Honeymoon In November...need suggestions
 

Hi, this is my first posting, but have been reading lots of others and hoped some of you can help! I am trying to plan my November 2007 honeymoon in the Caribbean-- we have a budget of $5000 and would like to stay around 6 nights. We enjoy going out to eat and would like a little nightlife (nothing crazy but maybe an afterdinner drink or local music). We don't want to be stuck on a resort--we'd like to go out and see the area/city and the beauty of the island. However, I am sure we will spend some days lounging around on the beach or by the pool. We want to snorkel and have some day excursions. We want to be on the beach but would like a pool as well...we want it to be romantic but don't want to feel stuck. Also, my fiance likes to golf. I have been reading about Barbados and it sounds great...also have looked into Turks and Caicos, St. John, St. Lucia, and Aruba. I am so confused -- all seem to have really good points. I am open to any suggestions! Thanks so much!

I have been to all the islands you mentioned and would like to recommend one you did not mention -- Curacao. Here's why -- there's golf, good snorkeling, it's easy to rent a car and drive around, the city of Willemstad is charming (like a Little Amsterdam) with lots of good restaurants and it's out of the hurricane belt so there's less chance of getting whacked since November is hurricane season. We liked the Curacao Marriott but check out Lodge Kura Hulanda Beach Club, looks like a great place for a honeymoon. The others are all nice choices but they don't offer as many options in myu opinion - Turks & Caicos - great beach and good golf but nothing to see on the island; St. John, great beaches and snorkeling but no golf and nightlife; Barbados would be an okay choice but tends to be expensive; St. Lucia, difficult to get around, snorkeling not great, most people don't really leave their resorts; Aruba, an okay choice with good golf and easy to drive around but it is just so Americanized and it's too built up for my taste - highrise after highrise. The other place I would suggest is the Caribbean coast of Mexico - Playa Del Carmen. Has pretty much everything you are looking for.

Barbados has it all! Lovely people, wide range of hotels, restaurants, nitelife, beaches, sightseeing, lush tropical beauty. see www.barbados.org

If you enjoy eating out at good restaurants, nice beaches and spending some time by the pool, Barbados is perfect for you. There are some fun excursions like swimming with turtles. Turtles are very sociable and they follow a steady routine. So they can be seen playing and feeding along the inshore reefs. In certain monitored areas they have become accustomed to humans and are relatively tame. You can swim with them as they feed amongst the coral. Other good excurions are sailboat tours and snorkeling picnics.

Consider Grand Cayman.. I was in the same boat as you a few months ago when I started planning.. so many islands to choose from! GC does not have the moutains and jungle greenery some of the other islands have, but they have some of the best snorkeling and food in the caribbean. Many many wonderful day excursions to choose from, or you could lounge on one of their amazing beaches, just about anywhere you can jump in the water,and swim out a little ways for fantastic snorkeling. The island is extremely warm and friendly. We're going in January and staying at the Sunshine Suites near Seven Mile Beach, I would recommend getting a room with a small kitchenette in then (many do) for lunches and snacks in the room if you wanted. GC is a bit expensive, our trip (6 nights, room with a kitchen, rental car for the week, and a food budget included) came to a tad bit over $5000.. but I was setting aside $160 a night for dinner because I plan on having lobster :-) Just something to consider, it's a great island full of warm friendly people... with plenty to do!

thank you all so much for the info and suggestions...am meeting with a travel agent this afternoon and plan to take all these suggestions with me!

Ok, so now a second question, do those of you who have been to the suggested islands, have additional information on hotels. I am looking into the suggestions for Curacao and GC, but any hotel/resort for Barbados & Playa del Carmen? Thanks again!!!

I really think from what you have described that Playa del Carmen is your answer. I would suggest either The Royal or Gran Puerto Real. They are both within walking distance of 5th street-which is the main street in town and offers charming restaurants for that after dinner drink and nightlife. Staying in Playa makes it easy to take day trips-you can ferry over to Cozumel for that snorkling that you like, and you don't feel trapped at these resorts because 5th street is so close.

katycc79, on Barbados, the class act is Coral Reef Club. It will fit yuor budget, and is family-owned for 50+years, beautiful grounds, beach, snorkeling, fine dining, low-rise plantation style bldgs and cottages. Very romantic. See www.coralreefbarbados.com Be careful of travel agents--they tend to push people to the well-known/Americanized resorts who pay commissions or promote thru the agent's sources. I'd suggest researching where you want to stay which suits you, then asking the travel agent to take care of the arrangements.

caymanactivityguide.com will tell you everything you need and more about the cayman islands... read the forums, good luck!! :-)

I don't know if you came away with an answer after your visit with a TA yesterday of not, but if you're still contemplating islands/hotels, here would be my recommendations:
Curacao - Marriott
GC- Ritz
Barbados - Hilton
Playa del Carmen - We've actually just finished researching this ourselves for this winter's trip and decided against it. Are probably going to stay in Cancun instead, as we didn't care for what we found there.
Hope this helps. Best wishes to you.

I second Playa del Carmen. Great restaurants, great town, but you feel like you have left the states, unlike Cancun. Lots of excursions and things to do close by. Ferry over to Cozumel for a change. As for resorts, check out the Royal Playa del Carmen...great place, but AI as well as Royal Hideaway (a taxi ride to 5th ave). Rooms at Royal Playa are fab for honeymoon. Hideaway even more upscale. Ikel del Mar (now called the tides) is more expensive, but great. Mosquito Beach gets mixed reviews, but looks fantastic. They have a great beach area with beds, funky atmosphere. There are several golf courses in the area. You could also look into Isla Mujeres, but you may get bored after a week if you want to go, go, go.

Still have not quite decided...love Barbados, especially after the many suggestions...BUT, we would not arrive until 11pm and would therefore really lose 2 days traveling. So, still looking into Playa del Carmen and Curacao. Also, my travel agent found a great deal for us in Turks & Caicos at Point Grace -- would we be bored there? Have any of you stayed there? Again, thanks soooo much for all of the input!!

katycc79, why would you not get in until so late? where are you traveling from? If you are in Miami by early moorning (by staying near the airport or taking redeye), you can be to Barbados by the middle of the day (other islands too).

the only flights we found for our day of travel arrive at 11p.m. -- we are coming from memphis to miami to barbados...but that was the only flight we could find...so unfortunate!

We fly from MN at 6am to Miami to Barbados and arrive about 10:30pm, so I understand what you are saying. We're used to it, as most islands are difficult for us to get to. It sounds like a poor way to spend a honeymoon, doesn't it? Curacao will also put a smile on your face, so don't give up hope. It has nice beaches and lounging there is an official vacation activity. It has it all there. Great restaurants and tons of activities for landlubbers too.

katycc79--can you fly to Miami the evening before? You can stay overnite at or adjacent to MIA airport very inexpensively + shuttle bus. Then try for early a.m. flight to BGI. American has a nonstop, maybe other airlines also. The great thing about getting in earlier, since you're paying all that $$$ for the room, is that you can enjoy the beach, dinner, evening entertainment--really settle into the island. Even if you do the overnite in MIA, it is absolutely worth it.

After dealing with a wedding, I wouldn't want to deal with all day traveling or coordinating an overnight when there are so many great places to choose from. I've heard good things about Point Grace, but you may be a little locked vs Playa. T &C has a great reputation and is beautiful, but if you want many options of adventure, I'd go for Playa. Check out bookit.com for great prices at Royal Playa. Book yourself for Mosquito Beach. Royal Hideaway may be had at skyauction. I'm sure you will have fun with any choice.