Honeymoon with beaches plus hiking
Apr 10th, 2015, 06:35 PM
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Honeymoon with beaches plus hiking
My fiance and I are getting married in September and the last big element we have left to book is our honeymoon. I have been researching for awhile and have been getting pretty overwhelmed so I could use some advice!
We are from the east coast and are looking to go somewhere in the Caribbean probably for 8 nights. The first must have for our location is that it needs to be fairly accessible (we would probably be flying out of either Pittsburgh, Baltimore, or DC and total travel time over 10-12 hours would be a deal breaker).
Next, we are a pretty active couple and enjoy the outdoors so we would like somewhere with opportunities for hiking with unique waterfalls or island views as destinations. Also, I have been to the Caribbean on a couple of cruises before but my fiance has never experienced the awesomeness of a Caribbean beach so we also want an island with nice beaches, they don't have to be the best beach in the Caribbean but we want something nicer than the beaches of New Jersey or the Outer Banks.
As for our actual accommodations, we want to stay away from major resorts and would love a place that we have our own little cottage type of thing. We were also thinking about the idea of splitting our time between two locations, one closer to nature and hiking, and one on a nice beach. We would even be open to two locations on different islands if necessary to get both experiences as long as the travel between the two isn't too difficult.
As a reference a few places I've been looking into include St. Lucia (but the flights are too long), Dominica (but I'm not sure if has the Caribbean beaches we want), St. John (because of the National Park) or Antigua.
Also last question, is the middle/end of September really a bad time to visit the Caribbean in terms of possible hurricanes and rain? If it most certainty will be poor weather we may postpone the honeymoon until we would experience better weather.
I know that was a lot of questions/information but any input would be greatly appreciated!
We are from the east coast and are looking to go somewhere in the Caribbean probably for 8 nights. The first must have for our location is that it needs to be fairly accessible (we would probably be flying out of either Pittsburgh, Baltimore, or DC and total travel time over 10-12 hours would be a deal breaker).
Next, we are a pretty active couple and enjoy the outdoors so we would like somewhere with opportunities for hiking with unique waterfalls or island views as destinations. Also, I have been to the Caribbean on a couple of cruises before but my fiance has never experienced the awesomeness of a Caribbean beach so we also want an island with nice beaches, they don't have to be the best beach in the Caribbean but we want something nicer than the beaches of New Jersey or the Outer Banks.
As for our actual accommodations, we want to stay away from major resorts and would love a place that we have our own little cottage type of thing. We were also thinking about the idea of splitting our time between two locations, one closer to nature and hiking, and one on a nice beach. We would even be open to two locations on different islands if necessary to get both experiences as long as the travel between the two isn't too difficult.
As a reference a few places I've been looking into include St. Lucia (but the flights are too long), Dominica (but I'm not sure if has the Caribbean beaches we want), St. John (because of the National Park) or Antigua.
Also last question, is the middle/end of September really a bad time to visit the Caribbean in terms of possible hurricanes and rain? If it most certainty will be poor weather we may postpone the honeymoon until we would experience better weather.
I know that was a lot of questions/information but any input would be greatly appreciated!
Apr 11th, 2015, 03:55 AM
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You are describing St. John perfectly. It's easy to reach from the East Coast - fly into St. Thomas and then a short ferry ride to St. John. Picture post card beaches (some of the best in the Caribbean), fantastic vistas and 2/3s of the island is a National Park so there's plenty of hiking. The island has plenty of rental villas to suit a variety of tastes and budgets or you can stay in some very nice guest houses. In addition, you'll be in close proximity to St. Thomas and several of the British Virgin Islands that you can visit for day trips (thus getting to see other islands without the hassle of packing and moving to another location.
Now, September is smack in the middle of Hurricane Season in the Caribbean and while the odds are small a storm will affect the island during any given week, it is a possibility. You run this risk just about anywhere in the Caribbean (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao are the exceptions but they are very far south and probably won't meet your travel time restrictions). On the plus side, September is Low Season so you'll find some of the lowest accommodation rates of the year, there will be no crowds (you might end up having some of the beaches all to yourselves) and if there are no hurricanes brewing at the time of your visit the weather can be fabulous. If you choose to go in September consider purchasing Trip Interruption Insurance just in case you have to cancel because of a major storm.
Your instincts about Dominica are spot on - Striking natural beauty and an eco-tourist's delight but not noted for having great beaches.
Antigua is an OK island but it doesn't hold a candle to St. John.
St. Lucia is a very lush and beautiful island but getting there will be a bit of a trek. The beaches, while picturesque have darker sand so they may not have the WOW factor you are seeking. The island does offer lots of hiking and plenty of waterfalls deep in the rain forest.
Hope this helps.
Now, September is smack in the middle of Hurricane Season in the Caribbean and while the odds are small a storm will affect the island during any given week, it is a possibility. You run this risk just about anywhere in the Caribbean (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao are the exceptions but they are very far south and probably won't meet your travel time restrictions). On the plus side, September is Low Season so you'll find some of the lowest accommodation rates of the year, there will be no crowds (you might end up having some of the beaches all to yourselves) and if there are no hurricanes brewing at the time of your visit the weather can be fabulous. If you choose to go in September consider purchasing Trip Interruption Insurance just in case you have to cancel because of a major storm.
Your instincts about Dominica are spot on - Striking natural beauty and an eco-tourist's delight but not noted for having great beaches.
Antigua is an OK island but it doesn't hold a candle to St. John.
St. Lucia is a very lush and beautiful island but getting there will be a bit of a trek. The beaches, while picturesque have darker sand so they may not have the WOW factor you are seeking. The island does offer lots of hiking and plenty of waterfalls deep in the rain forest.
Hope this helps.
Apr 20th, 2015, 05:41 PM
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Thanks for your replies! We still have to book but our plan is to spend 6 nights in a rental home in St. John and then head back to St. Thomas for two nights before flying home. Your input was very helpful!
