BS: Dream Caribbean Vacation

Subject: BS: Dream Caribbean Vacation
From: Dani
Date: 14 Sep 04 - 02:23 PM

Just because it's fun to dream, my family and I are fantasizing about where we would go IF we could go. It's turning into a fun research/daydream project for everyone.

So have you been to any of those lovely islands? Been anyplace you would recommend? Any place you WOULDN'T recommend?

'Cause if I DO get to go someday I want to be ready!

Dani (weary and longing for a toasty beach and cool surf to swim in)

Subject: RE: BS: Dream Caribbean Vacation
From: Amos
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 12:13 AM

I wouldn't recommend a lot of places in Jamaica, especially around Kingston; Negril is lovely, and the hills are beuatiful, but you want to stay awake.

The Dominican Republic is lvoely and fun, but I would steer clear of Haiti.

The ABC islands (Bonaire, Curacao, and Abaco, I think) are dryer. Bonaire is wonderful if you like diving and not too entertaining otherwise except for one casino.

Tortola is beautiful, and so is St Thomas away from the main tourist traps. I am told the same about Saint Barts but haven't been there.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Dream Caribbean Vacation
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 03:07 AM

In 2003 I took my family to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands...It was expensive but what an experience. Looking through the bottom of a glass bottomed boat, body boarding,eating good food in the restaurants(especially "Fat Hog Bobs", hearing some great local music, seeing the sights such as Cane Garden Bay etc etc. However, by chance..in that we missed our connection plane from Antigua....We stayed overnight at the "Jolly Beach" resort in Antigua on an "all inclusive" basis...It was wonderful and would have been cheaper than the holiday we went on. I would recommend it to anyone.
Best wishes.

Subject: RE: BS: Dream Caribbean Vacation
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 03:33 AM

Hull.

Subject: RE: BS: Dream Caribbean Vacation
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 03:39 AM

Don't tell them about Hull Ted, we don't want loads of bloddy foreingers coming here!

Subject: RE: BS: Dream Caribbean Vacation
From: Mooh
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 08:50 AM

You might want to wait until after the current round of hurricanes and then visit with a mind to help the economy or help rebuild. The destruction has ruined many lives and property.

However, my bro spent a few years on Abaco in the Bahamas (okay, not Caribbean), what a life compared to Canada.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: Dream Caribbean Vacation
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 09:10 AM

Dani-

It all depends about what you're dreaming about, your willingness to explore beyond a resort compound, your facility for foreign language, your appetite for exotic food, and your budget.

We don't like big resorts and do like to explore on our own. We enjoyed a visit based on the French side of St. Martins, one of the more tourist developed islands. We've also visited St. Kitts several times and find it more "laid back" but enjoyable. We tend to go off-season for better rates, which generally means November. We generally rent a car for at least a weekend so we can be more free to nose about all over the island. We also enjoy snorkling amidst tropical fish and St, Kitts has a great catamaran cruise/picnic for that but do pick a calm day! We had a rough day when we tried that in St. Martin; the sail and the picnic were great but we should never have tried to snorkel in the waves.

We find the websites extremely helpful in terms of picking a resort to base ourselves in, and they all love to provide discounts for repeat customers.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Dream Caribbean Vacation
From: frogprince
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 01:09 PM

It's been ten years since we made it to the Caribbean once, to St. Martin. We got a good off-season (December) price for a week at the Grand Case club, and a hammered up but servicable Subaru very cheap.
Depending on your sensitivities/proclivities: beaches on the French side are definitely top-optional, and in practice you may encounter "everything optional" anywhere on the French side. For our own selves, we capped off the evening of our anniversary skinny dipping under a full moon at Orient Bay, where the big sign at the entry drive says "welcome to our nude beach". A beach shack right there served a huge, delicious, slab of grilled swordfish with fries for 7 bucks then. The prestige French restaurants were already deathly expensive. Anywhere down there, the warm clear sea water is wonderful.

Subject: RE: BS: Dream Caribbean Vacation
From: mack/misophist
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 02:02 PM

Go to Cuba, during WW 2. A man I once knew was stationed in Pennsicola, Florida then and took the Liberty Launch to Cuba every weekend. He said it was the most wonderful place he'd ever been or heard of.

Subject: RE: BS: Dream Caribbean Vacation
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 02:27 PM

Then there is "The Port of Dreams":Click here!

When we were in St. Martin we had a wonderful time staying at a small resort called Capt. Olivers. The resort straddled the French/Dutch border; we slept on the French side and breakfasted on the Dutch side. They even had some good traditional music entertainment. We missed our first visit to St. Martin two years before because a hurrican circled the Island and actually swept in from the West. Quebec City was fun as an alternative but not much for snorkeling!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Dream Caribbean Vacation
From: jimmyt
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 02:54 PM

I have had 2 peoople who travel a lot vote for Anguilla and Dominica as 2 out of the way spots that are absuolutely tops on their lists of Tropical paradise. i love the Caymans for diving but with the recent hurricaine, I am thinking it will be a mess for a while Also very expensive place without too much charm except in the water.