Caribbean trip advice? (National Park, Rio Grande, Kingston: condos, living, cost)

[emstee22]

i think Bremuda would be a great fit, but like it has been said, it is very expensive. St. Thomas and St. Martin also are nice islands and a little less money.
Turks & Caicos is nice but there not much to do, i felt.

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by Gessa

P.S The Cayman Islands - just spent 6 mths there and couldnt wait to get back to NJ.

BORING, BORING, BORING. Full of rednecks and old people who retire. YUCK.

WHOA. You seriously cannot say in one breath Grenada is great and in the next say Cayman's are BORING. I've been to Grenada, and the Cayman's BLOWS it out of the water.

IMHO, of course.

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by NatasNJ

Any hotels you recommend on GC?

I've stayed at the link I provided a few times, and prefer a condo to hotel. I stayed at some dump off 7 miles beach so I won't recommend that. I've also stayed at the Marriott on 7 mile, which I think got a face lift - I liked it.

I think it's changed a lot since the hurricane a few years ago, more hotels, etc. Last time I went there was 2002.

[Gessa]

On what basis can you say Cayman tops Grenada? I mean ok, if you like to overpay and stay encapsulated at the Ritz in Cayman, then yeah - go for it...

Cayman is a low laying rock - which is why it has serious flooding issues when it rains. Which is why there is a mosquito problem - too many swamps and fetid pools (Barkers National Park for instance). Until I went there, I had never seen black mosquitos (which are the size of flies).

There is a reason why a country goes tax free, its because it cannot support itself any other way. There is no soil, so Caymananians cannot grow thier own food. EVERYTHING is imported, which is why all goods / food is 25% more expensive then the US.

Grenada, is a lush land - much more to do.

Obviously, if you like sterile plastic environments, where everyone thinks they have much more money then they have and dont mind being ripped off, then GC is the way to go...

(P.S the Marriot has closed down - it wouldn't pay the stamp duty from when it was purchased)

[NatasNJ]

I have NEVER been to any island area so I really don't get the "not much to do" comments. Don't they all basically have the same offerings? (Snorkel type trips, scuba, beaches, pools, kayak trips, some type of animal perserves, rain forrests, etc..) Give or take a few of these per location?

I am not MOVING to an island. So I am just looking for a nice place to relax and do some cool things for a few days. Not SET on Grand Caymans. I do plan to book trip Sunday and Grand Caymans is in the lead. So any OTHER advice is welcomed ASAP.

Thanks so much for all the advice so far.

[Gessa]

GC is a watersports island, very scuba orientated, stingray city (swim with stingrays) and fishing. Its a very christian island and everything (without exception closes at 12pm on a Saturday night) and NO gambling at all. Not much to do inland. No rain forest (because there is no soil depth), although there is a botanical gdns that specialises in orchids. To be honest its better with kids - clean and safe.

[NatasNJ]

Originally Posted by Gessa

GC is a watersports island, very scuba orientated, stingray city (swim with stingrays) and fishing. Its a very christian island and everything (without exception closes at 12pm on a Saturday night) and NO gambling at all. Not much to do inland. No rain forest (because there is no soil depth), although there is a botanical gdns that specialises in orchids. To be honest its better with kids - clean and safe.

So where would you recommend if not GC?

[Gessa]

Well, I am biased as my dad came from Grenada....um...rumshacks..........

[Diane Giam]

Originally Posted by lov403

i've traveled to cayman, and it's been years since i've been there but i found it a little boring. the nightlife in local bars and clubs shuts down early (compared to NYC) on saturdays around 11:30/12 midnight. and other than scuba diving and taking one of the rum runner boat rides and a day trip to sting ray city, not much else to do. loved the beaches there, shopping in Georgetown and eating at restaurants but the whole island can be driven around in a day or a half day. overall it's a very conservative island.

I agree with Boring. It has pretty beaches, but not much else.
Unfortunatly the most beautiful Islands do have poverty. Also , the best resorts are on those Islands. I find Bermuda and Aruba, boring. I do have customers that go to Aruba every year, its just not for me.
Barbados is pretty, not much poverty, and good resorts.
I love Puerta Vallerta in West Coast Mexico, Nice Resorts, Historical, was the set for many a hollywood film, Has snorkling trips to small islands right off the coast, lots to do. I've sent clients from NJ there and they loved it. They stayed at Dreams.
Diane G

[Diane Giam]

Originally Posted by tahiti

I've stayed at the link I provided a few times, and prefer a condo to hotel. I stayed at some dump off 7 miles beach so I won't recommend that. I've also stayed at the Marriott on 7 mile, which I think got a face lift - I liked it.

I think it's changed a lot since the hurricane a few years ago, more hotels, etc. Last time I went there was 2002.

I was just there last year on a cruise, and there was still a lot of dammage. Its expensive, and to me its a great stop on a cruise, but I would not stay there. Its boring, and no really lovely all-inclusive resorts.

Diane G