By Scott Bateman
© Caribeez.com

The first consideration of when to go is the hurricane season, which generally runs from June through October. That doesn't stop many tourists from going during that period, especially during the popular visit month of July.

The Caribbean is a springtime vacation for many people and a December vacation for others. The most popular time to go is usually March and April. The least popular time to go is September and October.

If there is a best time to go based on weather, crowds and prices, take a hard look at November, January and February. Temperatures are only slightly cooler, prices are better and the hurricane season is past. Of course, those months tend to favor couples more than families because of school commitments.

Overall, more than 1.5 million visitors go to the Caribbean islands on average each month. But there are two distinct seasons. The first is December through August and the second is September through November.

Between 1.5 million and 1.9 million visit every month from December through August. Then there is a steep drop in visits during September and October in particular, which suffer from the dual problem of being at the tail end of the hurricane season and the beginning of the school year, which cuts out families and college students.

Although there are no guanantees, some islands have a low risk of getting hit by hurricanes. They include the ABC islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.

The advenurous looking for value can take a chance by getting good rates during September and October while praying they don't see a hurricane.

Temperatures make little difference in the right time to go. Just about any month is a good month. The average variation yearround in temperatures is commonly about 5 dgrees.