8 Caribbean Islands Safe From Hurricanes

Like taxes and mosquitoes, hurricane season dependably rolls around year after year, an inexorable force that nothing can stop. A weather phenomenon that affects the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes are officially forecast to rip through the Caribbean from June 1 to November 30 each year, though historically, October tends to see the most occurrences. 

These devastating storms form as a result of air off the coast of Africa meeting the warm water near the United States. Hurricane season is a time of the year when tourist crowds in many Caribbean islands often thin out, and hotels are known to slash their rates. But visit during this time, and your vacation might be a washout. 

Luckily, there are Caribbean islands that sit outside this hurricane belt, where the effects of the deadly annual weather phenomenon have minimal impact. These islands allow you to plan for a Caribbean vacation any month of the year — perhaps when you have time off or when the kids are out of school for an extended break — without running the risk of encountering torrid conditions.

One of the ABC islands — the Dutch territories of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao — Auruba is a sunny and safe destination with phenomenal beaches and great tourism infrastructure. Aruba is a tiny place, only 70 square miles, and conditions are arid. The island only receives 15 inches of rain per year. Compare this to another popular Caribbean destination, San Juan in Puerto Rico, which gets about 50 inches per annum. Around the edges of Aruba, travelers will discover beaches of soft, brilliant white sand, while some parts of the island, especially along the north, have coasts of limestone cliffs and rocky outcroppings eroded by wind and water. 

Fans of desert landscapes can head to the core of the island for a trip to Arikok National Park, with cacti, fossilized coral rock, and the natural rocky swimming pool of Conchi, which is fed by seawater. The swimming in Aruba is phenomenal, with warm water year-round, clear and calm seas for much of the time, and a striking section of shores like Eagle Beach and Mangel Halto. 

Snorkeling is popular near the Tres Trapi steps, which descend to the waters near Boca Catalina Beach. The area is a great location to encounter sea turtles that feed on the seagrass. There is also great sea life at the Antilla shipwreck, easily accessible from shore and sitting in shallow water. Driving around Aruba is a breeze, and hotels and restaurants appear throughout the island, especially at the tourist hub of Palm Beach, where you'll also find the top-rated Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa & Casino. For a unique family outing, consider dropping by the island's donkey sanctuary.

The easternmost island in the Caribbean and the one that blessed the world with the global star Rihanna, Barbados is a great all-around destination. Visitors will find vibrant nightlife (especially in the capital Bridgetown), rich music, lively food happenings, and even some cool caves. Add to that some captivating beaches and fascinating colonial ruins, and travelers will never be bored. 

Hot, dry weather is a hallmark of the first half of the year, while the wet season starts in July. Regardless, you can expect temperatures in the 80s whatever the season. A coral island, Barbados promises fabulous slices of sand, especially on the west coast that faces the Caribbean Sea; those on the east are rugged and windswept. One beach not to miss is Carlisle Bay. Its comely waterfront offers the chance to snorkel among turtles and above shipwrecks close to shore. 

Another unmissable Bajan experience is the Friday night fish fry on the south coast at Oistins. Stalls grill and fry fish and seafood onsite, with tuna, marlin, and lobster among the options. It's a fun, relaxed way to spend an evening mingling with local residents and enjoying some excellent seafood. The biggest spectacle on the island is Crop Over, a costumed festival that spreads over days in the summer. Tourists will find a broad range of properties in Barbados, from simple inns to the storied Sandy Lane, a Palladian vision that's one of the most famous resorts in the Caribbean.

This archipelago of islands in Panama is a short flight from the capital, offering great swimming and surfing, interesting culture, and warm seas year-round. Located in the country's north, not far from the border with Costa Rica, the islands promise visitors an immersion into mountainous jungles, winding coral reefs, sprawling mangroves, and waves that draw surfers. While Bocas del Toro also refers to the larger province, it's the three main islands that are the main pull — Colón, Bastimentos, and tiny Carenaro, which all have an easygoing atmosphere and fun places to stay. 

The airport is on Colón, perhaps the most developed of the three, although developed is a relative term. Apart from Bocas del Toro town on the island, and some resorts dotting around the shores, Colón is refreshing wild, as are the two other islands. Visitors come here for the fantastic swimming, surfing (a big lure of Bastimentos), and snorkeling while enjoying a unique Afro-Caribbean culture. Music is a constant in bars, restaurants, and the streets, and locals will speak a Creole tongue known as Guari-Guari, a mash-up of French, English, and Spanish. 

Wildlife fans should plan to visit from May through October. This is when turtles (the islands are home to the green, hawksbill, and leatherback varieties) spawn, with the months of July and August being the peak periods. This off-the-beaten-path destination could also soon garner global headlines with the 2026 opening of a Viceroy property featuring overwater villas.

The middle, alphabetically, of the ABC islands, Bonaire is also the smallest of the three. It's the kind of place you could blink and easily miss when flying over. Shaped a little like a boomerang, it's a very low-key Caribbean island that showcases smaller properties rather than mega-resorts. Most of the action, in terms of tourism infrastructure, takes place in the capital town of Kralendijk, home to the island's port and airport. It's a sedate place, with colorful architecture and shops along Kaya Grandi (the equivalent of Main Street) that flow with tourists when cruise ships dock. A market also sets up in Wilhemina Square on the days that cruises are in town, and they present a good opportunity to purchase local products and gifts. 

