Hi! We're looking for a safe and beautiful island to visit. We like to have a nice resort base and also like to travel freely to see the sights and beaches. We felt comfortable (and loved) St. John and felt not-so-safe while we were exploring St. Lucia. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks!

Marco Island, Florida?

It's a bit of a hassle getting there
(most islands worth going to are) but Nevis may fit your bill. Pretty, safe and easy to explore. Several options available at which to stay.

We took our 16 month old to the Cayman Islands. We had the same concerns as you. Cayman Islands are close to the US so traveling there is not too difficult. There is very little crime. We rented a car and explored the whole island - not once did we feel unsafe. I also like the fact that in the event of an emergency, a flight to a Miami hospital is only an hour long. This year we are trying Turks and Caicos for the same reasons.

Provo in the Turks & Caicos is a good choice. Long white sand beach, relatively calm waters (suitable for a wading toddler), lots of other famlies with small children, safe.

Like a previous poster said Nevis may interest you but you should know that, except for Oualie Beach, the beaches on the Nevis' Caribbean side drop off quickly and the water on the northern (Atlantic) side can get pretty wavy at times making it a concern for parents of young children. If money is no object though, stay at the Four Seasons. They have an excellent children's program that will allow you and your partner to enjoy some quiet time together.

One other suggestion, if you liked St. John consider Virgin Gorda. Great beaches, lush foliage, safe and relatively uncrowded.

When my family has traveled with children ages 3 or under, our two biggest criteria were access to health care if the need should arise, and calm water for the little tykes to play in. Luckily we've only needed island health care once in our travels with the very young children--a two year old developed a horrible earache on our second day in Aruba. The oncall doctor at our hotel fixed her up in no time. Other parents of small children I know prefer to travel to the more developed islands for the peace of mind of having a hospital.

You might also want to consider travel time for the toddler if s/he has never flown before or is not yet able to sit still for long periods of time--either choose an island that you can fly to directly, or break up your travel time. For example, plan a one night stopover in Miami, stay in a hotel with a kiddie pool, get an early flight to just about anywhere in Caribbean the following morning.

I would say Turks & Caicos. We are taking our toddler there in a few weeks, and from all our research it sounds very safe. I wouldn't hesitate to take her to St Lucia though. We were there for 10 days for our honeymoon and loved it and thought the natives were very friendly. I probably wouldn't travel to bad parts of town, just like I wouldn't in my own state!