Planning an 8 day trip this jan to somewhere warm.We are a couple in our early 50s and 2 girls each 20.The last 2 years we went to costa rica and loved it.This year we wanted to try something different.We have been to puert rico,tortola,grenada.We are very active people not just lying on the beach all day,a couple days fine but we need things to do.looks like these two islands fit the bill.We like it somewhere in between rural and busy,Not built up like vegas but not dead either.We found good deals to both destinations.Any suggestions.We wi listen,THANKS
barbados vs. st.martin
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I have been to both and I would choose St. Martin. It has both French and Dutch sides of the island, so you get the experience of 2 distinct cultures. Definitely rent a car if you are going, so you can see lots of things. There is quite a bit to do beside swimming and nice resorts as well. Perhaps rent a condo? We stayed near Orient Beach, which does have nudity, but my teenage daughters didn't find it a big problem.
Didn't like Barbados - it is a British island and we found it too stuffy
Barbados has at least some of everything the islands have to offer, except a volcano. Lovely people, wide range of hotels, restaurants, sightseeing, beaches. You and kids will not be bored. See www.barbados.org
Barbados isn't British, at least not in the same way as T&C, Caymans or Bermuda. It has British influence including the nightlife around St Lawrence which is anything but stuffy. I'm struggling to remember anything stuffy about Barbados, could be in restaurants in the evening they expect a standard of dress or if you stay at Sandy Lane I can see that might be stuffy. Try the Casuarina hotel which is casual and attracts a young crowd. Barbados has lots to do and see.
Having said that it's hard to choose between the islands, what I liked about St Martin was the French side & the restaurants plus being able to take trips to Anguilla and St Barts.