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Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
#290817
11/08/2022 04:31 PM
11/08/2022 04:31 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,552 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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OK, so, we're looking for something different for June next year, somewhere in the Caribbean basin. If you don't know already, we've kind of 'been everywhere" in the Caribbean. We have been on over 30 cruises throughout the Caribbean and stayed on probably a dozen islands for land visits. Probably not interested in an a/i, although that is a possibility, I guess. NOT interested in roughing it at all.
REQUIREMENTS-- NON-STOP air from either Ft. Lauderdale or Miami is an absolute MUST==or, even better--Orlando or Tampa MUST have a/c and good internet An island having a casino is a plus. LOVE great food. Nude beach is a plus, not a requirement at all.
Places that are OUT St. Maarten/ST. Martin--just because Anguilla--would just be looking at SXM and wishing we were there Aruba--been there, done that Jamaica--been there, done that Yucatan--Not interested in getting shot on vacation St. Lucia--No, not sure why Bahamas--No.
Possibilities-- Belize -- No idea, never been there. Costa Rica--Ditto. Curacao--Never stayed there, visited there several times on cruises Antigua--Maybe Guadelupe--Maybe? Can you get by there without any French?
Thoughts??
Carol Hill
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: Mpant]
#290828
11/08/2022 06:13 PM
11/08/2022 06:13 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,552 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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I really don't know anything about Costa Rica. Any suggestions there?
Carol Hill
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#290848
11/09/2022 09:28 AM
11/09/2022 09:28 AM
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,928 Annapolis
Eva
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Though I've only stayed on the Pacific (not Caribbean) side of Costa Rica, when I arrived there, my first thought was "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?!" Where we went - Santa Teresa - was really hard to reach (kind of the story of my life, since I like remote places), but there are plenty of easier places to reach with big-name resort hotels and access to beaches, mountains, rain forests, cloud forests, etc. Such a beautiful place, with lots of progressive and green policies, and lovely people, that make it so appealing. Here's my blog post about our trip: Costa Rica
I've got a Caribbean Soul I can barely control... (JB)
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: Eva]
#290852
11/09/2022 09:57 AM
11/09/2022 09:57 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,552 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Eva--yeah, Santa Teresa looks way too hard to reach to me! I will look at it more though. Thanks.
Carol Hill
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#290853
11/09/2022 10:43 AM
11/09/2022 10:43 AM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,682
LBI2SXM
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: LBI2SXM]
#290854
11/09/2022 10:48 AM
11/09/2022 10:48 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,552 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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LB--what do you like about Curacao? It's definitely in the mix. Where do you stay?
Carol Hill
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: Zanshin]
#290857
11/09/2022 11:04 AM
11/09/2022 11:04 AM
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Carol_Hill
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Zanshin---thanks for the reply. I have always heard that Martinique is not friendly at all to those who don't speak French. Albeit only on cruises, we also never got a good 'vibe' from Martinique.
Carol Hill
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: CLIFFTOPS]
#291165
11/14/2022 04:39 PM
11/14/2022 04:39 PM
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Carol_Hill
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Clifftops--I honestly think I would be bored on Anguilla.
Carol Hill
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: Jeannius]
#291195
11/15/2022 10:03 AM
11/15/2022 10:03 AM
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Posts: 83,552 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Yes, I need to look at the flight situation, to see what is available. Thanks.
Carol Hill
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#292055
12/05/2022 09:44 PM
12/05/2022 09:44 PM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 507 Florida
RobT
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I suppose you can get by on Guadeloupe with out speaking French, but it would be difficult. My wife speaks French so we did not have a problem, but the people on Guadeloupe and Martinique think they are French and many have the French attitude on speaking French. (Yes, I know they are French citizens.) Why bother if other places are available.
Beach Hunter
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: RobT]
#292056
12/05/2022 09:48 PM
12/05/2022 09:48 PM
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Carol_Hill
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Rob--thanks for your info. We decided to just go back to St Maarten/St. Martin..
Carol Hill
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: CLIFFTOPS]
#293293
01/02/2023 12:17 AM
01/02/2023 12:17 AM
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Stay on the North side of Anguilla and you will not be seeing SXM. You may never return to SXM after several days in Anguilla. No hustle and bustle like in SXM.
Yes and Yes. Shoal Bay Villas on Upper Shoal Bay Beach.
PAHI
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#293294
01/02/2023 12:27 AM
01/02/2023 12:27 AM
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Carol,
Took a trip to Antigua in 2014 and stayed at Galley Bay when it was less expensive than now. A really cool island, lots of beaches, British naval history, nice capital town. Not the reefiest place in the Caribbean but it was a great trip.
