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Both offer a lot and this makes sense. I love that I can be in the carribean in a little over 2 hours (some a little further). Come February that has a lot of appeal for a quick get-away
Hawaii from where I live is in many ways more difficult to get to than is Europe and requires a full day travel each way.
Ragrdless both are pretty damn good
Exactly - I could be in Rome before I'm in Hawaii. I might as well go to another country (including the Caribbean islands) and expand my horizons that way.
… But it's not. I understand that, but I can truly be in another country, one that even speaks a different language, faster than I can be in Hawaii.
The Caribbean islands are also rich in culture and interesting history.
I dont understand the point? I can be in Mexico before I can be in NYC too. Even from California you can be in other countries before Hawaii. Doesnt really change the outcome....
I dont understand the point? I can be in Mexico before I can be in NYC too. Even from California you can be in other countries before Hawaii. Doesnt really change the outcome....
But we're talking about Hawaii vs the Caribbean, Mexico isn't involved in this equation neither is California. I'm saying, from where I live, I can fly faster to the Caribbean, even Europe (brought up to prove just how far Hawaii is from the East Coast), before I can make it to Hawaii. Therefore, I'll likely pick what's closer to me and easier to get to. Someone else pointed out that living on the West Coast, you're closer to Hawaii than the Caribbean and therefore more likely to go there, while I'm talking about the opposite.
I can go to a Caribbean island for a long weekend, the flight is short enough. I couldn't go to Hawaii for a long weekend. I'd need probably a good 10 days in Hawaii at least, factoring in travel time. The Caribbean is more convenient for ME, but I also prefer the Caribbean overall anyway.
As others have pointed out the Caribbean is pretty sizable region full of a lot of varying experiences and cultures compared to Hawaii. I mean, from just Puerto Rico to Cuba there's a lot of variation--and those were pretty similar culturally throughout history, but they're developed into much different nations based on governance. I've only touched on the Spanish Caribbean and the English-speaking Caribbean and yet to experience any of the French or Dutch islands. I've seen more of Hawaii, and know people from there and living there now, so I feel closer to Hawaii.
Like I said though, the Caribbean has a much larger range--you can go from everything like small enclave of wealth like St. Barts to a place that's pretty gritty and poor like Haiti. One of my favorite trips was to Jamaica--which is great in terms of food, culture, and scenery, but it was odd trying to convince Jamaican hotel owners and hosts to let me walk down the road to the bar or market instead of having to take a taxi. "No mon, it's too dangerous." I'm used to being an independent traveler, so I have no interest in the hide in the all-inclusive resort for a week style of travel. I found that the Caribbean can be pretty expensive in the tourist areas and dirt cheap if you go the local areas. In Hawaii everything is sort of the price it'd be back home or more expensive, there isn't really that much super cheap options, but there's some better bargains occasionally even in the touristy areas. I felt less gouged in the tourist areas then places like Jamaica where everyone is trying to hustle you(but I still love the place).
That's sort of the other thing as well--as I said the Caribbean can change a lot depending on what island you're on--which is part of what makes it cool. But I think it takes a more adventurous sort to really explore Jamaica or Cuba and get off the beaten track(probably the most culturally interesting islands in some ways). Hawaii on the other hand is all pretty safe and first-world as an American state, so it's much easier to explore on your own. Except for maybe a few beaches that "haoles" shouldn't go to alone or a few bad neighborhoods, it's pretty easy to go anywhere on your own and not worry about safety. So the Caribbean will feel more exotic in many ways, but I wonder how many American travelers actually see much beyond the resort experience. The markets and local bars are where the Caribbean get's really interesting.
In terms of food, I like the Carribbean food more because it's just more varied and something I can't find a lot on the West Coast. Hawaiian food is great and if you like Japanese or other Asian cuisines you'll be satisfied--but I'm so accustomed to Asian food that it seems less exciting to eat. Where as goat curry or callaloo or oxtail stew are stuff I don't eat every day(though I've started trying to cook it myself). And the food I've had is on average great in the Caribbean--especially Jamaica which is a real paradise for street food and little shacks selling jerk chicken and so on.
In terms of scenery, Hawaii can compare to just about any island in the Caribbean. I'd say that for natural landscape and exploring it, Hawaii might be a little better than a lot of places, just because it's so easy to access and just go backpacking through the mountains without much fear. There's a truly beautiful range of landscapes, and a place like Kauai or the Big Island is amazing in terms of what you can explore. I'm just a snorkeler and not a diver yet, but I found both Hawaii and the Caribbean to have plenty of good snorkelling reefs and coves(enough for me to be satisfied.
