courtneyclv

My fiance and i want half of our trip relaxing, and half exploring, on two different islands. We were going to go to to Tahiti but think we will get bored (plus its too expensive 'hopping' to Hawaii or Fiji) We already went to the Grand Bahama and loved it.

Where can we go that isnt too touristy, romantic, reasonable that will allow us to take a charter plane somewhere else for not too much? (we are willing to spend a few hundred each RT maybe?)

We are looking into a two week honeymoon and want to stay at a resort for half our trip and maybe a local inn or rental property the second half and 'rough' it.

courtneyclv

Oh, and we don't have to fly, we can take a ferry if cheaper. Anyplaces out there with clear turquoise waters, snorkeling, relaxing and adventure?

Travcarib

A good choice to be able to try a couple of islands might be to go to St Martin and then over to Anguilla. We did that for a 2 week trip and it was perfect. Anguilla has really amazing clear water. It is more of a quiet island with great restaurants and many great/romantic/upscale resorts. You could always pair that with St Martin where you have options for villas or other types of hotel accomodations. You could also take a plane over to St Barts too if you choose.

We went to Tahiti (Bora Bora/Moorea) for our honeymoon and it was anything but boring. There are so many water and island activities and many islands within French Polynesia to check out... but it is extremely pricey to go there! (just thought I would mention it because Tahiti was just so amazing to us!)

I would say Anguilla/St Martin would be a nice choice for your honeymoon though!

ejcrowe

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) are a great place for island hopping. You could spend a week at one of the many upscale resorts, some of which are private island resorts, and then spend the rest of your time with a guesthouse-type of homebase and use their great ferry system to see other islands. Consider your honeymoon at Peter Island or Guana Island (two private island resorts), Little Dix or Biras Creek or a private villa on Virgin Gorda. Then take ferries to see the outpost of Anegada and the beach bar extravaganza that is Jost Van Dyke. Go snorkeling on a daytrip or two.

You could also consider a stay in the multi island nation of St. Vincent & the Grenadines. You could break up the stay at a resort like Young Island, just off the southern shore of St. Vincent and then explore the Grenadines. Bequia would be a great place to spend your time, too. You could take daysails to the Tobago Cays and Mustique from Bequia. St. Vincent has a dramatic coastline and ridgeline, with beautiful botanical gardens and another set of gardens called Montreal Gardens in a place called Mesopotamia (also called Mespo) Valley. It's lush and dramatic and beautiful and very off the beaten path. No resorts on the island, but plenty of hotels and guest houses. Young Island is the only resort in the area, and it's just off shore.

You could also combine the Grenadines with an island like Grenada or Barbados, which are both a bit easier to reach from the US mainland. Last summer we did a two week trip to Bequia and Grenada and found it to be a fantastic adventure. we stayed in mostly modest-to-midrange accommodations and found that our flights were the most expensive portion of our vacation. Food and activities were both very reasonable once we got there.

courtneyclv

My friend that went to Tahiti said it was very expensive too. Now, we would only stay for $100 a night at our employee starwood rate on Tahiti and Moorea...but I heard that even with that, doing anything, even eating, would cost an arm and a leg(we don't want to spend $1000 just flying to bora bora either)

I will tell you this..we want to get the most bang for our buck...hmm...I will be researching all of your suggestions tonight and look at pricing.

Thanks again and let me know if you think of any other itineraries.

Barbara1

I think St. Maarten is a good idea too. Actually there are several islands that you can take day trips to from St. maarten. Anguilla is very popular as is St. Barth's. But you can also go to St. Kitts for the day or Saba for the day. Visiting Saba is a really unique experience.. No beaches but a lush rain forest that you can climb up into and the houses are all charming gingerbread style.. Saba is only 5 square miles .
it's quite different.

Santa

For Island hopping by plane in the Caribbean, two Island airports are hubs.
One is St Martin (SXM), and the other is Antigua (ANU).
From these two Islands you can go to most any other island for 100.00 or so dollars.
You'd have to check out the rates for yourself.
Winair flys out of SXM and Liat out of ANU.
Both have websites.
Getting to Saba from St Kitts is not easy, however there are several ferries going back and forth to Nevis every day.
From Antigua, I think that there is a ferry that runs to Montserrat.

blamona

My honeymoon was hopping in Bora Bora, Moorea, etc.

