Lissa

My partner and I are planning a week in the South in mid-January. I need help narrowing down the options! What's important to us:<BR>- Getting the flavour of the country you're visiting<BR>- Oceanfront rooms<BR>- Good snorkelling (we're somewhat experienced but not terribly discerning)<BR>- Great beach, but other options for a day or two<BR>- We like to hike, see wildlife, and be active some part of the time.<BR>- We're on a limited budget (Turks & Caicos and Grand Cayman would be out of our reach)<BR><BR>What we don't like:<BR>- strings of highrise hotels<BR>- lots of kids<BR>- being hassled on the beach<BR>- anywhere with gates and guards<BR><BR>I'm open to any and all suggestions. Please help!

Travelguru

Lissa, I wished everyone who posted on this board asked their questions as specifically as you did - very intellegent and well done!<BR><BR>Here are my recommendations<BR><BR>1. Out Islands of the Bahamas - Abacos, Eleuthera, Long Island, etc.<BR><BR>2. Puerto Rico outside of San Juan. Puerto Rico has a great variety of natural wonders and opportunities such as cave spelunking, the rain forest, great biolumescent bays, especially on Vieques. Lots of local flavor on Vieques. Get a true taste of island flavor outside of San Juan. Only problem, airfare can be expensive.<BR><BR>3. Dominican Republic<BR><BR>4. Belize<BR><BR>As far as not being hassled on the beach, have never had a problem in the Out Islands or Puerto Rico. The DR, depends on where you go. Have not been to Belize yet, on my "to do" list, but I have heard good things.<BR><BR>You should be looking for deals now for mid-January. They may have airfares on sale or you can find a consolidator. Of course, being that winter is high season, you may not find the best or cheapest prices anywhere. Even the DR is getting more popular, the general public knows about it, and in the Punta Cana region, more hotels are being developed, so it is just a matter of time....<BR><BR>Often I have found that the tourist bureaus are extreamly helpful with detailed listings of small hotels and B&B's with charm, character, and relatively low prices. Lonely Planet and Frommers are helpful as well.<BR><BR>The more flexible you are with your travel dates, the more likely you are to find a bargin. Good luck with your trip.

carib-traveler

You might enjoy the BVI. Fantastic beaches on Virgin Gorda and plenty of hiking opportunities there (and on Tortola as well). Look into the oceanfront villas at Mango Bay resort on VG. It's a gorgeous beach and the accomodations are reasonably priced relative to other oceanfront options. No shopping or nightlife to speak of on VG, but wonderful opportunities for day sails to other islands. Good snorkeling and diving throught the Virgin Islands. No highrises--very quiet and unspoiled. Food can be a bit pricey though.

kelsey

ARUBA.If you choose to go there ,check out the Tamarijn,it's a lowrise and you can get a room right on the beach practically.When we went there a few years ago there were many honeymooners and this seems to fit your price range also.

budget

Aruba is not always the cheapest to get to. I don't know where the Tamarajn is located but along Eagle and Palm Beach there are lots of highrise hotels, which is a minus for you. Also, in terms of an actual culture, there is very little actual island culture there. I like Aruba but with the development and shopping malls, it seems more like Arizona than the Caribbean. I don't think that is what you are looking for.