The Best Time to Visit Niue: A Month-by-Month Guide 🗓️

When is the High and Low Season in Niue?

When is the Peak, Shoulder and Off-Season in Niue?

When looking at the seasons in  Niue, some may only be looking at the tourist seasons instead of the weather. When can you get a bargain? When will you get the whole island to yourself? Luckily, Niue is still relatively unknown and, with a limited flight schedule, does not get a massive influx of tourists. However, the tourist season still may impact your trip in some way.

High Season (July to August & December to January)

There are two high seasons in Niue: one where the country is at its busiest with international tourists and the other when the country is at its busiest with Niueans visiting family from overseas.

The absolute peak of the tourist season in Niue lands during the months of July and August. It coincides with the winter school holidays in New Zealand and Australia where most travellers are visiting from. Being in the middle of the dry season, it’s also widely considered the most favourable time for international travellers who want to avoid the rain as much as possible while the humidity is not excruciatingly high. What’s more, this is also during the whale season in Niue, which allows for the popular seasonal activity of whale watching and swimming.

The second high season runs from mid-December to mid-January. As expected, Christmas and New Year are also significantly busier in Niue with many locals making their way home for the holidays.

Low Season (Mid-January to March)

After the Christmas and New Year period, mid-January to March are the slower months in Niue. The higher likelihood of rain and the possibility of cyclones puts many travellers off. With fewer tourists around, this is the best time of the year to hunt for big discounts on both flights and at Niue’s one resort. Additionally, you are likely to get some of the hidden gems of Niue all to yourself for hours at a time.

Check out some of the benefits of visiting in the least-popular season in the 10 Reasons to Travel in the Low Season in Niue.

Shoulder Seasons (April to June & September to November)

The so-called “shoulder seasons” in Niue are the months that are neither in the high nor low season. These months are often targeted by travellers that have plenty of flexibility when it comes to travel dates as they often offer the best of both worlds: better weather than in the low season and fewer tourists than in the high season.

In our opinion, the shoulder seasons, particularly the latter shoulder season of September to November (and particularly September and October, while it is still the whale season), are the best time to travel to Niue. Although just before the wet season, these months have less rainfall than the other “shoulder season” months of April and May that come after the wet season.

The Best Season and Months to Visit Niue for the Best Weather

Weather plays a huge role in many of our minds for determining the best time to visit Niue. There are two seasons you need to be aware of: the dry/winter season (May to October) and the wet/summer season (November to April).

Skip the next bit and just check out Niue Weather, Seasons & Climate + Weather by Month to get a full rundown of the weather. Otherwise here’s a quick overview of Niue’s weather month by month.

The Wet Season (Summer)

Months: November, December, January, February, March and April
Tourist Season: Low Season
Average Temperature: 22-29°C (72-84°F)
Rainfall per month: 156-300 mm (6.1-11.8 in)

About the Wet Season in Niue

The “wet season” can’t help but conjure up images of a damp and drizzly holiday, but that’s really not the case in Niue. Rainfall is typically heavy but swift, passing quickly over this remote island in the Pacific Ocean. One thing that some visitors find uncomfortable, however, is the humidity. On the other hand, this can be easily remedied with all the swimming most do on a getaway here, as well as accommodations being kitted out with ceiling fans, air conditioning and/or plenty of open windows with mosquito nets.

The summer season in Niue is also when you will find more accommodation availability and flights at their cheapest. What’s more, there are fewer tourists visiting the island throughout this season, meaning that you can often find yourself experiencing Niue’s most popular natural attractions all to yourself!

One slight objection to the wet season is that a limited number of activity providers close down for the season, meaning you have slightly fewer options when it comes to choosing experiences.

November Weather

Average temperature: 27°C / 81°F in the day, 22°C / 72°F at night
Average sea temperature: 26°C / 79°F
Average rainfall: 156 mm / 6.1 in
Daylight hours: 13 hours
See the Niue Weather in November for a full guide.

Why Visit in November

• Niue starts to get fewer tourists making it a peaceful time to be in Niue
• Check out one of the November events like a Village Show Day
• The weather is warm but not too wet just yet.

December Weather

Average temperature: 28°C / 82°F in the day, 23°C / 81°F at night
Average sea temperature: 26°C / 79°F
Average rainfall: 161 mm / 6.3 in
Daylight hours: 13 hours
See the Niue Weather in December for a full guide.

Why Visit in December

• See how Niueans celebrate Christmas
• The island is busier with locals and tourists providing the most authentic cultural experience
• It’s often a time you can get off work!

January Weather

Average temperature: 29°C / 84°F in the day, 24°C / 75°F at night
Average sea temperature: 28°C / 82°F
Average rainfall: 276 mm / 10.9 in
Daylight hours: 13 hours
See the Niue Weather in January for a full guide.

Why Visit in January

• Check out how Niue celebrates the New Year, such as with Takai
• Experience Niue in the low season for tourists
• Due to the hot weather, the water feels all the more refreshing for snorkelling!

February Weather

Average temperature: 29°C / 84°F in the day, 24°C / 75°F at night
Average sea temperature: 28°C / 82°F
Average rainfall: 250 mm / 9.8 in
Daylight hours: 13 hours
See the Niue Weather in February for a full guide.

Why Visit in February

• Feel like you have the whole island to yourself
• Get good deals on resort rooms and flights
• Catch the action of the kaloama season.

March Weather

Average temperature: 29°C / 84°F in the day, 23°C / 73°F at night
Average sea temperature: 28°C / 82°F
Average rainfall: 322 mm / 12.7 in
Daylight hours: 13 hours
See the Niue Weather in March for a full guide.

Why Visit in March

• Get good off-season deals in March
• Catch some marlin and sailfish on one of the fishing charters
• Catch the action of the kaloama season.

April Weather

Average temperature: 28°C / 82°F in the day, 22°C / 72°F at night
Average sea temperature: 28°C / 82°F
Average rainfall: 246 mm / 9.7 in
Daylight hours: 13 hours
See the Niue Weather in April for a full guide.

Why Visit in April

• Experience the Easter celebrations
• It’s still the tourist low season, so the last chance to grab some good travel deals
• The weather is hot and glorious!

Head to our Niue Weather, Seasons & Climate + Weather by Month for a complete weather and climate rundown.

The Dry Season (Winter)

Months: May, June, July, August, September and October
Tourist Season: Shoulder & High Season
Temperature: 21-27°C (70-81°F)
Rainfall per month: 90-160 mm (3.5-6.3 in)

About the Dry Season

Like the wet season, the “dry season” isn’t exactly as it sounds. While the weather is indeed drier and far less humid than the wet season, rain showers can wash over the island at any time. On the plus side, it tends to happen less frequently than in the wet season. As for the rest of the weather, temperatures are hot throughout the day but tend to be cool enough on an evening for some travellers to want to put on a light sweater.

The dry season is also the season with the most events, especially Village Show Days, which are a must-see for visitors. One of the most noteworthy seasonal events in the dry season is the whale season, where Niue offers one of the only opportunities in the world to swim with whales (with licenced operators). The dry season is also a good time for fishing wahoo and mahimahi.

One drawback to the winter season is that it’s the most popular time for tourists to visit Niue, meaning that airfares and at their highest and accommodations and car rentals are often fully booked.

May Weather

Average temperature: 27°C / 81°F in the day, 22°C / 72°F at night
Average sea temperature: 27°C / 81°F
Average rainfall: 195 mm / 7.7 in
Daylight hours: 12 hours
See the Niue Weather in May for a full guide.

Why Visit in May

• Experience the best of both seasons, the warmth of summer and the dryness of winter
• Catch one of the amazing Village Show Days
• It’s warm while the weather gets colder in New Zealand and Australia.

June Weather

Average temperature: 26°C / 79°F in the day, 21°C / 70°F at night
Average sea temperature: 26°C / 79°F
Average rainfall: 120 mm / 4.7 in
Daylight hours: 11 hours
See the Niue Weather in June for a full guide.

Why Visit in June

• The weather is warm yet dry, making it an idyllic time to be in Niue
• Catch one of the events in June, like a Show Day or a cultural competition
• All tourism businesses are open so there’s no need to compromise.

July Weather

Average temperature: 25°C / 77°F in the day, 20°C / 68°F at night
Average sea temperature: 25°C / 77°F
Average rainfall: 87 mm / 3.4 in
Daylight hours: 11 hours
See the Niue Weather in July for a full guide.

Why Visit in July

• It’s your chance to swim with and watch humpback whales in Niue
• Escape the New Zealand winter
• There are plenty more Village Show Days going on throughout the month.

August Weather

Average temperature: 25°C / 77°F in the day, 20°C / 68°F at night
Average sea temperature: 25°C / 77°F
Average rainfall: 124 mm / 4.9 in
Daylight hours: 11 hours
See the Niue Weather in August for a full guide.

Why Visit in August

• Warm and dry – it’s typically the weather most people find “just right”
• There are plenty of events going on in August
• The whale season is still in full swing!

September Weather

Average temperature: 26°C / 79°F in the day, 20°C / 68°F at night
Average sea temperature: 25°C / 77°F
Average rainfall: 138 mm / 5.4 in
Daylight hours: 12 hours
See the Niue Weather in September for a full guide.

Why Visit in September

• The weather is still glorious getting a little warmer and the days longer
• There’s still the opportunity to swim with humpback whales
• Fish for mahimahi or wahoo!

Again, head to our Niue Weather, Seasons & Climate + Weather by Month for a complete weather and climate rundown.

