neenbean333

WHERE CAN I GET THE MOST BANG FOR MY BUCK?

I’m a 26 y/o female JUST laid off from her main source of income: social worker, Chicago. I could use a good soft, white sand, palm tree vacation!

Any tips on a beautiful location but INEXPENSIVE trip for 2nd week of July? (Am flexible on dates). It seems like Negril/ St. Maarten/Costa Rica/Panama might have what me & my friend are looking for, never been, but would like to go to the Caribbean for it's beaches/scenery and far away from home feel. Open to other inexpensive suggestions.

Preferable Criteria:
1. Want both the quiet and some action at nite (yes outside the bedroom too). Options to do nightlife, near by (but not college party age/feel, mature)
2. Snorkeling/activities/scenic sightseeing/breath-taking sunsets
3. We drink, good drink prices
4. We eat, good food prices (fish!)
5. No family/kid prone places
6. 6-night stay (am flexible depending on cost)
7. Less touristy, the better, but first 6 points are most important as we probably can’t dodge this
8. NO MEXICO !

Questions:
a. Are the flight/hotel combined packages the best way to go, best deal? Or do it, separately?
b. Do u have any travel website recommendations that you get your travel deals through? (Most important: AIR/HOTEL)
c. Where was your stay? Hotel recommendations? (Oceanview a plus, oceanview AND Jacuzzi, we’re in heaven!)
d. Can I do it on like a ~ $1500 budget per person? (Haven't done a trip like this)

MUCH NEEDED AND APPRECIATED. Thanks for your time, will return the favor! ~ Neen

P.S. Leaning towards Caribbean vs. Central America because my friend going w/ me had a very traumatic experience in Mexico with getting out of the country…but he’s not completely closed to C.A. since its obviously completely different countries and all…

chgeeb

Hello,
You can do it on the budget as long as you don't splurge a ton while on the island.
For the price, I feel Negril is the best. I'm 24, but an "old soul" and enjoy drinking, but not the college-scene type. And I loved it here. We stayed out on the cliffs, which I preferred because it strayed away from the "family/kid" atmosphere, while still enjoying the ocean and having your own cliff/ocean access! Also I liked the cliffs because Rick's Cafe was my favorite hang out. Amazing food, and adventurous drinks to try! and great entertainment. Cheap taxis to the beach.
Google "Onestop Negril"
and try www.travelzoo.com
Good luck! Let us know how it goes!

freeman0819

I would recommend checking skyauction dot com. A friend referred me too it a few weeks ago, and I have already planned my trip to Negril. I had never bid on vacations before, but if you are lucky you would be able to get a great deal.

I won a bid for $557 per person(including taxes, surcharges). 3 nights at a Superclubs resort in Negril, All-Inclusive INCLUDING flights and transfers to the resort. I have stayed at this resort before, so I know how much it's supposed to cost, and this was a STEAL. On a good day flights alone cost upwards of $400/per person, if you tried to book them on your own.

Once I paid and received confirmation of the bookings, I called the resort, they had my reservation. I checked with the airlines, the tickets were issued when skyauction said they would be, so all looks as it should.

neenbean333

Totally forgot about travelzoo.com, chgeeb and freeman those websites were a lot of help. Was afraid it would be difficult/pricey to get to beaches from the cliffs, good to know, thanks for the tip. Been hearing so many good things about Rick's Cafe, can't wait to try them. Thanks for your help!

spook

Rick's is a great place but the drinks are very expensive. You might blow your drinking budget in one trip there. Just walk along the beach and you'll find many places that are fun and with prices more in tune with your budget.

neenbean333

Yeah, Spook, I looked up the pricing for Rick's and it's on the high end compared to others...thanks for the tip about going along the beach for better drink prices. I think we'll just be trying Rick's food specialties...

Thanks again ~ NB

mycatmiko

Check out cheapcaribbean.com. They have really good reasonably priced package vacations.

Or you could combine the Central America / Caribbean idea and look into Roatan, Honduras. I'm going in September and I too was looking for a super cheap beach vacation. Airfare from Sacramento to Roatan was $760 through Continental, and the beach cabanas my boyfriend and I are looking at are in the $500-$800 a week range (we're splitting the cost).

There's lots of snorkeling and diving (the main attraction), canopy tours, horseback riding, and food seems cheap. Not sure about the nightlife though, barhopping after the sun goes down seems to be popular.

Roatan is mostly off the tourist radar, no chain hotels or restaurants. It's just a very laid back island.

CathyF

I was in Costa Rica in February and I would not consider it a particularly "inexpensive" destination, although I realize I was there during the high season.

I think July may be the start of the rainy season, at least in some areas, so be careful of that. As for the beach, there are many wonderful surf spots but it is not good for snorkeling and it isn't known for powder white sand beaches.

CaribbeanSoul

July will be very quiet in Negril, so you'll have no problems being overrun by families/kids wherever you decide to stay. We stay, and I would recommend staying, on the beach in Negril. You have a zillion places within a short walk on the beach. The cliffs tend to isolate you a bit, which may be nice for honeymooning couples, but not 2 twentysomethings looking for good places to drink and eat with a bit of nightlife. Check out Coco La Palm, Idle Awhile, Rondel Village and Country Country. Your best bets on the beach with guests returning year after year. Have fun planning your trip!

neenbean333

Thanks for the tips on CR. And Carribean Soul, that was really helpful about the cliffs vs. beach. We were pretty close to booking Samsara, but now I am going to check out the other hotels first. Thanks a lot! ~NB

CaribbeanSoul

neenbean: you'll be happy you checked into the other lodging options on the beach. you really can't go wrong with any of the places I listed. let me know if i can be of any further assistance as you plan your Negril trip!

neenbean333

CaribbeanSoul, I sense you may be a travel agent... i would consider booking at those hotels with an ocean vie/ & A/C for 7 nights, at $473 or better? That is the vacation deal travelocity is giving me right now.

CaribbeanSoul

ROTFLAO!! No, not a travel agent by any means. I am a vice president of a company in the Seattle area, however. Not travel related, though. I have been traveling to Negril since I was 18 years old with my first trip in 1985.

I am not able to decipher from your post what hotel you are getting that deal from. If it is one of the hotels I listed, by all means it is a good deal. You could book direct with Coco for around $80/night, however....depending on the time of year you wish to travel.

kacollier

We just returned from Panama and went to Bocas del Toros for our beach portion. Had a wonderful stay at the Eclypse de Mar which are overwater bungalows for $150 per night. They do have lower priced rooms, but the bungalows were wonderful. Looking at this area, you can stay at a resort for quiet relaxation, take trips during the day to beautiful beaches for snorkeling/hiking and then head to town by water taxi for some fun and good dining. The food (mainly fish) was inexpensive and drinks ranged from $.75 beers to $6.00 mojitos. I would recommend Bocas del Toro and one day in Panana City to see the Canal for a great trip. However, in Panama City most locations are a cab ride away, but cabs are reasonable. Good luck!