Favorite Caribbean Destination?
- Thread starter marothisu
- Start date
Interestingly enough, I met a guy in BVI originally from the Bahamas who retired to BVI. Funny how some people from the Caribbean just retire to other islands.
Cayman was solid, but I thought it was overpriced and a little boring. I had limited funds at the time, so I may have made it boring by trying to save money on activities, etc.
Cayman is awesome but it is overpriced.
I'm a huge fan of St. Thomas (expensive), St. Maarten (reasonable), Bahamas (reasonable), and Aruba (expensive).
My recommendation is to go on a cruise and experience 4-5 of these places within a week...it will give you an idea what you like and don't like.
I'm a huge fan of St. Thomas (expensive), St. Maarten (reasonable), Bahamas (reasonable), and Aruba (expensive).
My recommendation is to go on a cruise and experience 4-5 of these places within a week...it will give you an idea what you like and don't like.
Was in San Juan, PR in Feb and was very pleasantly surprised. Great beaches (just outside of San Juan), nice people, American currency, great night life, and most importantly - cheap rum with no import tax!
How many other Islands and resorts have you been to? I've been wanting to try that place out as well. Looks like our next trip is going to be Disneyworld though.
I'm just wondering, because in general, it seems the Carribean is pretty much kick *** no matter what. So, if you've only been to one, it's the best place ever. I will admit that I'm exactly that way. I've been to Aruba Three times, but no where else. The reason, it was the best vacations we've ever had and it's tough to turn that down to chance somewhere else. I say this because I know a lot of people who have been to the carribean and been to different places, but have yet to hear from anyone who had a bad time.
I think in general it depends what exactly you like. Aruba is small and a climate and look much like Pheonix, AZ with a lot of wind and in the middle of the ocean. It's not the tropical paradise some might be looking for. It can be quite expensive too, but doesn't seem as far out of line compared to other resort areas as it used to be. Also, the last time we were in Aruba, it did lose a little of it's charm as it is much More Americanized than the last trip and especially the first trip we made there. It used to have moer of a European feel to it than it does now. That could also be from getting used to it more as well.
Aruba fits our vacation style though. It's a very small Island (20 mi. x 6 mi.) and you can see it all easily in a day. So that leaves a lot more time for us to sit around the pool bar, the beach bar and enjoy relaxing as much as possible. I'm not really an adventurer for those kinds of vacations. I want to sit and relax and not feel like I missed out on something by not seeing the whole Island. And besides the 2 missing US ladies, I've always felt more than safe there going anywhere on the Island. There doesn't' seem to be the Locals only areas or places you have to avoid. My wife and I regularly used the local bus service even to get into the Downtown area.
San Juan is pretty cool. You have to watch a few places you go of course, but yeah nice place. Viejo San Juan is also cool for history/old type of stuff and some nice eating.
I've been to San Juan 3 times now and I haven't enjoyed it at all. Once was just a cruise stop but the other two times we crusied out of San Juan and had a day or 2 to check it out. Personally, compared to the other Caribbean islands, I'd rank PR towards the bottom.
Maybe resort specific but I've been to the Bahamas twice and have no desire to go back. For the money, I'd to Cancun/Rivera Maya any day.
Definitely agree. Most places in the Caribbean are nice. I've only been to a few places, but one of the people I went with to BVI is from Trinidad and has been to almost every island nation in the Caribbean except a few like Bonaire. By the end of the trip, she proclaimed BVI to be the best she's been to, even better than her home country (Trinidad and Tobago). For what it's worth.
It all depends on what you like though...Different people like different islands.
p.s. Based on what you said about Aruba, you'd probably enjoy BVI too. Check it out.
Yes, the poverty in San Juan is very apparent in some areas, but I never felt unsafe.
I assume if it was a cruise stop you probably spent most of your time in Old San Juan (where the port is). That area isn't really very interesting and it borders several large slums. I stayed in Isla Verde which is quite a ways East of Old San Juan and just west of the major San Juan airport. The resort I was at was beautiful and the perfect location to enjoy a Mojito or two on the beach.
Different strokes for different folks though! If I went again I'd rent a beach house outside of the major metro area.
St. Kitts
Grand bahama
Antiguw
St. Marteen
Anguilla
Nevis
Jamaica
Puerto rico
I might be missing one
Grand bahama
Antiguw
St. Marteen
Anguilla
Nevis
Jamaica
Puerto rico
I might be missing one
