kattrina

My husband and I have gone to Cancun (all-inclusive) 8 times. In the beginning it was very nice but it has gone downhill. The area is to over developed. We were looking for a nice place to go next January. We don't have to go all-inclusive unless it is exceptional. What suggestions do any of you have for the caribbean?

JMM

In all honesty, it's hard to quantify a &quot;best&quot; island. It depends on what is important to you.<BR> great beaches ? scenery? Lots to do? quiet and secluded ? luxury resorts ? AIs ? safety ? culture ? historical sites ? great snorkeling ? golfing ? great restaurants ?<BR>No one island has all this.

kattrina

Sorry...I was being too general. I am new at this. We love great beaches &amp; nice places to go out to dinner in the evening.<BR>We want to stay at a nice place but after looking at the westin online it looks pretty expensive. I don't know what a reasonable rate is having only gone to Cancun

baker

My favourite is St.Martin; it has great beaches, fabulous dining, shopping, nightlife, and the people are friendly. We've been going there over 20 years and love it every time; just went in December and again for a week this month. My advice: stay on the French side and don't go to an all-inclusive as there are too many good places to eat. And don't let anyone tell you it is too expensive; you can find great food in all price ranges. Our last trip we stayed at Hotel L'Hoste which is right on Orient Beach. Check out the web site www.hostehotel.com They have various packages; if you're Canadian, Signature Vacations is the only company that carries L'Hoste. The beaches are powdery white sand and the water is the blue you see in pictures. Lots of beach activities if you want that like parasailing, seadoo's, kitesailing, etc. We pack a lunch for the beach in our fold-down cooler; ham, cheese, baguettes, fruit, cold drinks and we go out for dinner. If you have any St.Martin (SXM) questions just ask.

CF

LOL...you are probably going to get as many answers as there are islands. Everyones fave is the &quot;best&quot;.

CF

Cancun 8 times...wow, you ARE ready for a change. Twice was enough for us.

cancun_luv03

I have been to Cancun once( loved it great beaches), Grand Cayman twice (it was awesome), Jamaica Once (terrible I owuld never go there because of the poor people and the beggars), Hawaii once ( if you like a veriaty than go there), Cozumel (nasty, the streets were filled with people trying to get you to come into thier store and they were saying that they had the best deal), If you want to try out different islands I would suggest a Royal Carribean Cruise. My overall fav. for romance would be Hawaii (but dont go to the big island),if you are looking for a shops,food, great beaches,and are willingto spend a little extra I would go to Grand Cayman.

SusanLynne

Message: Hi Katrina!<BR><BR>Like others have said, you will have a wide array of answers to your question. I can't help but put my two cents in. <BR><BR>Here are some of our favorites: <BR>Anguilla for its stunning beaches, its residents, relaxing ambiance and some fanstastic restaurants. <BR><BR>Cat Island (Bahamas) for its crystal clear water, lack of crowds, friendly locals and utter desolation. <BR><BR>Anegada (northernmost of the BVI's) for its residents, complete and utter desolation, lack of crowds and chances to discover private beaches (when we went, we discovered a beach while driving around and stayed the entire day - never saw another person. So we went back the next day, and never saw another person that day as well!!)<BR><BR>We have been to St. John, Virgin Gorda, St. Martin, Cancun, Turks and Caicos, and others. While all lovely in their own way, we prefer to really get away from it all and look for places where there are no telephones or televisions in the rooms!<BR><BR>Good luck in your search. Can't help but agree that it is time to find a new place for you and your husband to enjoy!

JJDave

Well....Anguilla really does have some very nice beaches. However, it is a flat, kind of scrub island. St. Martin is one of my least favourite places. St. Kitts I quite enjoyed, especially the fort on Brimstone Hill. The British Virgin Islands I loved, especially Cane Garden Bay and Smugglers Cove on Tortola...Virgin Gorda was also quite nice. Grace Bay on Turks and Caicos truly mesmorized me. The whitest sand I have ever seen coupled with the most turquoise water. It too is a flat, scrub island. Jamaica...nice island but nope, never again, too many hassles with pedlars We have just returned from Grenada, Grande Anse beach. Grenada was absolutely wonderful with the friendliest people I have ever met. A great place with many points of interest for touring. Completely safe.

