May to about mid-June is ideal. The weather is great but you're outside peak holiday periods, which means less crowds and lower accommodation prices. Most of these islands are independent, a few like Guadeloupe and Martinique are part of the French West Indies, others like Bermuda and Anguilla are part of the British West Indies. Almost all the islands make much of their living from tourism, and hopping from one to the next presents no real difficulties as far as visas and immigration requirements go. The biggest problem is deciding which islands to visit, as the Caribbean is a rainbow of scenery and cultures. At one end of the spectrum you've got islands like St Barts, a favourite sandpit for megastars and moguls; at the other, there's budget-friendly Jamaica. If you want beaches, cigars, Detroit chrome-mobiles, weird Afro-Christian cults, music and all-night dancing, Cuba is for you. If you want pink-sand beaches and golf courses the colour of a billiard table, Bermuda. Or maybe Mustique, nicknamed "Billionaires Island," and so exclusive it has only one hotel.

The person to speak to about travel in the Caribbean is Ted Dziadkiewicz of Contours Travel (contourstravel.com.au) in Victoria. Contours' Caribbean brochure will help you decide which island you might want to visit, but call Ted on 1300 135 391 and set the ball rolling.