Heather

Recently returned from a Disney cruise that stopped in St. Martin -- it is truly a dump and far and away the worst port of call. I can't imagine staying a week on that island!

As for the best, I guess it's a tie between all the rest!!

Mark

It amazes me when posts like this generate so much interest.

I just returned from St. Lucia...if I were to go back tomorrow, I would have a different experience than I did last week. In 1 week I probably interacted with less than 50 St. Lucian people. Who am I to judge how friendly the people are? (how friendly is the US?)

I've been to St. Lucia and Aruba. I had a great time on both trips. I had a better time in St. Lucia, but part of that was just due to the company I was with. That doesn't make it in any way better than Aruba.

You may as well be asking questions like:

Which is the best color?

What is the best number from 1 - 10?

What is the best food?

It all depends on your personal preference, your mood, how it's prepared, and many, many other factors.

Howard

SABA

Hillary Peterson

I must have been on the same Disney cruise -- I too thought that St. Maarten was a pit. Leave it to the nudists and Frogs.

Speaking of dumps, Freeport (Bahamas) is also on my never-return list.

The best Carib destinations, in my opinion:

Grand Cayman
British Virgin Islands
Belize
Cozumel
Aruba

Lydia

I feel obligated to reply on all these negative comments on St. Martin/Maarten: They are right on! My husband & I went over to St. M. for 2 nights from St. B's and were absolutely not impressed. It is a dirty, ugly, dangerous island with little to offer except for those poor disgusting slobs who get their jollies going nekkid on Orient Beach. The "wonderful" French restaurants?? Mediocre at best, with uniformly lousy service.

JanNightengale

And don't forget about the gangs that are prevalent on St. Martin that rob cars and people at gunpoint! With unemployment so high, it's no wonder the island is a war zone!

felix little

100% Barbados

j.

Let's see, Barbados (great restaurants), St. Lucia (lousy roads though), Virgin Gorda ~ beautiful, especially THE BATHS, and then there's St. John (such FUN!) St. Barths, .... is there anywhere that I don't like in the Caribbean? All the islands have their own unique beaty. St. Martin was NOT too good, but parts of St. Thomas suk too! I think I would have to say, GO TO VIRGIN GORDA and never leave!
j.

Roxanne

St Lucia by far!!

Jane

People who have been to St. Martin following the hurricanes and drought conditions did see a very different St. Martin than currently exists. They got very needed rain and the island is now very lush. As far as hurricane damage, they needed this hurricane free year to recover, and did so quickly. Remember, these people have had alot more practice at a post-hurricane clean-up efforts than anyone of us will every know. As far as cleanliness: there has an island wide effort by many organizations to take back the island's beauty by cleaning all litter and abandoned cars. The Saint Martin/Sint Maarten people have much to be proud of - they have done a terrific job.

The people are the most friendly I've met, or should I say made an effort to meet rather than expected them to wait on me hand and foot, 'cause I'm the tourist. As far as people are concerned, it is the same anywhere - what goes around, comes around.

Crime, yes it exists, but gangs, no way. The crime level in SXM is on the lowest ratings of the Carribean Islands. You just have to use common sense as you would anywhere.

For those Disney cruise people that were disappointed, what can one say. Your expectations were very wrong if you expected to get off a Disney cruise ship into another Disney World on a third world country.

The island may not be for everyone, but the same can be said of any vacation desination. SXM has earned these nicknames: Grand Case - 'The Gourmet Capital of the Carribean' and Orient Beach - 'The Riviera of the Carribean'.

I have stated all of the above as an opinion and everyone elses statement should be considered just that - opinions, not statements of fact.

Tom

JNG
Gangs on St. Martin. Don't make me laugh.

Your opinions of St. Martin reminds me of something Yogi Berra once said about a NY night club, "No one goes there any more. It's too crowded"

Brad

I've been to about 15 islands and my favorites are as follows:
St. Barts. Absolutely gorgeous. If I could go to one island, St. Barts would be it. Certainly #1.
St. John is a terrific little island with 2/3 of the land dedicated as a national park. Thats #2.
Most interesting places:
The Baths at Virgin Gorda (BVI).

Phillipe

Hillary:

By Frogs are you refering to the French? Well then keep your damn prejuidiced opinions in your tiny little brain and stay home. You wonder then why people don't like visitors when to go to another country.

You think everyone is a lily like yourself? F U.

jim

Hands down, its grand cayman: no crime, no beggars/vendors ( its illegal), totally safe ( you can walk the beach anytime), no chained in resorts (not necessay), totally harmonious race relations, friendly people, beautiful beach ( no wind, no surf, like a swimming pool), incredible snorkeling, diving, great infrastructure (water, sewer, etc), clean, full employment, need I say more? great restaurants, shopping, no riff-raff at all!!!!

maureen

Virgin Gorda, Virgin Gorda, Virgin Gorda