Feeling overwhelmed...What Island is best for my budget and interest?
 

Hello everyone,

Sorry I am re-posting with a more descriptive title.

My older sister is "well travelled" and put me onto this website. I am very impressed with the sharing of information on this site.

I will be getting married on 9/19/09 and my finance and I, Erica, are looking for a honeymoon destination in the Caribbean.

I would like to stay around $3000 for hotel accomodations and flight if possible. We will be travelling from the MD/DC/VA area in November. We plan to stay 7-10 days. I have been to the Caymans and Jamaica as part of a cruise trip and didn't enjoy Jamaica that much because the shopping was subpar and I felt the locals harrassed the tourist. I did enjoy my time Caymans for the one day that I was there.

We are looking for beautiful (clear blue) water, private beaches, and poolside cocktails. Quality seafood (lobster, crab, fish) is a must. We like to venture out and explore the natural beauty of whatever the surroundings are whether they be by land or sea.

I am torn between doing something all inclusive or going the villa route after reading all of the different message boards. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

You'd have a hard time staying within your budget in Grand Cayman.

We went on our honeymoon in Turks and Caicos, which has a lot of different lodging options but many geared towards the luxury side.

For a good mix of activities and beaches at a good value, look at the Riviera Maya (Caribbean area) of Mexica. The Ceiba del Mar (ceibadelmar.com) resort south of Cancun gets great reviews, and they are running an all inclusive deal that would probably allow you to get under your budget. You would be able to travel to the Tulum ruins, shop in Playa del Carmen, and snorkel in cenotes (underwater caves).

November is still hurricane season but hopefully your dates are towards the end of the month.

For your budget you should look at Mexico and Puerto Rico (and the islands of Culebra and Vieques).

If you want a resort (poolside cocktails) then Mexico (Tulum?) might be your best choice.

My boyfriend and I went to Turks and Caicos in July '08. First time there for both of us. I have been to almost all of the Caribbean and T&C is without a doubt the most beautiful of all. The water is a crystal clear blue and is unlike any of the other Caribbean water. It is perfect for couples and a honeymoon. We stayed at the Regent Palms...best resort on Provo (in my opinion) by far. It was around $1500 total for us for 6 nights. Felt like we should've paid more for what we got! You can snorkel, kayak, wind sail, etc for free as well. I will say that there is almost no shopping or much else to do on Provo, but it didn't matter once we saw Grace Bay beach! Food is really good, but a little pricey. I will be going back soon for sure!!!!

It seems that the OP has a honeymoon in September, not November, which is unfortunately the peak of hurricane season. I'd firstly recommend booking good travel insurance that will let you rebook your trip for any reason before deciding on an island.

Common wisdom has it that the farther south you go, the safer you are from hurricanes, which is statistically pretty accurate, but recent history had major hurricanes pass through the southern Caribbean for the last few years.

I can't think of any beach in the Caribbean that is truly private, though there may be some. Nearly all beaches on all islands (including privately owned islands like Guana and Peter in the British Virgin ISlands) are public up to the high water mark. If by "private" you just mean without many people on them, though, you'll find what you're looking for on most islands.

Though it takes some effort to get there, I'd recommend the island of Grenada to you. It offers light sand beaches as well as dark sand ones, lush vegetation, a rugged interior, good infrastructure, and beautiful water. It's easy to find your way around it on your own, either by rental car or by taking the bus sytem, if you dare. There are great restaurants and places to stay in every price range.

$3000 for 7-10 days will be very tight anywhere except perhaps the Dominican Republic or the Mayan Riviera. I've never stayed in either location, but others here can chime in with their suggestions. The good news is that you're traveling at the lowest of the low seasons and can probably negotiate a good rate with a hotel (but not airfare, unfortunately!).

P.S. I'm not sure if lobster season is the same from island to island and I'm not sure when it ends, but for certain parts of the year, including summer and I think part of the fall, you can't eat fresh lobster in the Caribbean because it's breeding season and they're protected then. Restaurants get in big trouble for serving it up out of season. Some may put by some frozen lobster to serve during that time of year, but it's really not the same.

There's also a pretty big difference between cold water and warm water lobster, if you're not already familiar with it. Most people prefer cold water, but I actually prefer the warm water rock lobster found in the Caribbean.

September is the problem people are having. BUT I think you aren't traveling until NOVEMBER??

Just in case for September...

Aruba should be a safe bet. Get travel insurance just in case.

Aruba is beautiful,fun, easy to get to, and should fit in your $3k budget fairly well. Lots of good dining, shopping, and nightlife.

I've not been to Bermuda but weather-wise it should be ok in September. Not sure about pricing.

OK now to November...

The Yucatan will definitely fit your budget requirements.

Tulum, MX. Ana y Jose or Suenos Tulum or Nueva Vida. Trust me. And easily $3k with fun excursions, etc. It's rustic chic but so romantic. Cabana on the beach. Near empty beaches. And the Caribbean Ocean! BUT it's more rustic, less resort-y so bear that in mind. Check out tulum.info if you're curious. There are cenotes to snorkel [underground caves/rivers], Mayan ruins to climb [Coba, Tulum], and fantastic beaches to enjoy.

I would also vote for Turks and Caicos and Grand Cayman if you can find deals.

Ocean Club West is affordable and nice on Providiencials in Turks. We enjoyed it very much. FANTASTIC lobster and conch. You can go out on snorkel/picnic trips.

Grand Cayman will be harder for the budget. We enjoyed the Westin and the Ritz although preferred smaller Westin.

Both Turks and GC are fantastic for snorkeling, scuba diving.

Have you checked out luxurylink.com They tend to be higher end properties but sometimes there's a deal.

Congratulations!

Trish

Here are my picks:

Barcelo Maya Palace or Iberostar Paraiso Lindo (Mayan Riviera)

Gallows Point on St. John, USVI

Hotel Ku on Anguilla

Marriott on St. Kitts

Look at pictures and read reviews on Trip Advisor to get an idea of what suits your tastes.

$3000 for 7-10 days will be very tight anywhere except perhaps the Dominican Republic or the Mayan Riviera. I've never stayed in either location, but others here can chime in with their suggestions.
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I've been to Cancun and Riviera Maya about ten times but not recently. Recent years I chose Dominican Republic, specifically Punta Cana. Paid $1200-1300 pp do at Bavaro Princess for a very spacious suite, this included airfare from PIT, and all meals, drinks, tips, activities, dance lessons, beach sports, nightly shows, ground transport and baggage handling.
Bavaro Princess All Suites Resort has a nice honeymoon package that includes some nice extras.
1 king bed, living area, kitchen area with coffee maker, jacuzzi, & step up bedroom, other amenities same as suite. Also, private check in/out, fruit basket & bottle of Rum, 24 hr room service, 20 minute massage, 1 gourmet dinner at Licey, 1 Breakfast in bed, 1 dinner on beach. This would run about $1400-1500 pp do for seven nights with air from PIT, should be comparable from your area.
Check out applevacations.com for more details.