Opinions about the Caribbean, I’ve never been. Tell me your honest opinions about islands you have visited.

[Anonymous]

Nassau: old Paradise Island. Decent boat snorkeling.
Peter Island ok snorkeling nice resort
St Thomas
St John
Turks and Caicos ok snorkeling, good by boat
Grand Cayman twice good snorkrling
Bonaire (farther south but the best snorkeling)
Aruba poor snorkeling
St Lucia beautiful, so so snorkeling
Half Moon Bay best resort, worst snorkeling due to overfishing


Would do again: Grand Cayman, Bonaire

[Anonymous]

St Croix (us vi) Just no. Unsafe place, beaches full of rocks and seaweed. Just not a nice place. Too much crime

[Anonymous]

Op here. Thank you PPs!

To answer some of the questions:

I am a huge fan of safety while on vacation (grew up in Ward 8; violent crime in immediate family) and I like to not necessarily let my guard down on vacation but I like to feel safe.

I enjoy beach trips - I did not grow up taking vacations but as an adult I have been (in rotation)to Acadia,Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

I have never been to an all inclusive.

I love food and restaurants, anywhere with good food gets a win for me.

DH has a huge fear of small planes (a fear that I have now acquired) so anywhere requiring one would be out for a trip.

[Anonymous]

Just say no to Aruba, ick.

An easy option with no passport (or tiny planes), great beaches and food - St John.

[Anonymous]

Ha to 22:19. After reading OP's last update, I think Aruba would be perfect. It's a very safe island and has direct flights. You don't need an all-inclusive b/c there are tons of places to eat, especially if you stay in Palm Beach. The water is beautiful, especially at Baby Beach, and you can take a Jeep to the East side for a totally different experience.

[Anonymous]

Avoid St Maarten/Martin even if it’s free. Rampant theft and dumpy island.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ha to 22:19. After reading OP's last update, I think Aruba would be perfect. It's a very safe island and has direct flights. You don't need an all-inclusive b/c there are tons of places to eat, especially if you stay in Palm Beach. The water is beautiful, especially at Baby Beach, and you can take a Jeep to the East side for a totally different experience.

The other advantage of Aruba is that it’s out of the hurricane belt so more practical or reliable for the summer.

[Anonymous]

My fave is St John.

Also been to Aruba PR Bahamas DR Barbados Jamaica.

Aruba is prob second fave and one positive is outside of the hurricane belt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My fave is St John.

Also been to Aruba PR Bahamas DR Barbados Jamaica.

Aruba is prob second fave and one positive is outside of the hurricane belt.

Oh I’ve also been to T&C. Stayed at Beaches and didn’t really see anything else - kids were 1 and 3 at the time. I think people like T&C generally and I would return to that resort if I felt like paying for it again. I got it cheaper back then than what I see now plus I have 3 kids now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My fave is St John.

Also been to Aruba PR Bahamas DR Barbados Jamaica.

Aruba is prob second fave and one positive is outside of the hurricane belt.

Oh I’ve also been to T&C. Stayed at Beaches and didn’t really see anything else - kids were 1 and 3 at the time. I think people like T&C generally and I would return to that resort if I felt like paying for it again. I got it cheaper back then than what I see now plus I have 3 kids now.

Sorry to keep quoting myself here but fwiw I also really liked Acadia and I went to Nantucket in the winter.

Elin Hilderbrand likes Nantucket and St John fwiw! Some people like her and Hemingway have good choice of taste in places IMO! lol. I took a ferry to St John from STT.

[Anonymous]

I like St. Barts best and St. Martin (Dutch side) second best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ha to 22:19. After reading OP's last update, I think Aruba would be perfect. It's a very safe island and has direct flights. You don't need an all-inclusive b/c there are tons of places to eat, especially if you stay in Palm Beach. The water is beautiful, especially at Baby Beach, and you can take a Jeep to the East side for a totally different experience.

The other advantage of Aruba is that it’s out of the hurricane belt so more practical or reliable for the summer.

I saw more neck tattoos and trump tshirts than I generally like in Aruba.

[Anonymous]

Curaçao is fantastic. Historic downtown, great beaches and snorkeling.

[Anonymous]

Turks and Caicos is getting more on-tourist crime. Look on Trip Avisor.

Grand Cayman is safe.
Bonaire is safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've only been to 3: Jamaica, Bahamas, and St Lucia.

In Jamaica I stayed at The Caves, which is a lovely property near Negril. We had a romantic private dinner in a cave with about 100 candles. I am not great with heights, so all of the stairs made me a bit nervous, but it was a cool property. Food was better than expected. When we left the property to go to a pubic beach, I hated it. Felt like I couldn't turn around without someone trying to sell me something I didn't want or scam us. So probably won't go back to Jamaica.

I attended a writing retreat in The Bahamas. We spent our days on Salt Cay (aka Blue Lagoon Island), which is a private island you can rent for events (or at least you could, back then). It was lovely on the private island, but I didn't love the Bahamas enough to want to return. Atlantis was not my vibe at all.

In St Lucia I stayed at the Body Holiday, which is a resort that focuses on wellness. They have an absolutely incredible spa complex and I believe a spa treatment is included for every full day that you stay. The thing I loved the most about this place was that it had really great snorkeling just off the beach. Very relaxing. I'd love to go back and go more upscale to Jade Mountain or Anse Chastanet or Ladera or Sugar Beach.

I'm looking at Bonaire now, but haven't been. Interested in the great snorkeling/diving.

Is Atlantis a trashy vibe? I remember Anna Nicole Smith many decades ago going there and Nick and Jessica Simpson along with a few rappers on MTV when MTV was at its peak

Atlantis is over priced crap

I am so mad we gave them money
Rooms are gross dated
Facilities are old food over priced

We had a horrible experience
Trashy people drunk all over the place
Lines everywhere