Diana,
No need to get your panties in a bunch, you do not exactly fit into the generalizations I've made. I do need to clarify my comments on smaller...which aren't necessarily located in the Caribbean, my mistake there. Although there are some still left, Bequia is a good example.

NOT EVERY SMALL island is crime free as you have inferred....I said there are TONS (not the best terminology I've ever used) but that doesn't mean all! For example, I was recently in Bonaire again...small, lower tourism than other places but crime is a problem. Why go? The diving and snorkeling is fantastic. Do I rave about the place? Yep. Do I caution about crime? Yep too. Do I feel like I have some defensive need to protect it from others saying negative things about it? Absolutely NOT. I'm a traveller, not a tourist....I take the good with the bad in stride. I'm educated on every place I go, and not reliant on some bozo that says its safe or great or whatever their rave may be...I DO MY OWN HOMEWORK.

Your examples of "small" island crime amuse me. Dominica is not exactly SMALL but I'm glad to hear it was only a robbery as Dominica has one of the highest murder rates per capita worldwide. St. John and St. Kitts of course make the news because its a rare event.

Your travel experiences are limited primarily to North America, Mexico and the Caribbean...with one trip to Germany. That is not exactly well or widely traveled.

Again, Jamaica is not the safest of places to go and to add to that not as fulfilling for the traveller....but perhaps the tourist. This is actually a good topic, I'll post a new thread.

CaribbeanSoul, you are a classic example. :)

Um, Traveler863. You wrote: "Your examples of "small" island crime amuse me. Dominica is not exactly SMALL but I'm glad to hear it was only a robbery as Dominica has one of the highest murder rates per capita worldwide."

YOUR lack of knowledge of the region you are trying to talk about amuses ME! :) Better check your almanac. Dominica is TINY. I would imagine you are talking about the Dominican Republic.

But of course, what does lil' ole' homebody me know?

Please, traveler.

I've been to 4 Caribbean islands (one of them, Jamaica, about 15 times), most of western Europe, all over North America and spent years living in Taiwan and other parts of Asia. Will that be good enough for me to offer an opinion?

I love Jamaica. Is it crime free? No. Does it pose the threat that one would think if one listened only to all-inclusive resorts and travel agents pushing those resorts? NO.

"Your examples of "small" island crime amuse me. Dominica is not exactly SMALL but I'm glad to hear it was only a robbery as Dominica has one of the highest murder rates per capita worldwide."

DOMINICA is indeed a SMALL island with a low crime rate. Look it up.

Sorry Diana, you posted while I was double chcking Dominica's crime stats to make sure that the island I was thinking of was not, in fact, the hotbed of murderous anger that traveler made it out to be :)

Diana,
Sweets, honey.....Dominica is a good sized island....check your map! And certainly not the same as Dominican Republic/Haiti (Hispanolia) Perhaps its our differences in what we think is big and small is what the problem is, its all relative. I've been to some very small places, therefore Dominica is huge!

Liza,
Hi, nice to meet you. You've got a little more worldwide experience, so yes you certainly qualify. Recheck your status on Dominica, very high murder rate, although local against local, I have not heard of a traveler being murdered.

Did you get to Malaysia and Indonesia? I enjoyed those.

Happy travels.

Traveler: "classic example"? Please explain. I have lived in the Virgin Island for 4 years and have traveled the Caribbean quite extensively. Your point? I am beginning to remember you from a few months ago when you were bashing Jamaica for its "safety" issues in comparison to lesser traveled isles such as Bequia.

CaribbeanSoul,
Yes I remember you from a few months ago as well. As I recall your extent of Caribbean travel was basically Jamaica, USVI and St. Maarten and thats pretty much it...perhaps a smattering of other islands near by but not nearly anything that qualifies as an experienced response to this thread.

Traveler: You are obviously a pompous ass and one not to judge me nor my traveling knowledge of the Caribbean. Stick to what you know about best....the inner lining of your anal cavity.

CaribbeanSoul,
If you could explain to me what you mean by "quite extensively" I'll gladly retract my remarks. However, again USVI, Jamaica, and a smattering of BVI just doesnt qualify for this thread. Diana, where are you? She has the best remarks.

I agree....she has the "best" remarks...didn't know it was a contest. As far as qualifying my knowledge of the Caribbean....suffice it to say that it isn't the number of islands one has visited that necessarily qualifies someone to have an opinion on traveling in the Caribbean. I have spent more time in the Caribbean than most....and probably have visited more islands than most....many of them several times. I lived in the USVI, traveled the entire BVI along with 10+ trips to Jamaica, several trips to the Mayan Riviera (including Isla Mujeres and Cozumel), Puerto Rico, St. Martin/Maarten, Vieques, St. Barth's, Anguilla. I think that is it...haven't traveled any further down the chain than St. Martin. We live in Seattle and the logistics are tough as my wife and I both work full time, we have children, and limited vacation. We did just book our 2005 trip back to....you guessed it....Negril. Different strokes for different folks, obviously....but we absolutely love Negril and Jamaica. It was my first taste of the Caribbean in 1985 as an 18 year old and is responsible for my Caribbean obsession. I don't know if these meets your "standards" of Caribbean expertise....and I really don't give *&^%....but I am a little tired of reading your posts putting yourself on a pedestal and criticizing and classifying others you do not know as "tourists" or "travelers". So as I sit back and uncork another bottle of Opus One and light my weekly Padron 3000 (sorry....can't get my hands on any Cuban sticks) I'll laugh at those such as yourself who really don't "get it".

CaribbeanSoul,
Certainly not a contest, or I'd list every place in the world I've been but readers would yawn. You have great knowledge on the areas you have lived and traveled, don't ever forget that and its VERY valueable information here on this board. Where you may not have traveled extensively but you do have VERY detailed information available to people going to the locations you have been.....EXTREMELY important!!
Also keep in mind, I'm one old fart with alot to say :)
As for Cuban sticks, my experience is they never get found..bring em in, if they do get caught plead the ignorance routine, and hopefully you will have removed the bands :)
Again Happy travels.

CarribeanSoul: Next time you're on island, check out the RAINBOW TREE GIFT SHOP at Ironshore, just outside MoBay.
They have a reliable quality ,humidor-controlled supply of fresh Cubans...

Traveler , I think what grates on peoples nerves is the way you say things , statements like " You dont qualify for this thread " , etc. You certainly give the impression that what you know is best , and if someone is not well travelled in YOUR eyes , their comments are not reliable or validated . Your idea of well travelled might not coincide with the next persons idea of well travelled . When I first ate choclate ice-cream I am sure I loved it , tried tons of different flavors since then , but can still love choclate ice-cream !! lol , Faith .

Faithie,
I'm a rabblerouser, I'll behave myself!
Correction on cuban sticks....not my personal experience but from what others have said!

TTH: Thanks for the tip! Will keep in mind for our trip in May 2004!

Dominica's murder rate is lower than the United States'.

...and as you point out, like Jamaica, does not usually involve tourists.