travelon

I recently returned from a one week vacation in the caribbean. At first I thought it was great. The sunshine, the warm water, the palm trees, the shopping, the beautiful swimming pool. Though these things started getting real old after the third day. All the shops started looking the same, the hot sun lot its appeal and laying around the swimming pool seemed dull. I had toured the small island enough to get the basic idea. I was bored.

I started counting the days to the end of the trip and a return to the hussle and bussle of the big city!

Has this happened to anyone else.

Callaloo

I can see how that could happen to someone; it all depends on what you are looking for in a vacation, and some islands just don't deliver for some people.

Personally, it's never happened to me, but I have a different vacation "style" (for lack of a better term). For example, last year I went to Grand Turk with my husband. This is by NO stretch of the imagination an island chock-a-block with action -- it has a few beaches, a few small hotels, some bars, a lighthouse and a small town. While I did my fair share of walking the beach and lounging around the pool with a book while my husband was out diving, I also hit the road and went to town, explored the museum, and engaged in conversation with just about everyone I encountered, including the hitchhiker I picked up (it's acceptable, even encouraged, to do this), doing the same in bars in the evening with my husband. While this was by no means an "immersion" experience, we were never bored and were always greeted warmly.

This is clearly not for everyone. I do require basic things like a great beach, a comfortable hotel, a decent bar and restaurant, and a pool. Everything else is up to me. I also make a point of researching my destination so that I know how much I do need to entertain myself. This is hard work, and I don't blame people for not wanting to do it. In fact, when I vacation in the U.S., my expectations are higher. But when I head down island, I want to get away from hustle and bustle.

There's nothing wrong with your being bored; you just picked either the wrong spot for you, or you stayed too long. Vive la difference!

island_babe

I live in the Caribbean and when I visit other Caribbean destinations I never get bored. I do alot of research on what the Island has to offer, tours, festivals and activites that will be of interest to me and my travel companion/companions.

IslandGrl

I am curious about what island you visited.

I thought I would be bored at first when I started going to the Caribbean. I don't like the heat, and I can't sit in the sun for long. But I find that I slow down to the point where it's nice doing nothing. Everybody's different.

sap115

I could see how people could get bored. For me though, a Caribbean vacation is made for relaxing. I am content to sit under a palm tree drinking pina coladas and reading. To me, that is a luxury that I don't get to experience in my everyday life! It's so nice to have a week to rest and relax and recharge my batteries.

I do like taking other kinds of vacations though. I wouldn't want every vacation to be like that. I like getting out and exploring and taking road trips. But . . . every February, you'll find me on a beach somewhere!

Canuck_at_Canada_eh

An interesting question, but my aswer has to be NO, I never get bored on a Caribbean vacation.

My last 6 trips south have all been to Cuba and as well as some time spent at your typical AI beach resort, I also spend time in Havana each trip.

Besides the galleries, museums etc., I also have my favourite cafes where I love to sit and simply soak up the ambiance while sipping a cold cerveza.

But what always keeps me from getting bored is photography. I always travel with photo equipment. I shoot everything from a small flower, to stunning vistas, or 500-year-old architecture. There is always a new image to capture. Not to mention the interesting people in foreign lands, but ask permission FIRST before taking their photo. It's only polite.

With the advent of digital photogrpahy (specifically DSLR's which I just bought) I can shoot to my heart's content and not have to worry about blowing hundreds of dollars in film costs each week. But I'm not a pack-horse either. Just a single SLR body, 3 lenses and a handfull of CF cards. And yes... I will admit to a laptop in my hotel room/Casa to review images in the evening or over breakfast coffee.

My motto is simple....
"The worst day on vacation (camera in hand) is better than the best day at work."

Steve

anna_k

I bring a ton of books along to read, since I never seem to take time to read for enjoyment at home. I like to relax by reading at the beach or pool.

liza

I've been bored on a couple of trips. I got bored at my one AI experience (Sandals MoBay) as we never left the resort and the resort got dull after awhile. Another time in a villa in Jamaica I got bored because no one I was with wanted to get out and do anything, they were happy laying by the pool.

Now I make sure we go to a place that I can explore on my own if no one else feels like it...I get bored silly after 2-3 days of beach or pool laying around and need to get out and explore the countryside or meet some people or just take a drive. In Negril I can take a taxi anywhere I want to go without stranding my travelmates, or just walk along the beach to somewhere else.

