Maybe you know that the ABC Islands of the Netherlands Antilles--a self-governed entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands--are so named for the alphabetical order of the three main islands: Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao (pronounced "CURE-a-sow"). But did you know that each island has its own distinct personality, cultural feel, and topography? As I discovered on a recent visit, Aruba is a beach-bum's paradise, Bonaire is a world-renowned dive destination, and Curaçao is colorful, quirky, and culturally rich. And though Dutch is the official language of all three, most locals also speak Spanish, English, and a local dialect called Papiamento, a combination of Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, and Afrikaans.

Most important for visitors, this island group lies outside the hurricane belt, just 35 miles off the coast of Venezuela. The weather is nearly perfect straight through fall, with low humidity, cooling trade winds, and days of almost guaranteed sunshine--at least during the dry season, which runs April through October. But "dry season" is something of a misnomer, since it implies a corresponding "wet season"--and these islands are anything but wet, being arid and desert-like, with an average rainfall of only 20 inches a year.

July/August 2014