what tropical place should I take my vacation on?

[purbeast0]

I got my bonus yesterday and I'm going to book a vacation for my girlfriend and I in the end of July. Right now, the plan is to go to Aruba. While my girlfriend is happy with going to Aruba, as am I, at the same time we kind of want to try a new place, her more than me.

Aruba is a plac we've already been to once, and it's basically the only tropical place I've been to (other than corn island in Nicaragua, but this was very under developed). It just has everything right about the island and was so much fvcking fun when we went, that I can just see myself going there again. We even want to stay at the sam ehotel if we go back because we enjoyed it so much.

However, as I said, we kind of would like to try something new at the same time and are in this little dilemma as what to do. We like Aruba cause you can explore the island and feel safe. We don't want to be stuck in a resort for a week. We also like to go out at night time to bars and go out clubbing and what not. Aruba you can do this in cause it's safe all around.

I don't want to go somewhere else and then not enjoy it as much, and be thinking the whole time "i kind of wish I was in Aruba instead" . So what tropical island would you recommend? I found a deal to Aruba that is about $2K total for the both of us for flight + hotel for a week, and I would like to stay around that price range.

 

[Kadarin]

I'm sure Natalee Holloway thought Aruba was pretty safe, too..

In any case, you might also consider one of these: http://www.windjammer.com/

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33
I'm sure Natalee Holloway thought Aruba was pretty safe, too..

In any case, you might also consider one of these: http://www.windjammer.com/

it is safe, she was just a dumb bitch. not to mention, they had like 2 murders in Aruba that whole year. yah I could call that much safer than any other tourist place.

 

[iamwiz82]

Personally, we have always shied away from Aruba because it's a flat, desert island. I like lush forest and mountains and waterfalls, etc.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Personally, we have always shied away from Aruba because it's a flat, desert island. I like lush forest and mountains and waterfalls, etc.

Yah I would like to go to a place that has what you said too, but not if it's a place where I have to be in the resort the whole time other than when I go on tours or something.

The eastern edge of Aruba actually has some very nice landscaping and some pretty small mountains that were a blast to go riding horses on.

 

[Uppsala9496]

The British Virgin Islands are nice, but there isn't much of a night life unless you are on Tortola. I like the Dominican, however you want to stay at the resort the whole time since it can be a little shady in the surrounding towns.
My favorite island is Anegada, however that is really expensive to get to and there is no nightlife.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: Uppsala9496
The British Virgin Islands are nice, but there isn't much of a night life unless you are on Tortola. I like the Dominican, however you want to stay at the resort the whole time since it can be a little shady in the surrounding towns.
My favorite island is Anegada, however that is really expensive to get to and there is no nightlife.

we were actually thinking about the BVI's but I jiust do not know much about them at all. I remember seeing one of iamwiz's pictures of some bay over there and was breath taken by it, but I just do not know much about them.

 

[dainthomas]

Hawaii ftw. We're going there for the third time this October.

 

[SpanishFry]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
I got my bonus yesterday and I'm going to book a vacation for my girlfriend and I in the end of July. Right now, the plan is to go to Aruba. While my girlfriend is happy with going to Aruba, as am I, at the same time we kind of want to try a new place, her more than me.

Aruba is a plac we've already been to once, and it's basically the only tropical place I've been to (other than corn island in Nicaragua, but this was very under developed). It just has everything right about the island and was so much fvcking fun when we went, that I can just see myself going there again. We even want to stay at the sam ehotel if we go back because we enjoyed it so much.

However, as I said, we kind of would like to try something new at the same time and are in this little dilemma as what to do. We like Aruba cause you can explore the island and feel safe. We don't want to be stuck in a resort for a week. We also like to go out at night time to bars and go out clubbing and what not. Aruba you can do this in cause it's safe all around.

I don't want to go somewhere else and then not enjoy it as much, and be thinking the whole time "i kind of wish I was in Aruba instead" . So what tropical island would you recommend? I found a deal to Aruba that is about $2K total for the both of us for flight + hotel for a week, and I would like to stay around that price range.

Can you post your Aruba $2,000 deal?

FWIW, we really enjoyed Costa Rica

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: SpanishFry

Originally posted by: purbeast0
I got my bonus yesterday and I'm going to book a vacation for my girlfriend and I in the end of July. Right now, the plan is to go to Aruba. While my girlfriend is happy with going to Aruba, as am I, at the same time we kind of want to try a new place, her more than me.

Aruba is a plac we've already been to once, and it's basically the only tropical place I've been to (other than corn island in Nicaragua, but this was very under developed). It just has everything right about the island and was so much fvcking fun when we went, that I can just see myself going there again. We even want to stay at the sam ehotel if we go back because we enjoyed it so much.

