My wife and I are planning a week-long trip to the Carribean at the end of July. We have never been to any of the islands. This will likely be the only trip to the Carribean for us for a while, so I am posting to ask for suggestions.

My wife has heard a lot of great things about Aruba, and some friends just visited the Bahamas. We are looking for gorgeous beaches (such as ones on Phuket) and outdoor activities (water or hiking such as in Costa Rica). It would be nice to go some where with lots of cultural flavor also.

thx!

First there really is no "best" island in the caribbean. I have travelled to a lot of them - the following represents my opinions - I am sure others would differ:
Best beach and snorkeling off the beach - Provo in the T&C
Most beautiful - St. Lucia or Grenada
Most culturally interesting and most dangerous: Jamaica (in spite of the dangerous comment - I liked Jamaica but you just have to be more careful of where you are and who you are with).
Most overall charming: BVI - British Virgin islands (good beaches, scenic,friendly)
Other islands I have liked - St Kitt's (best historic site - Brimstone Hill), St Bart's, St Martin, Aruba,Guadeloupe,Antigua

I don't understand the reference to danger in Jamaica unless you are talking about Kingston and no one vacations there. I have been going for years and it is my favorite Caribbean Island (have been to Anguilla, St Marten, St John, Bahamas)The food is always good, it has beautiful beaches and lush mountains and caves and cliffs and culture and great music. I have friends that have been going longer and I know of no one who has ever felt threatened in any way. I took my teenage daughter there in april - she loved it and the people were wonderful.

Cartera45 sorry if I upset you but I only ranked Jamaica as most dangerous of the islands I have visited. I would really not be comfortable wandering around Montego Bay by myself (a friend was mugged there).(I have wandered around on my own on most of the other islands I mentioned.) However as I pointed out I liked Jamaica - I just feel the need to be more aware of my surroundings there. I felt perfectly safe on most beaches and in most towns in broad daylight. And you are defintely correct that most violent crime in Jamaica takes place in the Kingston area.

There is not a city in the US where someone hasn't gotten mugged, assasulted or murdered. You mean that the other islands you mentioned have never had anyone mugged, etc.? I could be wrong, but I find that hard to believe. Nothing like a little gross generalization....

Stop pretending to be naive.
This debate is so old it hardly bears rehashing.
There is no question that Jamaica is one of the most crime ravaged islands in the Caribbean. True, most of it is in areas where locals live and work.

But come on now, is there anyone out there who wants to try to argue that crime is WORSE on Anguilla, Cayman, St. Bart's, Nevis, the Grenadines, the BVI's, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Bermuda, Turks & Caicos, out islands of the Bahamas and on and on.

Clearly Jamaica ranks at or near the bottom of the list for Caribbean safety.
This cannot be disputed.

St. Barts. Really not the Caribbean, only by geography. More like the S. of France. No casionos, crime, poverty, golf, all inclusives, or high rises. Pristine beaches, excellent French cusine. No large resorts. More than 1/2 the rooms are in private villas--gorgous views.
No Caribben culture either, as there were never plantations or slaves imorted. Uncrowded, European, true paradise...Most who visit here would never go anywhere else. Here's a place we stayed: stbartsvilla.com

thx for all the info.

we are now considering jamaica, aruba, and turks & caicos. These islands seem to be easily accessible and provide a good mix of things to do.

Since we are going in late July, should the chance of hurricane be a significant factor for my decision?

thx

You stop trying to misrepresent the situation. There is crime in Jamaica. There is crime everywhere I can think of. I certainly am no more concerned about safety in Jamaica than I am in The Virgin Islands or anywhere else.

To pretend that Jamaica is some sort of anomaly is wrong and fraudulent. I really don't understand why you feel the need to exaggerate the situation for people thinking about going there. Different people get their jollies different ways. You seem to have found yours, or you are just that naive. Lastly, I take it you are well acquainted with Jamaica having been there...how many times? I usually hear someone speak of the "rampant crime" in Jamaica when they have never been there....

So what's all the controversy about crime in Jamaica?
The Jamaican government issued a comprehensive report on the island's crime problem one year ago next week.

The government's own statistics list Jamaica's homicide rate as 4th highest in the world (after South Africa, Columbia and Namibia).

There were 7 times as many homicides in Jamaica as in NYC, though the poulation is one fifth of NYC's.

Only 55% of homicides were in Kingston and St. Thomas.

21% of the homicides were related to robberies and 'other' crimes, as opposed to gang and drug related activity.

BTW, I simply copied the government report's spelling of "Columbia". It should, of course, be Colombia.

