When to go · Cook Islands
Cook Islands, month by month
The best months for Cook Islands: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct.
Month by month
- JanuaryMixedNZ summer holidays; humid and cyclone risk.Southern Cooks: rainy · Northern atolls: hot · Avarua: 29 °C (84 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 15 rain daysSouthern Cooks: rainy · Northern atolls: hot · Avarua: 84 °F (29 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 15 rain daysCrowds: Medium · 1 festival or holiday
- FebruaryMixedWettest, highest cyclone risk.Southern Cooks: storm or typhoon risk · Northern atolls: hot · Avarua: 30 °C (86 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 14 rain daysSouthern Cooks: storm or typhoon risk · Northern atolls: hot · Avarua: 86 °F (30 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 14 rain daysCrowds: Low
- MarchMixedStill humid; cheaper rates.Southern Cooks: rainy · Northern atolls: hot · Avarua: 29 °C (84 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 14 rain daysSouthern Cooks: rainy · Northern atolls: hot · Avarua: 84 °F (29 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 14 rain daysCrowds: Low · 1 festival or holiday
- AprilGoodRain easing; Easter and NZ school holidays.Southern Cooks: fine · Northern atolls: fine · Avarua: 28 °C (82 °F) / 22 °C (72 °F), 11 rain daysSouthern Cooks: fine · Northern atolls: fine · Avarua: 82 °F (28 °C) / 72 °F (22 °C), 11 rain daysCrowds: Medium · 2 festivals or holidays
- MayGreatDry season begins; good value.Southern Cooks: best weather · Northern atolls: fine · Avarua: 27 °C (81 °F) / 21 °C (70 °F), 9 rain daysSouthern Cooks: best weather · Northern atolls: fine · Avarua: 81 °F (27 °C) / 70 °F (21 °C), 9 rain daysCrowds: Low
- JuneGreatCool evenings, dry; good diving visibility.Southern Cooks: best weather · Northern atolls: fine · Avarua: 26 °C (79 °F) / 19 °C (66 °F), 8 rain daysSouthern Cooks: best weather · Northern atolls: fine · Avarua: 79 °F (26 °C) / 66 °F (19 °C), 8 rain daysCrowds: Medium · 1 festival or holiday
- JulyGreatNZ and Australian school holidays; whales arrive; Te Maeva Nui begins.Southern Cooks: best weather · Northern atolls: fine · Avarua: 25 °C (77 °F) / 18 °C (64 °F), 8 rain daysSouthern Cooks: best weather · Northern atolls: fine · Avarua: 77 °F (25 °C) / 64 °F (18 °C), 8 rain daysCrowds: High · 3 festivals or holidays
- AugustGreatConstitution Day celebrations; whales; book ahead.Southern Cooks: best weather · Northern atolls: fine · Avarua: 25 °C (77 °F) / 18 °C (64 °F), 8 rain daysSouthern Cooks: best weather · Northern atolls: fine · Avarua: 77 °F (25 °C) / 64 °F (18 °C), 8 rain daysCrowds: High · 2 festivals or holidays
- SeptemberGreatDry and calm; whales.Southern Cooks: best weather · Northern atolls: fine · Avarua: 26 °C (79 °F) / 19 °C (66 °F), 8 rain daysSouthern Cooks: best weather · Northern atolls: fine · Avarua: 79 °F (26 °C) / 66 °F (19 °C), 8 rain daysCrowds: Medium
- OctoberGreatWarm and dry; Gospel Day pageants.Southern Cooks: best weather · Northern atolls: fine · Avarua: 26 °C (79 °F) / 20 °C (68 °F), 9 rain daysSouthern Cooks: best weather · Northern atolls: fine · Avarua: 79 °F (26 °C) / 68 °F (20 °C), 9 rain daysCrowds: Medium · 1 festival or holiday
- NovemberMixedHeat and showers return.Southern Cooks: fine · Northern atolls: hot · Avarua: 27 °C (81 °F) / 21 °C (70 °F), 10 rain daysSouthern Cooks: fine · Northern atolls: hot · Avarua: 81 °F (27 °C) / 70 °F (21 °C), 10 rain daysCrowds: Low
- DecemberMixedChristmas family travel; cyclone season starts.Southern Cooks: rainy · Northern atolls: hot · Avarua: 28 °C (82 °F) / 22 °C (72 °F), 13 rain daysSouthern Cooks: rainy · Northern atolls: hot · Avarua: 82 °F (28 °C) / 72 °F (22 °C), 13 rain daysCrowds: High · 1 festival or holiday
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Cook Islands, side by side.
Verdict
May: Great
Jun: Great
Crowds
May: Low
Jun: Medium
Prices
May: Low
Jun: Medium
Festivals listed
May: 0
Jun: 1
May: Dry season begins; good value.
June: Cool evenings, dry; good diving visibility.
Cook Islands: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
Weather by region
How each climate zone rates each month.