Tonga

Weather

Despite its great latitudinal range, Tonga does not experience dramatically diverse climatic conditions. Vava'u and the Niuas are noticeably warmer than Tongatapu, and 'Eua is noticeably cooler.

When to go

For the majority of the year, the climate in the Samoan islands and Tonga encourages visitors. Both Samoas lie near the equator, so conditions are almost perpetually hot and humid - the average annual temperature is 26.5°C in coastal areas, with a decrease in temperature as the land rises inland. Despite its great latitudinal range, Tonga does not experience dramatically diverse climatic conditions either, although Vava'u and the Niuas are noticeably warmer than Tongatapu, and 'Eua is noticeably cooler (for different reasons). It's when the wet season and the odd tropical cyclone have to be factored in that things get a little less straightforward.

The most comfortable time to visit the region is during the dry season between May and October. Not surprisingly, this is when most of the major Samoan and Tongan festivals are held. This is basically considered to be the region's high season, though there isn't necessarily much difference between prices charged during this time and those charged over the rest of the year.

The region's wet season (ostensibly its low season) lasts from November to April. December and January are normally the wettest months across Samoa, while in Tonga, March tends to be the wettest month, especially in Vava'u. Remember, though, that most precipitation occurs at night and the main discomfort will be caused by a rise in the lethargy-inducing heat and humidity. The exception is the harbour area of Tutuila (American Samoa), where the famous Rainmaker Mountain ensures that the region receives over 5000mm of precipitation annually.

Both the Samoan islands and Tonga unfortunately lie squarely within the South Pacific's notorious cyclone belt. The season for tropical storms and cyclones is between November and March. Cyclones seem to occur, on average, every 10 to 15 years. However, in the early 1990s the Samoas were devastated in quick succession by two of the strongest and most destructive storms on record: cyclones Ofa and Val. The last big storm to hit the region was Olaf, which blew across the islands in early 2005.

If you plan to come during the December-January holiday period, when huge numbers of Samoans and Tongans return for the holidays (mostly from New Zealand, Australia and the USA), it's wise to book flights well in advance.