tcopx2

Hi,

Please give your opinion of the best place to visit in August and September. We realize this is hurricane season for the Caribbean, but surely there are some places we have not considered that are somewhat safer. Looking for beautiful beaches, scenery, warm, and friendly people. Make note of best areas for accomodations, shops, dining.

Thanking you in advance,

tcopx2

Carola22

Aruba might be a very good choice - not much in the way of scenery (although it does have an interesting 'mountain' in the middle of the island called the Hooiberg), but great beaches. And the climate is perfect, a wonderful cooling breeze and very stable the year round with very little difference between winter and summer because it is so far to the south, and outside of the hurricane belt. Great dining and shops. We stayed at the Bucuti Beach hotel in February and thought it was excellent. Very quiet and a fantastic beach. However, if you prefer more action, you might want to choose a hotel in the 'high-rise' hotel section of Aruba.
Hope this helps, good luck!

ejcrowe

Your safest bets are to stay well to the south. This usually means Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, but it can also include Trinidad & Tobago and Barbados (which is east of the windward island chain).

Aruba probably has the best beaches, but it is a very scrubby island. Very Americanized with lots of time shares and high rise resorts. Plenty of things to do during the day and at night.

Bonaire--I've never been here, but it seems that it's main draw is for divers. Amazing underwater preserve surrounding the island.

Curacao--never visited, but it offers a bit more non-American culture than Aruba. Lots of Europeans visit here.

Trinidad & Tobago--never visited. Trin is proably the most cosmopolitan island in region. You can find food and people from every culture. Tobago is more secluded, with lovely beaches and beatuful greenery.

Barbados is a large island. Brit in feel. Lovely beaches, especially on west coast. Interior is mostly green, but not mountainous.