October Weather

Average temperature: 27°C / 81°F in the day, 21°C / 70°F at night
Average sea temperature: 25°C / 77°F
Average rainfall: 121 mm / 4.8 in
Daylight hours: 13 hours

See the Niue Weather in October for a full guide.

Why Visit in October

• Experience the Niue Constitution celebrations, public holidays and competitions, Village Show Days and more!
• The weather is warm and dry and a good time to be in Niue
• There are many activities to do in Niue between fishing, sightseeing, dolphin watching, scuba diving and more.

The Best Time to Visit Niue for Seasonal Activities

If you’re visiting Niue with the intention of doing a particular activity, then be sure to research the best seasons to do it! Whale watching, scuba diving, fishing, events and festivals all have “seasonal” elements. On the other hand, you’ll have the tide to contend with for snorkelling.

The Best Time for Whale Watching and Swimming in Niue

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 watching/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 between July and September. For more about the whale season, see The Best Time to See and Swim with Whales in Niue.

The Best Time for Snorkelling in Niue

Although snorkelling isn’t seasonal, many of the snorkelling spots in Niue are dependent on the tide. With that in mind, you may want to choose to visit Niue when the low tide times are at a convenient hour. Most of us probably don’t want to be snorkelling at 6 am! Check out What You Need to Know About the Tide Times in Niue to learn more.

Furthermore, avid snorkellers may want to avoid the kaloama season when some sea tracks, therefore snorkelling spots, are closed. See What You Need to Know About the Kaloama/Goatfish Season in Niue for more details.

The Best Time for Fishing in Niue

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/winter season
• Mahimahi – Only dry/winter season
• Yellowfin Tuna – Wet/summer season
• Skipjack Tuna – Fringes of the wet/summer season
• Marlin – Fringes of the wet/summer season
• Sailfish – Fringes of the wet/summer season
• Dogtooth Tuna – Wet/summer season

For more information, head over to our article, The Best Time for Fishing in Niue.

The Best Time to Scuba Dive in Niue

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 30 m (100 ft).

One disadvantage of the wet season, however, is that sea conditions are more likely to be rougher than during the dry season, which can lead to more scuba diving trips being cancelled. Find out more about scuba diving in The Guide to Scuba Diving in Niue.

The 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 list of 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.

Constitution Week

The third week in October is when Niue commemorates becoming a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand. There are three public holidays included in Constitution Week, as well as festivities from a flag-raising ceremony to cultural performances to sporting competitions. Attending the festivities is an absolute must if you’re on the island during this time.

For more events throughout the year, including cycle and road races, ukulele festivals and more, check out The Top Events & Festivals in Niue.

The Cheapest Time to Visit Niue

If you’re on a bit of a budget, travelling in the right season can help reduce some costs.

The Best Time to Visit Niue for Cheap Accommodation

In almost all cases for accommodation in Niue, the nightly rates stay the same all year round. However, with limited rooms in Niue, the low season is more likely to open up all of your options for accommodation, therefore the best deal for you. An exception to the nightly-rate-fluctuation rule is the Scenic Matavai Resort and Scenic Matavai Villas, whose low season rates have been known to be NZ$200 cheaper per night than their high season rates.

The Best Time to Fly to Niue

The best time to fly to Niue for cheaper flights is in November and from February to April if coming from New Zealand and as long as you’re making your booking at least three months in advance. If coming from further afield with a connecting flight, there are a number of factors that can influence the airfare. All of this is explained in more detail in How to Book a Cheap Flight to Niue.

4 Things to Consider When Choosing a Time to Visit Niue

To conclude, everyone has a different idea of when the best time is to visit Niue. Just to recap, here are four things to take into consideration for choosing when to visit Niue.

1. The Weather

Let’s be honest, you’re not planning a tropical getaway to be cold and miserable. Luckily, Niue is warm all year round, but the winter season tends to have cooler evenings while the summer has higher rainfall and humidity. Therefore, the season for your desired weather might be worth thinking about before you book your flight.

2. How Busy It Is

Ok, so Niue never has more than 200 tourists on the island at one time so it certainly never really feels “crowded”. That’s also helped by the fact that the accommodation across the island is boutique and tours are only in small groups. While that’s definitely one of the charms of Niue, it also means that accommodations and tours can book up quickly for the high season!

3. The Cost

Some accommodation providers and airlines know when most tourists want to visit Niue and they are not afraid to take advantage of this with their prices. If you’re on a budget, you might want to consider visiting Niue in the low season.

4. The Activities

While many activities can be done year-round in Niue, there are times of the year that are better than others for a selected few. For instance, whale watching and swimming tours only operate from July to September. There are times when particular fishing is better too, for instance, fishing for mahimahi is better in winter while yellowfin tuna is best targeted in summer. Village show days are also definitely worth catching.