Your fave/least fave Caribbean island and why?!

[Blossom4538]

Hi all,

Looking for those who’ve visited the Caribbean pls!

Where is your favourite place or where were you disappointed with and why?

Thank you x

You’re going to get better replies than this as I’ve only been to 3!
Worse - Trinidad. Went many years ago when my eldest DD was six months old to visit the ex’s family. We had to change planes in Tobago & Barbados & it was a hellish journey. My ex’s large family were kind & friendly but really impressed on me that they didn’t want me to go anywhere on my own - the upside of that was that I didn’t feel safe. Maracas Bay was beautiful & carnival was great but as they didn’t feel it ok for me even venture a minute up the road to the corner shop by myself, I felt uneasy & pretty trapped the whole time. The couple of days we had in Tobago afterwards was much better but snorkelling over a dead reef
wasn’t a highlight.
Best - Cuba! Or rather Havana (Varadero seemed a bit grim). Went with a friend who had Cuban musician friends & we had a brilliant time. It felt historically like the right time to be there, before the death of Castro. I loved the crumbling architecture, the Che’s everywhere, the music and the people. The food was completely vile though.
What’s always put me off the Caribbean is the notion I’ve got that it’s mostly sitting for 2 weeks in a hotel, not being able to wander out the front gate for fear of being shot! I know this is probably nonsense & the islands have different cultures & security risks. But we like to explore while on holiday so I need to find the island that fits the gorgeous/interesting/safe brief!

Have been to Barbados & Antigua - both are very different to each other in that Antigua is much poorer but imo more beautiful.

We wandered around both islands quite happily hopping on the bus to visit the capital etc & never at any point did we feel even slightly unsafe

Thank you!

The only island I’ve been to was Barbados (twice) and we explored the island, feeling fairly safe. I think you need to be sensible though.

Have always fancied Havana and Antigua

Been to St Kitts, Antigua and Cuba
St Kitts was very tropical and we hired a jeep to explore- loved exploring ,and the rainforest was worth a look, but hotel was only ok and beaches not as fabulous as Antigua
Antigua had amazing beaches, warm, clear azure water and fantastic snorkelling ...we chartered a yacht for the day which was brilliant and took a helicopter trip to volcanic island of Montserrat and Sunday BBQ at Shirley Heights ...we went with our 3 teenage dcs and they had a fantastic time
Cuba .. stayed near Varadero ...unfortunately food wasn't that great at the buffet, but the speciality restaurants were fairly ok...staff were very friendly
Took a trip to Havana which was well worth it...loved the culture, history , music and architecture ( not forgetting the '50's cars!)
If I were to return, I'd definitely go back to Antigua and would also love to explore more of Cuba

Been to Bahamas ( very crowded in main bits around Nassau!)

Jamaica is my favourite but we know the island well and don't do package tours. The East side round where Ian Fleming lived is stunning (sit on Tom Cruise's cocktail beach 😃) but beach resorts Negril is hard to beat.

Been to several, depends what you're looking for. Jamaica gives you a taste of everything. Barbados is lovely, Bahamas very American but amazing beaches. St Lucia & Grenada are both very lush. Grenada less touristy but friendly. Can't say I dislike anywhere but wouldn't go back to Puerto Rico.

To echo pp did not like Trinidad. St Lucia lovely.

Aruba - didn’t know what to expect but loved it. Carribean, Dutch & American influences, beautiful beaches, lots to see & some fab food.

Been Cuba twice. Airports are horrible. Varadero even whist the beaches are gorgeous the food is dreadful and both times people in our parties got really poorly. Flies every where after a storm. Never go back.

Only been to Aruba and Dominican Republic, and both were fab. I preferred Aruba because getting around was so easy, and it really is one happy island, and the snorkelling off of the beach was fantastic which is what I look for on a holiday!