I think people are going to vote on this one also based on if they're closer to the East Coast or West Coast. In the Western US, Hawaii is a closer trip--there's a lot of direct flights and from most West Coast cities you can find good deals. From the East Coast it's easier to get to a lot of Caribbean islands. Except for bigger destinations like Jamaica or Puerto Rico it can be expensive for me to get to from the West Coast to some of the other islands I'd like to explore(places like Dominica and Grenada or St. Lucia, let alone the expense to sneak into and travel to Cuba). They used to have island-hopper air passes on some Caribbean airlines, but those have gone away recently. Back in the 80s my mom went to five different islands in two weeks for a low price as part of an airline flight pass deal. As Bajan said earlier it'd be great if inter-island air travel was cheaper--I'd love to fly into Trinidad and check out Barbados, Grenada, and St. Vincent over a couple weeks--but it'd be fairly pricey most likely to fly in and out of the locations. As it is, I might explore the Caribbean coast and islands of Central America more just because those are much cheaper as destinations in some ways(places like the Bay Island of Honduras or Corn Islands of Nicaragua or places in Panama).
I think Hawaii stacks up favorably against any Caribbean Island as a standalone tourist destination, however altogether there's a lot more stuff to see in the Caribbean. Ideally I'd love to just sail around the Caribbean if only time and money weren't a problem. I'll still take a lot more trips to Hawaii in my lifetime though if I live on the West Coast.
And on the whole Hawaii packs more natural punch than any single place no doubt.
Also I agree Carribean cuisine is under rated, quite and even a little diverse
Agree on Jamaican food - luckily I can actually pretty decent Jamaican where I live (I love all the food varieties of the world, not just asian or european and even US regional differences etc.)
Hawaii does fascinate me, from Pineapples to lava rocks - as a child I had an aunt who traveled there annually and I always looked forward to the pineapples - guess it stuck for me
Hawaii due to its distance has not been well traveled by this poster, and is something I want to change personally
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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Deezus made some excellent points. One reason I started this thread was a piqued curiosity about the Caribbean as I have never been and Hawaii absolutely blew my mind and is probably the best place I've ever been (even better than some European capitals I've been to).
So, one question I have for some posters who know the Caribbean well is......What islands in the Caribbean can one go to and not be confined to a resort or tourist trap areas and safely explore, get in a car and drive around the island, explore nature, go hiking, find an off the beaten path beach the same way one could do on any Hawaiian Island? I get the impression that a lot (not all) of the Caribbean islands have 3rd world areas and safety concerns that would inhibit the freedom to explore, where Hawaii is for the most is safe to explore independently almost everywhere on all the islands.
Last edited by Champ le monstre du lac; 09-13-2013 at 06:34 PM..
But we're talking about Hawaii vs the Caribbean, Mexico isn't involved in this equation neither is California. I'm saying, from where I live, I can fly faster to the Caribbean, even Europe (brought up to prove just how far Hawaii is from the East Coast), before I can make it to Hawaii. Therefore, I'll likely pick what's closer to me and easier to get to. Someone else pointed out that living on the West Coast, you're closer to Hawaii than the Caribbean and therefore more likely to go there, while I'm talking about the opposite.
I can go to a Caribbean island for a long weekend, the flight is short enough. I couldn't go to Hawaii for a long weekend. I'd need probably a good 10 days in Hawaii at least, factoring in travel time. The Caribbean is more convenient for ME, but I also prefer the Caribbean overall anyway.
But how would you know you prefer it anyways? You said you've still never been to Hawaii.
JerseyGirl --- everyone understands and has stated that accessibility depends on where you live. We get that the Caribbean is easier for you. You seem to want to challenge anyone who says Hawaii ... but understand that it's likely more accessible for them.
Being on the west coast, of course my choice is Hawaii. I've been to both, though not to as many different islands in the Caribbean. My problem with the Caribbean is, I really do think that the cruise is the way to go. I'm not a "go lay on the beach" sort of person, I want to see something on my vacation. There's just not a whole lot to occupy a whole vacation with on most of the Caribbean islands. But they are beautiful. And the food is great. Another negative is, most have in common with something that bothers me in Mexico ... I find the contrast between the "tourist" areas and the areas where the "real" people live are so extreme economically, that I just don't like it.
Of course, Hawaii is so much more familiar. It feels like a second home. I think the variety between the different islands is really terrific. The food is fabulous. The weather is sublime - better than the Caribbean.
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