aruba or jamaica
Jun 17th, 2003, 04:59 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
aruba or jamaica
hi everyone. I can choose airfare to either jamaica or aruba. my boyfriend and I (first time in the caribbean) are looking for a place that has beautiful beaches, not too boring (but we are not party animals), and not too commercialized. Can anyone recommend either island? Thanks!
Jun 17th, 2003, 05:10 AM
#2
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Aruba has beautiful beaches and turquoise waters. Nightlife is good but not crazy. Some parts of the island are built up and some parts remote so you can get the best of both worlds. I recommend staying at the Radisson. Great hotel on a beautiful stretch of beach.
You'll have a great time! Aruba ws my first trip with my boyfriend...we can't wait to go back.
If you do go, be sure to do the Jolly Pirates snorkel trip, Kukoo Kunuku party bus, rent a 4X4 and explore the rugged side of the island, and eat at El Gaucho!
You'll have a great time! Aruba ws my first trip with my boyfriend...we can't wait to go back.
If you do go, be sure to do the Jolly Pirates snorkel trip, Kukoo Kunuku party bus, rent a 4X4 and explore the rugged side of the island, and eat at El Gaucho!
Jun 17th, 2003, 05:11 AM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,575
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Look into Port Antonio (fly into Kingston and then fly over to Porty or have a driver meet you for the 2 hr drive). Long Bay area has finest beaches on island. Entire area is lush, green, and non-commercialized -- Jamaica the way it used to be, still.
Aruba has good beaches as well -- but is commercialized tourist to the max.
Aruba has good beaches as well -- but is commercialized tourist to the max.
Jun 18th, 2003, 07:14 AM
#7
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I recommend Aruba over Jamaica any day. There's a lot of poverty in Jamaica which can dampen your mood. Plus people are constantly trying to hustle you (sell you things[legal and illegal],exchange your dollars, etc. on and off the beach which is very annoying when you're trying to relax. Some have a hard time with NO, so a few times we had to be rude to get rid of them which affects your mood. The only vendors on the Aruba beaches were those offering water sports and they weren't pushy. You're free to either relax on the island or party up a storm. Go to the Black Hog Saloon if you want to party. Rent a car and check out Baby Beach for snorkeling (if you can handle topless sunbathers). Also shopping for jewelry is great in Aruba. You can get some fantastic deals. Have fun no matter where you go, just do your homework, so you know what you're getting into, and then adjust your attitude to match the environment once you get off the plane. One more thing, if you go to Aruba, make sure you get to the airport NO LESS than 90 minutes before your BOARDING (not flight) time when you're leaving the island. There are MANY check points with long lines. Don't stop to shop until you see your gate in sight.
Jun 18th, 2003, 12:47 PM
#8
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 383
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I was in Negril in April and I did not find the vendors on the beach to be a problem - they were certainly not rude. No offers for drugs - I was with a teenager so maybe they respected that. I have been to many Islands and I still love Jamaica because of the culture - great food, nice people, beautiful beaches and the other tourists are even friendly. In St. Marten, Grand Cayman and Anguilla, some of the other tourists were so rude to staff that it bothered others.
Jun 23rd, 2003, 02:45 PM
#10
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The hustle can get annoying in certain parts of Jamaica - Negril, MoBay, Ocho Rios. I like Negril and have the "no thanks" down to a science, but I appreciate being elsewhere in Jamaica where that doesn't happen.
I had NOT ONE PERSON approach me to buy something at any place we went on the east coast of Jamaica, which is where Port Antonio is.
I had NOT ONE PERSON approach me to buy something at any place we went on the east coast of Jamaica, which is where Port Antonio is.
Jul 9th, 2003, 06:12 PM
#11
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If this is your first trip to the Caribbean, I would recommend Aruba, hands down. I went to Negril, Jamaica in March, (and I have been to several other islands prior), and I did not feel overly safe, yet I did feel overly HASSELLED. Aruba may not be as "authentic", but it is a better overall choice in my opinion especially for someone new to the Caribbean area. They both have fantastic beaches, but you will be able to explore aruba more easily.
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
CInfinity
Caribbean Islands
4
Sep 18th, 2002 04:55 AM
