ihavealipfreckle

After exhausting every option of travelling companion, I am forced to travel alone. I am going the first full week of june (4th-11th) and am kind of flying blind here. I'm on a super strict budget. (1500 for everything.. MAX.. hopefully less!) Any and all suggestions would be helpful! Islands, places to stay, places to eat, things to do... anything. Thank you so much!

-Emily

blamona

Hi Emily! 1 piece of advice, but once you start traveling, you'll never want to stop.

I couldn't find people to travel so I decided not to wait and went to see the world.

For your budget, you might want to start at Mexico or Costa Rica. They'll fit your budget, and have some culture, etc. You could also look at places like Club Meds, they take singles and pair them up to save money. You might like a cruise, that way you see a couple of places to determine what you like, plus food, etc is included.

Tell us a little more--do you need to relax? Explore? Beautiful beach or history? Do you enjoy meeting people or more to yourself? Do you have a list of places that interest you or don't know where to start?

ihavealipfreckle

I have no idea where to start. None. I would like a beach. A pretty one. And a palm tree. And maybe a day trip to something awesome. Like a ruins. Or volcano! Or a rainforest. I have no idea what I am talking about. I'm all about staying in a hostel. That is no problem. But I just don't know where to go!! I've looked at barbados (expensive, I'm told), jamaica (kind of dangerous outside of the resort areas), DR (haven't heard anything yet), Costa rica (I can't figure out how to get to some of the places!!), mexico (I was kind of hoping for somewhere not mexico, but in a pinch I'll suffer through it), a lot of the other islands, like all the saints, I hear are mostly for romance. I'd like to find a fun place where I can meet other people to go out with in the evenings. I think I just want it all!

schmerl

There are some hostels in the Playa del Carmen area of Mexico that are very inexpensive.
From there you could enjoy the beach, visit some ruins, relax, etc.

ihavealipfreckle

Thanks! Isla Mujeres also caught my eye. But it looks like that is all beach and not much else. What about safety?? IS Playa del carmen safe? It's absolutely stunning by the pictures...

sasark

hey Emily,

Last year I went to Grand Cayman by myself and loved it. Cayman can be expensive, but I found inexpensive lodging (here: http://www.harbourviewapartments.com/rates.shtml ... also, I called them and got a better rate than any listed on that page). I saved money by using the kitchen in my apartment and taking the bus everywhere. Cayman does not have a volcano or ruins (that I am aware of), but the beaches are beautiful and, if you like marine life, there is incredible snorkeling right off the shores. It was my first time snorkeling, and I loved it! Cayman is also one of the safer islands in the Caribbean.

Have a wonderful time, wherever you go!
Sasha

ishkribbl

Hi Emily,
I have been to Isla Mujeres- it is a very small island but easy to get around and safe. You would find your beach and palm trees along with very reasonable places to stay and inexpensive places to eat but I am not sure about the adventure day. There is a turtle farm at the other end of the island and, if it is open, a water park of sorts (Garafon- spelling??). An inexpensive place to stay (but it was clean and comfortable, had a view and the people were very nice) is where we stayed: www.posadadelmar.com. We did take a day (boat) trip to another island- forgot the name- that was a national park and did some snorkeling and did another boat snorkel trip right there off shore with a local outfitter. I think if you could find a small, safe inexpensive place in Playa (the place where we stayed has been torn down) then you would really enjoy a day trip to the ruins in Tulum.
IF you could get a plane ticket to San Juan, Puerto Rico for a good price, then the island of Culebra has some very reasonable places to stay- it is a small island that is very safe, friendly and easy to get around on foot or on buses. There are some beautiful beaches there, as well. The snorkeling was very good in some places.
The apartments suggested by Sasha on GC look like a good idea, too!
Happy travels!

schmerl

Emily,
Yes..Playa del Carmen is as safe as any other town. Most of the crime you read about in Mexico is not in the tourist areas.
I have a friend who has gone there alone the past couple summers and has stayed in a hostel for anywhere from $9 to $25 a night!!! She is not very high mantainence though. She goes diving during the day, exploring the town in the evening, and has never had any incidents. Playa is growing ever more popular so you may even meet some people to spend time with while there.

suze

I think either Isla Mujeres or Playa del Carmen are a perfect fit for what you request. And Mexico is more reasonably priced than Caribbean islands. Yes it is a safe area. With a little more research you can easily plan this trip and stay within your budget.

As a point of reference I have done 7-12 days in Puerto Vallarta Mexico on exactly that budget including everything (airfare from Seattle) many times.