Hi
I live in the UK and am getting married on September 9 this year. We are looking for luxury honeymoon vacations and the caribbean seems to have everything we are looking for. However I have heard September is the hurricane season and naturally, as hurricanes are virtually unheard of in England, I am worried. The only experiences we have of hurricanes is what we see on the television. We desperately want to visit the caribbean and want a once in a lifetime holiday. Can anyone shed any light for me. If there was a hurricane looming would there be sufficient warning for us to return home? Or do they just hit. Is there anywhere in the Caribbean that has less chance of being hit? We visited Thailand last year on a business trip 3 weeks before the Tsunami and whilst I count my blessings that we were fortunate it does make you cautious. I really would be so grateful for anyones input. Thanking you in advance.

We traveled to the Caribbean over Labor Day (same time period you are looking at) for ten years before we finally gave up due to so many near misses with hurricanes in the islands.

One year on St Lucia, the island was hit with three named storms before and during our trip, and the resort was badly damaged. (The night spent huddled in our one-walled room along with birds, frogs, bugs and lizards while the 70+ mph winds howled made the decision easier too.)

We've had several vacations with very bad weather during that time and decided - never again.

If you have your heart set on the Caribbean, look at the ABC islands - Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.

September 9 is THE peak week for hurricanes in the region.

Wow. Thank you so much for your reply. I think we shall start looking elsewhere! I had no idea this date was THE peak. We want somewhere that has turqouise waters, white sand, excellent cuisine (especially seafood), hot weather (we dont get much of that in England) and we just want to feel like a king and queen for a week! We simply want to relax, maybe stroll to some shops (a girl has to shop even on her honeymoon!) We have been to the Far East and are due to attend a conference in Florida in October (incidentally will this be safe to do so?), so could anyone recommend a country/resort? Thanks again

Sorry but no one can predict now if Florida will be "safe" in October. Florida is a big state and there's no telling where, when or even if a storm will stike Typically you only get about 5 days warning and even then hurricanes have been known to abruptly change paths. The same holds true for the Caribbean. All one can give you are averages and that's not much comfort if you happen to be standing where there's a major tropical storm. Look at what's happened this year, there have been 5 named storms and it's not even August - highly unusual but not unheard of!!!

If you have to travel in September you may want to consider places in the South Pacific or along Australia's Great Barrier Reef as those areas are relatively safe from storms at that time of year.

I think Sunnyboy had a great idea. The South Pacific sounds perfect for a honeymoon. As close to heaven as you're likely to get.

To pick up on Diana's suggestion, the ABC islands, Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao are below what is known as the hurricane belt in the Caribbean. They are far less risky than the rest of the Caribbean. Then again, one of my personal dreams is to stay in an over the water hut in Moorea. They don't have over the water huts in the Caribbean due to, again... hurricanes.

Aruba is not outside the hurricane belt as commonly believed. Here is a report from the Meterological Services of Netharlands Antilles and Aruba.

http://www.meteo.an/meteo2/eng/repor...tm#climleeward

There was a hurricane warning out for Aruba last fall, but luckily it just missed Aruba, but there was some beach errosion and major flooding and some damage to some resorts.