Martinique is considered an island of never-ending summer. That’s one of the reasons why this piece of paradise in the Caribbean became my second home. The island lifestyle corresponds perfectly to all what makes me happy: sunshine all year long, access to the beach whenever I want, a huge variety of tropical fruits that can be found anywhere, beautiful lush nature that never ceases to amaze me, smiling and friendly people who always want to have a chat with you…and so much more.

Another big plus about living in the Caribbean is that I don’t have to care about any winter clothes. 95% of my wardrobe consists of light summer dresses, skirts, shorts and crop tops.
It’s because the temperature here is more or less the same all year round, on average pleasant 27 °C / 80 °F. Let’s find out what is the best time to travel to Martinique in this post!

The two seasons:

• Rainy season (hivernage) – from June to November. The air is hot and heavy as the trade winds don’t cool the atmosphere and there tends to be frequent rainfalls.
  The rainy season is also known to be the hurricane season which runs from July to October. The highest risk for hurricanes is from early August to late September. However, it’s unusual for hurricanes to occur across the island more than twice every 10 years. I personally have never experienced a strong hurricane here.
• Dry season (carême) – from December to May. The weather tends to be sunny, with regular trade winds that bring refreshing breeze and lower temperatures. March is considered the sunniest month.

I’ve noticed one thing the locals say that as well: we can’t really talk about the seasons anymore. In recent years, also due to global warming, the climate has changed a lot and the weather on the island is literally unpredictable. It can easily happen that nature will behave even during the driest months as if it was the rainy season. So don’t be surprised if even on the driest and sunniest days there are unexpected short showers, especially in the rainforest. This is very common.

What can you expect here when it comes to weather?

The weather is very changeable here. I personally never look at the weather forecast when it comes to Martinique because it can change a couple of times a day. Also in each part of the island the weather can be different. This weather variability and instability is there especially because of the rainforest, the volcano and the hills that are located mostly in the northern part of the island. The south of Martinique is quite flat and in general, the climate here is drier, the weather is sunnier and the temperature is hotter.

Martinique island is located in a humid tropical climate zone. As soon as you step off the plane, you will feel a whiff of warm moist air. Some people take a few days to get adapted to it. And some people can feel like sweating all the time. This is due to the extreme air humidity. The advantage of it is that your skin is always moisturized and even when you look at the locals, they usually have beautiful skin and look much younger than their real age. 

Another thing you will notice is that there is always a nice breeze, thanks to the trade winds coming from Africa. You can often see beautiful rainbows, as rain and sun regularly alternate here.

When do most tourists come to Martinique?

In general, most people enjoy coming to the Caribbean when it starts getting cold in their countries. And I totally understand, as I also always try to escape winter.

The cruise ships season usually starts in mid-November and is over in mid April. This time can be considered as the busiest one. It is also the dry season here with less rainfall and more sunshine. Not only big cruise ships who stop here for just a day but also people from all around the world come to holiday on this beautiful island to soak up some sunshine.

Especially popular and the most touristic period is during the Christmas holidays, Spring and Easter holidays. The prices of accommodations and car rentals are also the highest during this time, the restaurants and beaches are the most crowded.
The Carnival, which is usually at the end of February / beginning of March is also an attractive time for some people to come to the island.

So, if you want to avoid crowded places and too many people around you, you can consider coming here from mid April to June. This time is actually great, because the weather is still nice and sunny and at the same time there are less tourists and the rental prices are also lower.

The end of June / beginning of July is the period when the seasons change. The air temperature may be slightly higher, but there is more rainfall and clouds and it’s quite muggy. This is the time when mostly French families with kids come here, as it’s summer holidays. There are also many Martinicans based in France who come back to their home island during summer to see their families and friends. 

And last but not least: the place where you stay on the island is an important factor too.

There are different types of climates depending on the part of the island.

• Humid tropical climate – in the rainforest in the central part of the north, around the mountains (Mount Pelée, Pitons du Carbet) with average rainfall of 10,000 mm. Expect a lot of humidity, and rainfall on an almost everyday basis. The temperature here is cooler and sometimes can drop to 15 °C / 60 °F.
• Intermediate climate – on the coasts of the middle and northern parts of the island with average rainfall from 2000 to 4000 mm.
• Dry climate – from the southern to southeastern coast up to Caravelle peninsula with average rainfall falling below 2000 mm. This area is not really affected by the seasons and most of the time the weather here is nice and hot.

Consider your preferences and if you are not quite sure in which area to stay, it might be a good option to spend a couple of days in the north which allows you to enjoy the beautiful tropical nature, rainforest and hiking and then the rest of your stay in the south where you can fully enjoy the white sand beaches, diving, sunshine and relax.