The Quiet Month

September is low season on Aruba, and that is exactly why we like it. The beaches are quiet, most restaurants have a table without a reservation, and the sea is at its calmest of the year.

It is also the warmest month. The trade winds that keep the island comfortable for most of the year ease off in September, so afternoons are hot and still. Plan the day around it: the pool or the sea before ten, something slow in the afternoon, and the terrace once the sun drops. Evenings are long and mild — this is the month to eat outside.

If your villa has been closed for the summer, September is the month to open it up properly: air-conditioning checked, pool balanced, terrace furniture out, fridge stocked to your list — the preparation Peli will take care of once we are on the island. You arrive to a house that is ready, not one that has been waiting.

What we would do this month

• Swim early, when the water is glass.
• Book one dinner at the water's edge — see Peli's Local Pick.
• Take the north coast at first light, before the heat — see Island Experience.

We update this page every month with what is worth knowing right now.