ParrotMom

My very favorite is Bermuda...fabulous beaches, clean, great people who really like tourists and shopping. The island is only 19 miles long and lots of things to do...including pubs..lol

Hayden

I loved Cozumel and would go back. The snorkling was wonderful at the Intercontential and the restaurants were fun to go to, La Mission is the best! I always felt safe. Cancun 8 times is a lot, go for a change, anywhere. My sister has been to many of the islands and Curacao and St. Thomas are her picks. Look into them. We are going to St Thomas soon so I will let you know. Have fun they all have there pluses and minuses. Just relax and have fun!!

Smokyboy

I'm with you ParrotMom, Bermuda hands down! A broad question it may be but if you had to say best all around I would pick Bermuda if all around means such things as beauty, charm, weather, cleanliness, culture and lushness. The government is sound (the largest employer on the island), there is little crime and virtually no blight. Bermduda attracts a much higher income tourist than average and it is more expensive than most islands. The combination of all this and its small size I wouldn't hesitate to call it the &quot;best all around&quot;. The bad part is because it is more expensive not near as many peeople get to experience Bermuda. I wish that they could.

Canuck_at_Canada_eh

<BR>Well, I have to agree with the other posters that each person’s ideal is somewhat subjective and a personal decision, but for what it’s worth, my choice has to be La Isla Grande…… Cuba! In six trips (more to come) here is what attracts me.<BR><BR>-Safety<BR>-Sugar sand beaches, Cayo Largo<BR>-Miles of beaches, Varadero<BR>-Super 500-year-old architecture and history<BR>-Havana Vieja (Old Havana) and Trinidad<BR>-Pristine Scuba Diving, Isla de la Juventud<BR>-Salsa Music<BR>-Accommodation range from International 5 * to Casa Particulars (private homes)<BR>-Havana Club Rum and Mojitos<BR>-Museums and Galleries too numerous to mention<BR>-Teatro Garcia Lorca (Gran Teatro), Havana, National Ballet and Opera<BR>-Cuban Cigars – Cohiba, Partagas, Romeo y Julieta, Monte Cristo….<BR>-Havana International Jazz Festival<BR>-Hemingway<BR>-Criollo (Cuban food) including frijoles negros, platanos, moros y cristianos, cerdo asado, ajiaco, pollo assado. The best food is to eat at Paladares (licensed private home restaurants)<BR>-old cars<BR>-Only a short 3 ½ hour flight from Toronto.<BR><BR>So those are some of my reasons. My only dislike is the political system, but that is more than offset by the super friendly people. &quot;Mi Casa, su Casa”…. My House is Your House, an attitude that is hard to beat.<BR><BR>Steve<BR>

caribtraveler

Hi,<BR>8 times?? You do need a change!! Hope you find something that works for you.<BR>Like the others said, it is hard to say whichever is best all around.<BR>It all depends on what you like. Every island has its plusses and minuses depending on who you talk.<BR>We loved St. Lucia for its beauty and its people, not so crazy about the water (not that crystal blue kind). We had a blast in Aruba (great water, diverse looking island but very touristy), and so on and so on..<BR>Although not in the Caribbean, we did the Westin in Maui last year. Loved it but thought it was kind of overpriced (they charge for sitting on the beach's lounge chairs..I'll never get over that one!!)<BR>Have you thought about getting a Fodors Caribbean book (I swear I don't work for Fodors!!)? That's how my husband and I go about picking which island to try every year. And we do lots of research online too..<BR>It really depends on what you and your husband like.<BR>So many great islands, so little time!! Have fun researching and deciding!!<BR><BR>

Carola22

What about Anguilla? Nice quiet island, fabulous beaches, great restaurants. We also liked Nevis: the beaches are not as beautiful as in Anguilla, but the landscape itself is more interesting - there is a rainforest with some great hiking tours. And the people are VERY friendly.

kattrina

Thank you everyone!! So many great ideas and choices. I have months to decide and it will be fun looking into all these wonderful suggestions.

Maureen

Surprised to read that the Cancun poster does not like the Big Island. After having traveled to many islands over the years, the Big Island of Hawaii still remains one of our favorites--it is not as commercial as some of the other hawaiian islands and it is very beautiful. Traveler must have had a bad experience.

TC

To help with your choice Kattrina, take a look at www.islands.com It is the web site for Islands Magazine and has wonderful information about almost every island - in the world. There is a brief outline of each island, lots of maps, and links to the 3 or 4 best island web sites. IMHO its a great tool for planning an island vacation. Hope this helps.<BR><BR>My favorite island - Cozumel.