Apart from being blessed with spectacular scenery, beautiful beaches, and some of the friendliest people in the world, Fiji is also blessed with having almost perfect year-round weather. This small island nation in the Pacific enjoys a year round tropical climate and attracts visitors throughout the year, so it has become a popular place to escape from winter in both the northern and southern hemispheres.

Fiji is a collection of islands - over 300 of them spread over 40,000 square miles of ocean. The country has what is known as a maritime climate, in which the weather is affected by the ocean and trade winds. The larger islands all have mountain ranges, which result in more rainfall on the windward or eastern sides of the islands. The leeward or western sides tend to be drier, and most of the resorts are found there.

Although Fiji is beautiful any time of the year, perhaps the best time to visit is during the dry season, which runs from May to October. This season is also known as the “Fiji Winter” - although temperatures seldom drop below 65F. This time of the year also brings less rain, less humidity and less chance of encountering a cyclone.

If you are looking to travel to Fiji for a reasonable price, airfare from the United States tends to be the lowest between May and August - during the low season, as it is known in the travel industry. Fiji is also a popular destination for yachts that cruise the Pacific. The best sailing time is from November to April when the trade winds are blowing. If you sail to Fiji between May to October, the winds tend to be more unpredictable.

Of course, it can also be fairly hot in Fiji as well. November to April temperatures range in the mid 80s F, and seldom do they exceed 95F. Most major hotels and resorts have air-conditioning, as do most stores, offices and banks. Humidity levels can reach 90% on the hottest days, although there's nearly always a refreshing breeze blowing in from the Pacific Ocean.

Because of its maritime climate, Fiji receives its fair share of rain. Some places can receive as much as 100 inches in a year, although most showers themselves are brief. Taveuni, the third largest island in Fiji, can receive as much as 30 feet of rain in a year! Because of the amount of rain, the residents of the island are blessed with some of the country's most fertile soil, giving it the nickname the “Garden Isle”.

Most visitors to Fiji will spend at least some time in Suva, the country's modest but stylish capital city. Suva is known for its parks, lush foliage and grand colonial buildings - a reminder of British colonial rule. It's also known for its rather damp climate year round, caused by its location at the foot of jungle-covered mountains, which condense moisture from the trade winds and create rain.

One weather phenomenon you do not want to encounter while in Fiji is a cyclone, which is the tropical equivalent of a hurricane. On average, the country experiences fifteen cyclones every decade; several usually cause severe damage. One of the most recent occurred in January 2008, killing several people and causing widespread flooding and power outages across the islands. However, the government does a pretty good job of predicting cyclones and ensuring that people take the necessary precautions so that such tragedy does not often occur.

Fiji's tropical climate encourages casual dress, and most visitors to the islands tend to pack lightly. You may want to bring a sweater or warmer clothes for those cool evening breezes, as well as an umbrella. One garment suited to the hot weather is the sulu, a sort of wraparound skirt, worn by both men and women alike. Fijians also cover up when they go swimming, often wearing a shirt over their bathing suits. Nude sunbathing is not common. Although Fijians are very friendly and easy going, there are some other 'tropical' rules of etiquette to follow as well. For example, you should not enter a Fiji village wearing a hat or sunglasses, or with bare shoulders - only the chief of the village is allowed to wear sunglasses and a hat. It is also considered rude to wear sunglasses when being introduced to someone, or when having a conversation.

No place in the world can claim to have absolutely perfect weather. Fiji is perhaps as close as you can get - it's just one of the many things that make a trip to this tiny country so memorable.