baxter30

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for a caribean beach vacation. Myself and 2 of my friends are all turning 40 next year and we want to celebrate with our closest friends for 7 days.

We want to get a 5 bedroom rental house directly on the beach with a pool for 10 people, some couples gay and straight and some single. None of us have children.

We would like an island that is of course beautiful, but also an island that has some nightlife if we do choose to go out. We are also looking for good snorkeling and fun water sports like kayaking or something.

If anyone has any suggestions that would be great.
Thank You,

doug_stallings

There are quite a few islands with big villas. I suspect you might have more luck in the Turks & Caicos with on-beach villas than almost anywhere else, but there are several to choose from in Anguilla and St. Maarten as well. You don't mention your budget, which is the main consideration. I don't really know the Bahamas that well, so I can't make a recommendation there. Grand Cayman might also be a good choice; there are some good villas right on the beach there. You might also want to look at Barbados, but many of the options will not be on the beach there.

If you were willing to forego the beach-side location, there are some really excellent luxurious villas in the BVI, and you'll be able to broaden your choices of both villas and islands and also keep your budget down. Some places that aren't on the beach are a pretty quick ride away.

Here's the rub: There's just not that much nightlife in the BVI or Turks & Caicos. You might find a bit more nightlife in Grand Cayman, though nothing will be gay-leaning. And St. Maarten does have nightlife, but it's mostly casinos, which just don't interest me. But there are some bars and other places in Marigot to go to. I'm not very good with nightlife, but other people on this board are.

Although you say you want to go to the Caribbean, I think you might enjoy Mexico more. There are more choices in the Riviera Maya (though without the nightlife), Cancun, and Cozumel (even Puerto Vallarta, though the water isn't nearly as beautiful as in many parts of the Caribbean).

I once did a similar trip with 12 people to PV, and we rented two excellent connected villas right on the beach and had access to the town on a short cab ride.

schmerl

I also was thinking Mexico's Riviera Maya. Look into the Playa del Carmen area. YOu'll have the beach and the nightlife.

virginia

on provo in t&c look at this site for some fabulous houses.
http://www.northshorevillas.com/
the ocean point houses are near but not on a beach. 5 min walk on private lane to taylor bay beach which has the softest sand on earth but is too shallow to swim for 2 football fields out. 5 min drive to sopadilla bay beach -very picturesque, shallow but swimmable about 25yds out.
the houses on north shore are on the west end of 11 mile long grace bay beach right by excellent off beach snorkeling and 3mins drive to 5 rests, liquor store and a dive shop, marina.
north shore houses are: turtle beach, grace bay villa, avalon, turtle breeze, dawn beach, tamarind, paprika, sandstone & oceanus.
if you just want to go out a couple nights i think provo offers enough options. a few places to drink and hear some island music, def not any raging party bars though.

for mexico look at locogringo.com and bill-in-tulsa.com for villas.

travellover22

St Martin / St Maarten is the perfect island for you. Great beaches, amazinmg food (gourmet capital of Caribbean) and good nightlife.

This guide is really really helpful: http://www.st-martin-maarten.com