The last couple of trips to Jamaica we've done I've made sure to plan at least a couple of day trips (or this last time, we just drove around the island changing hotels/parts of the island every couple of days...that was my favorite).

crowisland

Travelon, I personally don't get bored as I love to do nothing. However, my family feels the same as you which is why they prefer cruising. There's always something going on and a new island to explore everyday.

Sunnyboy

I take 4 or 5 vacation trips each year. Traveled throughtoutthe US as well as Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Mexico, Central America, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos and most Caribbean islands and by far my favorite trips are to the islands of the Caribbean which is why I go to the islands at least twice a year. I've never been bored on an island. I live in a big city and love the laid back style of the islands, the more secluded the better. It gives me a chance to get away from it all. When I want a vaction full of activities I go to the cities but when I want to relax, give me a quite stretch of beach and some palm trees - I'm in 7th heaven.

me

No - It depends on what you're looking for on "that" trip. We've travelled a lot ,2,3 trips a year all over the world. If we're in our exploring mood ,I would choose some countries that offer more on museums , cultures ,historical sights ,food, wine ,fashions...big exciting cities , small cutesy picturesque towns.....Otherwise , I can also be perfectly happy swimming or just lying on the beach , do NOTHING ,( not even books , or drinks),and watch life stands still in beautiful settings of the Caribbean islands(well,for 1-2 weeks couple times a year!)

janeg

Ah, travelon-
It's called being a type A personality. I have been on cruises and gone bonkers! I don't sit still well. So, I take tours chock full of activites.

to Canuck at canada eh: your motto "The worst day on vacation (camera in hand) is better than the best day at work." is chilling. I am sorry your job is so unfulfilling.

actran

I love a busy vacation. Do this, do that, go here and there. That said, in the last three years I have had two 10-day vacations to the Caribbean. After both, I said I really wanted to find out exactly how long it would take to get bored, because I certainly wasn't there after 10 days. If anyone is willing to fund this research, let me know : )

wow

No

Canuck_at_Canada_eh

Message to Janeq

Actually, my job WASN'T unfulfilling, until myself and 3,000 of my co-workers were laid off 10 days after 9/11. We all worked for a Commercial Aircraft Manufacturer and it will take years before that industry recovers. Life sure hasn't been as much fun since then.

As well, no matter the vacation day, sunny, rainy, cloudy, hot or humid, you will find me out and about camera in hand. Some of my best shots have come on days when you least expected it. Those who put their cameras away when the sun goes away miss out on a lot of unique moments.

Life goes on....
Steve

Carola22

We go for 3 weeks every year, and never ever get bored. We don't do anything much - go swimming in the morning, have some coffee, check the internet, drive around the island... In the afternoon we do even less - hang around the room, read some books, some swimming again in the late afternoon... And in the evening decide on a place to have dinner, have drinks... So relaxing. We do split our vacation between 2 different islands though. A factor may be that we both have busy jobs, especially my husband. Lots of obligations, deadlines, having to be on time... So that's the one thing we want to avoid during our vacation! I can't imagine havign an 'active vacation', it wouldn't be a vacation for me!
At the end of our 3 weeks we gradually get the feeling that we're ready to return to or 'working lives' but not before.

ScottB

If you are getting bored on vacation, one of two things need to happen.

1.) You need to pick a different destination, as the one (YOU) picked was the wrong choice for your likes & dislikes.
2.) Get off your butt and go find something to do.

Now # 2 is a bit harsh, but it's reality. Remember, good times & fun are what (YOU) bring to vacation. Don't expect this to just happen. If you are bored, and find yourself complaining about "nothing to do", then you need to research your vacation choices a lot more thoroughly. Sorry, but when I'm feeling the slightest bit bored, I do something about it, not complain about it.

jacketwatch

If you are bored try caribbean rent-a-pet. Its in all the local phone books.

Knowing

We have had it happen to us once. That was in GC. There just wasn't enough going on for us. In defense of the island, no one else can compare to the cuisine there. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that it was just so americanized, or maybe because we weren't happy with our accomodations, but it is the only time we got bored while we were relaxing. We rented jetskis's, went shopping, did Stingray City and the water was beautiful, but somehow it just didn't do it for us.

abram

We, too, would get bored if we spent a week lying on the beach, reading and doing a lot of nothing.

I love to do trip research, and we always find interesting things to do. Maybe not big exciting, world class museum type things, but little neighborhood museum type things.

We balance that with about two hours of beach time in the late afternoon, when the sun isn't too hot, and we like a nap.