I have also been to Fiji, Cooks, etc.
I have been all over the Caribbean numerous times.

In general: Caribbean is an expensive destination, airfare, depending on the time of year, won't be much less than flying to Tahiti. First off, where are you flying from, and what time of year are you going?

I wasn't bored in Bora Bora-it was after all, a honeymoon! There are plenty of excursions in the water to do, and easy to island hop within French Polynesia.

Overall, Caribbean is an expensive destination. I want you to be realistic for your honeymoon: $100 a night is not going to give a "bang for the buck". It's going to give basic accomodations, they will be clean, but probably won't have A/C, tv's, or be on the beach. (This is in general) Bargains can be found, but then the tradeoff will be getting around, and expensive food and activities. $100 a night in Bora Bora is an incredible bang for the buck.

Virgin Islands are an incredible choice to island hop, snorkel, etc. But overall, it's not an bang for the buck destination. Same with Anguilla, it's actually one of the most expensive islands in the Caribbean.

Chartering a plane, no matter how small, is never a bargain. (usually about $800 one way in most places?)
There is some great island hopping in the Out Islands of the Bahamas, but once again, not for $100 a night.

For that kind of budget, I suggest: Costa Rica. You won't get bored, and less expensive than Caribbean. If you decide to "hop" to places, you can easily get busses to Panama, Belize, even Mexico. This grouping is more realistic to your pricing.

You may also want to consider Bali, many bargains to be had there.

LvSun

I second ejcrow's suggestion of the Virgin Islands (US and BVI). The islands are very different and fun (and easy) to hop around. Also, Anegada is a unique island. Took us 3 days to find the grocery store - is basically a small house and no sign on it -- just found it because we happened to see the door open and cans on a shelf.

ejcrowe

courtney, would you be able to get your Starwood rate of $100/night at any Starwood hotel in the Caribbean? If so, then maybe you should start looking at those places (I don't know what they are, myself).

Of all the places I've visited in the Caribbean, the islands that gave the most bang for the buck were Bequia and Grenada. Both islands had what I would call really nice places to stay (not luxurious but clean and spacious and comfortable) for under $100/night. Both islands offer lots of inexpensive meal options. Bequia was much smaller and easier to get around--we could walk most places or take a short and cheap land or water taxi. On Grenada we rented a car, which was a fair sized expense. The other main difference is that we had lots of choices for fine dining, too, on Grenada whereas with Bequia there were no fine dining restaurants, period, at least not during our visit.

courtneyclv

At my starhot rate, I can stay where they have it blocked for employees. Over my dates, mid sept, I can stay on the main island of Hawaii for $80, fiji for $50, tahiti and moorea for $100, bora bora for $150. Nothing avail. in the Caribbean just yet.

We want to go somewhere for the first of our trip and stay in a nice resort, honeymoon style (can spend $250 a night?) and then island hop and stay in lower end places for $100 a night.

I just don't want to get bored on a two week vacation. We want to break up the two weeks, probably stay at the nicer place longer.

Airfare prices from San Diego/LAX to my destination...pp, round trip
Tahiti $1100
Hawaii $600
Anguilla $800
Fiji $1300

I am getting more confused now! Hmmm

CaribbeanSoul

I'd stay at the Carimar Beach Club on Anguilla. You have access to St. Maarten/Martin via 20 minute ferry for shopping, touring and excellent restaurants. St. Barth's is a short flight from SXM as well. The beaches of Anguilla are the best in the Caribbean.

courtneyclv

So my other dilema is this...I have no clue how long, 6 months, several years, etc..my hotel will give me this amazing starhot rate, I feel like I SHOULD use it while I can.

Should I use it and travel somewhere far to another country, that is available the month of my wedding, (Rio De Janeiro, fiji, tahiti) or simply go island hoping to anguilla, st. martin and st. barts? Even with the hotel discount, it would be about the same considering more airfare costs and farther travel. I know I won't go to these other places if I don't have the hotel discount in the future. What to do, what to do?

