The south shore and west side are sunny and dry. The northeast side's sunny beaches are cooled by the trade winds, while showers in the hills leave rainbows as the sun returns. During winter months, rain at night is common, and temperatures get to the mid-60s at night. During the summer, the daily high temperatures are usually in the mid-80s, with lows around 70. Without rain, there would be no greenery and no rainbows, so we don't begrudge the occasional refreshing shower.
Most communities are small hamlets along the shore or in inland valleys.
The island has a varied landscape, wide open spaces, friendly people, uncrowded beaches, and a distinctly low-key, rural feel. Streams and rivers which drain the mists and rain from the mountains have carved through volcanic rock, forming several broad, fertile valleys and plateaus. Elsewhere, wind and water cut narrow deep valleys between knife-sharp ridges. On the north shore, ocean waves pounded the coastline, leaving high cliffs interspersed with small sandy beaches. The only way to get beyond the road's end is to hike in or to kayak or take a boat into the valleys.