Best Time to Visit Bridgetown

January to April: dry and easy

This is the season most people come for, and it's easy to see why. Days stay around 27°C, with a steady sea breeze and plenty of sun. February is the driest month, with only 4 rainy days. Showers are short and you'll barely plan around them.

It suits almost any trip. Spend mornings in the Garrison area and the Bridgetown historic district, then head to Carlisle Bay for a swim. Want calmer water? Try the west coast, where Paynes Bay and Mullins are glassy. The Atlantic east coast near Bathsheba is rougher, so enjoy it for the views and the rock pools, not for swimming.

This is also high season, especially around Christmas and New Year. Rooms cost more and the beach bars fill up. December is still rated Excellent, so it's a good pick if you want sun with festive energy. Crop Over, the big summer festival, comes later, so don't expect it now. Holetown Festival in February is a good local event, with music and street stalls on the west coast.

May to September: warmer, wetter, quieter

It gets stickier from May. June to September are all rated Fair, and August is the wettest of the group, with rain on 21 days. Most of it comes as quick, heavy bursts, so you'll often get sun between them. Nights stay warm at 28°C, so don't count on a cool break after dark.

If you want lower prices and emptier beaches, this is your window. It's also when Crop Over peaks. The festival runs for weeks and ends with Grand Kadooment, a huge costume parade, on the first Monday in August. It's loud, colourful and packed, and it's worth the crowds if you like music and dancing. Rooms get tight around then.

Travelling with kids? Early May is a nice compromise. It's still rated Excellent, and the summer rush hasn't begun.

October and November: the wet stretch

October is the wettest month, with 119 mm on 21 days, and it's rated Poor. November is a bit better and rated Fair, but still damp. Skies can stay grey for a while and the sea can get choppy.

It's the quietest time and the cheapest. Pick it only if you're happy to swap beach days for rum shop stops, a Oistins fish fry or a tour of Mount Gay. Barbados also celebrates Independence Day on 30 November, with parades and events across the island, which makes late November a nice time to be here.