The name Kralendijk is derived from the Dutch word Koralendijk, which means coral reef. This gives a hint of the main attraction of Bonaire, the amazing scuba diving. The conditions — warm year-round, including the water — mean that diving is very much possible in any season. More than 60 marked dive sites dot the waters around Bonaire, with 50 or so close to land, making Bonaire a shore-diving Shangri-La. The marine life is spectacular (the clear water helps), with 57 coral species and hundreds of fish species. On land, there are many miles of biking trails, including some through a national park, caving, great birdwatching, and even golf. For a luxe room, consider booking a stay at The Bellafonte, a highly-regarded resort. 

The largest of the ABC islands has a variety of lures that make it a great destination, even during hurricane season. For starters, the capital of Willemstad is home to pretty waterfront buildings and colorful structures that showcase European colonial architecture, with gabled roof lines and precise white trim. Willemstad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is split into two sections, separated by the Queen Emma Bridge. Crossing it is a fun little excursion — the floating span has a wooden top supported by a series of pontoons underneath. 

The town is rich in culture, with a synagogue believed to be the oldest one in the Western Hemisphere still used today. Museum Kura Hulanda is one of the Caribbean's most fascinating (and heart-wrenching) museums. The museum looks at the history of the island, with a deep dive into how the slave trade shaped this part of the world.

Sharing the climate of the other ABC islands, Curaçao has fabulous marine life, with reefs, shipwrecks, and walls all waiting to be explored. Non-divers can also enjoy the island's water from the island's many fine beaches; some have fine, soft sand, while others like Playa Kalki feature smoothed pebbles that crunch underfoot. Regardless of the beach, they all yield to clear, calm, and cerulean seas. On land, hiking trails and wildlife like white deer attract visitors to Christoffel National Park, the island's largest piece of protected nature. When considering accommodations, many rooms at Baoase Luxury Resort come with a private plunge pool.

Set north of Trinidad, the three-island nation of Grenada resides on the fringes of the hurricane belt. While this doesn't make it immune to the seasonal weather pattern — it was hammered by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004 after all — the winds don't affect it as much as in many other Caribbean countries. Comprising Carriacou, Grenada, and Petit Martinique, Grenada could almost be called "Greenada" — it's that verdant. 

Visitors will come across mountains, long valleys, and plenty of forests, and the main island is a big producer of spices (little surprise, then, that Grenada is nicknamed the Spice Island). Among the crops that thrive in the fertile soil are mace and nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and vanilla. There's also turmeric, one of the ingredients in the national dish of oil down, made with salted meat, coconut milk, and breadfruit. Cocoa also grows here and is lovingly used in the addictive bars made by the Grenada Chocolate Company, headquartered in a small village in Grenada's interior. 

Grenada is also a popular vacation destination for its beaches, with fine stretches like Grand Anse, Morne Rouge, and Bathway Beach among them. The rustic retreat La Sagesse is a well-reviewed resort on the island and boasts its own alluring stretch of sand. In the waters around the islands, travelers will find fish-filled reefs and even an underwater sculpture park. The smaller spots of Petit Martinique and the Carriacou promise a relaxing experience, with the latter hosting an annual carnival and regatta. 

One part of the twin-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago, this spot is a paradise for nature lovers, with green island interiors and palm-tree-lined stretches of sand. The beaches are, in fact, the reason that many visitors come to Tobago, with a wealth of choices allowing the small island to punch above its weight as a beach destination. Pigeon Point is perhaps the most famous of them, where soft sand, public facilities, and warm, calm, and clear seas work together to create a destination that keeps bringing locals and tourists back. 

Buccoo Bay also has calm water and excellent snorkeling opportunities on its reef, while Nylon Pool sits some distance off the coast and features clear, shallow water with lots of fish. Hikers will also find some great trails on the rugged island, with walks through forests that lead to hidden waterfalls, excellent for a refreshing dip on a warm day. Tobago is hot year-round, with a dry season giving way to more rain in the second half of the calendar year.

For visitors in search of noise, activity, and grand social dynamics, Tobago might not be the right choice. It's more attuned to tourists who prize a slow pace of life and yearn to watch time stretch and deepen (even if the island does host festivals of jazz, heritage, food, and a carnival). Take in Tobago's serene lifestyle at the well-received Blue Waters Inn, where every room looks out over the glittering sea.

The bigger half of T&T, as locals expediently call Trinidad and Tobago, this island hosts the most riotous carnival in the Caribbean. Timed to follow the Easter calendar (it next takes place in early March 2025), Trinidad's carnival is a party that some revelers spend the whole year planning for. A relentless, wild ride of parties (known as fetes), get-togethers, competitions, live music, and a mammoth street parade with wildly colorful costumes add some real flair to the proceedings. Carnival in Trinidad is a marathon of merriment. 

Trinidad also boasts a strong Indian community. Holidays like Diwali are celebrated all over the island, evidenced by lighting diyas (oil-filled lamps) and eating sweets. The Indian influence is also apparent in Trinidad's food — doubles and rotis are addictive — and the island's architecture includes a towering statue of the Hindu god Hanuman and the Hindu Temple in the Sea off the coast of Waterloo. 

The island has its share of beaches, but they aren't as scintillating as those of Tobago, and the water is not as spectacular. It does, however, promise some unique wildlife, including two endemic birds — the Trinidad piping guan (whose numbers are dangerously low) and the Trinidad motmot, both of which live in the forests. The interiors are the realm for many activities, from jungle hikes and mountain biking trips to visits to waterfalls. Gasparee Caves has impressive limestone formations and a hypnotic grotto pool. For those looking to visit during the island's famed celebration, Trinidad Hilton & Conference Center is carnival central.