Best Time to Visit Anguilla

December to April: the easy season

This is when most people come, and it's easy to see why. Days are warm and breezy, the sky is mostly clear, and the sea is calm enough for a lazy afternoon at Shoal Bay East or Meads Bay. Rain is rare, so beach plans rarely fall apart. It's also high season, so rooms cost more and the best villas go early. Christmas and New Year are the busiest weeks.

Anguilla is small, and the weather is nearly the same across the island. The Valley, the main town, is where you'll find shops, government offices and the airport road. Beaches on the north and west coasts, like Rendezvous Bay, can feel different from day to day because of swell, but the season doesn't change from place to place. Pick your month, then pick your beach.

May to August: quieter and hotter

Prices ease and the beaches empty out. Some smaller restaurants and hotels close for a break, so check before you go. The sea is warm and the evenings are sticky, which suits you if you like slow days and shade.

August is the big date. Carnival runs around the first week, with boat racing, parades and music, and Anguillians living abroad fly home for it. Flights and rooms fill up fast. If you want the party, book early. If you want quiet, avoid that week.

September to November: the risky months

September is the hottest month, at 29°C, and it's also the peak of hurricane season. October is the wettest, with 116 mm of rain. Storms can close restaurants and cancel flights and ferries from Saint Martin. Some places shut for the whole season.

So who should come now? Travellers who want the lowest prices, and who can be flexible. Take travel insurance that covers storms. November slowly improves, and by December the island is back in full swing.