Jim01

My wife and I will take a trip in 2008 to the Caribbean. We are Australian and have not been there before, and probably won't get the chance again. One week we will spend at St Martin, but for the other week we would like a "learning experience" - local culture, history, meet local people, interesting day tours, etc. Any thoughts?

virginia

hi jim, i'd suggest trinidad & tobago. definitely not americanized, probably because it's so far south in the caribbean - they have a strong local culture. you would have to fly on liat airline.

mymoosie

Hi Jim01,

Trini & Tobago is a good suggestion. I would also suggest looking into Grenada. Although there may not be a direct flight to there from St. Martin. St. Kitts also has local culture and may be easily accessible from there.

ejcrowe

Well, technically every island has its own local culture. It depends on what you're looking for. Some islands are more developed with international chains & resorts and as a result feel more homogenized (some might say "Americanized&quot than others, but you'll still find local culture, whether that's West Indian, French, Dutch, British, etc.

Jamaica, despite its tourist development, still maintains a strong West Indian culture, in my opinion, as does Grenada. Martinique and Guadeloupe might offer more of a Creole culture. St Barths more of a pure French culture. Trinidad & Tobago will have a strong Indian AND West Indian culture.

Puerto Rico has a very strong Latino culture that is also rich for architecture, museums, and history. Unlike most of us Americans on this board, you have the freedom to see Cuba, which is also quite rich.

So, if you can be a bit more specific in terms of what kind of "culture" you're looking for and also what you'd seek to avoid, we can help you with more specific suggestions.

sabel

You have the 3 spanish latin american countries with,of course, latin culture : Cuba,Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic (Venezuela,Panama and the north coast of Colombia are also classified as Caribbean regions). Next, you have the English speaking countries of Jamaica, Bahamas and Trinidad & Tobago were the british influence is visible. Then you have the lesser antilles which are the smaller islands with tiny population, the Netherland Antilles (Curazao, Bonaire, St Marteen,Saba), the more 'americanized' islands are the US Virgin Islands but they have also their unique flavor.

doug_stallings

The closest islands to St. Maarten are St. Barths, Anguilla, Saba, and St. Eustatius. Of the four, Sabawill give you m ore options for meeting the locals, but it's got no beaches and is a tiny island.

St. Maarten is not quite the hub that Barbados is, but I think the recommendation of Puerto Rico is a good one (though if you don't speak Spanish it will be difficult to connect with locals).

You could try some of the French islands as well .. Guadeloupe and Martinique are probably also easily accessible.

So would Antigua.

As other posters have pointed out, virtually every island has some local culture if you look for it.

Barbara1

I would suggest Nevis. it is not too far from St. maarten and it is small and charming and relatively undeveloped except for the Four Seasons.
People are very nice there.
The beaches aren't as nice as st. maarten beaches. they are more volcanic in nature.
You could also take the ferry from Nevis to St. Kitts and visit there. it's bigger but also not overdeveloped.
Both islands would give you a good feel to island living.
For a local experience on st. maarten, be sure to visit some of the local restaurants.
the lo los in Grand Case
Gutside restaurant..on the road to friars Beach.
and Yvette's..a fabulous local restaurant in Orleans.

Knowing

I believe that you can get a small hopper plane from St. Martin to St. Kitts. I would then make my way over to Nevis via ferry. It's a sleepy little island and appeals to those looking for a quiet and relaxing vacation spot. But the islands' culture and background also sparks the interests of history buffs and those who enjoy local color. The accommodations on the island range from the Four Seasons to more moderate prices.

thit_cho

CUBA!

Cuba is, by far, the most interesting islands (in my opinion). It may be a bit tricky to get to from St. Martin, but you may be able to fly via Nassau (Bahamas) or Grand Cayman.

I've been to Trinidad & Tobago, and while its interesting, I did not feel as comfortable wandering around Port of Spain as Havana, and POS is far less beautiful than Havana.

Havana is the most interesting city in the Caribbean (and I have spent time in many of them, including Santo Domingo, San Juan, Kingston, and Port of Spain).

Go to your local bookstore and see which country has the most single country guidebooks -- I'm sure Cuba will be at the top of the list.

