negril,barbados,grand cayman,confused.
 

Would like to go to an island second week of nov.06.We had our hearts set on negril but after reading some of the posts not to sure now.This vaction is for a 25 anniversary,It doesnt have to be real romantic,but want a casual place.Nice beach,snorkeling,exploring.Liked the idea of negril becuse it seems you can walk the beach and stop at some funky type beach bars.We have been to aruba and puerto rico.I thought aruba was a windy desert,And p.r. rained 5 out of 6 days.We dont want to be held captive in an all inclusive either.Looking to stay 5 nights from new york.So a direct flight would be great.Also i would rather not rent a car.Any suggestions thank you

TT

Phillyfly, Can't offer an opinion on Negril or Barbados, but I think GC would definitely fit the bill. Seven Mile Beach is gorgeous and there is tremendous snorkling at many places just off shore. The East end is also lovely, but you would likely need a car. 7MB is within walking distance of shops and restaurants. If you are looking for casual, there are many condos lining the beach. We prefer these to the hotels because I think they offer a little more privacy and flexibility with meals. After a day of snorkling, it's nice to come back, veg out, enjoy an adult beverage and BBQ. There are various accomodations listed on this site:

http://www.caymanislands.ky

If you do decide on GC, absolutely take a trip to Stingray City with Captain Dexter or Captain Marvin. It is phenomonal.

Happy anniversary!

Negril isn't well known for its snorkeling, but other than that, it would be perfect for you. And you can still certainly snorkel there--along the cliffs or by taking a boat out to the reef.

Lots of folks don't have a good experience in Jamaica, it's true. But the rest of us LOVE Jamaica and will continue to be return travelers. I would definitely recommend it for what you're looking for.

one other island (or group) I would recommend is the British Virgin Islands. Negril is great, but the decision is yours. Anyway almost all the island will have some of what you are looking for...some more than the others.

The best snorkeling of anywhere we have ever gone is located in Cayman Kai area of Grand Cayman. You can snorkel to the reef from the beach. Places we like to stay are the Sea Lodges. http://www.sealodgical.com/ and http://www.caymanhaven.com/#reservations are 2 of them. You practically have your own private beach but it is about a 10 minute walk along the shore to Rum Point if you want a small tourist area.

Also this info from TripAdvisor.com: We just returned from a week in Cayman Kai and stayed at Sea Lodge #19. It is a single bedroom unit that is perfect. It has all of the necessities you could ever need, and the locatiion is great. We went snorkeling right outside the back door and saw sea turtles, sting rays, barracuda, and even a nurse shark that was 8-9 feet long. There were way too many exotic fish to even begin to name. The Sea Lodge is not fancy at all, but it's clean and very comfortable. There are several great inexpensive (by Cayman terms) restaurants within a 5 minute drive. We saw a total of 6 people the 8 days we were there. It was so beautiful that we took nearly 500 pictures. You can't go wrong, especially for the price.

You have to rent a car (rent a jeep!) but once you get away from the airport, it is easy driving and not congested.

Not to confuse you more, but....

We like "different" places and Anegada is certainly different. Anegada is a remote barren island that will offer you a unique experience you will not find at other Carribbean Islands. Wild long horned cows roam the island. It took us three days to figure out where the grocery store in town was at - no sign on it, etc. We rented a jeep & explored the small island - it was very interesting. Saw the flamingos.

The beaches are great and there is good snorkeling off the beach at Loblolly Bay. We were there in winter and another beach near Loblolly had fierce waves (fun to watch). Loblolly is more protected. At the other end of the island, there is a nice beach, bar, & restaurant. The island is surrounded by great beaches but those 3 have facilities (bar, restaurant, bathrooms).

There is nothing fancy about the Anegada Reef Hotel but it is clean, safe, has awesome food, and friendly people. Every night boats dock there to come onshore to eat & drink. It is fun to sit at the outdoor bar & get to know people from all over the world. To get to the hotel website, goto http://www.anegadareef.com/.