The best islands in September
18 of our 26 island guides rate good or better in September, and all 18 rate excellent. The highest scores go to Moʻorea (98), Viti Levu (97) and Tahiti (97).
September is as good as the year gets for all three, and for Efate and Bali. The tropical islands average 92, well ahead of New Zealand’s islands at 49.
September at a glance
- Sea temperature
- Warmest off Savaiʻi and Upolu, 28 °C. Coolest off Rakiura and the Chatham Islands, 11 °C.
- Rain
- Driest: Maui, 12 mm in the month. Wettest: Rarotonga, 97 mm.
- Tropical storms
- September is in the central Pacific hurricane season around Hawaiʻi (June to November), and outside the South Pacific cyclone season (November to April). Most exposed: Oʻahu, 3 tropical storms within 200 km in 30 seasons; then Maui, 2 tropical storms. 16 of our 18 tropical islands have none on record.
- School holidays
- Term 3 holidays: 25 September to 10 October 2027.
- Since August
- Biggest rise: Kāpiti Island, up 15 to 45. Biggest fall: Savaiʻi, down 4 to 92. 12 islands score higher than in August, 11 lower.
Every island in September, ranked
1. Score 98 out of 100
Moʻorea
French Polynesia
Sea Sea 27 °C
Rain Rain 53 mm
Cyclones: Cyclones: none in 30 seasons
2. Score 97 out of 100
Viti Levu
Fiji
Sea Sea 26 °C
Rain Rain 74 mm
Cyclones: Cyclones: none in 30 seasons
3. Score 97 out of 100
Tahiti
French Polynesia
Sea Sea 27 °C
Rain Rain 53 mm
Cyclones: Cyclones: none in 30 seasons
4. Score 96 out of 100
Bora Bora
French Polynesia
Sea Sea 27 °C
Rain Rain 67 mm
Cyclones: Cyclones: none in 30 seasons
5. Score 96 out of 100
Mamanuca Islands
Fiji
Sea Sea 26 °C
Rain Rain 74 mm
Cyclones: Cyclones: none in 30 seasons
6. Score 95 out of 100
Yasawa Islands
Fiji
Sea Sea 27 °C
Rain Rain 65 mm
Cyclones: Cyclones: none in 30 seasons
7. Score 95 out of 100
Efate
Vanuatu
Sea Sea 26 °C
Rain Rain 85 mm
Cyclones: Cyclones: none in 30 seasons
8. Score 94 out of 100
Aitutaki
Cook Islands
Sea Sea 26 °C
Rain Rain 71 mm
Cyclones: Cyclones: none in 30 seasons
9. Score 94 out of 100
Bali
Indonesia
Sea Sea 26 °C
Rain Rain 30 mm
Cyclones: Cyclones: none in 30 seasons
10. Score 92 out of 100
Niue
Niue
Sea Sea 25 °C
Rain Rain 82 mm
Cyclones: Cyclones: none in 30 seasons
11. Score 92 out of 100
Taveuni
Fiji
Sea Sea 26 °C
Rain Rain 89 mm
Cyclones: Cyclones: none in 30 seasons
12. Score 92 out of 100
Savaiʻi
Samoa
Sea Sea 28 °C
Rain Rain 86 mm
Cyclones: Cyclones: none in 30 seasons
13. Score 91 out of 100
Upolu
Samoa
Sea Sea 28 °C
Rain Rain 86 mm
Cyclones: Cyclones: none in 30 seasons
14. Score 91 out of 100
Vavaʻu
Tonga
Sea Sea 25 °C
Rain Rain 81 mm
Cyclones: Cyclones: none in 30 seasons
15. Score 88 out of 100
Oʻahu
Hawaiʻi
Sea Sea 27 °C
Rain Rain 22 mm
Tropical storms: Tropical storms: 3 tropical storms in 30 seasons
16. Score 84 out of 100
Maui
Hawaiʻi
Sea Sea 27 °C
Rain Rain 12 mm
Tropical storms: Tropical storms: 2 tropical storms in 30 seasons
17. Score 84 out of 100
Rarotonga
Cook Islands
Sea Sea 24 °C
Rain Rain 97 mm
Cyclones: Cyclones: none in 30 seasons
18. Score 83 out of 100
Tongatapu
Tonga
Sea Sea 24 °C
Rain Rain 77 mm
Cyclones: Cyclones: none in 30 seasons
19. Score 57 out of 100
Kawau Island
New Zealand’s islands
Sea Sea 14 °C
Rain Rain 85 mm
Outside the tropics
20. Score 57 out of 100
Aotea Great Barrier Island
New Zealand’s islands
Sea Sea 15 °C
Rain Rain 94 mm
Outside the tropics
21. Score 57 out of 100
Tiritiri Matangi
New Zealand’s islands
Sea Sea 14 °C
Rain Rain 85 mm
Outside the tropics
22. Score 55 out of 100
Waiheke Island
New Zealand’s islands
Sea Sea 14 °C
Rain Rain 94 mm
Outside the tropics
23. Score 55 out of 100
Rangitoto Island
New Zealand’s islands
Sea Sea 14 °C
Rain Rain 94 mm
Outside the tropics
24. Score 45 out of 100
Kāpiti Island
New Zealand’s islands
Sea Sea 13 °C
Rain Rain 92 mm
Outside the tropics
25. Score 34 out of 100
Rakiura Stewart Island
New Zealand’s islands
Sea Sea 11 °C
Rain Rain 82 mm
Outside the tropics
26. Score 32 out of 100
Chatham Islands
New Zealand’s islands
Sea Sea 11 °C
Rain Rain 71 mm
Outside the tropics
Scores: Island’s conditions score, from warmth, sea temperature, rain, sunshine and storm records. Sea: NOAA OISST,1991–2020 monthly means, measured offshore. Rain: weather-station normals (Meteostat) or NASA POWER. Storms: IBTrACS tracks within 200 km, 1991–2020. School holidays: Ministry of Education.