Planning St Barts travel isn’t a very tricky feat, nor is it something that might take weeks of deciding like some other Caribbean islands might. The fact that St Barts is a mere eight square miles translates into a limited number of amenities, such as St Barts hotels, to choose from making decisions fairly swift for most. Planning the best time to go to St Barts can take a little more consideration, especially if the determination to go is high yet money if an object.

One of the most surprising aspects of St Barts tourism is the weather, an island element that stays consistent throughout most of the year. Popular opinion is the French West Indies warms up into sky-high temperatures during the summer months but in truth, the reliable stability of average month-to-month temperatures in St Barts makes planning St Barts vacations a snap. It can be difficult to comprehend yet the island temperature fluctuates a mere six degrees Fahrenheit throughout the whole year. This fact is solely attributed to the island’s tradewinds. These cooling breezes, whisking in from the northeast, lift away all traces of stifling heat.

Though the weather doesn’t fluctuate much, seasonal rates for tourist amenities are an entirely different story. Peak season kicks into high gear when mid-December hits and is on until mid-April. During this period, it’s impossible to find bargains and without an advanced booking, you’ll be really lucky to find a room anywhere. The same goes for island villas.

St Barts Map

During Christmas, hotel and villa rates are known to double. Tropical temperatures are ideal at this time of year as are swimming and snorkeling conditions at most beaches, making this one of the best times to go to St Barts. Additional popular holidays that see lodging go into high demand include New Year’s and Thanksgiving. February might as well be villa month for most are booked solid.

From December through April is the island’s dry season, which makes is a popular time for St Barts travel. This doesn’t mean no rainfall though. On the contrary, casual island rainstorms can happen at anytime as can intermittently cloudy weather, yet for the most part St Barts remains sunny and warm with average temperatures hovering between 71 and 87 degrees F. On the coast, it’s slightly lower at 68 to 75 degrees.

St Barts tours during the summer months, from June through November, mean one extraordinary thing for non-celebrity status travelers—deals! Though these aren’t your average Caribbean island deals (nothing is just average on St Barts), they are a far cry from the thousands per night you could easily pay for hillside villas or St Barts luxury hotels. With some reprieve in price also comes slightly less desirable weather yet most don’t even notice. June through November brings about more humidity, but this small sacrifice translates into low lodging rates, crowd-free beaches and roads, and generally lower prices. Some restaurants and shops do close down though during September and October.

The last thing to consider when planning the best time to go to St Barts is European holidays which have the most significant effect on island status. Many French and several Swedish holidays are celebrated throughout the island, which is predominantly European. July’s annual Volleyball Cup draws massive crowds. St Barts travel is very popular during the St Barts Film Festival in mid-April. January and February are equally exciting for their bounty of annual music festivals. Armed with this knowledge though, planning St Barts tours should go off without a hitch.