Seasons set the tone of a trip here. In the dry winter months the air is clear and the beaches fill up. As spring turns to summer the crowds thin, and sudden showers send everyone under the nearest awning to wait, laugh and start another conversation.

The climate is tropical and warm all year, with trade winds that take the edge off the heat, wetter months from late spring to autumn, and a hurricane season worth watching. Keep your days loose. A Local Friend tells you when to go early and when to linger over one more sunset, because they know what each season does best.