blamona

Another PS. While many islands have a $650,000 investment requirement for residency, that doesn’t mean you’ll find a $650,000 place.

To use TCI for example, most places cost a lot more than that (decent places) closer to $800,000 to multi million

Sassafrass

Please, please, if you can, keep us posted along on your adventure, where you go and your thoughts about each place.

I have been to a few of the islands. At first, I loved all of them. Getting away from the cold in the US in winter is so seductive. After a few days though, I know I would not wish to live on any of them unless I was really wealthy enough to leave once in awhile or had a lot of friends there.

The suggestions of cruises is better than you might think. Pick some that are port intensive and go to some of the islands you are most interested in. Be sure the cruise has long stops of several hours in port. One that is 11 to 14 days, or two different ones, make it easy to go from island to island and see many in a few days. There is a huge difference between islands.

Some islands that are very pretty and somewhat forested are St Lucia and St Kitts. A helicopter ride would allow you to see the mountains and get an over view of each. Then you need a car or taxi to see things at ground level. I also like Barbados, but it seems to be getting terribly built up with mega-mansions, though some of the beaches are still quiet.

You may think you need luck and no more research, but luck is often defined as "preparation meeting opportunity." I kindly suggest that more research would save you a lot of time and money, and knowing more of what to expect, how to get around on a particular island, etc. could never hurt.

marilau

I made a hopping route to 10 islands and didn't need a return ticket, so don't worry

dollard

I'm half way through my island hopping so far. The most interesting island I've seen is Carriacou.

Odin

I would love to visit Carriacou one day. I thought Saba was one of the most spectacular islands I've visited but no beaches. There are some amazing houses on the island. Which islands have you seen so far?

dollard

Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao,Trinidad, Grenada, & Carriacou. I'm waiting for the ferry to Union island.

whitehall

We went on a house hunting search a number of years ago in the Caribbean and visited maybe 25 islands, some by cruise ship. Our first priority was a feeling of safety. We discovered Saba, clearly the safest (if not most beautiful) of the island’s we visited. And, we built a house there. On a quick visit, it may appear that Saba has no beaches, but we discovered several very small beaches in spectacular spots, two of them remote but others ranging from a man-made beach near the airport to a beach that appears seasonally. World class hiking with few people on the trails even in high season, some of the best diving in the world, super friendly people, unspoiled, manicured properties, and no feeling of haves vs. have nots.

dollard

Thanks whitehall. I ran out of time to see Saba. Next trip.I am in Doninica at present. It can only improve.

whitehall

Dominica is certainly one of the most beautiful tropical islands in the world. A friend of ours (in a different financial universe) donated 1,000 acres for one of the more breathtaking national parks anywhere. His old "plantation" house, Springfield, was donated, before his death, to Clemson U for a tropical research center. Enjoy!

Sassafrass

It is much appreciated that you have returned and posted. A few words about your impression of different islands would be very interesting when you gave time.

dollard

I´ve seen a number of beautiful tropical islands that are nicer than Dominica. Many trees on Dominica haven't recovered from the hurricane 15 months ago. The beaches I've seen here aren't very nice..

Odin

Dominica is not known for it's beaches, it's known for diving, waterfalls, volcano, hiking etc.

whitehall

We haven’t been to Dominica in several years. Sorry to hear that they still haven’t recovered from the hurricane. It truly was a magnificent place before. Saba was hit by two powerful hurricanes, but they recovered completely thanks to smart infrastructure (buried utility lines, for example), a Dutch government that gave its total and immediate support and everyone pitching in to support their neighbors.

eastenderusvi

dollard: You didn't want to do more research, but if you had, you would have discovered that islands with rain forests rarely have beautiful beaches. When hundreds of inches of rain pour off the mountain, it doesn't allow for clear water. And volcanic islands don't have white sand. I hope you come back and tell us which island is YOUR paradise when you find it.

dollard

The best research is in person on the ground.

Odin

<<volcanic islands don't have white sand>>. Guadeloupe, Martinique have rainforests, volcanoes and white sand beaches. Les Salines beach in Martinique is one of the beaches that features on calendars etc, it is so beautiful. Yet the north of the island is volcanic and has stunning volcanic sand beaches. Grenada has a jungly interior, Grand Etang (extinct volcano) but Grand Anse beach is white sand and stunning. St Lucia is volcanic dark sand beaches in the south but in the north, beaches are beige sand and clear water, even the south volcanic beaches, the water is clear and great for scuba.

eastenderusvi

Odin: Yes, there are some exceptions, but mountains and white sand are not typically seen together. Coral islands like Anegada and Barbuda have much prettier sand IMHO...