My 22 y/o "new nurse" niece and her "young policeman" fiance have asked my help with planning their June 2013 honeymoon. They are a very wholesome Christian couple. She'll wear a bikini, so they aren't conservative in the extreme. I only say this because I don't think they are looking for any destination known for hedonism, nor gambling and definitely not drugs or topless beaches, but they want relaxation at a nice beach and someplace with some interesting sightseeing. They say they don't want a cruise. They have a tight budget but do (will) have enough United Airline miles to cover the flights from Denver to Florida or the Caribbean, which is where they are currently looking. I've suggested Costa Rica though the beaches aren't like the Caribbean, there are so many interesting sights and activities that I think they would enjoy.

What locale (including actual hotels) would you suggest in either Florida, Carribbean or Costa Rica.

I don't have particular experience but I think Costa Rica, and a more "adventurous" vacation sounds more like what they would want. Read over on the Mexico & Central America forum here. There are loads of posts daily about CR.

For the Caribbean, maybe St John? In the US Virgin Islands.

The Mayan Riviera (Caribbean coast of Mexico) is another suggestion. Besides the beautiful beaches there are ruins to explore, hiking, etc. By carefully picking their hotel/resort you could find something appropriate.

It would help if you told us what their budget actually is - saying they have a "tight budget" only keeps us guessing. We need to know HOW TIGHT OR LOOSE that budget is in order to make meaningful suggestions.

That's true. Costa Rica is not a cheap destination. Plus you need to rent a car, etc.

Depending on how "tight" is a tight budget, maybe Florida would make the most sense for them?

Budget really helps, as we have no concept of realistic expectations.

Stick with the "British" islands, they are the most conservative. For example, bahamas and Turks and Caicos are both extremely conservative, where even topless is against the law.

Turks has no peddlers on the beach, so no signs of drugs etc. (At least I've never been aware)

Apart from the French islands, the Caribbean islands tends to be conservative and topless is not permitted on a number of islands. In Bermuda (obviously not in the Caribbean) there is a Christian resort called Willowbank.

How adventurous are they? Costa Rica will mean a bit of driving around from location to location which isn't ideal for people who prefer to plop down in a resort. I know that some people don't want to leave their security guarded compound when traveling in another country.

Do they scuba dive or have any interest in learning? If they want an active vacation, getting certified in the Caribbean is great and the experience of being underwater together is amazing and very bonding. If they just want to chill on the beach or at a pool, they may find the certification process a draining hassle. Cozumel is a great diving island and very affordable and they could find an oceanfront condo for around 100 night. Good and inexpensive food as well.

How about Hawaii? If they stick to Oahu (Waikiki) that can be done quite reasonably.

How about Cancun? We went there on our honeymoon and we loved it. We stayed at an all-inclusive resort (Crown Paradise, they have tons of hotel options in Cancun) so everything was included from all of the food and drinks (virgin drinks since we are non drinkers), activities at the hotel, sleeping arrangements, entertainment. Definitely saved us some money going that route. It was right off of the coast along with the other Hotel Zone places so the beach was right there. If we wanted we could have always paid for more fun activities right off of the beach. Oh and there was lots of pools and restaurants and 24 hour room service that of course was included in the all-inclusive part.

I would never suggest Cancun for the "wholesome" Christian couple vacation destination. It's known as party-central. I don't think that is what they would want at all.

I have to agree that you should probably eliminate Cancun, Cozumel or any part of the Yucatan Peninsula from your list of possibilities. Even Isla Mujeres (the fairly quiet family friendly island off the coast of Cancun) is no stranger to the daily party boat from Cancun, which parks itself just off the beach and loudly encourages skinny dipping. When you say "conservative," how conservative do you mean? Are they offended by a lot of drinking? If so, there are a lot of islands that you could cross off the list immediately, and I'm not sure that there is too much in South Florida that would appeal to them if they are very conservative -- it is generally spring break in a box. You also need to think about how limited you might be with using United miles. Because American Airlines has the monopoly on most of the island routes, there are a lot of islands that you can't get to on United. But United can get you easily into Aruba, Grand Cayman, or St. Thomas (which would get you to the ferry for St. John or for Tortola). Cayman is still very British, and Seven Mile Beach is one of the great beaches of the world, so that might work well for them. St. John is gorgeous and laid back, and you can easily day trip from their to the BVI, and it would be very easy to make that trip as quiet or as adventurous as they choose.

