When to Go: A Private Island Calendar
Grid title: When to Go Meta title: Best Time to Rent a Private Island, Region by Region Meta description: From the Bahamas to Bora Bora, the Maldives to the Greek islands: the best months for a private island stay, the seasons to plan around, and why the shoulder months are often the quiet secret. Focus keyphrase: best time to rent a private island
The right island in the wrong month is a different holiday.
A private island is defined by its surroundings. The colour of the lagoon, the calm of the anchorage, the warmth of the evening on the terrace: all of it depends on the season. Choose well and the island shows you its best. Choose poorly and you may spend a week watching the rain move across the reef.
The good news is that, somewhere in the world, an island is always in season. The private island year moves with the sun, from the Caribbean winter to the Mediterranean summer and the dry months of the South Pacific. Here is how it unfolds.
The year at a glance
| Region | Best months | Plan around |
|---|---|---|
| Bahamas and Caribbean | December to April | Hurricane season, June to November |
| Maldives | December to April | Southwest monsoon, May to October |
| French Polynesia | May to October | Wetter, more humid months, November to April |
| Fiji | May to October | Cyclone season, November to April |
| Croatia, Greece and Italy | June to September | Many islands close or slow down in winter |
| Seychelles and Madagascar | April to May, October to November | Cyclone risk in northern Madagascar, January to March |
These are broad patterns rather than guarantees. Weather varies from year to year and from one island to the next, and our local specialists can tell you what to expect for a particular island and date.
Winter sun: the Bahamas and the Caribbean
From December to April, the Bahamas and the wider Caribbean are at their most inviting. The air is warm but rarely heavy, the sea is calm and the trade winds keep evenings comfortable on the terrace. Christmas, New Year and the Easter holidays are the most sought-after weeks, and the best islands are often reserved a year or more in advance.
The hurricane season runs from June to November, with the greatest risk usually in late summer and early autumn. Plenty of guests still travel in June or early July, when rates soften and the islands are quieter, but it is worth understanding the cancellation terms before you commit.
Calm lagoons: the Maldives and the Indian Ocean
In the Maldives, the dry northeast monsoon from December to April brings long days of sunshine, glassy water and excellent visibility for diving. This is the classic season, and the busiest.
The southwest monsoon from May to October brings more cloud and passing showers, but rarely a week without sun. It is also when manta rays gather in large numbers in parts of the archipelago, and when rates are more generous. Further west, the Seychelles and northern Madagascar are often at their calmest in the transition months of April and May, and again from October to November, when the winds ease between seasons.
Southern winter: French Polynesia and Fiji
In the South Pacific the seasons are reversed. In Tahiti and the surrounding islands, the drier months from May to October bring cooler nights, lower humidity and steady sunshine over lagoons such as Bora Bora and Rangiroa. From around July, humpback whales arrive to calve in the warm, sheltered waters, one of the quiet wonders of the Pacific year.
Fiji follows a similar rhythm, with its finest weather from May to October. November to April is warmer and wetter, with the possibility of cyclones, although many days remain bright and the islands are noticeably calmer.
Mediterranean summer: Croatia, Greece and Italy
The Mediterranean island season is shorter but beautifully reliable. From June to September, the islands of Croatia, Greece and Italy offer warm seas, long evenings and lunches that drift well into the afternoon. July and August are the warmest and the busiest, and in parts of the Aegean the summer meltemi wind can bring lively afternoons on the water.
Most Mediterranean islands are best enjoyed between May and October. Outside those months, many houses close and boat services become less frequent.
The quiet secret of the shoulder months
The weeks either side of each high season are often the most rewarding. In late April in the Bahamas, early June in Greece or late October in the Maldives, the weather is usually settled, the waters are calmer and rates can be noticeably kinder. Minimum stays are sometimes shorter too, which makes it easier to combine an island with a few days elsewhere.
When to book
For the festive season in the Caribbean, or July and August in the Mediterranean, the most sought-after islands are often reserved a year ahead. For most other periods, six to nine months gives you a good choice. If your dates are flexible, tell us. A week either way can open up islands that would otherwise be unavailable.
Whatever the month, the best place to begin is with the people coming and the reason for the trip. A honeymoon, a family reunion or a milestone birthday each suits a different island and a different season. Our local specialists will suggest the islands at their best when you want to travel.
The calendar may decide the weather. The island decides how quickly you forget the calendar.