Those islands in the caribbean are expensive, but we only want to spend half of our trip 'honeymoonish'splurging and are great at finding good deals and local places.

(I am 'assuming' that the islands mentioned about the Caribbean HAVE to be cheaper than Tahiti, right?)

hmm

courtneyclv

Another thought..I have been reading that Anguilla and St. Martin do not have good snorkeling. We want to find our own cay and dive in with our own gear. So maybe those three islands wouldn't be good If I decide to not use my hotel discount.

Santa

de plane! de plane!

Hurry, hurry everyone to your places.......

Welcome to Fantsy Island

blamona

Anguilla and St. MArtin and St. Barth do NOT have great snorkeling. Anguilla in general, and St. Barth, are alot more expensive than Tahiti.

Another thing-you are looking way too soon at airfare, summer is slow season, it will probably go down.

You need to tell us a more realistic budget, although deals are plenty in Sept-they probably won't have them until end of April.

$250 will get you a decent nice place in St. Martin, but not really in Anguilla or St. Barth. More food options in St. Martin for your budget too. (Anguilla, in general, has $150 dinners per couple in general-without alcohol.)

Of course, Sept is hurricane season, so you have to pay for insurance. Keep in mind that Tahiti is a little cooler and the sun not as strong ib Sept too. Other factors to consider.

What you probably should start with is check out what properties have Starwood in Caribbean, to narrow down an island. After that, what until end of April for airfare. Also sign up for all the notices of airlines when they run specials. You tell them from where to where, and they email when there is a special. Another option if not using Starwood discounts, is to rent a villa somewhere. Of course, you'll need a car to get around, but you'll also save money buy eating in instead of out the whole time.

You may also want to consider Cabos San Lucas.

Travcarib

If you aren't sure how long this deal will last... if I were you, I would go somewhere far away. Tahiti is fantastic and so worth it! Caribbean is great but I have been to many really great spots in the Caribbean and nothing tops Bora Bora!

courtneyclv

I searched for starhot rates and there is nothing available in the caribbean in Sept. Fiji and Tahiti, moorea, bora bora is still available. So..if I had about 2 weeks, would these places get boring to me? I do want to attempt to stay in those places for $50-100 a night, even if airfare is $1200pp.

The thought of not snorkeling at all if going to the caribbean bothers me so I guess i will forget anguilla. Hmm..Rio in Brazil is still available too.

larmatage

British Virgin Islands couldn't be more perfect.... beautiful "post-card scenes", wonderful clear, warm water, you can scuba an have little yellow fishes eating pieces of bread out of your hands. You are never out of sight of an island... wonderful restaurants, and hard-to-believe resorts.
Best wishes from Canada.

Travcarib

in my opinion, I still think Tahiti would be such a fantastic option - especially for such a great rate. Will you get bored..... I guess I don't know what your expectations are? If you are looking for tons of nightlife then you may not like Tahiti- but you may not like many Caribbean islands either because most islands "shut down" in the evenings. There are plenty of places to do dinner but I would say even in Tahiti people have dinner and usually turn in to wake up early and enjoy another incredible day in paradise!

Activities in Tahiti are usually centered around water activities and island activities. Depending on which islands you go to you could... hike, do tons of amazing snorkeling, get dropped off at a private island to explore, jet ski, go to a Pearl Farm, go Pearl shopping, bike, rent a car and drive around the island, go to a traditional Polynesian Village, swim with sharks or rays, swin with dolphins, have spa treatments etc etc. and the obvious is hang out read, listen to music etc on an amazing balcony looking at gorgeous views!

I assume you just need to figure out what you are looking for in your trip. It obviously isn't going to as active as many cities of US/Europe, it's an island so think island activities....

We went to the islands of Tahiti for 9 days and I don't think there was one day that went by that we didn't have "something" planned to do. Actually to tell you the truth when we go back we want to probably do less activities and just hang out on the overwater bungalow and enjoy the special experience to the fullest possibility!

I hope you have a great time!