PAHI
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: PAHI]
#293302
01/02/2023 10:03 AM
01/02/2023 10:03 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,552 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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We stayed a couple days in Antigua, prior to a cruise that left from there, several years ago. For this year, we decided to just go back to SXM..
Carol Hill
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#293319
01/02/2023 05:37 PM
01/02/2023 05:37 PM
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We stayed a couple days in Antigua, prior to a cruise that left from there, several years ago. For this year, we decided to just go back to SXM.. Can't go wrong on SXM......:-)
PAHI
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#297867
03/20/2023 02:08 PM
03/20/2023 02:08 PM
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Docmont
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#322215
07/15/2024 10:23 AM
07/15/2024 10:23 AM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,488 Rhode Island
RonDon
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Antigua is lovely with beautiful landscape, British, so language isn't a problem; however driving is on the left side like in England. Can't remember name of place where we stayed but it had a beautiful view of the Island of Monserrat.
Not sure about non-stop flights from your area. But you wrote that you did go there.
Margarita Island
Some of the places I would have recommended just had hurricane damage.
Last edited by RonDon; 07/15/2024 10:27 AM.
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#322797
07/31/2024 08:55 AM
07/31/2024 08:55 AM
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,030 U.K. and Spain
Jeannius
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Since this thread has been resurrected, I'll add one more place that hasn't been mentioned... Montserrat. Doesn't fit Carol's requirements but maybe for others. Last month, I went to Monserrat for the 3rd time. All arriving by boat but you can get flights from Antigua. Montserrat is the most wonderful place, beautifully green except for the bits damaged by the volcano. Very little to do but, if you like peace and quiet in the Caribbean, I don't think it can be beaten.
The people are incredibly friendly. An example... Before we arrived, we had tried, but failed, to contact the tour guide we had previously used 12 years ago. When we were in C&I we asked if the customs inspector knew him. She did, and yes he was still working. She asked other staff if anyone had his number, someone did and they called him for us. No reply. Oh, well we thought that was the end of it. Two minutes later as we were walking back to the dinghy dock, she came running after us (always worrying when officials come running after you) but she just held out her phone and said "I've got Joe for you". Imagine any C&I person doing that for you, in any other country in the world! Montserrat is wonderful.
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: hankmanco]
#322799
07/31/2024 09:48 AM
07/31/2024 09:48 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,552 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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We ended up back in SXM in June 2023 and 2024. However, in a recent development, Eric's brother purchased a condo in St. Croix, so we will be headed there the end of this week for a week long stay. We've never been land based there, so it will be interesting. Look for reports in the USVI forum!
Carol Hill
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: Carib_Ian]
#322879
08/02/2024 09:07 AM
08/02/2024 09:07 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,552 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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We've been to Bonaire twice on a cruise. It might work for others, but it's entirely too quiet for me. I'm not sure there's a nude beach there anymore either, as I think that resort was sold? Anyway, a good friend of mine once said "A big night on Bonaire is going out for a pizza. A REALLY big night is going out for a pizza and a BEER!" ![smile smile](/images/graemlins/default/smile.gif) For someone that is a huge snorkeller or diver, it would work, but not for me.
Carol Hill
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#323685
08/25/2024 05:14 PM
08/25/2024 05:14 PM
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Joined: Aug 2024
Posts: 2 Middleton WI
phustad711
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I really like Costa Rica, but with the forewarning there are significant travel time after you land at the airport. When you book a house in some areas, it comes with a cooking staff. You pay for the food and tip everyone, but it is a really cool feature. We were in Manual Antonio, and there were so many monkeys there. Funny story, a monkey came into the outside kitchen / bar area, opened the bar beverage fridge, and took a can of coconut cream. I stole it back from the monkey, threw it back in the refrigerator. That monkey was not to be outdone -- he came back real quick, opened up the bar fridge, and took another can of coconut cream and was gone before I could take it back. They went up the tree and were trying to get the can opened, and then the can fell from the tree, and the can did burst open and was spraying cream of coconut. That team of monkeys were on the ground in about 3 seconds, but there were so many monkeys already on the ground enjoying that treat. The monkey scared away the littler monkeys, and all enjoyed the treat. The original monkey theft was shaking the can to get out all the contents. Another quick story, we hired a cook and they did cook for a group of us, but they left a lot in the outside kitchen because there just was not enough room in the fridge. Then everyone left, we were going to go when I saw all that food. I told my husband the monkeys will be here in no time, and he laughed -- until the monkeys started coming. I had already started moving everything into our air conditioned bedroom, but went into high gear throwing things in there -- they got bread and tortillas but we replaced those items.
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Re: Idea for someplace different to go in the Caribbean
[Re: phustad711]
#323686
08/25/2024 06:16 PM
08/25/2024 06:16 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,552 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Thanks for the cute story! I think that would be a little TOO close to nature for me!
Carol Hill
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