Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I found Aruba to be incredibly overrated as far as the Caribbean goes. My two favorites were Saint Lucia and and the BVI (specifically, Virgin Gorda). I generally like to stay in rental villas (for price/seclusion reasons), but my favorite resort stay was at Biras Creek on Virgin Gorda. Great access to snorkeling from its own private beach, private villas, and the ability to rent small motor boats and pick your own snorkeling, and beach spots. It's a beautiful location and service was excellent.
I also really liked Anse Chastanet in St. Lucia. Another gorgeous tropical escape with a wonderful beach and great snorkeling right from the beach.
Unless you have a very limited budget, I'd suggest avoiding the all-inclusives. With a few exceptions, most of them do their business in volume which means bigger crowds. This also leads to less personalized service. Since things like food and drinks are served in bulk, the quality is a little lacking. The services are often mediocre and you have to pay extra to do activities that involve leaving the resort. They're find for a quick getaway, but I wouldn't spend my honeymoon in an all inclusive.
I found Aruba to be incredibly overrated as far as the Caribbean goes. My two favorites were Saint Lucia and and the BVI (specifically, Virgin Gorda). I generally like to stay in rental villas (for price/seclusion reasons), but my favorite resort stay was at Biras Creek on Virgin Gorda. Great access to snorkeling from its own private beach, private villas, and the ability to rent small motor boats and pick your own snorkeling, and beach spots. It's a beautiful location and service was excellent.
I also really liked Anse Chastanet in St. Lucia. Another gorgeous tropical escape with a wonderful beach and great snorkeling right from the beach.
Unless you have a very limited budget, I'd suggest avoiding the all-inclusives. With a few exceptions, most of them do their business in volume which means bigger crowds. This also leads to less personalized service. Since things like food and drinks are served in bulk, the quality is a little lacking. The services are often mediocre and you have to pay extra to do activities that involve leaving the resort. They're find for a quick getaway, but I wouldn't spend my honeymoon in an all inclusive.
i would never choose Virgin Gorda if I were looking for some nightlife, it is beautiful but that is about it.
I need help picking a destination for my honeymoon in May. I would prefer it be in the Caribbean, however, I've never been there, let alone anywhere outside of the US. I like the idea of the Caribbean though because I want to go someplace warm and tropical. Now, I want to stay someplace where I can go snorkeling, rent jet skis, get a massage on the beach...those type of things...while having the option to party. My husband and I are both in our 20's and like to have fun. Not interested in going on hikes or to a zoo or anything of that nature. I've read that both the Bahamas and Aruba would be a good fit, but I'm afriad the Bahamas will be packed with spring breakers and children. And as far as Aruba goes, it looked okay, but the only night life I saw was the casinos. Anyone that's been to Aruba? Or any other suggestions? (The Dominican Republic is kind of out of the question because my husband is from there and it wouldn't be a true honeymoon for him.)
Late May not give you spring breakers but with school just out at that time it might give you a lot of college kids and the Bahamas are very close to the USA so less expensive and easy to get to. Unless you want to go on the gulf side of Mexico like Cozumel you are not going to get a lot of night life.
I know some say Aruba is overrated but it depends on what you want to do, the snorkeling is great, you can take a day trip to the surrounding islands and it has a beauty all its own. As for night life, they do have a very active night life, lots of things to do even if they are connected with the casinos. Another choice, I think would be St Maarten, although the snorkeling isn't quite as good as some spots. The best snorkeling is off the gulf coast, how about Roaton? Have you researched that?
Jamaica has some awesome All inclusives which often have side trips or night time entertainment, but I would never consider Jamaica unless I was staying at an all inclusive and I wouldn't leave the resort without a guide with me.
With the exception of a few of the lesser known islands, we have visited or stayed in about all of them. We started vacationing in the Caribbean,either by ship or land about 30 years ago, so have watched it grow.
Have you considered a cruise? You get your snorkeling, jet skiing if you want, night life and can visit different places. it is just an idea.
Hope this gives you some ideas, there are so many places to choose.
Another vote for St. John. Most of the other places mentioned are pretty third world and not particularly safe. Grand Cayman is nice and generally safe as well.
Do you have passports? You'll need them unless you go to St. Thomas, St. John, St Croix (yuck), or Puerto Rico.
Spring break will be long over. It will be hot in May, so try to find somewhere where they advertise tropical breezes! We spent our honeymoon on Harbour Island in the Bahamas Out Island in late May, early June (32 years ago almost.) It was very hot. The Out Islands are probably a bit quiet for you anyways--we were in our early 30's and mostly interested in the water and each other, not nightlife. Not to say there weren't bars, occasional street music. There are some lovely spots I believe in that group of islands.
Another vote for St. John. Most of the other places mentioned are pretty third world and not particularly safe. Grand Cayman is nice and generally safe as well.
Do you have passports? You'll need them unless you go to St. Thomas, St. John, St Croix (yuck), or Puerto Rico.
Grand Cayman is great for snorkeling but certainly does not have a great night life. As for the Caribbean being unsafe and third world, certainly this isn't the case on all islands. The ABC islands are not third world, nor is Puerto Rico for starters. Noplace is 100% safe, but if you do not wander off the main drag many Caribbean Islands are wonderful with no more crime rate than we have here in our country. There are a few exceptions, yes... St Maartin is another very safe and fun place.
Spring break will be long over. It will be hot in May, so try to find somewhere where they advertise tropical breezes! We spent our honeymoon on Harbour Island in the Bahamas Out Island in late May, early June (32 years ago almost.) It was very hot. The Out Islands are probably a bit quiet for you anyways--we were in our early 30's and mostly interested in the water and each other, not nightlife. Not to say there weren't bars, occasional street music. There are some lovely spots I believe in that group of islands.
It can be very hot. We have been there in early May even and been a little uncomfortable, but the OP did mention her husband is from Dominican Republic so I am guessing they are accostom to the heat.
Nothing else compares to St. John - and I've seen them all.
And yet a 3rd vote for St. John...or St. Lucia.
St. John isn't long on nightlife, but there's a great downtown area that goes on for a while, especially for the young. Take the catamaran to Foxy's on Jost van Dyke. Beautiful, beautiful day trip. You can catch the ferry over to STT if you decide you need to shop.
St. Croix has NO nightlife, but the diving is spectacular on the North Shore, and the snorkeling is pretty good too. I would consider it the most "backward" of the USVI - St. John is for the more wealthy, St. Thomas for the travelers...and then there is St. Croix, where you need to be careful and go home at a reasonable hour. Seriously.
We just got back from our first trip to Aruba. We stayed at the Marriot Stellaris on the Tradewinds Club level...5-star service all the way, including a private section of the beach reserved for people staying on that floor. We had dinner at a number of amazing restaurants there as well.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
