When To Avoid Visiting These Extremely Popular Islands

Islands invoke dreams of paradise — sublime colorful sand beaches, rustling palms, turquoise blue water, and serene seas. They boast marvelous surroundings such as lavish jungles, soaring mountains and active volcanoes you can actually hike. All of these make certain islands extremely popular with tourists. Usually, a good time to avoid a hot spot is during its peak season. It varies from island to island.

Santorini, Greece

The worst time to visit this gorgeous island depends on what you want to do during your trip. June is the ideal month for honeymoons. It gets really hot – consistently near 100F in July and August, so don't go then. It may a waste of time to go between November and March as many, if not most, businesses, including hotels and restaurants, are closed. August is by far the most crowded month.

Palawan, Philippines

The off-peak season is from September to November. The rainy season is long, and it is best to avoid the island during that period. It begins in June, and for about four months the area is struck by heavy monsoons. The rain calm down around November but continue through March.

Hawaii

Any month is a great time to visit any of the Hawaiian islands. However, if you want to avoid the crowds as much as possible, it may be wise to stay away after the second half of December through February. Crowds are very low until approximately December 20th, then very high through the Christmas and New Year's holidays. The same applies to February around Valentine's Day and Presidents Day. The off-peak season, so to speak, lasts between September and November.

Bali, Indonesia

May, June and July are generally considered to be the best time to travel to Bali in terms of the weather. April, May, June and September are also good, just before and just after high season. High season is during July and August, during Easter Holidays, and Christmas / New Year – until the end of the first week January). This is the time Bali is the busiest and thus priciest.

Ambergris Caye, Belize

This is one of the very best scuba diving destinations in the world. So if you prefer calm waters for this adventurous activity, it's best to go during the summertime, and if you want to swim with sharks, aim to be on the island March, April or June. The high season for tourism is from December to April. The low season, also the rainy season, runs from May to November.

Phuket, Thailand

The period from November to February is the nicest, in terms of weather, after the rains are over. So this is also the busiest time with most tourists going on vacations on the island. December is the coolest month, and February is the driest. The hottest months are March to mid-May. Monsoon season, when prices are very low, lasts from May to October. Although it will rain, the island doesn't really get several days in a row of heavy rains.

Tahiti

The local winter season is nice because it's less humid. The best time to visit is between May and October. The summertime – November through April – can be intolerably hot and humid, as well as rainy – the trifecta of bad conditions for your vacation.

Seychelles

April, May, October and November are the months of transition from hot and humid to cool and nice weather that define April through October. These are also the so called "shoulder months" is ideal for a pleasant trip that includes sunbathing, wildlife watching and scuba diving. Coming in the spring and fall means smaller tourist crowds, which come in December, January, July and August.

Dalmatian Islands, Croatia

Summers are warm/hot and winters are mild. The largest crowds descend on the island in July and August, the peak season on the Adriatic. The beaches are very busy then. If you're looking for perfect weather and relaxation at the same time, it's best to go in June or September. The quietest months are from October to November.

British and U.S. Virgin Islands

The best time to visit these Caribbean islands is from April to June because this is you're almost guaranteed mild weather and very little rain. This is also when the tourist season slows down. The peak season is, understandably, from December to March, when the temperature ranges from the mid-70s to high 80s with breezy evenings. Hurricane season is from July to October.

Capri, Italy

Just because Capri is an island doesn't mean it only has two seasons and sunny weather year-round. It has four distinct seasons, each with its own characteristics. In terms of crowds, the tourist season usually lasts from the Easter holidays to the first weekend of November. The best times to go on vacation here is typically from April to mid-June, and then again from September to mid-October.

Lofoten Islands, Norway

The transition period from fall into winter from mid-October to early January is not a good time to go because the weather is bad. It's cold, dark, rainy, icy, and windy.  The polar night, when the sun doesn't come up for day, lasts from December 10-ish to January 5-ish.

Antigua

The island's off-season is from May to November. Rates are cheapest at this time. The weather is consistently around 80 F even though it may rain sometimes. There is less rain between December and April, but the crowds are abundant and they bring high prices with them.

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Even though the weather is warm throughout the year, November and April is considered the shoulder season. It offers mild weather with temperatures in the mid-70s to mid-80s. The crowds come starting May all the way through October when rain showers are isolated. The low season stretches from December to March, which is also the wet season.