Brutforce

St. Maarten is a good island to 'hop' from, to other islands. For what you are seeking Saba & Montserrat may well fit the bill. Although daytrips are available, I don't think you'll do either place justice w/out at least staying overnight. There are a few posts on here for both that will give you a good start.

iw

St. Kitts and Nevis are easy to get to from St. Martin. Both islands are not over developed, with Nevis being the least developed of the two. I personally love Nevis and the people there. There is a lot of local culture and the island is easy to navigate. If you are not into the Four Seasons type of hotel, Oualie Beach hotel is very affordable, clean and nice. The rooms are situated in a cottage style setting and all face the beach. The staff is wonderful and the food there is excellent. Another island favorite for dinner is Coconut Grove. A fun place to hang out is Chevy's, which is down from the Four Seasons. Sunshines is also right at the hotel on the
beach.
St. Barts is a great french island as well. Not over developed and beautiful. The food is excellent and there is a lot to see and do. We visited for the first time this past summer and want to return since we did not experience the whole island. On this island, you must rent a car as taxis are unreliable and difficult to find whereas on St. Kitts and Nevis, we have made two good friends who are taxi drivers.
The islands listed above are very different from St. Martin, an island that I have visited 3 times. Are you staying on the french or dutch side?

WildflowerMax

St. Maarten is one of the more commercialised Caribbean islands. If this is likely to be your only trip to the Caribbean, your next stop should give you a feel of the real traditional Caribbean, especially since you want a &quot;learning experience&quot;. <b>Dominica</b> is &quot;the Caribbean as it used to be&quot;. The hotels are mostly owned by locals. There are no chain hotels, but lots of things to do. Dominica is very strong in its creole (Afro-European) culture, and is also home of the last remnants of the Caribbean's first peoples (the Caribs or KALINAGO as they prefer to be called). There is much to do for day tours, including several hikes from easy to very challenging (The Boiling Lake is a 200-ft cauldron of boiling water in the crater of a volcano.. this is a 6-hour hike, or Jacko Falls, Emerald Pool etc are accessible easily in 3-10 minutes) sea and lake kayaking, visit to the Carib territory, river tubing, rainforest aerial tram, excellent diving and snorkelling and so much more.... check the official site www.discoverdominica.com for more info. www.visitdominica.com is also useful.

islebethere

My husband and I have been to Tobago eight times. We are from the U.S. 95% of tourists to Tobago are people from the U.K on cheap package tours. We have had wonderful times there, but do check on your government's safety alerts,

Statia

Just my 2 cents. In the immediate area of St. Maarten, you honestly can't get any more &quot;local&quot; and less touristy than St. Eustatius.

We are probably the least touristy island in the immediate region of St. Maarten. The people here are very friendly and the island has a lot of history, eco-tourism options, and culture. It's certainly not for everybody, but it's most definitely got the local West Indian experiences that you might be seeking.

www.statiatourism.com

ejcrowe

Max, you make excellent points in favor of Dominica. But I think the Carib indians were second or third to get to the Antilles, following the Siboney and the Arawak people. The Caribs came up from South America.

Not that the Carib settlement on Dominica isn't fascinating--just not the first people to live on the island.

kmb1116

knowing and iw mention it being easy to get to st. kitt's from st. martin... does anyone have more information on how to get there? websites of where to get the hopper plane, etc.?

kodi

Being a Canadian, I can recommend Cuba. I have been there 3 times and loved it.
If you are looking for a different culture, you will certainly find it in Cuba. In my estimations Varadero beach is the most beautiful beach.

If cost is a concern , Cuba is very resonable.

Knowing

kmb1116,
WinAir, Liat and Caribbean Star all have connecting flights from St Martin to St. Kitts. Try looking at
http://www.skyviews.com/stkitts/gethere.html
for more information.

vinceygirl

St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Day trips are available. There is much history, architecture, and true West Indian lifestyle only a short drive beyond the city of Kingstown on mainland St. Vincent. Even Kingstown is unique unto itself. You have the Botanical Gardens, Mespo Valley, the Petroglyphs to name just a few sites to see on St. Vincent. Take the ferry and visit Bequia for a few days of that week. The Turtle Sanctuary is a must see for those interested in learning how one person's contribution can have an impact. Great restaurants too. The food at the Gingerbread is excellent. Just be sure if you are visiting Bequia not to go during September as most of the business people tend to take vacation/holiday at that time. Still if you want to truly experience island life before tourism this would be one way to do it. Personally I loved it.
Would also suggest Grenada. More laid back than St. Maarten. A tour with Mandoo is a must when visiting Grenada.
Good luck in your search.

Statia

To book direct from St. Maarten to St. Kitts go to http://www.fly-winair.com/