Try Bermuda, if you are on the east coast its a 2 hour flight to beautiful beaches.

jayded1

For tyyeh0:
Given that you intend to go in July I think the possibility of a hurricane should be a consideration. Of the 3 places you mentioned Aruba is out of the hurricane belt and may be your best bet. Jamaica is unfortunately in the hurricane zone (glad to see my comments did not put you off considering it though - contrary to Atticus' assumption (1. I HAVE been there and 2. I liked it and 3. I never said crime was "rampant" there only that I found it more dangerous than the other islands I have been to and felt that I had to be more "aware" and careful than on the other islands when I ventured out of the resort. Quite frankly only very timid people should avoid Jamaica because of that - the resort areas are quite safe). Turks and Caicos are in the the hurricane zone but have not been hit by a bad one since the 1950s. T & C are my favorites but they are VERY quiet. Aruba and Jamaica would have more to do. Of the 3 - T & C have the best beaches and snorkeling but Aruba has nice beaches and good shopping. Jamaica defintely has the nicest scenery of the 3.

Crime & Jamaica: Following is a cut-and-paste from the US State Dept's consular information page. First is Jamaica followed by a generic notice for several other Eastern Caribbean islands (Anguilla is the one I pasted from, but severla other islands are identically worded).

Jamaica:

SAFETY AND SECURITY: Gang violence and shootings occur regularly in inner-city areas of Kingston. Some inner-city neighborhoods are occasionally subject to curfews and police searches. Impromptu street protests sometimes occur, during which demonstrators often construct roadblocks or otherwise block the streets. These events do not usually affect tourist areas, but travelers to Kingston should check with local authorities or the U.S. Embassy for current information prior to their trip.

CRIME INFORMATION: Crime, including violent crime, is a serious problem in Jamaica, particularly in Kingston. In several cases, armed robberies of Americans have turned violent when the victims resisted handing over valuables. Tourists should always pay extra attention to their surroundings when traveling, exercise care walking outside after dark, and should always avoid neighborhoods known for high crime rates. As a general rule, applicable everywhere, valuables should not be left unattended, including in hotel rooms and on the beach. Care should be taken when carrying high value items such as cameras, or when wearing expensive jewelry on the street. Women's handbags should be zipped shut and held close to the body. Men should carry their wallets in their front pants pocket. Large amounts of cash should always be handled discreetly.

The U.S. Embassy advises its staff to exercise caution when traveling to and from Kingston's Norman Manley Airport via Mountain View Road and Windward Road, especially after dark, because of the crime threat in neighborhoods that these roads traverse. The U.S. Embassy also advises its staff not to use public buses, which are often overcrowded and are a frequent venue for crime.

To enhance security in the principal resort areas, the Government of Jamaica has taken a number of steps, including assignment of special police foot and bicycle patrols. Particular care is still called for, however, when staying at isolated villas and smaller establishments that may have fewer security arrangements. Some street vendors and taxi drivers in tourist areas are known to confront and harass tourists to buy their wares or employ their services. If a firm "No, thank you" does not solve the problem, visitors may wish to seek the assistance of a tourist police officer.

Drug use is prevalent in some tourist areas. American citizens should avoid buying, selling, holding, or taking illegal drugs under any circumstances. There is anecdotal evidence that the use of so-called "date rape" drugs, such as Ruhypnol, has become more common at clubs and private parties. Marijuana, cocaine, heroin and other illegal narcotics are especially potent in Jamaica, and their use may lead to severe or even disastrous health consequences.

Relatives of U.S. citizens visiting Jamaica, and U.S. citizens who are prisoners in Jamaica, sometimes receive telephone calls from people claiming to be Jamaican police officers, other public officials or medical professionals. The callers usually state that the visitor or prisoner has had trouble and needs financial help. In almost every case, these claims are untrue. The caller insists that money be sent to either themselves or a third party who will assist the visitor or prisoner, but when money is sent, it fails to reach U.S. citizens in alleged need. U.S. citizens who receive calls such as these should never send money. They should contact the American Citizen Services Unit of the Embassy's Consular Section at tel. (876) 935-6044 for assistance in confirming the validity of the call.

Now for Anguilla (or T&C, or Grenada, or Nevis, or the BVI, etc.):

CRIME: While Anguilla's crime rate is relatively low, both petty and violent crimes have been known to occur. Travelers should take common-sense precautions to ensure their personal security, such as avoiding carrying large amounts of cash or displaying expensive jewelry. Travelers should not leave valuables unattended in hotel rooms or on the beach. They should use hotel safety deposit facilities to safeguard valuables and travel documents.


Given that, I think it is quite fair to "not like" Jamaica or to "not trust" Jamaica. I've been there and I think it is a sad waste of a beautiful island.

If you like it, then God Bless you, but you should stop getting personally offended (atticus) because others don't share your enthusiasm.

Hi...yes Aruba is great..nice water, nice beaches, nice weather, enough things to do..and out of the hurricane belt.
But you did mention you were looking for cultural flavor. I don't think you'd get that in Aruba. It's a very touristy island, just so you know.
We still had a great time there. I don't think you can go wrong with Aruba.

Ever thought about Barbados?

Aruba is totally flat and not pretty (it looks like S. Florida) especially with all the high rises, but it is out of the hurricane belt. The last one was '99 on St.
Barts and it came in November. Trip insurance is about $125 or so.