Jamaica for me every time but don’t do the hotel as a fortress thing, just hire a car and find somewhere to rent and mix with locals rather than tourists
Barbados ok but bit too bland for me, I like the edginess and vitality of Jamaica
Went to Trinidad and Tobago many years ago, loved it then but realise it has changed
Antigua pretty and great beaches, ditto St Lucia
It depends what you’re looking for really

Barbados- loved it hired a car to explore the island. Great beaches and people.
Cuba - we were in Cayo Coco it was very middle of nowhere, but fabulous beaches.
Antigua - lovely beaches, people, great atmosphere. I’m bias as dh proposed to me here
St Lucia - lovely, great people but didn’t think there was too much on the island to do.

I’ve liked everywhere but we’ve been to some fantastic islands. Tops are the BVIs. All are fantastic! Virgin Gorda is a favourite and we hired a house there. Sailing to different islands is the best Caribbean holiday imaginable. Just little bays, snorkelling, glorious beaches and fun!

I also really liked Bequia. Again it’s a bit away from it all but it’s a star. Petit St Vincent and The Grenadines also make good sailing destinations.

Mainstream islands: I think Antigua has a lot to offer and St Lucia. Grenada too but Barbados is quite built up. Not been to Jamaica.

St John in the USVIs is also stunning and is a National Park.

As I’ve chosen wisely I haven’t been anywhere awful! Choose what appeals to you and you cannot go wrong but small is best and the BVIs are truly beautiful.

Kitts and Nevis, snorkelling, hiking, great food, great to go round on you own, history.

St Lucia I felt unsafe and didn’t like all the AI hotels, just felt uncomfortable.....

Nevis was nice but too underdeveloped to feel comfortable at the time.
Barbados fab but I think the food side of things is obscenely expensive.

Loved St Martin/St Maarten and also Barbados.

Tobago was my favourite completely untouched - rainforests beaches etc

Worst was Bahamas and Barbados too commercialised, felt like little America with kfc, Macdonalds etc on every street corner

Bahamas blah.

Corn islands fantastic. Off the beaten track and very safe and friendly.

Guadeloupe good (awesome food).

Cuba.
Go off the typical AI trail, and it is absolute magic. In fact, it's quite probably a sin to do AI in Cuba.
Little Corn Island. Nicaraguan carribean... Tiny weeny, not terribly easy to get to... but fantastic!
You should not go to either if you can't cope with the fact that these are pretty much 3rd world countries.
Heaven!

Least favourite - Guadeloupe horrible dirty little beach, unfriendly people, although not natives, people from other French speaking regions.

Favourites are
St Barts
Barbados
Jamaica
The Cayman Islands
St Lucia
St Kitts
Mustique
Antigua
BVI
St Maarten

Why? I love a nice beach and warm sea 😀

Have to disagree with pp, I absolutely loved Varadero. Will definitely go back.
Bear in mind the lack of beach in Havana (loves it there too)

We have done Dominican Republic, Mexico and Jamaica. Does Mexico come under Caribbean?

Loved all of them but Jamaica was something special for us. The people, the beaches, the history. Loved every second and couldn't fault a thing.

Just avoid AI and you’ll find some lovely places. AI people don’t tend to explore or get to know an island. No one is unsafe and if you have not been to smaller islands, you don’t know the Caribbean! AI isn’t what it’s about! Get out and explore.

I love a small Caribbean island.
Anegada and Guana on BVI, although went pre hurricane.
Bequia or Petit St Vincent in Grenadines
Grenada for a bigger island
Nevis is nice.
Not mad about Barbados, Antigua and Cuba
Nassau is not exciting but don't rule out the Bahamas, the out islands are gorgeous.

Least fave - Trinidad- lived there for 4 years and mid although we had great times and made amazing friends etc etc I was a third world country essentially... it’s no paradise!!

Favourite was a little island called bequia (its off st Vincent) it is beautiful there.

Grenada is also lovely!! And Barbados is fab too but way more commercial/tourist driven

We have been to St Lucia and Barbados.

St Lucia is a beautiful island but I didn’t feel safe outside the resort or an organised tour. Hotel was good but I felt a bit too closed up.

Barbados is less stunning nature wise but easier to go around on our own. We had a rental car and felt very safe, also when we went out in the evening for meals.