For those of you well travelled in this area of the world...

Which is your all-time favorite island and why?
Be specific!
Do you prefer coral or volcanic islands?
Beaches or rainforest?
Is there an island you would NEVER return to?

My glib answer to your question is that my favorite islands are the last one I visited (Long Island, Bahamas) and the next one I'm visiting (the Spanish Virgins). But that wouldn't be accurate, because when I'm daydreaming or planning or going to my "happy place," my favorite islands would either be Nevis or the Exumas (can't pick just one of them). I cover the waterfront, as it were, with a lush volcanic island and scrubby/coral-y/flat ones. Why? Because they are beautiful in their own way; are populated and visited by lovely, warm, and friendly people; and I just feel relaxed and comfortable there. Which one is my favorite at any given moment depends on whether I want to lazily lounge on a beach, spend a week living on a sailboat, or get a little bit of everything.

There are places I don't think I'd return, mostly because they are not my style (Grand Cayman, New Providence), but I'm sure that if I had the time and someone convinced me to to, I could make the best of it. Also, I've also learned to never say never. I never thought I'd go back to St. Martin after my honeymoon, but I'm now planning my 4th visit there because I've found something there that delights me enough to stay for at least a few days.

I've had the luxury of a few dozen trips to the Caribbean, but if I were advising someone making their first journey, I'd recommend a destination that offers a little bit of everything -- and for that, I would suggest the British Virgin Islands or Grenada.

Curious, are you asking because you're trying to plan, or are you just seeing if people think like you? If seeing if people think like you, tell us your answers! ;-)

If trying to plan, you'll ask 10 people, you'll get 10 different answers. Every island has a fan, every island has haters.

If trying to plan and want our help, tell us your tastes, budgets, expectations. That way we well traveled can help narrow it down. So I ask back:

budget
who's going with you
have you been anywhere/like dislike about it
shopping?
nightlife?
relax
culture
beach important or more active?

All time favorite - Palm Island in the Grenadines. Why? We always have fun! We enjoy taking a snorkeling trip to the Tobago Cays. The General Manager (Chris) is the best we've ever seen in the Caribbean. It tends to be a little bit of an older crowd and the other guests are always fun to talk to. It's romantic. The food is great. And I truly feel at home. We're leaving soon for another trip there - knowing we will be so comfortable, will have wonderful service and enjoy the Caribbean magic every day!
I might say coral over volcanic.
I feel that for winter vacations, I prefer the beach as our lake here is frozen over.
I hated St Lucia and won't go back. I never relaxed there and I have never had to put so much effort into a vacation before. I'm not prepared to do that ever again.

Coral islands-I love the beach and the water.
Favorite island-Anguilla. Great beaches, great people, great restaurants, very relaxing
Least favorite-Aruba-I know, coral island-but very Americanized (I love the US, but when I travel outside it I want to feel like I am outside). I thought the food and people were just so-so, the trade winds just left me sand blasted but it weren't cooling. I think Aruba is very polarizing, everyone I know either loves it or hates it, nothing in between.

see my response
to your previous post
that you hijacked
with this one.