Easter Island, Chile

This is not where you go if you're looking for an exotic destination with lots of beaches. The main attraction on this secluded adventure spot are the mysterious moai or stone monoliths along the coastline. The warmer weather in the summer from December to February as the best times to go. October, November, March and April see fewer people, but the winds are stronger and the temperatures are lower.

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

The busiest months are June, July and August. The unique islands also draw big crowds from mid-December to mid-January. The hot and wet season last from December until May. The cool and dry period is June through November. This is when experienced scuba divers like to go because the marine life is more diverse due to the colder water.

Boracay Island, Philippines

November to May is usually the dry season, and this is also the peak season in Boracay. But rain showers may occur until December. It gets really hot between May and July. The off-peak season and basically pretty much all Philippine beaches is between mid-July to October. Rainfall is more common. Most people go between December and May. Divers prefer to go in the summer when most dive sites are easily accessible.

Whitsunday Islands, Australia

September is the month to be on the Whitsunday Islands. It's still comfortably warm. It's not yet hot the way it is in the summer months that also bring humidity. Avoid the region's annual stinger season, which generally runs from October through to May.

Majorca (Mallorca), Spain

Majorca has a pleasant Mediterranean climate. Summers are hot, so don't go if you can't handle the heat, while winters are mild. The southeast regions of the island are much warmer. There is sunshine about 300 days of the year. The best time to visit is the beginning of September when most of the activities like kitesurfing, mountain biking, cliff jumping and boating are available.

Cozumel, Mexico

March through June is when the island has temperatures around 90 F during the day. Winters are a bit cooler, with temperatures around 70 F. You may want to avoid the rainy season which falls between late summer and early fall; hurricanes are a possibility. The short summer season – and best time to go – is March to June.

St. Lucia

Peak season is December-April. Hotel prices skyrocket to about $1,000 per night. The hurricane season is July-November, which means prices are much lower. A lot of festivals take place in that period. The ideal combination of lower prices and lower risk of hurricanes you get between May and June.

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Locals love the spring when flowers bloom, sunbathing begins and the RBC Heritage takes over the island mid-April. The prime season for visitors is in the summer. You should book your trip way in advance. This is the best time to go if you're into cycling.

Fiji

November through April is Fiji's typhoon season. The weather is not very pleasant – high temperatures and short storms. But it's cheap. October is one of the short shoulder seasons. The high season are months between July and September. Crowds are huge. This is winter break for many Australians and New Zealanders and they go there, too.

Ibiza

This is a destination for clubbing. August is the worst time to go because everything is packed. July is a little better. Go in September – all the coolest bars are still open and clubs host renowned closing parties. May/June is a good time as well – clubs begin to open, crowds are still small, and there will be some extra headliners for their opening parties.

Crete, Greece

You can expect low hotel rates and fewer crowds in September and October. Everybody loves to go in summer, which means the months between May and August is when you'll see the biggest crowds. Average temperatures rest in the low 70s and 80s. Temperatures in March and April are around low 60s, but prices are down and crowds are smaller.

Grand Cayman

Avoid the peak winter period, from mid-December to mid-April, if you want to save money and not encounter so many people everywhere you go. Christmas, mid-February, especially around Presidents' Day weekend are also very busy. The off season on the islands is from mid-April to mid-December. This is when beaches are less crowded and you can get good deals.

Maldives

Everybody goes there between December and March. The monsoon runs from May to October, with peaks usually in June. Even though prices are much lower, you may not want to deal with the rain. Also, this is when most businesses are closed. You can go scuba diving, but you can't really do much else.

The Cook Islands

December through April is the hurricane and rainy season. However, most of the rain comes in short, heavy cloudbursts. The sun is always shining after that. The summer months of January and February bring high temperatures and some humid and sticky days. Winter, from June to August, is much more pleasant, but sometimes chilly. The ideal combination occurs April, May, September, and October.

Sardinia, Italy

The Season in Porto Cervo is confined to July – August, whilst in Alghero, the tourist season runs from May – October, according to TripAdvisor. It may be best to go at different times of year, especially if you are seeking a peaceful but adventurous holiday. A popular time for non-mainstream tourists is during the spring and early summer. July and August in Sardinia are characterized by heat and substantial crowds.

Moorea, French Polynesia

The dry season, and the time to go, is between May and October. Tourists will have the ideal beach weather. November to April is a period the features a lot of humidity, high temperatures and heavy precipitation.