Romantic Island, not a city person
 

Could any tell me their favorite island thats not in the midst of it all. Havent done much research yet and would like a starting point for my honeymoon. We love to scuba dive, snorkel, hike and lay on a wide beautiful beach without being too crowded by other tourists. Thank you so much!

p.s. forgot to mention the Hawaii part. tx

Mandy, we visited Kauai, Maui and Oahu in that order. Nothing topped Kauai and we compared everything to our experience there. We stayed on the north shore (which gets more rain than the Poipu area, but it only sprinkled one day out of seven during our stay in September, and that didn't stop us from our exploration). Each morning I could walk to a different amazing and deserted place from our rental in Princeville. Hiking and snorkeling is great on Kauai - it is definitely a dreamy place - I am still dreaming about it.

My first choice would be any of the islands in French Polynesia like Bora Bora, Moorea, etc (honeymooned in 10/00). They get less tourists in one year than Hawaii gets in one day!!!<BR><BR>It has everything you're looking for (scuba, snorkel, hiking and uncrowded beaches) especially because of the beautiful lagoons surrounding the islands or atolls. There are some GENERAL drawbacks such as the greater cost, longer flight, less modern amenitites and plenty other. But very few things beat lounging on the deck of your overwater bungalow admiring the turquoise lagoons and majestic mountains of French Polynesia.<BR><BR>But I'm also a huge fan of Hawaii as you may gather if you've come across my many posts on this forum. It's popular and crowded because it has SO MUCH to offer. I would recommend you check out Lanai because it seems to have everything you desire without being too crowded (at least away from the day trippers). But you could also find what you desire on any of the Hawaiian islands if you stay away from the popular places. But this would require more time to research which could cut into your wedding planning.<BR><BR>I believe your immediate goal should be to prioritize what is most important for you on your honeymoon and to determine your maximum budget. Then determine which resort(s) on the desired islands meets your priority and fits under the budget. Pick and choose among those. Good luck!

I would second Maggi's advice and also vote for Kauai. We spent 2 weeks there this year and enjoyed it.<BR>If you are open to other suggestions, I would recommend Costa Rica which is as beautiful (if not more) as Hawaii and much less crowded.

Thank you all so much for the advice, I have alot of research to do, luckily our honeymoon is not until Oct. 2003. It is snowing in MN right now...we're going on an engagement trip to Jamaica in 26 days, just thinking about that warm Caribbean water gives me the shakes! Thanks again!

Mandy,<BR><BR>Kauai would be a fabulous place for your honeymoon. Great scuba, snorkling, hiking (Waimea Canyon and Na Pali Coast should not be missed) and MANY wide beautiful beaches that would not be crowded. Plus the leisurely pace of the island should be perfect for someone who wants a romantic island and is not a city person. If you go, I think a helicopter ride is worth the splurge (I'd recommend Will Squires, but there are several safe, reputable companies)

Well, if you really want to get away from it all, I would not go to any of the Hawaiian Islands, or most of French Polynesia. I would suggest Tonga, Fiji, or the Cook Islands. One of our most favorite remote locations is the Ha'apai Group in Tonga. Sandy Beach Resort on Foa Island is about as far from anywhere else as you can get, with spectacular SCUBA diving, an uninhabited beach, cute bungalows, and a gourmet restaurant.

Another vote for Kauai. It is snowing in South Dakota right now. I would love to be snorkeling on Ke'e Beach or hiking the Kalalau Trail, rather than looking for my snow shovel!

for a honeymoon I recommend Caneel Bay on St. John,USVI. We went there for our 15th anniversary and nothing was less than exceptional. You truly can be the only couple on the beach as there are about 4 different ones. Plenty of free snorkeling, wind surfing and kyacking at the hotel as well as great trips to Virgin Gorda for snorkeling also. Pricey but worth every cent. Be sure to arrange in advance for the Caneel Bay ferry from ST. Thomas airport. We weren't aware of it and had quite a harrowing taxi trip to the ferry on the other side of the island!