St. John vs. St. Bart
 

Any comments on the differences between St. John & St. Bart would be appreciated. Information that I'd like concerns prices (of hotels), beaches, natives, safety, beauty and activities on the islands. We have a 4 1/2 yr. old and wonder which island would be better. Also, if anyone has been to Maui and could comment as to why someone would choose Hawaii over the Caribbean or vice-versa, I'd appreciate that also.

I'll take a quick stab at it. Forst all these 3 places are among the BEST in the world(beaches, natives, safety and beauty wise) and you really can't go wrong with any of the three. That being said, I would not go to St Barts with children, its more of a romantic type place and the least "child friendly" of the three. As for Maui, if you are traveling from the East coast and cannot stay more than 10 nts(too much travel time to Maui to do any less nts), forget Maui. So, my advice is to opt for the Caribbean. And if you do St. John is perfect. Stay at Caneel if the price doesn't scare you, if price is a consideration opt for the Westin(great pool for the kids). Good Luck.

Thanks so much e! What about Anguilla, also?-- I've heard a lot of good things about that island.

Anguila is great also BUT it is a flat island and doesn't have I think the shear beauty of the others. However it has fabulous beaches. But, you can do a day trip there from St. Barts or vice versa.

e- I wanted to thank you for your response. Could you tell me a little more about Anguilla. I do like flat land & palm trees, so it may be all right. Also, do you know anything about Martinique?

Anguilla is a small island with 33 beaches (many of them incomparable). It also has between 70 and 80 restaurants (many of them with clasically trained chefs). That's mostly what people do there -- eat & hang on a beach as there's no shopping, no theatres, no town to speak of. It's a fabulous getaway if you need to chill out. Some of the resorts are child-friendly but there's really not a lot to do. You should check out http://hotels.ai as it lists the hotels by price and (I think) has website links to them.

Thanks Mary for the response. It sounds like a good day trip.

Absolutely (& then we'll suck you in) --a ferry from St. Martin's costs $12 & takes 20 minutes. Shoal Bay East is a fabulous beach with great snorkeling, some boats for hire & fun restaurants & beach bars. You could definitely entertain child there for a day (or 2).

St. John. Gorgeous. Rent a villa

Partial nuidity in St. Barts if that is an issue. As far as the Hawaiian islands--they are breaktaking and definitely our favorite-- especially Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii --but the flight for us is too long flying from the East Coast. Perhaps Caneel Bay or a smilar resort in St. John with more choices for dining would be easier than driving around St. Barts at night with a young child. Also, a villa or cottage with kitchen facilities would enable you to cook some meals. Village St. Jean, St. Barts has small cottages. Good luck.

Thank you- Mary, Annette & Nancee. Mary- yes, we could probably stay in Anguilla for 2 days! Although, I don't think I'd go to St. Martin as a heard it's not that safe. Do you know anything about Martinique? Annette- What are the natives like on St.John? Nancee- yes, that is an issue-- is it like that all over St.Bart's and on other islands, also? Or, is there anywhere on the islands where there is more restraint & respect?

Gigi,<BR>I hope I misinterpreted the question in your last post, "What are the natives like on St John?" Gigi, we're people just like you. We are West Indians, Hispanics, African Americans and retirees or escapees from the mainland US insanity. Greet us with a smile and a Good morning or Good afternoon. We know that our island needs tourist dollars and we want you to be happy. But to refer to us as "natives" as though we're canabilistic and barbaric is somewhat insulting. As I said, I hope I misunderstood.

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One issue to consider...St. Bart's is beautiful - but the roads are kind of scary and very, very bumpy. I am not sure how a 4 yr old would do driving around AND you have to drive to get anywhere on St. Bart's.

We went to St. John with our 2 1/2 year old and it was great. The island is beautiful and very kid friendly. The restaurants were wonderful, yet casual so you could get a great meal and still be able to take a child out to dinner. We stayed at Caneel Bay and it couldn't have been a better choice. The resort is lovely and there were always other children to play with at the beach. Not only was the bucket of sand toys that was left at the door a nice little treat, but it lets you know that kids are welcome.

Thanks for your responses. Joanie- I meant nothing of the kind when using the word native, as it is used many times on this site to describe people that are born in a particular place or country, as in: "native New-Yorker" (or from any other place); the word "locals" could be used, also. I wanted to get some sense for how the people that are actually from or live in the area interact with each other and interact or treat the tourists that come to a particular island & spend money. jb- thanks for your input. I don't care for bumpy roads, myself, so I don't think the driving would be for me on St.Barts. Debbie- it sounded like a nice resort & restaurants at Caneel Bay and a nice added touch with the bucket of sand toys. Nancee- you also mentioned Caneel Bay.-- what made the Hawaiian islands your favorite (along with the beauty)?- and in particular Maui (since that's the Hawaiian island that interests us the most).

Hi Gigi,<BR>I wouldn't exactly call them "natives"<BR>on the island of St. John. They<BR>are very wonderful people. Actually,<BR>most we encountered were transplant<BR>Americans who have moved there and<BR>opened restaurants and stores. <BR>The people we talked to said after one trip there they fell in love with it's beauty, the native St. Johnians are so gracious.<BR>So, these people that wanted to leave<BR>the hustle and bustle of the states<BR>moved there and never looked back. They<BR>love it. Now, I can see why..<BR><BR>Rockefeller owned the island then<BR>sold it to the U.S. So, it's beauty<BR>has been preserved. 2/3 of the island<BR>is untouched. It's a national park with<BR>gorgeous beaches and spectacular<BR>views. The center of town is lovely, clean with upscale shops,casual elegance.<BR><BR>Honestly, it's the first island we have<BR>been to that we said "this is perfect"<BR>paradise. I just can't help raving<BR>about this place. <BR><BR>There are only 2 resorts. Upscale<BR>Caneel Bay and the Westin. Most else<BR>are villas to rent. We personally<BR>liked renting a villa and now wouldn't<BR>do anything else.<BR><BR>So, that's my long answer to you. smile<BR><BR>Annette<BR><BR>

Annette: thanks for your reply. I think I'm getting a better sense for what the people are like on the island. We know some people that visited Barbados years ago and said that there were signs on the island reminding the "locals" to be nice to the tourists, because they were their business. (As if they had to be told to be nice to tourists). Have you ever visited Maui? Also, why do you prefer a villa or a resort? Just trying to get some information.