Things to Do in Tarawa in November
November weather, activities, events & insider tips
November Weather in Tarawa
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
Is November Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
- + November lands just after the wet season folds its tents, leaving the lagoon so glass-clear you'll see every wrasse while snorkeling, and the land glows an almost violent green from the last rains.
- + With cruise ships thinned out, the WWII relics at Betio become yours alone, the rusted Japanese guns feel almost haunted when silence replaces the usual chatter of tour groups.
- + Local crews have traded reef for deep-sea runs this month, giving you the year's best shot at riding a traditional outrigger in pursuit of tuna and mahi-mahi.
- + Hotel prices fall 25-30% from the July-August high, and the seaweed that smothers northern beaches from March to June has vanished entirely.
- − The equatorial sun hits UV index 8, brutal enough to burn through SPF 50 in two hours if you skip reapplication, and shade is scarce on the outer islands.
- − Inter-island ferries still sail on 'island time'; if weather swings, they can sit idle for days and leave you stranded on outer atolls with few comforts.
- − After three dry days, fresh water turns precious, and some guesthouses ration showers to bucket-style splashes until the next rain cloud arrives.
Best Activities in November
Top things to do during your visit
November's gin-clear water exposes the Japanese fleet resting in 3-12 m (10-39 ft) of perfect visibility. Bombed hulls now serve as artificial reefs: clownfish nest in portholes, lionfish drift above deck guns. The lagoon holds steady at 29°C (84°F), warm enough for hours of wandering without a wetsuit.
When reef fish spawn in November, crews head 8-12 km (5-7.5 miles) offshore where yellowfin tuna launch like silver missiles. Learn to read diving birds that mark bait balls, then cast handlines while balanced on the narrow beam between twin hulls, the same trick used here for a thousand years.
Cooler November mornings tame the 45 km (28-mile) causeway ride; you'll pause at coral gun emplacements still scarred by American shells. The route strings Betio's Red Beach to Bairiki's command bunker, cooled by sea breezes that slice humidity, with roadside boys selling fresh coconut water for pennies.
Evening brings merciful cool after the day's furnace. Sit cross-legged on woven mats while village women show how to spin coconut fiber into cord, husk nuts with a sharpened stick, and tap palm sap for toddy, skills that keep life ticking on an atoll.
November Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
November 12th turns Bairiki into a swirl of drumbeats, coconut-leaf skirts, and feast smoke. Teams battle in the fatele dance contest while umu ovens steam whole reef fish wrapped in banana leaves. Canoe races spill across the lagoon, pulling every seaworthy hull for miles.
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