll show you some of the seasonal aspects of a holiday to Niue in this guide on “Niue: when to go”.
The Two Seasons in Niue
Whenever the seasons in Niue are referred to, it’s typically the wet season and the dry season.
- Wet Season (Summer) – November to April
- Dry Season (Winter) – May to October
Learn more about these seasons in What are the Seasons in Niue?
© NiuePocketGuide.comThe Best Time to Visit Niue for the Weather
May, June, July, August, September and October
Niue has a tropical climate. With that, the country experiences warm temperatures throughout the year, which drop to a comfortable temperature at night. There is a change in the weather pattern, however, between the wet and dry seasons.
Dry Season (Winter)
The dry season is also known as “winter” in Niue, but it’s far from cold. Temperatures are typically 21-27°C (70-81°F). The odd passing shower can add to its rainfall count, which contributes to the 90-160mm (3.5-6.3″) per month.
The dry season runs from May to October. See more specific weather details for each month in the following articles:
- Niue Weather in May
- Niue Weather in June
- Niue Weather in July
- Niue Weather in August
- Niue Weather in September
- Niue Weather in October
Wet Season (Summer)
The wet season is also known as “summer” in Niue. This season is a lot more humid with tropical downpours more likely. Expect temperatures in the 22-29°C (72-84°F) range and precipitation around 156-300mm (6.1-11.8″) per month.
Niue’s wet season runs from November to April. See more specific weather details for each month in the following articles:
© NiuePocketGuide.comThe Best Time to Visit Niue for Cheaper Deals
December, January and February
December (aside from the Christmas period), January and March are the slower months in Niue. There are fewer tourists around. Therefore, it is the best time of the year to hunt for big discounts on both flights and accommodation. At this time of the year, you are likely to get some of the iconic sights of Niue all to yourself.
Learn more about the benefits of travelling in the off-peak season in the 10 Reasons to Travel in the Low Season in Niue.
© Niue TourismThe Best Time to Visit Niue for Whale Swimming
July, August and September
Humpback whales frequent Niue’s waters between July and September each year. Between July and September is the best time to have a whale encounter through whale swimming tours and watching whales from shore.
Whales can be seen in Niue’s waters as early as June and as late as October, however, the fringes of the whale season tend to be disappointing for whale encounters. Therefore, it’s highly recommended that you book whale tours within July and September.
For more about the whale season, see The Best Time to Swim with Whales in Niue.
© Niue TourismThe Best Time to Visit Niue for Fishing
All year!
With warm waters and mostly glorious weather year-round, there’s never really a bad time to go fishing in Niue. However, if you are targeting specific game species, like mahimahi, yellowfin tuna or wahoo, then there are certainly better times than others.
In short, the best seasons for game fishing are as follows:
- Wahoo – Dry season
- Mahimahi – Only dry season
- Yellowfin Tuna – Wet season
- Skipjack Tuna – Fringes of the wet season
- Marlin – Fringes of the wet season
- Sailfish – Fringes of the wet season
- Dogtooth Tuna – Wet season
For more information, head over to our article, The Best Time for Fishing in Niue.
© NiuePocketGuide.comThe Best Time to Visit Niue for Scuba Diving
May, June, July, August, September and October
Scuba diving in Niue is available year-round where, unlike other South Pacific countries, it doesn’t suffer from low water visibility during the wet season. Niue is a limestone island where water filters through the rock, producing very little surface runoff. With that, the clarity of the water rarely drops below 30m (100ft).
One disadvantage of the wet season, however, is that sea conditions are more likely to be rougher than in the dry season, which can lead to scuba diving trips being cancelled.
Find out more about scuba diving in The Guide to Scuba Diving in Niue.
© Niue TourismThe Best Time to Visit Niue for Events
Events take place in Niue throughout the year, so we recommend choosing a specific event to aim for when planning when to go to Niue. You can check out a comprehensive list in the 10 Biggest Events in Niue. Some of the most popular events include:
Village Show Days
Each of the Niuean villages hosts its own show day once a year. The show day season is between April and November. So with 14 villages, there are 14 show days between April and November.
Show day dates change each year. They are typically held on a Saturday. See the Niue Tourism events page for the latest confirmed show days.
Takai
Takai is another fun event to hit in Niue. The event is the traditional Niuean celebration of the New Year. The celebration takes place on the weekend following New Year’s Day where locals decorate their cars and drive around the island distributing candy. See How to Spend the New Year in Niue for more details.
More on Niue: When to Go, What to Do and More
