starlite05

Hi there,

My husband and I are trying to find a good place to go for a honeymoon in December. Our possible choices are Nassau, Nilgril and Ocho Rios. We are looking for a place with nice beaches, somewhere where it won't be too crowded with people, a place where there will be some activity other than just sitting on the beach and something fun to do at night.
Also, is December a good time to visit these places? Are there any tips and tricks to keep in mind before making this trip? Any advice would be very helpful.
Thanks!

Tuxedocat

December is great in the Caribbean. Please be a bit more specific e.g. what sort of accomodations are you looking for, what kinds of activities do you enjoy, do you have a budget range?

starlite05

Hi there,

We have been looking into the all-inclusive resorts that Sandals offers. That seems to have a lot of the things we are looking for. Has anyone gone to a Sandals resort? If so, how is it? Right now, we are leaning towards either Nassau or Ocho Rios. We don't have a set budget yet, but obviously, not something very extravagant. We want to try activities like scuba diving or snorkeling, maybe a little sightseeing...actually, we're open to anything that will be fun and something we will always remember.

ejcrowe

Hi, starlite, and congrats on the honeymoon. December is generally a good time to visit the Caribbean, and if you travel before December 15, you'll save a bundle. Travel after that date begins the high season, with one of the peaks being Christmas through New Year's, where many places have a minimum stay requirement and premium pricing.

You mentioned that you don't want a place "too crowded with people", and yet your three choices are among the most highly touristed places in the entire region. Almost all islands offer great activities like hiking, fishing, snorkel, scuba, biking, etc as well as offer good restaurants and live music for the evenings. If you want LOTS more action than that, there are a handful of locations that will suit you.

The Sandals chain is very controversial on these boards. Though certainly there are plenty of people who love 'em, I do not care at all for the brash style, the all inclusive concept, or the ruinous effects that they have on local economies. Definitely do a lot of research before choosing a Sandals or Beaches for a honeymoon--the brochures and the marketing are brilliant but the actual product is often a far cry from what the consumer pictures ahead of time.

With the prices you are prepared to pay for a Sandals vacation, I would recommend plenty of other places that would offer you more of a once in a lifetime experience. In Ocho Rios, for example, you should take a look at the Jamaica Inn.

If you give us a little more info--where you're traveling from, when in December you want to travel, and specifics about how much activity you want during the day and at night. Do you want an island where is English is the primary language? A beautiful, lush island with mountainous interior? A island with prototypical mile-long white sand beaches and crystal-clear blue water? Do you want a large resort, with all the hustle & bustle, but also with all of the ameneties? Something smaller, more romantic and intimate?

karameli

Starlite...Nassau might be chilly in December. It also might be beautiful, but last time I was there in December, it barely topped 70 degrees. Jamaica is further south, so you have a better chance for toasty weather. And as a side note, you have to keep your wits about you anytime you're in an unfamiliar place...but don't let plain ol' paranoia keep you from seeing gorgeous places

starlite05

ejcrowe: I thought that prices would be more expensive towards christmas time as well, but when I was checking online for the prices of rooms, I found that the rooms were cheaper around Dec 21st to 25th as opposed to the end of November. I'm not sure what the reason is.
Thanks for the info about the Sandals resorts. It was just an option and I will certainly look into other places.

As for more info...we're going to be travelling from the DC area. The time frame is around christmas time....or the end of November. In terms of how much activity, I'm not too sure. I would like to explore the place though. I would prefer the prototypical beach What places are English speaking and what are not?
Thanks for your help

Knowing

When we were in Nassau, we found that most people seemed to have selected the location to visit the casino's. When the sun sets, you will want something fun to do at night, and if that's not your choice, Jamaica would probably suit you better. If you're also choosing to visit because of the sun, sand and sea, the Bahama's are fairly cool in the winter.
I have done a few of the Sandals, but prefer to move to a different beat. They do offer all kinds of watersports, limbo and fire dancers and other activities, but as you stated, you are on your honeymoon and are looking for a place that's not too crowded. There are other places out there that will give you the opportunity to spend more gentle times in the waves - just the two of you.

alya

I'm with EJ, you can book an AI package at the Jamaica Inn.

Since it's a small resort won't be crowded, it a very nice beach, you can book activities through the hotel.

There’s no night life at the hotel, if that's what you're looking for then JI isn't for you. IMHO a wonderful 5 course dinner and good company is as good as it gets, although if you want to be alone then no-one is forcing you to join in.

We only ate alone the first night we were there after that we generally sat with people we started chatting to over the hors' d oeuvres served on the terrace.

JI appeals to people from all over the world, we met Swiss, Austrian, Japanese, a fair few Americans, other Brits and a couple from Belize, (what are they – Belizeans?).


IMHO, if it was good enough for Errol Flynn and Winston Churchill then it was certainly good enough for me

BTW – if you don’t go AI - Dinner is $60pp, but well worth it

cartera

If you want AI in Jamaica, I would consider the Couples resorts - I really liked Swept Away and I think it offers what you are seeking. For December, you had better go ahead and book something soon.

IRabbit

The Grand Lido in Negril is another AI option. It seemed very couples oriented when we were there a few years ago. They had a few theme parties at night, and you could schedule or join in activities during the day. I'm not much of a joiner, and I didn't feel pressured to do so. The food and drinks were good, and the place is pretty spread out, so we didn't feel we were in a crowd. Nice beach. I'd go back, my younger, single, SIL did not enjoy it.