My (future) wife and I are trying to plan a week in the Carribean the last week in November (2002). Neither of us has ever been and we're torn & confused.<BR><BR>Aruba was mentioned as far enough south and out of hurricane lane to be safe weather-wise.<BR><BR>My (future) wife is locked on the Cayman Islands, and we seem to be late enough in the hurricane season that we might be safe.<BR><BR>But I'd love to find a wonderful, lush, really tropical location -- and I don't know from island to island.<BR><BR>Anyone have suggestions? thoughts? recommendations (locations, hotels, etc.).<BR><BR>Much appreciated!

Lush - Tropical - Romantic = Hawaii. We went to Hawaii on our honeymoon and it is definitely lush & tropical. I would not call Aruba lush as it is a desert. It is tropical because there are a lot of palm trees and birds at each resort.

Neither Aruba nor the Cayman Islands are lush. They are arid in fact.<BR><BR>It is true that the "ABC" islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao) are pretty much guaranteed not to have hurricanes, but in late November the chances of a hurricane anywhere in the Caribbean are extremely low.<BR><BR>If you want lush and tropical, I highly recommend St. Lucia. Specifically Jalousie Hilton, Ladera, or Anse Chastanet. If you do a search on this site and also read the "rants and raves" on the hotel page you will read all you need to know.

i highly recommend punta cana in the dominican republic.<BR>my husband and i honeymooned at the iberostar all-inclusive last fall and loved it. the beaches are gorgeous, the food delicious and the tropical scenery is very lush. we went on a day trip to sto. domingo and saw lots of sugar cane and palm trees along the way.<BR>it was warm every single day-- even the one day that it rained.

The caymans and aruba are not "lush". I have travelled many times to the Caribbean in November ( usually Thanksgiving but as early as Election Day).<BR><BR>Don't pass over the USVI or BVI locations because of the time of year.<BR><BR>Are you looking for a hotel or a villa? What do you want out of your vacation? Beautiful beaches? Night Life?<BR><BR>Do you want the high-rise atmosphere of islands like the caymans and aruba?<BR><BR>We need more info to make recommendations. My favorite is St John but it fills MY requirements which are not necassarily yours.<BR><BR>L

Thanks everyone. Here's what we're looking for:<BR><BR>Privacy. Nothing too fancy as far as nightlife, but we wouldn't mind the option of going dancing. Mostly, though, having a nice late dinner and a few drinks is ideal. Being around a few other folks as the cool breezes blow through the windows. We'd really like to be on the beach, though. A nice beach, that's swimmable. <BR><BR>Biras Creek seems ideal, but it is beyond our budget (we're anticipating a 5 night stay, but would love to do 7 if we could afford it). Long Bay looks nice, too, but I have read that the beach is not so good and some people have been saying it is in a bit of disrepair.<BR><BR>So the high rise scene is not really what we're looking for, but the Hyatt on Aruba gets high marks from folks, as does Bucuti.<BR><BR>Is the wind really as big a deal as some folks say on Aruba? That would bring me down, to be there and not really be able to enjoy being on the beach.<BR><BR>Anyway, thanks again for all the feedback, I look forward to more!

The rates are not that bad at Biras Creek as they include all your meals...but then you are "locked in" so to speak...Have you looked at Cap Jaluca in Anguilla? capjaluca.com The beach is right outside your room and is like walking in baby powder.<BR><BR>You could also look into a villa rental on St John. usvi-on-line.com has several companies listed. It would be cheaper than either of these resorts. You could stock breakfast and lunch and then go out for dinner. Not many are dead on the beach check the Hawksnest area and Great Cruz Bay.<BR><BR>Just want to make sure that you are not looking for casinos? There are none on any of these 3 islands that I mention. Just peacful, safe, relaxing and romantic.<BR><BR>L