Island Combo Help
 

I am beginning to plan my honeymoon (it is over a year from now, but I lalm a little wierd in my need to start planning way ahead of time). We have decided to spend two weeks in the carribean, but that is about all the planning we have done. I have been searching boards like this to get ideas on some of the best resorts on some of the best beaches. Here is what we are thinking:

We would like to spend the first week at a very secluded, relaxing, very high-class location. We don't want any nightlife and would love to be by ourselves as much as possible. Great beaches and privacy are the most important aspect.

We would then like to spend the second week in another top resort, but somewhere that has more to do than just lay on the beach and relax. We don't necessarily need a very active nightlife (we are not into clubs, etc.), but we like to play the occasional hand of blackjack and enjoy good drinks.

We are lucky that we have a pretty decent budget for this trip ($10,000 - and airfare has been taken care of). So, I need help picking a combo of islands/resorts that fit our criteria. The ease of getting from the first island to the second is also a bonus. We don't want to deal too much with the hassles of traveling from one to the next.

I am sure I will have a ton of questions over the next year. Thanks to all of those regular contributors that make this board a great place to get info!

Can't comment on islands with gambling, but here are some suggestions for a quiet beach-intense first week.
1. Caneel Bay, St.John-the ultimate beach-lover's paradise. Only 171 rooms on 170 acres, and SEVEN tree-shaded white sand beaches, all with wade-in snorkeling in crystal clear water.
2. Peter Island, BVI. Upscale private island resort. Great reputation from honeymooners.
3. Petit St. Vincent in the Grenadines.
Super private cottages. Windward and leeward beaches with snorkeling.

Hi,

First, congratulations on your upcoming wedding! It's never to early to start planning! For the first week, I'd recommend one of the following:

Parrot Cay- Turks & Caicos
Cap Juluca- Anguilla

Both are relaxing and have gorgeous beaches... and tasteful rooms.

For the second week, I'd recommend Paradise Island-- either the Royal Towers at the Atlantis or the One and Only Ocean Club. The Atlantis has great restaurants, a casino, waterslides and is just a lot of fun. The Ocean Club is more secluded and "honeymoonish" but probably more expensive than the Atlantis. There is a free shuttle service between the resorts...and you can make reservations at the restaurants in both resorts through the same concierge.

I hope this helps!

Thanks for the advice so far. I have actually requested brochures from Cap Jaluca and Caneel Bay.

I re-read my original post and realized that it doesn't really get across what I wanted it to as far as our second week is concerned. Yes, a casino is nice, but not manditory. Being on an island that is big enough to rent a vehicle and go exploring, both in towns and nature, would be fun. Shopping is always great. Fine dining outside of the hotel is wonderful. When I say that we want something to do, it means that we want more things to do than those things you can do on pretty much every beach (sunbathe, swim, snorkel, dive, etc.). I just get bored when I lay around too long. I don't know exactly what we want to do. We just want to do something. Does this make any sense?

On a final note, though we don't necessarily have to stay anywhere that is adults only, a minimal number of children is always a bonus. Also, we are going in early May, so I think that is outside of the "spring break" zone, but in case it is not, we would like to avoid the areas usually populated by drunken college students.

Thanks!

SJLBK, your later comment on the second island suggests Barbados. It has some of everything any island can offer except for gambling and a volcano. Lovely people, lush green tropical setting, clean air, pure water, wide range of hotels, beaches, water sports, sightseeing such as caves, tropical gardens, animal preserves, plantation houses, submarine ride. Outstanding restaurants, both in hotels and independent. All revolves around a British/Caribbean culture so you don't feel like you're just in tropical America. Barbados is a really special place with a strong economy, not dependent only on tourism, so a visitor experiences a sense of a place which is beyond just a resort on a beach. Generally avoid August-October (hurricane season). Otherwise weather is great all year-perpetual summer with water temps over 80 deg. even in winter. Lowest hotel rates are mid-April to mid-December, with a big jump in high season. Calmest water for swimming/snorkeling is on the calm
west coast north of Bridgetown. IMO the best hotel on that stretch is Coral Reef Club. Family-owned for 50 years, low-rise and plantation cottage style hotel in tropical gardens and fine beach. See www.barbados.org and www.coralreefbarbados.com