by Jerome Carter

Created on: November 04, 2011

Is the summer heat in the Caribbean worth enduring for cheaper travel to the islands?  Of course it is.  It is true that the Caribbean can get hot during the summer.  But keep it mind that temperatures in the tropics do not change much year round.  Caribbean islands will typically only be a few degrees hotter in the summer than they are in the winter, especially in the more southerly islands.

It is true that heat can sometimes be slightly uncomfortable.  But since you are on vacation, you shouldn’t have to do too much strenuous activity.  The local people are the ones who have worry about rushing around to and from work, or suffering in the hot sun in formal clothes.  As a tourist you can sit in the shade, enjoying the sea breezes by the beach, in your swimsuit all day.  You can afford to take it easy.

In many islands the summer coincides with the rainy season, so sporadic rain storms or sun showers will likely provide some natural relief from the heat.  If you are near the sea, ocean winds may help as well.  Higher elevations on the more mountainous islands will also provide relief.

The winter may be the most popular time for travel to the Caribbean, but in the winter some of the more northerly islands are affected by cool air fronts from North America.  They may actually get quite chilly at times.  Do you really want to come all the way to the Caribbean for nice, warm weather and then feel you need a jacket or a sweater?  At least in the summer you can expect reliably warm weather.

Another advantage of traveling to the Caribbean during the summer is that certain types of tropical fruits are in season.  During the summer, for example, you will find mangoes and coconuts.  In cooler countries there is less selection of tropical fruits.  For example, the mangoes that sold in local supermarkets usually belong to one or two varieties that are mass produced on a commercial scale for export.  In many Caribbean islands you will find a much wider selection of different varieties of fresh mangoes and whatever other kinds of tropical fruits are in season.  On many islands you will find an abundance of fresh, green, water-filled coconuts in the summer- something that is hard to find in northern countries.

The only real downside of traveling during the summer is that you may miss out on some of the warm weather at home.  But even though summers are relatively short in temperate climates, a few weeks of vacation in the Caribbean will still leave plenty of time to enjoy the nice weather back home.

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