suzski

I am planning a get away in late January to celebrate my husband's birthday, and his return from a six month deployment. Here's what I'm looking for:
1) an AI with lots of ammenities (spa, motorized watersports, several restaurant choices, etc.)
2) something romantic...he'll have been gone for 6 months! Beautiful sunsets, gorgeous turqoise colors, etc. to set the mood....
3) something relaxing where we can either laze away all day on the beach, or go deep sea fishing, hiking in a rain forest, or something similiar.
4) I'm budgeting 3K for the trip for airfare and hotel(AI), so it needs to be nice but not "royal".
We are in our early 40's, active, and very adventurous. The other caveat, my husband's passport is expired, and since he is deployed, he won't be able to get another till he gets back...therefore, it can't be anyplace that requires a US passport. Thanks for any advice!

Diana

Hmmm.

I think the best choice would be Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic or the Caribbean coast of Mexico due to your price constraints. Check into the Playa del Carmen in Mexico. There are LOTS of very great things to do and see in that area - hiking ruins, diving, snorkeling, etc., so it makes for a great active person's vacation.

I know that you can get in/out of Mexico with a birth certificate, but I'm not sure about DR.

The only problem with AI's is that the food tends to be sub-par, but if good is not a primary concern, an AI should be fine.

Since you are going in high season, prices will be about 30 to 50% higher than if you were going April to November, but it should still be doable.

Have a great time and thank your husband for me for his service to our country!

jofus

The US Virgin Islands are an option since you don't need a valid passport. I went to St. John last year with an expired one and a birth cert. I'm a fan of St.John which is a bit more costly the the other 2, Thomas and Croix so I'm not sure about your budget. Jan. is in the high season which is most costly but you might be able to do something on St. Thomas and do daytrips to St. John. The beaches there are incredible

Kimberly

My vote is Sandals Grande in St.Lucia. Super resort , great food, awsome staff and very romantic. We are also in our 40's. They have a nature trail for walking or bikes and alot of activites to do at that resort. A must is the Day Sail.

suzski

Thanks to all for your suggestions. I am actually leaning towards the Couples Negril and have gotten a quote that is well within my airfare/hotel/food budget...After looking at tripadvisor, people seem to be happy with that resort, and it seems to match all my "must haves". We're going to the DR in summer '05 with our "brood" and we honeymooned in Cancun, so I really want a new experience. Again, thank you all for your input, and Diana, for your kind words.

ejcrowe

I hope you and your husband find the perfect getaway to celebrate and reconnect after his absence. One caveat for you, however. When I began planning my trip to Jamaica for January 2005, my travel planner advised me that as of January 2005, Jamaica WOULD require a passport for travelers. A few Caribbean islands have been changing their rules as of late--Barbados comes to mind--so you might want to choose a place where you'll have absolutely no issues with your travel documents. Perhaps the USVI or Puerto Rico.

When my extended family and I traveled to Antigua last year, some of us were able to travel with expired passports as long as they were not expired for more than 5 years. I have no idea if this rule has changed or not, but there are government websites you can check out. When I was planning my trip to Antigua for everybody, I double checked with the Antiguan embassy in Washington, DC, for all necessary documents.

cartera45

Did you also consider Couples Swept Away? I think it has an even nicer beach than Couples Negril and you can walk from there all the way into Negril if you like.

doug_stallings

The Couples Swept Away beach suffered from hurricane Ivan, but it has excellent and extensive sports facilities, particularly tennis courts.

Couples Negril is still very lovely and has a great beach, and I was impressed by the low-key activities and atmosphere. The food is good too. It's more quiet than a Sandals, but I definitely think Suzski would enjoy a trip to a couples-only resort in Negril. There aren't really any hiking opportunities, though. For that, I'd suggest St. Lucia. There's now an AI in Puerto Rico (a Paradisus), but it might be beyond your budget, though it's not far from the rain forest there.

benj

If you go to Negril I would suggest contacting Soloman Kerr at Talk of the Town Tours (www.talkofthetowntours.com).
He can take you on a tour where you can do some hiking- someplace like Roaring River or maybe Mayfield Falls.

We used him in May & he was excellent. He did a custom tour for us that included everything we wanted to do. His price was much less than the resort & lower than the hagglers on the beach. He & his wife, Sienna were a great help with advice before our trip.