St John in the US Virgin Islands is a good suggestion.

I think the biggest trick of this request is going to be the 'tight budget' part, more than finding a place that's not party central or too spring-break-like (that's easier). You are less likely to see people topless in Mexico (like Cabo or Puerto Vallarta, because Mexico is quite conservative) than you are in islands with a more european influence.

If they can use the miles to get to San Juan, PR then maybe spend a day sightseeing in Old Town and the forts either coming into PR or before leaving then rent a car and see the rain forest before driving to Fajardo. Take the ferry (or a quick flight) to Culebra and spend a few days on the gorgeous beaches- take a boat trip to see Culebrita and go snorkeling. Culebra is less expensive by far than St. John, yet it is still the US as far as language, currency, etc. although some Spanish comes in handy but it is not essential. There are no high rises, no casinos, no malls or chain restaurants/stores, no topless beaches (that I am aware of). It is a laid back, peaceful, low key place.
www.islaculebra.com has helpful info and photos.

My vote goes to Hawaii. That's easy, safe, shouldn't be too shocking to anyone. Will the air miles take them Denver to Oahu?

I agree with the suggestion from ishkribbl to look at Puerto Rico. Quite budget-friendly, lots to do, beautiful beaches, nature, great food. Stay outside of San Juan for a quieter, less party atmosphere at night. We stayed in Rio Grande at the Westin Rio Mar and it was perfect - close to San Juan for touring Old San Juan and the forts, and also close to the rainforest and to Fajardo for snorkeling trip to Flamenco Beach and Culebra. One of our favorite trips ever.

Cuba is very popular for honeymoon couples and newly weds. I know it's a little bit tougher for Americans to go there but it is worth the effort. Cuba has some of the best beaches in the Caribbean and really friendly people. The Varadero or Cayo Coco areas are probably the best places to visit. Cayo Coco island is a bit more remote so ideal for honeymoon couples.

They could even look into getting married in Cuba, a lot of people are doing it, works out much cheaper. The Iberostar Laguna Azul has a great wedding package and a honeymoon feature. Worth looking into: http://www.iberostarlagunaazul.com . Just look under the wedding section.

Regards

Bermuda is expensive, but beautiful, reserved and not at all crazy.
Grand Cayman is very nice and also low-key.
I agree with the british Virgin Islands or St.John being good bets as well.
Hawaii is very pretty and has quieter islands than Oahu. Lots to do and see on all of the islands.

Avoid Aruba, they definitely have topless ladies on the beach and gambling. Puerto Rico has lots of nightlife, and gambling and is not the prettiest.
I would avoid Cancun type places. Too wild for the type of couple you mentioned.

You are not going to find gambling or lots of nightlife in Culebra, PR! And, imo, it is a very pretty little island that would be a good choice for the couple described especially considering the "tight budget" the op specified.

I wouldn't try and get too caught up with trying to find an island that is guaranteed not to have any topless sunbathers. Yes, staying away from party places like Cancun will certainly lower your chances. But I have been to places where it's supposedly frowned upon like Grand Cayman & St John, and saw it at both places....matter of fact, I honestly can't remember (not) seeing it on most islands and I've been to many. Personally I don't care at all....but I would hope that seeing an occaisonal bare brest wouldn't be enough to ruin someone's vacation. The "hedo stuff" only happens at certain resorts, and is easily avoided. There are some beautiful resorts in the Riviera Maya on gorgeous beaches....and the topless thing is minor at best. I spent 10 days in the Riviera Maya and only saw 1 topless person the entire time. The prices down there are excellent for what you get.