Things to Do in Kiribati in November
November weather, activities, events & insider tips
November Weather in Kiribati
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
Is November Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
- + November sits at the tail end of the dry season, so you'll get 8-9 hours of strong sunshine daily with afternoon showers that rarely last more than 20 minutes - good for beach time without the brutal humidity of peak dry months.
- + Mackerel and skipjack tuna runs peak in November. Local fishermen at Betio pier sell fresh-caught fish at dawn, and guesthouses will cook it for you same-day - impossible during the spawning quiet of January-February.
- + Airfares drop 20-30% after the first week of November when Australian school holidays finish; South Tarawa guesthouses that were booked solid in August suddenly answer emails within hours.
- + Christmas Island (Kiritimati) has the flattest seas of the year in November - glass-off conditions for fly-fishing bonefish on the flats mean you can spot tails waving at 40 m (130 ft), something locals say happens only four months annually.
- − The equatorial sun is merciless - UV index 8 means unprotected skin burns in under 15 minutes, and shade is scarce on the outer islands where coconut trees lean away from the Trade Winds.
- − November is 'kiakia' season: tiny sandflies that thrive after rain. They swarm at dusk, bite through thin clothing, and love ankles - repellent helps but you'll still wake up polka-dotted.
- − Domestic flights to the Phoenix and Line Islands operate on a 'maybe' schedule; aircraft get rerouted for medical emergencies, so a three-day trip can stretch to six if someone on Kanton needs evacuation.
Best Activities in November
Top things to do during your visit
November's neap tides expose hard white sand flats that stay ankle-deep for hours - good for stalking bonefish without a boat. The water is so clear you can see their shadows before the fish themselves, and the sun angle is low enough that glare isn't blinding by 9 AM.
The lagoon inside Butaritari's reef is mirror-calm in November mornings - good for paddling to Japanese pillboxes half-submerged in mangroves. King tides this month let you float right up to gun emplacements that are dry the rest of the year.
Older men still handline from outrigger canoes when the trade wind slackens in November. They'll show you how to wrap line around a tuna-bottle spool and feel for the 'tuk-tuk' bite of reef cod - an experience that disappears once motorboats return in December.
November's breeze keeps the heat tolerable for a 25 km (15.5 mi) dawn-to-dusk ride from Betio's Red Beach to Abemama bridge. You'll pass three Sherman tank wrecks still rusting in the surf and the Japanese commander bunker where the tide washes through shell holes.
November skies stay clear enough that bioluminescence in Maiana's lagoon rivals the Milky Way - no moon, no city lights. Camping on a sand cay inside the reef means you wake up surrounded by electric-blue plankton when you kick sand into the water.
November Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Football tournaments on the airstrip, traditional 'te bwai' dance competitions between villages, and night-time fatele singing that goes until the generators cut out at midnight. Visitors are handed a flower garland and expected to join the dancing circle - refusing is considered poor form.
Catholic communities on Abaiang and Maiana walk between five churches over three nights, carrying paper lanterns and singing Latin hymns in Gilbertese. The procession starts at 8 PM and ends with sweet coconut pudding shared in the church maneaba at dawn.
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