danibia

My boyfriend and i are planning a trip to the Caribbean in may/june 2011. Unfortunately, neither of us have any idea where to even begin looking!
Our budget is around $4000-$5000. A nice hotel would be ideal, with ocean views and friendly faces. luxurious, 5-star resorts aren't really necessary. The main features we're looking for are beautiful beaches (white, black, pink sand- no preference, just beautiful and Lots of outdoor activities. Also great dive spots/snorkling and hiking. Night life is nice, but not super important. "Touristy" big islands aren't really important either, we're looking for somewhere we would really be able to explore the island and everything it has to offer!
Some we were considering:
Turks and Caicos
Cayman islands
Jamaica
Anguilla
Curacoa
Dominica(i heard its full of nature)

let me know if any of these might not be what im looking for, or if there are some i left i left out and should consider!

Thanks for your help!!

flep

I would also think about St Thomas or st Martin, both very beautiful. From St Thomas you can catch a ferry to st john's for the day. I think st martin has alot to do the dutch side has great beaches, on the french side you can visit the shops and great resturaunts, also you can take a ferry to st barts for the day. Barbados is definitely great for its beaches. The cayman beaches are really beautiful also. Out of all of the suggestions i would definitely cross Jamaica and anguilla off the list. Based on the list you provided The top three would be Turks, Cayman, and Curacoa.

virginia

it is difficult to combine good hiking with good dive/snorkeling. best dive/snorkel is from flat arid islands like grand cayman or provo, t&c. good hiking is found on the lush hilly islands like st. lucia, puerto rico or jamaica.
one exception is st. john usvi - however it is a fairly pricey island. 2 main resorts are westin & caneel bay. most visitors stay in rental villas. is a villa anything you would consider?? there is also some "high end" camping.
does your budget include air or is it just hotel/food? where will you travel from? youi mention wanting "Lots of outdoor activities" - could you be more specific. some islands have lots of golf courses, a few have zip-lines & so forth.

you might add the maya riviera coast of mex (south from cancun to tulum) to your list. you'd find plenty of hotel options in your budget and they have more outdoor activities than any of the islands (including atv or horseback rides in jungle, touring ruins, ziplines, golf/tennis, dive/snorkel, cenotes & caves to explore, fun dutyfree shopping in playa del carman which also has some nightlife, 2 really cool eco-marine parks xel-ha & xcaret)

sorry to disagree with flep but i think st.thomas & st. martin are 2 of the busiest most touristy islands there are.

Knowing

Even though it requires a little more time to get to, consider the Grenadines. Many visitors travel there by water, aboard their own boats and sailing. The islands are absolute gems. My favorite place is Palm Island. But all of the Grenadines are unhurried and like being in heaven.

Rosa23

From the list given , I will most likely go with Curacao. It is a nice cozy island with a fantastic capital city, Willemstad.

Try the new Hyatt Regency. It is actually brand new!

peterwerchen

Curacao is also my pick for being an excellent snorkeling island. The Hyatt is a little bit too far away from everything though....

suze

I think Jamaica fits what you are asking for. Negril is wonderful. I'm not sure about diving though. It has everything else on your list.

Zachstickler

My favs are Anguilla and Curacao...

2bamafan

I'd take a close look at St Lucia and Turks & Caicos. Both islands are very different, yet very memorable.

Turks & Caicos:
Pros - Best beach; great diving; friendly people; very little crime; quick flight from Atlanta; Many types of accomodations at all ranges of the 'cost spectrum'. Genteel, upscale island
Cons - Besides the water, its not scenic or conducive to hiking; Nightlife is weak

St Lucia:
Pros - Most romantic of the islands; Best views; Pitons are ideal for strong hikers; Extremely lush; Good diving and even better snorkeling
Cons - Beaches are OK, but not near in the class of Turks, Anguilla, St John, etc.; Nightlife is weak

palmtree2384

I don't want to start anything, but I would research really well before making any decisions, because I would have to disagree with the above posts about Turks being "very little crime" and "friendly people". I would definitely agree that the beaches are the best though!

GeorgeR

I see that Cayman Islands is on your list. Grand Cayman has a beautiful beach. There is excellent diving and snorkeling. The people are very friendly. There are many romantic restaurants.

mnag

My pick hands down would be Anguilla. It was our first island in the caribbean and we have been hooked ever since...stunning beaches (in my opinion the best compared to any other island) ...the restaurants are expensive but very good. The only con in my opinion is that it is on the pricey side. I would not put Curacao in the same category as Anguilla .. it actually is one of my least favorite islands (but that is just my opinion). We found the beaches to be just ok...a bit on the crowded side...agree that Willemstad is quite interesting/unique but overall we are not fans. Turks is nice/beaches are nice but its slightly more developed and I would pick Anguilla over Turks. Have not been to the others on your list...as our priority has been white/pink sand beaches and quiet/non-touristy islands...

mamamia66

I would pick Grand Cayman based on your list...really liked Westin location. Great beach, very safe, good restaurants, we walked everywhere and never needed a car, great snorkeling. How about St. John? it was my first island and I was hooked. Caneel Bay is where I would stay if you can afford it. If not, skip Westin and rent a villa.

greenie

Look at Virgin Gorda. It is not touristy with fab snorkeling from both boat and shore and great hiking!

Peace, Greenie

viaggiatrice_ruth

Anguilla has very beautiful beaches but it is EXTREMELY expensive. Even the more casual restaurants are pricey, as is shopping at the grocery store (we went 3 years ago and usually lunched at home, then ate out at night).Also, no real hiking.

Have you thought about Grenada? Also, I agree with the above post about Mexico. The coast around Tulum is gorgeous.

mesnorkle

The Cayman Islands are perhaps the safest Islands in the Caribbean. The people are friendly, and self-reliant. Most have rebuilt their own homes since they were destroyed in the hurricane. We have visited 3 times, and each visit we felt as comfortable as home. Be sure to visit the Blue Iguana reserve.
One of the most amazing places is not on your list. It is also a part of the U.S. Culebra, off the east coast of Puerto Rico, is practically your own Island when you visit. Make no mistake, it is isolation at its' best. A Jeep is required to reach every beach and natural area, as many roads are not paved. Snorkling off the beach is great. there is little nightlife, however.
Consider also Belize. A rainforest lodge (we stayed at Chan Cheech, and highly recommend it) for your nature hikes, then a quick flight to San Pedro for the beaches and snorkling/diving. Extremely friendly, and monkeys, too!

jacandy2011

Cayman Islands are great- been there twice. Would definitely need to rend a car while you're there though. (I stayed at a condo along the beach.) It's very safe. Has some American chains, but not too many. People are very nice! Doesn't have a great cab service.

lauraleesteakley

Do you want a Florida vacation except in the Carribean? If not, forget Cayaman and Jamaica. I haven't been to Anguilla since the last big hurricane and understand it has changed a lot, but it would be my first choice. Try to find a place on Shaols Bay.