Conde Nast Traveler's Island Strategies

    NEW YORK, June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- In need of a summer get-away to an
 idyllic island? Knowing when to visit an island is an art -- whether you are
 staying close to home or traveling to an exotic location.
     In Conde Nast Traveler's July special issue "101 Islands We Love,"
 Consumer News Editor Wendy Perrin shares strategies on how to increase your
 chances of arriving on an island, anywhere in the world, when the weather is
 perfect, the crowds are thin and the price is right.
     "There's a best season for every island, of course -- when sea, sun, wind
 and sightseeing conditions are optimal. Even better, though, is that window of
 time when conditions are peak, yet prices are not," says Perrin.
     Perrin suggests the following to find the time that yields the best value
 and conditions:
 
      * Consider shoulder season -- the period bridging high and low seasons --
        since crowds are thinner but the weather is still good.  There are
        usually two annual shoulder seasons:  one right before peak season
        (Christmastime or spring break) and one right after.
 
      * Take advantage of seasonal-pricing variations among hotels.
 
      * Find out what the drawbacks are to shoulder season, if any. For
        example, look up the average temperature and rainfall on
        weathernetwork.com to be sure that conditions are right for the
        activities you plan to pursue.
 
      * If the shoulder season brings rain, find out whether it's just
        occasional showers or a monsoon.
 
      * Keep in mind that hours of daylight can vary significantly, depending
        on the location. For maximum sightseeing time, choose islands that are
        farther north for summer trips and save islands that are farther south
        for winter trips.
 
      * Predict crowds by considering the vacation schedules of travelers from
        other countries. The more popular an island is with people from a
        particular nation, the more important it is to factor in that country's
        vacation schedules.
 
     The July issue of Conde Nast Traveler goes on newsstands June 28th. Unlike
 many other travel publications, Conde Nast Traveler does not accept free
 travel and accommodations, and its correspondents, as far as possible, travel
 anonymously. The result is travel the way consumers experience it -- good and
 bad, with reporting that is fair and honest. Conde Nast Traveler recently won
 its 6th National Magazine Award and is still the only travel publication to
 have won the highest honor in magazine publishing. Conde Nast Traveler, the
 2005 Zagat Survey Best Travel Magazine, has a circulation of over 750,000 and
 is published by the Conde Nast Publications, Inc.
 
 

SOURCE  Conde Nast Traveler