zamarin

For my honeymoon several years ago my husband and I were lucky enough to go to Lizard Island in Australia. It was amazing with fabulous/luxurious rooms, amazing food and wonderful beaches. I'm hoping someone is familiar with Lizard and can recommend where in the Carribean we should go. In September we took a weekend trip to Caneel Bay. Caneel is nice but it is not to the level that we are looking for this time. (This is our final trip before kids). We are looking for not too crowded, fabulous food, and luxurious rooms. Any help is appreciated.

Zanabill

My wife and I visited Lizard Island for 3 days in 1987, with unbelievable scuba diving at The Cod Hole. We were 28, had just finished graduate school, and were on a month-long trip along the Great Barrier Reef. Two weeks ago, we stayed on St John with our kids aged 15 and 12 (their first exposure to the Carribeean). In the 20 years between Lizard Island and St John, we managed a few other trips (Grand Cayman 2x, St Croix, and Hawaii - Big Island / Maui)--but all before kids. We went ot Bermuda (sans kids) for our 20th anniversary and stayed at The Reefs (great spot). All I can say is, priorities change when you have kids. I hope you have a great "last" trip. I don't remember the rooms at Lizard as being that spectacular -- rather, I recall the beautiful location, small size, and exclusive atmoshpere which made me think we were extremely fortunate to be there. It is a trip we will always remember -- and a place we want to return to when we are empty-nesters. I am sure other fodorites will have suggestions about small, exclusive resorts in the Carribean -- perhaps Peter Island, Marina Cay, or some of the other small BVIs, or even Little Dix on Virgin Gorda. Another place that looks great to us is Nisbit on Nevis. It is a sister property to The Reefs in Bermuda, which we abodlutely loved (including the ocean front room, perched on the rocks, with a balcony that included a hotub, with waves crashing below.) True luxury; excellent food; British manners. I will follow this thread to see what surfaces, and be sure to add those to our lenghteneing "to do" list. So many islands, so little time.

Happy travels!

ExpertTripPlanner

No question about it - Biras Creek Resort on Virgin Gorda. Classy, understated, simply furnished, unpretentious. Best of all - Boston Whalers are part of the price - you can take them out for snorkeling and exploring, just like at Lizard Island!

StanKase

If you want snorkeling nix Biras Creek or Little Dix. If you rent a charter for $600-$800 and go to Cooper and Norman Island you will find "some" decent snorkeling. we too spent 5 days at Lizard in 2002 and have visited Fiji, Asia, Malaysia, Belize, Caneel,Honduras' Bay Islands and nothing will really compare. The Parrot Cay Resort on T&C comes close for diving but snorkeling is not as good as Caneel but far better than Virgin Gorda or Anegada.Parrot has 2-4 children over 8 the 2 times we visited the resort. It is almost as expensive as Lizard but you "get what you pay for", in my opinion.

poss

Biras Creek pales compared to Lizard. Main thing: no real beach. Also: no snorkeling off beach (need to take boats). Little Dix comes closer. Very handsome beach. (Snorkeling off left side not bad, not great)Little Dix does drops to other beautiful beaches, many with quite good snorkeling. Food not fabulous.

(Nowhere in the Caribbean has those spectacular clams of the Barrier Reef. Loved them!)