Here the calendar decides the trip. Summer arrives warm and humid, with showers that drift through and long evenings that invite you outside. When winter takes over, the air turns cooler and drier, the hills stand out sharp against the sky, and walking becomes the easiest way to see the island.

The climate is tropical and maritime, with a warm wet summer and a cooler dry winter, and the west tends to be drier than the east. Each season gives the island a different face. Meals are long, languages blend easily in conversation, and a Local Friend tells you when to head out early and when it is worth lingering.