Antigua vs St. Vincent
 

Oh no!!
My intended and I are trying to decide where to go for our honeymoon May 2012! yay! But we can't decide on a resort/place! Both of us, just freshly graduating from college want something very relaxing and exciting (not party exciting, but activity exciting). We like the food options and the comfy looking beds at Sandals Grande Antigua, but Palm Island in St. Vincent tends to be calling us as well. Will Sandals Antigua be crowded and crazy? Are Palm Island beds not comfy and food not so good? Also, which has the better beach? Snorkeling is a big exciting deal for us, so thats important too.. Essentially, we want to sit on the beach, drink a fancy beverage with a flower in it, eat good food, snorkel to see beautiful marine life, and sleep in a comfortable bed. Which way to go? Please give us your advice and opinions! Any help will be very much appreciated!!!
Thank you :)

Been to both St Vincent lots of poverty in the city do lots of service work there have an adopted daughter there.A few beaches are nice like Palm Island weather may be an issue
May begins the rainy season in some areas might check climate guides. www.weather2travel.com

Palm Island resort is situated near the southern tip of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It's a Caribbean private island vacation resort with 43 guest rooms with ...
www.palmislandresortgrenadines.com

Nice not too cheap values not too great

difficult to get to by air..

Sandals more of a yuppie party romance place ok if that is

what you want usually chock a block.

My favs for what you want

www.caneelbay.com

www.victoria-house.com best for adventure add cavesbranch.com

www.pinksandsresort.com www.runawayhill.com intimate

super diving snorkel at valentinesdive.com

www.rockhousehotel.com also good adventure values

luxurylink.com good packages spirit.com best air in usually

get first class for the price of coach...

Bettween your 2 I would go with Grenadines not big AIpaertier

Congrats and happy deciding!

Most islands will offer what you're looking for. If you're drawn to Antigua, I'd suggest looking at Galley Bay instead of Sandals--it's more secluded and less cheesey but in a similar price bracket. Antigua has average snorkeling from shore but there are some daysails you can take that would give you a little better snorkeling

Palm Island is kind of a deserted island getaway, which means you don't have an island nation to explore like you would with Antigua. But since you mostly want to veg out on the beach, Palm might be a good choice. If you're drawn to the idea of private island resorts (and who isn't?), also take a look at Petit St. Vincent, which is not far from Palm. And also Peter Island and Guana Island in the British Virgin Islands. Both Peter and Guana would offer a bit more to do, methinks, because it's so easy to have all of the BVI right at your fingertips if you wanted to take a daytrip off-island.

I honeymooned at Guana and then went there for my 5 year anniversary. It's perfect for me--low key, practically off the grid, romantic, and has lots of activities to keep you busy if so inclined. the snorkeling off the beach is actually pretty good, too. Peter Island is less rustic than Guana, a bit more corporate, but it has its fans.

Take a look at this site for one woman's take on many of the upscale and/or private island resorts in the BVI and the Grenadines. She's got lots of photos and lots of text to help you decide which is right for you. I think she's a straight-shooter for the most part, but it's helpful to keep in mind that her husband maintains (or at least used to maintain) the websites for those resorts:

http://www.scubamom.com/caribbean/

Thank you so much!!! All the info helps!!! I really appreciate it! :)

We stayed at Galley Bay on Antigua last November. We won't go back. Service was so-so, food was average at best and they were starting to nickel and dime you -- at an all-inclusive! Plus the water was too rough to get in. We aren't pool people and much prefer the beach but the pool was small, always crowded and you couldn't even see the ocean from the pool area. The only shade on the beach was under the trees at the very back of the beach. It wasn't adequate shade for me but I'm a melanoma survivor and shade isn't just a luxury but a necessity so I had to spend more time than I wanted sitting on our terrace. There is also no good snorkeling around Antigua. We did a half-day snorkeling trip to their top snorkeling spot and there were very few fish and most of the coral was dead.

I suggest you refocus your efforts on the USVIs or the BVIs. Much better snorkeling there and you still get to sit on a beautiful beach, drink a fancy beverage with a flower/umbrella in it and eat good food. Lots of options for day trips to other islands in that part of the world as well. Oh, and I'm sure you can find a comfy bed! There aren't many all-inclusives in the USVIs or the BVIs, however, if that is what you're looking for.

There might be some decent snorkeling around some of the Bahamas as well and I know there are some stunning beaches. I'm just not familiar with that area. Since you are interested in Sandals have you looked into the Sandals Emerald Bay on Great Exuma? Or the Sandals or Couples resorts in Negril, Jamaica. Those resorts tend to draw quite a few honeymooners and they are all-inclusive.

If you like the idea of the Grenadines, look at Petit St. Vincent,private island resort with private individual cottages.Put up a red flag, and NO ONE will enter. Good snorkeling from different stretches of beach. For the ultimate in beachfront paradise, with wade in snorkeling from any of SEVEN tree-shaded white sand beaches, it's Caneel Bay on St.John.Caneel is in the National Park, and no development to be seen anywhere.Very easy to get to via St.Thomas + resort ferry to Caneel's dock.