How does South Padre beach compare to Port A's (San Juan: to buy, live in)

[cBach]

Originally Posted by m1a1mg

We spent a small fortune going to Hawaii for a week. I was really disappointed in the beaches there.

For us, beaches need beautiful sand, water, and restaurant choices.

The best beaches I've ever seen were in Aruba. They had the same exact type of sand as in the Florida Panhandle, although they weren't quartz they were coral. The diving is wonderful there.

I also went to a couple of other Caribbean islands and they were nice, Jamaica had great clear water but the beach sand was not milk white at least where we were staying.



The "divi divi" trees are nice as well. Where else can you find a tree that can grow that close to the water. They are natural shade providers.

Oh, I need to go back to Aruba

[m1a1mg]

Is that Eagle Beach? Incredible.



The Florida Panhandle is the closest I've seen to the Caribbean. But closer and it has Walmart. ;-)

[Texyn]

Originally Posted by cBach

Where else can you find a tree that can grow that close to the water. They are natural shade providers.

Every tropical beach has this.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by Texyn

Every tropical beach has this.

Wrong again. Usually tropical beaches have coconut trees which unfortunately have a tendency to "bonk" you in the head.

A divi divi tree has no such things and you get perfect shade. Also, because Aruba is a "desert island" sun is guaranteed year round. It also has casinos and the east side of the island is relatively undeveloped. I rented a jeep with my (ex) wife and we toured the dunes. It was a blast, there was a cave that we went to and ate lunch in there, nice and cool in there with a cool spring coming from it.

It's really a fascinating island in all respects.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by m1a1mg

Is that Eagle Beach? Incredible.



The Florida Panhandle is the closest I've seen to the Caribbean. But closer and it has Walmart. ;-)

Yes, it's Eagle Beach. According to tripadvisor it's the 3rd best beach in the WORLD! After you see this video you are going to want to go!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5V7O2eIxek

The other thing that is great is Aruba is out of the hurricane belt. For some reason, hurricanes never hit the island as the trade winds steer them northwards. Basically it is a desert island with very little precipitation so you are guaranteed sunshine. With the beaches it is like a paradise vacation.


This is what downtown looks like:


It was owned by the Dutch so it looks like a Dutch town in the Caribbean. Can't beat it!

[m1a1mg]

Originally Posted by cBach

Yes, it's Eagle Beach. According to tripadvisor it's the 3rd best beach in the WORLD! After you see this video you are going to want to go!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5V7O2eIxek

The other thing that is great is Aruba is out of the hurricane belt. For some reason, hurricanes never hit the island as the trade winds steer them northwards. Basically it is a desert island with very little precipitation so you are guaranteed sunshine. With the beaches it is like a paradise vacation.


This is what downtown looks like:


It was owned by the Dutch so it looks like a Dutch town in the Caribbean. Can't beat it!

Definitely on the bucket list. We've seen a bunch of the Caribbean, but not Aruba or St. Maarten.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by m1a1mg

Definitely on the bucket list. We've seen a bunch of the Caribbean, but not Aruba or St. Maarten.

Jamaica was nice for the rum and music. I enjoyed the history of Puerto Rico seeing the large Spanish fortifications. But for beaches nothing beats Aruba.

[ScoPro]

Originally Posted by cBach

Jamaica was nice for the rum and music. I enjoyed the history of Puerto Rico seeing the large Spanish fortifications. But for beaches nothing beats Aruba.

I lived in the El Morro fortress on the tip of Old San Juan 1950-54. That US Army post (Fort Brooke - HQ of the Antilles Command) was deactivated in 1967 and the place was handed over to the US Park Service. They demolished all US military built structures to "restore" the grounds.
I knew almost every square foot of that old fort, as it was my playground for close to 4 years. There were many a gorgeous tropical sunsets over San Juan Bay to be admired from our back patio. Had coconut & papaya trees in our yard and hibiscus for shrubbery around our quarters. A large Flamboyant tree shaded the patio, and was beautiful red when it bloomed.

Dad had an opportunity to buy 40 acres of beautiful undeveloped beachfront property lined with coconut trees several miles east of San Juan for $100/acre, but passed because he thought we'd never get back down there. The Rockefeller family acquired the same property and integrated it with adjacent acreage to build their first Caribbean resort a year or two later.
That's about the same time they bought 2/3 of St. Johns Island in the US Virgin Islands & donated it to the Park Service as a preserve.

Wonderful memories from long ago.

[cBach]

Oh and the Red Stripe in Jamaica. The Red Stripe!

Funny thing, our hotel had 20 different types of rum but only one beer - red stripe. It seems that there are countless rum distilleries but only one brewery! The owner didn't believe in importing alcohol from the mainland.

Every now and then I get a yearning for some Jamaican jerk chicken and plantains with saffron rice. Of course I'd have to play a little Bob Marley in the background to really set the mood.

[m1a1mg]

ScoPro, that sounds like an amazing adventure.

cBach, I liked Jamaica a lot more in the 70's, than now. But it's still beautiful. Just somehow, after all these years of tourism, it seems more poor.