OT: Caribbean Vacation

RUnTeX said:

Interesting how lots of folks enjoy vacationing to the certain destinations again and again...30 years in a row per the post above is an impressively long streak.

Click to expand...

bigbirdru said:

People who have been to carribean islands and also to Cancun/ DR- how do they compare?

Click to expand...

RutgersLifeR said:

If you enjoy large resorts, staying on property only, having the hospitality of what grand resorts provide and being around a lot of people then Cancun/DR will be ideal for you.

The beauty of the other Caribbean islands is that there's something for every family. There are other islands similar to Cancun/DR but then there are others that are the complete opposite being more undeveloped, quite, and just as beautiful.

Click to expand...

yesrutgers01 said:

Again- I don't want to sound to "wrong" when I say this but almost everyone I know that have been to mult islands have told me that DR just has more of a budget vibe. But, if you are really just looking for an all inclusive fun week on an island and have limited funds- then DR is great. The food is geared for American tourists though.

Click to expand...

yesrutgers01 said:

here is the question I have for our Island travelers that go to the all inclusive- when eating, are you a buffet get the eggs bacon, omlette etc and a burger/pizza or something similar at lunch and then maybe go to the Japanese/Steak/Italian restaurant for dinner or do you look for the resort that features much of the local foods and gravitate toward that?

Click to expand...

SHUSource said:

In my observation, Aruba seems to inspire that kind of loyalty more than any other destination I've heard of. I know so many people who go every single year over a long period of time.

I was excited to go in April. We spent a week on Eagle Beach (supposedly a top-five beach in the world), at Bucuti & Tara, which is, by reputation, one of the finer resorts on the island. Everything was great. We had a very fun time everywhere we went on the island. Totally safe everywhere, and everyone is friendly. There wasn't anything not to love.

And yet, I don't care if I ever go back there. I would, gladly, but I'll never lobby for it. If my wife wanted to return, I'd happily go, but she seems to feel the same way. There are just too many places still to see for that kind of effort and price, though I have returned to other places that captured my affection.

Click to expand...

NotInRHouse said:

I think any resort worth it's salt is going to have local food. In DR had yucca, Jamaica had ackee and meat patties (really liked chicken liver at breakfast) and Mexico had chilaquiles. Didn't see mangu in DR in the resort unfortunately.

Generally if you go somewhere not saturated with Americans the resort will have a decent mix. Especially if somewhere where locals go to.

Click to expand...

Wagram97 said:

This, 100%. We're a group of four families and we pick somewhere to go each summer. We all went to Aruba, liked it, stayed at the very nice Marriott on Palm beach, yet none of us have any desire to go back even though as you say it checks a lot of boxes. None of us can give a legit reason, just weirdly not somewhere we want to repeat (even with that bar in town that has a big block R behind it).

Click to expand...

yesrutgers01 said:

Tortola is an island in the US Virgin Islands that is also beautiful- the only issue at some of these islands are the lack of enough resorts.

Click to expand...

Randal7 said:

Do Hawaii. For $20K you can do Hawaii and it be...3-4x what a carribean vacation is

Click to expand...