Cook Islands · Month comparison
March vs May
May ranks #1 overall vs March at #9. Dry season opens — the crowd-to-value sweet spot before New Zealand winter school holidays.
March
#9 of 12 months
Worth considering
Still firmly cyclone season at 190mm — but crowds thin and late March brings occasional clear days.
- ↑Crowd levels dropping as school holidays end in key source markets
- ↑Mornings occasionally clear and beautiful before afternoon rain arrives
May
#1 of 12 months
Best match
Dry season opens — the crowd-to-value sweet spot before New Zealand winter school holidays.
- ↑85mm of rain is genuinely manageable — most days are dry and clear
- ↑Prices still below the June–August premium before school holidays hit
| Factor | March | May |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 3 | 8 |
| Value score | 6 | 7 |
| Crowd score | 7 | 7 |
| Events score | 5 | 5 |
| Atmosphere | 6 | 8 |
| Avg high temp | 27°C | 24°C |
| Monthly rain | 190mm | 85mm |
| Daily sunshine | 6.5hrs | 7hrs |
March trade-offs
- ↓190mm of rain — well above the 150mm hard threshold for reliable outdoor plans
- ↓Cyclone risk persists through mid-March in active years
- ↓Te Ara coastal path walks disrupted by high tides and debris after storms
May trade-offs
- ↓Evenings noticeably cooler than summer — pack a layer for open-air dinners
- ↓Some activities (lagoon cruises, sailing) operate reduced schedules before the main season
- ↓Less vibrant green in the interior as dry season bites
Scores compare months within Cook Islands. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →