Who knows the Caribbean?

T

tortoise

Joined
Jul 1, 2000
Messages
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Hey gang,

The wife and I are looking for an island vacation destination for August. I've been to Puerto Rico many times, St. Thomas a couple and St. Maarten. -Liked them all, but would like to try someplace new. We're 30's, not real social, so "party-game" type resorts or casinos wouldn't be for us. Leaving from the NYC area. Anyway, here's the list, maybe somebody knows the place:

1. The Beach
a. Private would be ideal. Uncrowded of course.
b. Prefer smaller, "horseshoe" types with palm trees near the water, rather than wide, featureless, miles-long stretches of sand.
c. A reef or some rocks near shore to snorkel around, rather than just flat sandy bottom.
d. Some ammenities, like umbrellas available so we don't have to haul our own would be good, but waiters delivering drinks to the sand not necessary. (Not that we'd send him away.)


2. Restaurants
a. Prefer to be able to try small local places, rather than having to eat at resorts. A nice restaurant at the hotel is fine in addition.


3. Hotel
a. An ocean view is of course preferred. Right on the beach is even better. Don't want to have to take a bus, etc. from the hotel to the beach. Room, hut, lanai, whatever. No real preference here.
b. B&Bs are not our thing.

4. Safety
a. Should be able to venture out unescorted day or night. -Not interested in doing "the job" while on vacation and with my wife.

5. Activities
a. Like I said, no parties or casinos, but some sightseeing opportunities, natural or historic would be good.
b. Local musicians, etc. at dinner. In St. Maarten we ate in a poolside restaurant while a fire-walking/glass eating/drum playing show went on. Stuff like that is okay for entertainment. A little touristy is okay, insultingly kitschy is probably too much.

6. Weather
a. August is obviously in, though not the worst of, hurricaine season. So a statistically safer bet gets priority. We'll no doubt get some kind of travel insurance.


That's it off the top of my head. I'm hoping an experienced Caribbean traveller will read this and recognize the place I'm describing, even if I don't know it myself.

Thank you.
 
I enjoyed Barbados and was there in August. Pink sand beaches. English spoken. Varying scenery depending on which side of the island you're on. I stayed at Sam Lord's Castle and found it to be beautiful.

Have heard St. Lucia is very nice also.
 
Try Small Hope Bay Lodge on Andros Island, Bahamas.I lived a few miles from them for four years and used to hang out there drinking beer , eating coch fritters and playing chess.Great food , snorkeling , and diving.Very private.You can find them on the web.Dave :)
 
Thanks, that's a couple of new ideas.

Anyone know Anguila, Grand Cayman or Turks & Caicos? These are some that have made the list I'm working on.
 
Try staying at Maho Bay on St. John. It's a little rustic, but great. There are a lot of small beaches which aren't crowded. Pretty good diving, but few wrecks, although there are a couple small ones. Waterlemon Cay has some neat fish and sea turtles IIRC.

Lagarto
 
Grand Cayman and the Caicos have become big on the tourist level ,thats why I suggested Andros Island.It's the largest island in the Bahamas but one of the least populated and based on your criteria it would be perfect.There are other spots on Andros but I have had the most experience with Small Hope.You won't find any better diving and it has world class Bonefishing.
I am saving to take my wife there for her first time.Dave :)
 
The bonefishing is the only thing I know about Andros, and why I recognize the name. -When I was younger and an avid fisherman, I remember Salt Water Sportsman writing about Andros like Shangri-La, a mythical magical place with tailing bonefish as far as the eye could see.

Mmmmmmmmmmm, bonefish. ;) Okay, I guess I know what I'm researching when I get home. :D :cool:
 
St.Lucia is a beautiful place.I'd highly recomend a resort there called Anse Chastenet.They have a great restaurant,it's a short drive to a small town,and also nice sight seeing opportunities(tour of an active volcano and some natural hot springs were neat).Great snorkeling just off the shore,nice private cabana style rooms(I reccomend trying to get a view of the Pitons if possible)
If you want a place that is a bit more secluded look into plantation beach resort on Cayos Cochinos off the coast of the Honduras.Theres only the one resort on the island and when I was there they had only 10 rooms,and there was just one other couple there for the week I spent.We were there scuba diving and it was a great week.
 
Anguilla tops the charts for exclusivenss, beauty, and expense. Plan on taking a day to get there.

Maho Bay on St. John is a great solution if you don't mind roughing it a bit. Beautiful, cheap (for the area), and fairly easy to get to. Plan on taking a day to get there.

If you want the best of the islands and the best of France, try out St. Barts. It can be expensive and there is not much to do at night, but you might see Christie Brinkley (or the latest super model) topless on the beach. Try Village St. Jean for a reasonable place to stay. Ditto on the day trip to get there.
 
jmknife said:
... but you might see Christie Brinkley (or the latest super model) topless on the beach....
Click to expand...

Ya' know jm, it wouldn't upset me at all if you wanted to post your vacation pics and move this thread to the Cove. ;) :D
 
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