Hello, and welcome to TTOL. The island is easy to navigate - there is one main road that sort of circles the island. Hence, it is easy to travel from one side to the other easily. Both sides of the island have their own personality. We always stay on the French side, and dine there more frequently. We find that side less touristy, quieter and more laid-back. We have often gone in July and have never found bugs to be a problem. There is a product called mosquito milk available there which is very effective. I echo what others have said about AI - you probably wouldn't want to be restricted to one place. Car rentals are reasonable. There are no beaches that need to be avoided; our favorite is Orient, but try to visit as many as possible. Please let us know how it went. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />