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SWIMMING AND FOOD...WHICH ISLAND TO CHOOSE?
I've been going to Islamorada for a few winters now but want to try the Caribbean for next winter. Probably prefer to travel anytime from February through early April.
My priority is to swim off a pretty beach in clean, warm, calm waters. Just as important is an island where there are interesting options for eating great local food in non-fancy settings. Shacks are ok for meals. No place where I have to get dressed up for dinner. Prefer an island where the local language is other than English, and which is not inundated with American tourists. Never been to Jamaica and might consider given the right beach and right hotel. My visits to Caribbean have not been too many and these were long ago; been to Peter Island, USVI, DR, Nevis and St. Kitts, Puerto Rico. Can't think of anywhere else. Hotel budget is generous but not wanting to spend $1,000 on a room for two. (What DO I need so spend on room and breakfast in high season???) Prefer to be able to walk to restaurants outside the hotel, or take a not-too-expensive taxi to restaurants outside hotels. Open to very casual dining. Would consider renting car but find it more relaxing when I do not have to do that. A hotel with a warm swimming pool suitable for laps would be a huge plus, in case of poor weather in the sea. Not interested in all inclusives and probably would want small beachfront hotel not huge resort. Much prefer to be directly on the beach, or at least with hotel shuttle. Grenada St. Lucia Tortola Guadeloupe Martinique Virgin Gorda (Little Dix?) St. Vincent For one reason or another those sound enticing and I am sure there are many others...open to just about anything and willing to take connecting flight or flight/ferry. Would be departing from south Florida. Please offer any and all opinions!! |
<Never been to Jamaica and might consider given the right beach and right hotel.>
You might like Negril? Technically "English" is spoken but the patois is so heavy it's like a different language. Lots of rustic "shack" eateries especially out on The Cliffs section. |
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Guadeloupe is not as good for food as might be expected.
St martin French side is imo absolutely gorgeous but I am biased been twice and am going back next year. Great food superb beaches some snorkelling no Americans no mass tourism no big hotels/resorts (all on Dutch side). They speak French but also English everywhere. |
Without a doubt, Anguilla. Best dining and beaches in the Caribbean.
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Perfect white sand beaches and great food.....I'd look into Anguilla or maybe Turks & Caicos. Feb weather in the Turks (might) be a touch cooler. Anguilla is known for fabulous uncrowded beaches and over 80 restaurants to pick from from fancy to super-chill.
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I would say Anguilla but OP wants a non-English speaking destination so it may not suit OP's needs.
Also of the islands on OP's short list only Guadalupe and Martinique are non-English speaking so that will further reduce options unless she/he is willing to make concessions. St. Bart's fills the bill as it is very French and has many great restaurants however they also do speak English around the island. |
Suze, I've thought about Negril for about 30 years now and never got there. Are the beaches great, with calm water?
I'm really flexible. Had heard about St. Maartin (french side) being great for food but did not know about their beaches..do you need to rent a car there? I'm surprised about the Guadeloupe food issue....would Martinique be any different? Ile des Saintes off Guadeloupe(?) ( Please forgive poor French spellings) How about Grenada, or St Vincent or Petit St. Vincent? I suppose the obvious advice to me is to get a guidebook but I thought I'd ask here first since I imagine many of you have favorite islands. Also realize the non-English speaking should not be a part of the decision...as long as the place feels foreign and not an adjunct of Miami or Cabo San Lucas..and should have generally welcoming locals if possible. Are there any islands where the locals are NOT considered welcoming to American tourists?...I've heard and read so much about that over the years but I guess that would change and would depend on one's own attitude.. |
Also, St. Barths looks beautiful and so does Anguilla. I think Anguilla is flat and dry, though, right? Scenic?
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<Are the beaches great, with calm water?>
Yup. Gorgeous 7-mile beach. I've been to Negril 3 times. It was my 1st trip out of the US back in the 70's, again in the 80's, then just a few years ago for a reunion of friends. The best information is here: www.negrilonestop.com I wouldn't exactly call the locals there warm & fuzzy kind of welcoming they have a stand-offish way about them. It's a funky, low-key, laid-back kind of place. May or may not be what you are seeking. Charela Inn has rooms that open directly onto the sand, is what first popped into my mind. I stayed at the sister hotel Mirage on the Cliffs my most recent trip. |
Thank you, Suze. I imagine lots of pesty vendors on the beach, but great music. But not sure this is what I am looking for this time although I would love to get there one day....
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<<...Also, St. Barths looks beautiful and so does Anguilla. I think Anguilla is flat and dry, though, right? Scenic?...>>
Yes, Anguilla is a relatively flat island - highest point is only 2013' above sea level. Island is arid and "scrubby" so not particularly scenic but it boasts 35 spectacular sugar white sand beaches and 80+ restaurants. St. Bart's is hillier - highest point is some 938' above sea level so a bit more scenic but it too is a relatively arid island. It has some of the best restaurants in the Caribbean. Think of it as the "Paris of the Caribbean". Skip Petit St. Vincent unless you want to be on a tiny island - it's only 124 acres - with only the "resort" on the property. Brochures and website make it sound idyllic but from our experience it's just "OK" - you are pretty much stuck on the island for duration of stay as getting to other places requires long boat ride. Food was mediocre and uninspired with same dishes but with different names every night. For example, Monday - Rack of Lamb, Grilled Mahi Mahi and Baked Chicken; Tuesday - Lamb Medallions, Baked Mahi Mahi and Grilled Chicken; Wednesday - Lamb Chops, Pan Seared Mahi Mahi and Stewed Chicken - you get the idea. We swore we'd never go back. St. Vincent lacks the great beaches you crave and doubt you'll find a resort with the type of pool you want. Grenada may have what you are seeking - Look at resorts in the Grand Anse Beach area as it comes close to what you describe. I've only been there once several years ago so can't give you up to date info about accommodations. |
Anguilla is the perfect mix of beach and food IMO and it is only 20 mins from the French side of St Martin for a change of scenery. I think you can do a trip from Anguilla to St Barths. I have not been to Anguilla and St Martin for several years but remember the food as being very good, (am going in a month's time + St Barths and Saba), I also recall the food in Guadeloupe and Martinique as disappointing, as I expected something better as they are French.
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Oops! Typo in my previous reply. High point on Anguilla is 213' not 2013'.
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You have both helped so much! Thank you! I feel as if I've narrowed it down to:
Anguilla (I did not realize that the food scene was so interesting; just checking to make sure there are restaurants that are casual and not the fancy, typical overpriced resort island style..??) Grenada (been browsing around the web about hotels) St. Barths, maybe combined with Anguilla..or Anguilla alone..(question: Do people swim in the sea there? The pics I see of those glorious beaches often show no one swimming!!) Sorry if this is a very dumb question!! St Lucia....not much information on that island here that I could find in a quick search..... Did not realize about Petit St Vincent being one of those single resort islands. I went to Peter Island years ago and that is not the kind of vacation I am looking for now....do not want to be confined to eating in a hotel every night. Am I leaving out any islands that might suit? Time frame would be from February through April for about a week or so.....I've just learned that January often brings less-than-great weather and could bring rough water.... Will continue the browsing now that it's narrowed down a bit....thanks so much for pointing me in the right direction! |
Forgot to include St Martin (french side) on the above list.....and I may have made mistake about possible combination of St Barths and Anguilla.....I know Anguilla combines with another island but maybe not St. Barths....need to read a lot more!!
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Throw St Lucia out of the mix. It's not known for it's beaches or restaurants. It does not fit what you are seeking.
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I don't know about the vendors since I rarely to go the beach in Negril. Last time I did spend the day it was on Charela's beachfront property & vendors can't bother you unless you specifically call them over.
(I love the Cliffs and hang out on the West End mostly instead.) I agree, don't think it's what you want for this trip but do keep it in mind. It's a pretty interesting place to see at least once if you just want a beach bum vacation sometime. Easy to get to from Montego Bay (90 mins. drive lots of shuttles offered around $30). |
It seems like you are suffering from the "classic are the palm trees (or in your case perhaps restaurants) are better on the other island syndrome thus instead of narrowing down your choices you keep adding more options. I realize everyone want to find a "perfect island" but in reality that doesn't exist. There's always a bit of compromise when selecting a destination in the Caribbean.
To answer your latest questions, yes, Anguilla has restaurants in a variety of price ranges, everything from very casual beach bars to upscale dining. With over 80 restaurants you can easily find what plenty of places that suit your dining style. And, yes, swimming is a popular activity on both Anguilla and St. Bart's. Don't let publicity photos with no swimmers worry you. It's fairly easy to combine Anguilla, St. Martin and/or St. Bart's in one trip as those islands are very close to each other. Ferry or short (less than 10 minute flight) to St. Bart's from St. Martin. From Anguilla you can either fly directly to St. Bart's or take ferry to St. Martin and second ferry to St. Bart's. |
That's great, and thank you. It does look as if Anguilla would be a good choice. No doubt they are all interesting (the islands) and I do admit to having done very little research before asking the question here. As long as I can find great dining, places that local people might visit, I have no doubt we will have a super time.
Now, dare I ask which is the best area on the island for calm waters, walk to restaurants, etc etc? Or perhaps better put it would be, where should we stay?? Do I "have to" rent a car, or can I get around using local taxis. Better still, should I rent a car even though I imagine the driving is left-hand-side? Suze, I would like to get to Jamaica someday, not only to Negril but to some of the other places I've read about for so long.... And then there's Cuba, a whole other topic. Not to mention returning to Mexico.. |
I wouldn't plan on "walking to restaurants" on Anguilla - while 1 or 2 may be close to where you end up staying the majority of places are pretty spread out.
If you are smart and want to really explore the island and visit some or all of it's 35 beaches and dine at many different restaurants you'll really want to rent a car. |
By the way, driving "in the left" is easy- speed limits are low and it takes less than 5 minutes to get comfortable.
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Last point - taxis will get expensive 2 R/T's a day in a taxi will exceed the daily cost of a rental.
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thanks for the mention & no kidding that. Mexico alone could take a lifetime to do right!
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Hi ekscrunchy. I've been to some of the islands on your list and Anguilla and St. Martin are two islands we visit regularly.
You should look into Frangipani on Anguilla. It's on a great beach, usually fairly calm as it's a bit protected, and there are a few very good restaurants within walking distance with one of them being right in the hotel, Straw Hat. Driving on Anguilla is easy since there is relatively little traffic and there aren't that many roads. The roads have dramatically improved since we first started going there in the 1990's when even the main road was only partially paved. Now the main roads are paved and there are even a few traffic lights. I believe taxis are quite expensive. I don't think you need to rent a car for the entire time but you should definitely rent one for a few days to visit some of the other wonderful restaurants and beaches. The car rental companies will deliver a car to you at your hotel and then you can simply drop it off at the ferry dock or airport. It's easy to combine an Anguilla/St. Martin trip as there is a frequent public ferry between the two islands. The French side of St. Martin can definitely feel very French. English is spoken everywhere but you definitely hear a lot of French. Orient Beach is one of my favorite beaches anywhere. It's very crowded in the morning until about 2:00 when the cruise ship passengers have to get back to their ships and then it's glorious. But the mornings are great for people watching. Orient Beach is probably not the best beach to actually swim. There are too many people and too much activity. There are better beaches for swimming on the French side. My husband and I are just back from our second trip to Jamaica but the first time to Negril. The beach there is great. Mostly calm waters and there are quite a few small hotels along the waterfront and many local restaurants (the jerk sauce at Auntie's Restaurant was exquisite). The local crop vendors mostly just ask the males if they want to buy and the other vendors won't harass you if you say no thank you. I didn't find them overbearing. I'm with suze about the locals however. Not overly warm and fuzzy but I do love the food in Jamaica. |
I love many things about Jamaica (from my limited 3 trips to Negril) and would love to return and venture out around the island. Love the music, food, scenery, weather, Rasta influences in attitude and cuisine, most of the local people once they get to know you a bit, the route taxi system, the shack restaurants. Negril definitely gives me that "Dorothy we're not in Kansas anymore" feeling. The craziest stuff can happen there, pretty much on a daily basis. I have more funny stories from a few trips to Negril, then from 30 trips to Puerto Vallarta.
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No one responded to your question about Isles des Saintes, but it is my favorite stop in the Caribbean. ;-)
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Oh, thanks so much! I read a recent article in the NYTimes and became intrigued. Is the food really not very good there? How about the swimming?
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Have you considered Barbados? The beaches are calm and swimmable on the west coast (St James), turquoise colour with light sand beaches. There are many places for food, ranging from the Cliff to beach shacks. There is stuff to do off beach too, historical sites etc. It's a great intro island to the Caribbean, it is what you expect, palm trees and gorgeous beaches.
Antigua also have many swimmable beaches, eg Jolly Beach. It is said there are 365 beaches, one for each day of the year. We went to Negril during March and found it a bit too cool for swimming, few degrees warmer and it would have been perfect. Based on that, I would head more south if I was travelling at that time of year again. We did regret not visiting Les Saintes and Marie Galante whilst in Guadeloupe. Even though the food was not as great as I expected, I would go back to Guadeloupe and Martinique as they are so beautiful, have stunning beaches plus volcanos, rainforests etc. I found these websites useful in planning my trip http://www.antilles-info-tourisme.com/index-us.htm http://www.express-des-iles.com/index.cfm?lng=en |
Odin thank you for bringing up the geography issue. Like many people, I sort of assumed that the entire Caribbean was always warm and did not even consider that it would be warmer further south. I would be upset if I got there and felt too cool to swim in the sea, after all that is kind of the point of the entire exercise!
I've not thought about Barbados, or Antigua, but would be open to those if conditions are right with food and swimming...thank you again. |
ekscrunchy - not in the Caribbean but an island off the coast of Mexico you may want to consider is Isla Mujeres. Easily reachable by ferry, it seems to have a lot of what you are looking for - pretty beach, lots of casual restaurants in town (walking distance from some of the hotels), beautiful scenery (especially on the southern part of the island (you can rent golf carts and drive around the small island). I'd wait until later March or April though.
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Thanks, Tom. I've been to Isla Mujeres a few times and agree it is very nice but I'd like to explore someplace new this time. Never been to Holbox but, again, not for this trip..
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ah ok ekscrunchy. let us know where you decide to go.
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I personally think the Grand Case Beach Club is perfect for what you are seeking. I love the French side of St. Martin and the ramshackle village of Grand Case is a perfect mix of sea front restaurants with great food. While there are tourists for sure, it doesn't have the feeling of a big resort area. You can easily do day trips to Anguilla or St. Barth's (or both). Since St. Martin tends to get more European tourists, people do tend to dress up a bit more at night. Americans definitely prefer shorts and flip flops all day and all night. However, it's not stuffy or formal and there are places where you would feel very comfortable at night in shorts and flip flops (Calmos Cafe for example)
I personally like St. Martin better than Anguilla or St. Barth's but I've enjoyed those islands as well. Anguilla beaches have beautiful white sand and amazing turquoise water but it's so flat and scrubby and that is just not appealing to me after a while. Also, there is no real little town or villages where you can walk around and explore. That's a downside for me personally. The food was good but I don't think it had the range found in St. Martin. St. Barth's is very hilly and has beautiful beaches but it's incredibly expensive. It's so French that you'll actually feel like you are in France. I enjoyed St. Barth's (I've been several times) but I prefer the French/Caribbean vibe of St. Martin when I'm visiting the caribbean. |
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Thanks, but not St.Croix. Too "Americanized" and I've been to USVI before. From what I'm reading here I should head further south for weather.
Barbados, Anguilla and St. Martin sound interesting. But Barbados does not get very good marks for food. I'm not looking for high-end fancy dining; I'm sure all the islands offer that. I want interesting food at least vaguely rooted in local traditions. Bad way to put it but I think you can get my drift. |
<want interesting food at least vaguely rooted in local traditions>
I'm tellin ya, Jamaica ;-) |
All the islands have cuisine rooted in local traditions, Barbados included. Locals have to eat. I don't know where the low marks for food come from. For a small island, it has a great number of places for cheap eats/beach shacks etc, around Oistins fish market & St Lawrence for instance.
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We did not find St Croix to be "Americanized".
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