From late Oct. through June do try St. Bart's or maybe Curacau in the June-Oct. period. Search both islands for a lot of good info from 2004-2006 that could help if you take a trip in the next 1-2 years.

I absolutely love Aruba. We have a timeshare at the Marriott Surf Club and usually go every year. The beaches are beautiful. The people are wonderful. The weather is mostly predictable, always good. As a matter of fact, I am trying to decide if we would want to change locations and to to St. Thomas this year instead. And believe me, it's hard for us to imagine anywhere being as nice as Aruba.

I have never seen any drunken school kids in Aruba. If they are there, I would say they are hanging out in the bars in town where most of the kids would go. But I wouldn't worry about that, you don't sound like that's they are the kind of places you would want to go to.

To me the island is upscale and I feel the resorts and hotels on Palm Beach are rather luxurious. So, that's my opinion.

Take a chance and have fun.

daisygirl48

I have been to nearly all the islans inthe Caribbean.

People either love Aruba or hate it.

I am one who hates it. I like anisland with lush ness toit. i like scenery,mountains, waterfalls and could care less what I eat or if the sheets in the room are 600 ply and I get a bathrobe.

So ask yourself which one are you? Many of my freinds love Aruba and would never think of zip lining through a jungle.

I have to agree somewhat with everyone.
We just returned from Aruba and when we first arrived I was not impressed but after our first day we really enjoyed the island.The people, locals and tourists are very friendly and the beaches are great.yes it is Americanized and has some fast food restaurants but there are so many excellent restaurants on the island.The weather is great all year long.Aruba is definitely not the most plush or exotic Island but does allow for a fun relaxing vacation.Aruba may not be for all travelers but it is a nice place to visit

This is your honeymoon and you deserve to have a great one, so I'm going to be blunt: Don't believe your travel agent. I've been to Aruba, I've been to South Beach and I've been to St. Barts. Aruba is NOTHING like South Beach. Rather, Aruba is very similar to Myrtle Beach. Now, I know this will probably draw some flak, but that's the way I perceived it. Don't get me wrong, though. I liked Aruba okay (probably won't go back, though), and I actually like Myrtle Beach. But if what you are looking for is South Beach, Aruba is not for you.

Of all the islands I've been to in the Caribbean, St. Barts is the most like South Beach. St. Barts has the beautiful, rich people. St. Barts has fabulous restaurants. Aruba does as well, but it's not the same kind of "fabulousness." In St. Barts, a lot of it is about the "scene" and the decor - it's not like that in Aruba. St. Barts has out of this world shopping - Hermes, Louis Vuitton, ... Aruba has the kind-of shopping you find in cruise ship ports like Little Switzerland jewelry stores. St. Barts has upscale nightlife with martini-type bars. The people are gorgeous and French and it just has this vibe. In Aruba, you have bars like Carlos & Charlie's where "shooter girls" work the crowd and try to pour shots down people's throats.

If Aruba sounds like it's for you, then great! But if not, don't go there. There are many other islands you could choose that I think would appeal to you, though yes, they will be in the hurricane belt. Remember that Aruba, too, was just brushed by Hurricane Felix, though that IS quite rare. I think you have to look at it this way if you don't like the idea of Aruba: Would you rather go to Aruba, an island you don't want to go to, with the guarantee that you can go right after you get married, or would you rather go to an island like St. Barts that you do want to go to, with the idea that it's possible (though probably unlikely) a hurricane could make you postpone?

Best of luck with your honeymoon choice and don't forget that this doesn't have to be the end of your Caribbean adventures. If you end up in Aruba for your honeymoon, go to St. Barts next summer!

Are the St. Barts beaches shallow too?

Do you find my response "shallow" or just St. Barts?

Its your response obviously. There are beauties everywhere. You just have to look. Its not hard to see.

I find your response judgemental, unnecessary and rude. I never once said that there aren't beautiful people on Aruba. Of course there are beautiful people on the inside and out EVERYWHERE! But just like in South Beach, there are a disproportionate amount of beautiful French people on St. Barts. I've heard St. Barts referred to several times this way - I'm not stating anything new. And if I'm trying to make comparisons to South Beach that's one that makes sense to use.

I think your comments were very slanted and painted an unrepresentative picture of Aruba, i.e. equating its entire bar and night life scene to druken students. This beahvior is typical for younger people and it happens all over the world, in St. Barts too I am sure and it was you who said you would probably get flak for your comments so this should be no surprise. Bon dia.

Actually I was referring to getting flak simply for comparing Aruba to Myrtle Beach. No matter, I am just calling it like I saw it. And no, on the whole there are not groups of drunken students in St. Barts that I have ever encountered. It's just too expensive - it's not affordable for high school or college students to travel there on a vacation. Also in St. Barts there are no Carlos & Charlie's, no Iguana Joe's, no Banana Bus or Kukoo Kunuku bus as in Aruba, so you aren't going to have that same drunken scene. Aruba has some lovely hotels and restaurants (Madame Jeanette's, Flying Fishbone, etc.), but if the original poster was looking for South Beach in the Caribbean, that is found in St. Barts - not Aruba. I don't understand why you are blasting me for giving an opinion - what everyone is seeking and allowed to freely provide on Fodors. It is people like you that at times makes Fodors unenjoyable for the rest of us.

Actually my dear if you search my posts you will see alot of friendly chat, advice, etc. so please don't talk about "people like me" unless you have some basis of what you are saying. This is a public board and differences of opinion are to be expected. Now who is being judgemental? Perhaps in the future you can handle disagreements w/o resorting to virtual name calling. JM2C.

There is no need to defend myself. All anyone has to do is read the entirety of this post and see who resorted to name calling. I was the one who gave friendly advice to the original poster - I gave an opinion that I'm sorry you disagreed with and felt the need to inject yourself into and call my post, and in effect, ME, "shallow." I didn't seek you out and criticize you, "my dear," you did that all by yourself.

I too think there is no need to defend yourself. Do you feel that way? Yes I did inject myself into this post but its a public forum and that is my right. Do you expect everyone to agree with you? I think it was shallow.

The ironic issue about this is the OP's post is 16 mos. old. I wonder where she did end of going?

Yeah, that is pretty funny. I noticed that after I posted. It must have been pushed back up for some reason. She ended up going to Puerto Vallarta.

Such is life. Cheers, Larry