After 13 years of marriage I have finally convinced my farmer husband that the cows can be looked after by someone else. We would like to take a trip south early Feb 2001. <BR>Having looked through the travel brochures making a decision seemed easy (everything looked wonderfull) However after reading Fodors Carribean guide and reading some of this forum I am more confused than ever. <BR>I want this to be a very succesful vacation so my husband can be easily convinced to go again. (preferably not after another 13 years) <BR>I considered Nassua , Bahamas but I am not sure whether the temperature is warm enough in early Feb. <BR>Also considered Antigua Pineapple Beach resort but did not get the impression Fodors was approving. <BR>Aruba is another consideration questions regarding the wind factor. <BR>What about Cuba and the Dominican Republic ?We haven't really considered these because of the danger?factor <BR>When it comes to travel we are really inexperienced and would like any advice to help us decide. <BR>Thanks

Harriet- I'll try to help. Bahamas- too cold in Feb. I never heard anything good about Pineapple Beach. The Dominican republic was okay- went in '99, but i thought the water was cooler than in Mexico. This is our 5th trip to the Mayan suncoast. We love the ease of getting there, the beautiful ocean, the wonderful history and incredible ruins. Playa is great- look for a hotel that has what you want- some are large some more intimate, some lots of kids- others few.Are you adventuras or do you want everything right there for you?( go all inclusive if you do. My sugesstion- sit down and write what you would love to have on your dream vacation and then find a hotel that fits the bill. any questions feel free to ask. Mimi

Harriet, <BR> <BR>i think Mimi is right about avoiding the Bahamas in February. Although I just got back from there, and the weather was very warm, it is always possible that a strong cold front could make its way that far south. Besides, the water is quite chilly this time of year, no matter what the air temp is.

Hi Harriet. My grandparents were dairy farmers and never took a vacation so I have an idea what you've been up against & really want to help you. Good for you for persuading your husband! <BR> <BR>First, you need to tell us a little more about what you are looking for in a vacation and what you enjoy. Do you want to relax on a beach, go snorkeling or scuba diving, go hiking in mountains/rainforest, have lots of nightlife or prefer quiet, do you want casinos, golf, wildlife, water sports, etc. etc. etc. Also, you need to give us an idea of your budget and your timeframe (one week or two?). Do you want a large all-inclusive resort or a smaller place with more local character? I don't know if you've posted a question in the Caribbean forum as well, but if not you should because given the islands you're considering you seem more focused on the Caribbean than Latin America. I can suggest two wonderful places I've been. <BR> <BR>First, St. Lucia is fantastic and I would highly recommend it. Weather in February should be perfect. It is very lush, mountainous and beautiful. The resort I stayed at was Ladera which is on the southwest coast near Soufriere. It is very pricey but wonderful. There are less-expensive places to stay on St. Lucia. Here is the website: www.ladera-resort.com <BR> <BR>Instead of the Caribbean, if you want to go to Latin America then I can recommend Costa Rica very highly. Again, it is a gorgeous country with mountains and rainforest. The beaches are not as great as what you will find in the Caribbean though. But the real attraction is the wildlife -- monkeys, toucans, etc. I posted a trip report on this forum about Costa Rica which you can find if you do a search using the country name. <BR> <BR>Also, in addition to perusing the Caribbean forum, you should go to the Forums Home page at the very bottom of the page and click on "past hosted forums" where there is an index -- there was recently a great hosted forum on the Caribbean Islands by a Fodor's expert. He gave lots of good advice about various islands. Check it out and see what you think. <BR> <BR>Good luck!

Hello there Harriet - assume you're a Canadian?? Anyhow, there's a lady and her husband out there in Fodor's Forum land who are at this minute sitting on the beach at the RIU Palace on the Mexican Mayan Riveriea - similar situation as yourselves as this is their first trip to the Caribbean but they booked first based on some advice from a travel agent and then learned all about their destination and what to do and not to do through this column! A lot of it was also personal emails between me and the lady of the house. So when she's back (to Sask) and reading the column I'm sure she will be glad to help in making that first time choice based on their own experience. (Bev - hurry back as this lady needs some help here!) <BR>Mimi is right though - decide what you want to help you narrow down your choice. Also if you are a Canadian, I'm going to strongly suggest an all-inclusive as you know how bad our dollar looks when it's converted to U.S. currency! An ai might also help you get your feet wet so to speak - you can eat, sleep and do that Caribbean thing on the resort and then as you get braver you take arranged tours or cabs off the resort to check out your surroundings. Big rule of thumb - you do get what you pay for - a 3 star all inclusive may look like a bargain but the accomadations may be like a cheap motel back home and the quality/selection of food may not be that great. For a first time trip you should look at minimum 4 or 5 star. <BR>Another alternative for a first timer is to take a cruise that stops at several islands - that way you can see some different islands and think about where you might want to return to for a land vacation. <BR>One last note - CUBA IS VERY VERY VERY SAFE. Trust me, it's not like Fidel and his soldiers are running around herding the tourists with guns! We just got back from two weeks at the Melia Rio de Oro in Guardalava/Holguin. (check it out at www.sunquest.com) and we had a wonderful time. The cubans are wonderful people. It was an all-inclusive and the food was excellent, the facilities were very nice, the resort itself was beautiful, lots of evening entertainment, the beach was spectacular and ditto for the pool. Even though any extras (excursions, massage, etc) are in U.S. dollars, the Canadians love Cuba as everything is still a lot cheaper than other islands. Massage was $13. U.S an hour-yes, an hour compared to $50. on other islands. A trip to the aquarium including swimming with the dolphins was $43. U.S. On other islands you are paying $60 + just to swim with the dolphins. Granted there isn't much shopping outside of rum and cigars but this is not a big deal if you're not a big shopper. So please do not get the wrong idea about Cuba (pick up the Fodor's Exploring Cuba book if you need more info on this island). You just won't hear much about it on this forum because Americans won't go there (even though they can if they fly in from a Mexican or Canadian departure point - the Cubans don't stamp their passports). <BR>Do not hesitate to email direct if you have more questions. We've been to 8 ai's throughout the Caribbean and the Yucatan, so if I can be of any help, just holler. <BR>

<BR>Hi Harriet: <BR>I have just returned from 2 weeks at the beautiful Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Like yourselves, we didn't know where to go, had also considered the Bahamas...not warm enough, and then my travel agent suggested Mexico....first response was NO WAY, then when he sent me the information and assured me that the food, water etc. was perfectly safe, we decided to go for it. It was our first caribbean holiday and it was nothing less than perfect. If you would like any specific information on the area and resort we stayed at, feel free to e-mail me at [email protected]. <BR>

Harriet- <BR> <BR>Agree with most of what is posted above, but had to respond to Debbie's comment re: US citizens and Cuba. Americans generally cannot travel to Cuba unless they have a specific cultural/educational reason. Even then, these authorized travelers cannot spend more than $100 per day (and yes, this is audited often upon return).Travel to Cuba via a third country is very risky--any traveler who is found to have illegally traveled to Cuba is at risk of having their passport invalidated. The risk, despite the many joys of Cuba, makes travel there impractical. It's not that we don't want to travel there, it's simply illegal for now. But enough of politics. <BR> <BR>I would endorse the comments on Costa Rica. Just returned on Friday and had a terrific week. Much to see and do-deep sea fishing, rainforests, birds, monkeys, volcanoes and truly wonderful people. February would be in the height of the dry season for you, so you should get lots of wonderful weather. We saw 3 clouds, yes a total of 3 clouds in an entire week. <BR> <BR>Aruba is windy, but during the time that you are planning to travel, you should expect stronger winds in Costa Rica than in Aruba. Aruba's wind is best described as a breeze and because it is constant there are NO bugs on the island. I've not been to Aruba in February, but in March and April over the past 2 years and the wind was never a factor. Always there, just not any source of irritation. <BR> <BR>Your dollar, particularly if you get off the resorts, will go much further in Costa Rica than in Aruba. Also, be sure to take either US dollars or credit cards to Aruba. Can't speak for other Caribbean locations, but the Canadian dollar was useless in Aruba. We had one couple from Ontario tell us that they couldn't even exchange cash for Florians at an Aruban bank. <BR> <BR>In any event, have fun!!

If you've never travelled much, go to Mayan Riviera (probably Playa del Carmen). Costa Rica is fantastic, but could be just more "foreign," where Mexico is relatively tame. I agree re: Cuba. Much too much for a first time adventure.

I agree with most of the above re: Mayan Riviera/have you considered Cozumel? Have been there 4 times, stayed in a private home but heard Presidente Inter-Continental is best. You must check out the "deserted" side of Cozumel for best eco experience....plus, Cozumel is VERY safe. No unemployment so there is little or no crime, and great restaurants. Excellent snorkeling. I would highly recommend it. However, staying at Playa del Carmen or Mayan Riviera gives you access to both Cancun (20 miles north) or Cozumel (ferry ride across) and it is a beautiful area. <BR>

Any traveler who is found to have illegally traveled to Cuba is at risk of having their passport invalidated?!?!?! OUCH! That makes the USA sound more like the old USSR. <BR> <BR>Contact the Center for Constitutional Rights in NYC. They will explain how you can travel to Cuba without the INS getting a bug up their nose. <BR> <BR>Use your favorite search engine and you will find tons of information on US citizens travelling to Cuba and all the ins and out on going about it.