Is there a Maui in the Caribbean?
 

I would like to visit an island in the caribbean that is as beautiful as Maui and has the same amazing places to eat and shop...An upscale hotel and nice beach is essential. My thoughts were St. Lucia, St. Martin, St. Barts, Anguilla, Aruba, and Bermuda but I don't know much about any caribbean island...everyone has something different to say...any ideas?

Forget Aruba if you are looking for the lushness of Maui,

St. Lucia is a beautiful, volcanic island, though not nearly as developed as Maui.

IMO, Bermuda is a sanitzied island without a lot of lcoal flavor. The beaches are pretty but once was enough for me. That is the same way I feel about Maui, actually, so perhaps you would enjoy it. There are many elegant places to stay. It is bit more formal than Maui overall.

St. Martin is very pretty with great beaches and some upscale resorts, especially on the Frenc side.

I have not visited St. Barts or Anguilla.

Really all I want from Maui is the fact that they have amazing places to eat and you are able to walk up and down the strip and still feel safe. My husband and I like hotels that are so nice you feel like you don't ever have to leave...We might want to venture out 2-3 nights for some dinner and shopping but that is about it...We also want the amazing beach more like Cancun than Maui! Any more ideas..

Bermuda is not in the Caribbean, so you have to go in the "summer," but it sounds like what you are looking for.

Well, go in the summer for beaching, that is.

St. Martin has great beaches, St. Lucia less so, at least the areas I have stayed in. There are some very exclusive resorts on the island and I never felt unsafe there, even when travelling alone. And there are some great restaurants on the French side of the island.

Aruba has several nice beaches but I do not like the island overall. Lots of high rise hotels, too much wind to really enjoy the beach, and a barren landscape.

Bermuda has great beaches. It has been a few years since I stayed there but I do not remember any particular restaurants as being outstanding.

I have heard that the beaches in Anguila are amazing and I know there are some wonderful resorts there as well.

Check out hotels on tripadvisor.com.

I would vote for St. John. I've been to Maui, St. Lucia, St. John, and lots of other places. I think STJ is your Maui. Really friendly people. AMAZING dining, really! Shopping was great too. I loved St. Lucia for it's diverse features, but to wander around, shop, explore, and dine, you will get hassled by a lot of the locals. Never happened in STJ.

I prefer a villa to a hotel, but there is Gallows Point, Westin, and Caneel Bay for hotel type properties.

Good luck, you have a fun decison to make!

kcarmeron
Let us know where you decide. I too am looking for a Maui in the caribbean.

Anguilla has the most wonderful beaches, some voted the best in the world. Shopping is not amazing, no tax free, some local good local shop, but a day trip to Marigot in St. Maarten would do if desparete.

Upscale hotels, start looking at Cap Juluca, Malliouhana and CuisineArt.

Beautiful and lush.. ?? flat and arid, lots of local flavour, not a lot of pretty expat houses along the main road, but lots of very friendly local people, no begging and hawkers on the beaches..

lots of great restaurant, local and foreign influenced.

we like it, others do

Although there are certainly some fabulous accomodations is the caribbean, I just don't think that it compares to any islands in Hawaii. I describe the landscape in the Hawaiian islands as "Epic". They truely are majestic.

Yes, you have some very nice caribbean islands with volcanos, and decent sized mountains. But those who have toured the Napali Coastline, or the Waimea Canyan know what I'm talking about. Nothing, and I mean nothing in the caribbean compares to this.

Another thing about the Hawaiian islands is that you won't experience poverty like you usually do in the caribbean. I'm not saying poverty is a bad thing, nor am I afraid to see it, just making comparisons.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds as if you're seeking a somewhat "americanized" island. These do exist in the caribbean.

Bottom line: Maui simply does not exist in the caribbean. JMHO.

The closet you will come to it is Bermuda. This is not a winter trip destination, however. It is a little more elegant than many Caribbean islands. Nice hotels, horse drawn carriages, etc.

The closest that you will get is the BVI. . .

Interesting thread, because I would pose the question in reversel is there a Caribbean on Maui - or any other Hawaiian island. I love the clear, calm, warm waters of the Caribbean, and the empty beaches of islands like Anguilla. We like smaller resorts. Seems like everything in Hawaii is huge. Other than Kona Village, which costs an arm and a leg, where can we go?

We also like smaller resorts or hotels.On the island of Kauai...check out www.rosewoodkauai.com for accommodations if you would like a nice hawaiian island that is not as developed as Oahu or Maui.Its my favorite place so far.:)