I'm sure this gets asked a million times here but my fiancee and I are planning a Caribbean honeymoon for 10 days in May. We are both a little overwhelmed by all the choices (and running out of time!), but I think we've narrowed it down to the USVI and Anguilla. We are also considering BVI, St Lucia and St Bart.

We are looking for someplace fairly upscale and luxurious (I guess that's different for different folks - we're not rich but it's our one and only honeymoon so we will spend but sensibly) that is relaxing and beautiful but with accessible activities and/or day trips. One thing we definitely want to try and learn is scuba diving.

We'd very much appreciate any advice offerred on which island to choose and any more specific suggestions within that choice. The more details the better. We'd love to hear your case for a particular place. Please help!

St. Thomas is my least favorite island but the good thing about it is that you can get day boat tours to other islands (in the US and the BVI). (Don't forget, to do a day tour to the BVI you have to take your passport). Reasons St. Thomas is my least fav - too crowded, too commercial, too many cruise ships landing, and not a good island to rent a vehicle and explore (too much traffic, crazy drivers, etc). If you do decide on St. Thomas and the Marriott Frenchman's Reef, stay in the Morningstar section. The rooms are classy, gorgeous and they sit on the beach. The rest of the place is OK.

I don't know about island day tours from the other islands but assume they are avaiable. I highly recommend doing at least 1 or 2 of them.

Thank you! I think if we go with the USVI, we will choose St John over St Thomas.

St Lucia is well known for scuba diving and has lots of land based activities also. Check out Ti Kaye and Ladera. Anguilla is one of my favourite islands, especially since day trips to neighbouring islands is so easy. Great beaches and GREAT food. Have a look at Anguilla Great House and CuisinArt and Malliouhana. And for your diving, a day trip to Saba (some of the best marine environment in the world) and St Barths and St Maarten/St Martin are very doable.

Thanks, bajangirl. Can you recommend any hotel/resorts in St. Lucia?

I would second the recommendation for St. Lucia after just returning from a week vacation there. For hotels look at Anse Chastenet's new Jade Mountain or Ladera. Anse Chastenet has Scuba St. Lucia right on the beach in front of the Marine Reserve. We ate in their Petit Piton restuarant and at their beach restaurant for both lunch and dinner and thought the food was very good.

I would recommend the BVI. Tortola would be a great base to explore other islands but has no hotels I would call luxurious. Instead you could stay at Virgin Gorda. Beautiful island, very nice beaches and good snorkelling. The island is quiet/quaint. Quiet so want to make sure that appeals to you. The resorts to look into would be biras creek and little dix (more centrally located). You could visit Anegada from VG. Anegada is known for its pristine white sand beaches. Also you could do a day trip to Tortola which is very hilly and has outstanding views/beauty etc. Congratulations.

Ok, we have decided on Anguilla as the destination. Thanks for your input.

We now have two follow-up questions as a result.

1) Is there any compelling reason to choose Cuisinart over Cap Juluca, or vice versa?

2) We were thinking of tacking on two extra days in St. Maarten's at the end of our trip, since we will be flying out from there. Is this a good idea and what hotels should we look into?

Thanks again!

I was happy to see your questions...we are in the same boat but we will be honeymooning in oct which is hurrican season-ugh. some of the places are closed. we are thinking anguilla, st barts and st martin.
i hear that cap julla is unbelievable...

Most places in Anguilla are closed in September and October -- some of the resorts open the weekend before Nov. 1st but not all of the restaurants are open then.

I much prefer Cuisinart to CJ. The staff there is really attentive and personalble, and the grounds themselves are unbelievable. The beach is fantastic, and a lot of time you can walk it down to the other end and never even run into another person walking.
St. Martin is VERY different from Anguilla, so be prepared. It's dirty, crowded and the people are not very nice. That of course if just my opinion. I would stay away from La Samana (Supposedly the islands only 5 star resort.) It badly needs updating and it's priced way too high for what you get.

Anguilla: Cuisinart can get a lot of kids and that would be the drawback of that property. Also, it is more like a large resort hotel.