The tropical South Pacific has two seasons. From about May to October the south-east trade winds blow steadily, the air is drier and the nights are cooler, and this is the main charter season. From November to April it is hotter, more humid and wetter, and the official tropical cyclone season runs from 1 November to 30 April, with the greatest risk from January to March. Cyclones strike Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga more often than French Polynesia, which is affected mainly in El Niño years, but many larger yachts leave the tropics for New Zealand or Australia over the southern summer.

MAY AND JUNE

29–31°C

Best for settled trade winds and drier days

The rain eases through May and June and the trade winds settle in. Daytime highs fall to around 29–31°C, and the sea is about 27–28°C around Tahiti and a little cooler in Fiji. In the old Tahitian calendar, the setting of the Pleiades in late May, Matari’i i raro, marks the start of the drier half of the year. In the Tuamotus, groupers begin to gather in Fakarava’s southern pass ahead of the June or July full moon, and yachts that spent the cyclone season further south start to come back.

JULY AND AUGUST

28–30°C

Best for festivals and the first whales

Midwinter in the southern hemisphere brings the driest, freshest weather of the year, with highs of around 28–30°C and cooler nights. The sea drops to about 26°C off Tahiti, 25–26°C in Fiji and 24°C in Tonga. From time to time the maraamu, a strong south-easterly, blows for a few days, and captains move to anchorages in the lee of the islands. July is Heiva month in Papeete, and the first humpbacks reach Tonga. European summer holidays and the mid-year school break in Australia and New Zealand make these busy weeks, so reserve early.

SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER

29–31°C

Best for whale calves and sunny days

The dry weather lasts through September, with around eight hours of sunshine a day in Papeete, and the sea starts to warm again, reaching about 27°C off Tahiti in October. In Vava’u the humpback calves grow stronger and more curious before the whales head south, and in French Polynesia they are often seen off Moorea and Tahiti. The northern summer visitors have gone home, so anchorages are quieter, although showers become more frequent as October goes on.

NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER

30–31°C

Best for warm water as the wet season begins

The cyclone season officially opens on 1 November. Showers grow heavier and more frequent, December is on average the wettest month in Papeete, and the sea warms to 27–28°C. Early November brings the Hawaiki Nui Va’a, and on 20 November French Polynesia marks Matari’i i ni’a, the rising of the Pleiades that begins the season of abundance, with a public holiday. Many larger yachts sail south for the New Zealand summer around now, while those that stay keep a close watch on the forecasts.

JANUARY TO APRIL

31–32°C

Best for quiet lagoons and flexible plans

These are the hottest months, with highs of 31–32°C, high humidity and sea temperatures that peak at about 28–29°C. Heavy downpours and thunderstorms come and go, often with clear spells in between, and January to March is when cyclones are most likely, especially in the western islands. The few yachts that stay in the tropics have the lagoons largely to themselves, and plans are made a few days at a time. By April the rain begins to ease, and the islands look ahead to the drier months.