However, as I said, we kind of would like to try something new at the same time and are in this little dilemma as what to do. We like Aruba cause you can explore the island and feel safe. We don't want to be stuck in a resort for a week. We also like to go out at night time to bars and go out clubbing and what not. Aruba you can do this in cause it's safe all around.

I don't want to go somewhere else and then not enjoy it as much, and be thinking the whole time "i kind of wish I was in Aruba instead" . So what tropical island would you recommend? I found a deal to Aruba that is about $2K total for the both of us for flight + hotel for a week, and I would like to stay around that price range.

Can you post your Aruba $2,000 deal?

FWIW, we really enjoyed Costa Rica

I just found em on Travelocity and Expedia. the Aruba airport code is AUA. I'm in Maryland too just so you know how far I have to travel.

 

[Lola]

Originally posted by: dainthomas
Hawaii ftw. We're going there for the third time this October.

I agree... but i hate telling people go there because its already getting soooo over crowded already.
We will be there for the fifth time this May/June.

 

[Feldenak]

I'm posting just to convince you to go back to Aruba.

 

[dainthomas]

Originally posted by: LolaWiz

Originally posted by: dainthomas
Hawaii ftw. We're going there for the third time this October.

I agree... but i hate telling people go there because its already getting soooo over crowded already.
We will be there for the fifth time this May/June.

If you go to Kauai, Maui, or Hawaii it's not that bad. I'm hoping to take an interisland trip next time over to the big island to check out Kilauea.

 

[Lola]

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: Uppsala9496
The British Virgin Islands are nice, but there isn't much of a night life unless you are on Tortola. I like the Dominican, however you want to stay at the resort the whole time since it can be a little shady in the surrounding towns.
My favorite island is Anegada, however that is really expensive to get to and there is no nightlife.

we were actually thinking about the BVI's but I jiust do not know much about them at all. I remember seeing one of iamwiz's pictures of some bay over there and was breath taken by it, but I just do not know much about them.

St Thomas and St John.... SO SO beautiful on St. John. There is a lot of info on the USVI/BVI. its beautiful there.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: LolaWiz

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: Uppsala9496
The British Virgin Islands are nice, but there isn't much of a night life unless you are on Tortola. I like the Dominican, however you want to stay at the resort the whole time since it can be a little shady in the surrounding towns.
My favorite island is Anegada, however that is really expensive to get to and there is no nightlife.

we were actually thinking about the BVI's but I jiust do not know much about them at all. I remember seeing one of iamwiz's pictures of some bay over there and was breath taken by it, but I just do not know much about them.

St Thomas and St John.... SO SO beautiful on St. John. There is a lot of info on the USVI/BVI. its beautiful there.

St. John is the national park island right? And I'm assuming they have faries that go from St. Thomas to there? I believe my sister went to St. Thomas last summer (not sure which island it was, pretty sure it was that) and from the pics and her trip,it looked just okay and it seemed like they stayed at hte resort most of the time.

Are those islands known for and safe to go arond and explore?

Also I think Hiawaii would be pretty expensive to go to being on the East coast, but I will check out some stuff about Hawaii. I would like to go there as well.

 

[SpanishFry]

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: SpanishFry
Can you post your Aruba $2,000 deal?

FWIW, we really enjoyed Costa Rica

I just found em on Travelocity and Expedia. the Aruba airport code is AUA. I'm in Maryland too just so you know how far I have to travel.

which hotel? I'm seeing $2000/person from N.O.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: Uppsala9496
The British Virgin Islands are nice, but there isn't much of a night life unless you are on Tortola. I like the Dominican, however you want to stay at the resort the whole time since it can be a little shady in the surrounding towns.
My favorite island is Anegada, however that is really expensive to get to and there is no nightlife.

we were actually thinking about the BVI's but I jiust do not know much about them at all. I remember seeing one of iamwiz's pictures of some bay over there and was breath taken by it, but I just do not know much about them.

Anguilla...just don't tell anyone about it It's the only "unspoiled" island left in the carribean. It's just off of St. Maarten, so you get the filthy Dutch/French carribean experience there, and the realistic local flavor in Anguilla.

The Dune's Preserve bar/club featuring Banky Banks is the shiznit. I believe late Feb/March is when they have the Reggae festival, "Moonsplash" I think.

 

[Lola]

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: LolaWiz

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: Uppsala9496
The British Virgin Islands are nice, but there isn't much of a night life unless you are on Tortola. I like the Dominican, however you want to stay at the resort the whole time since it can be a little shady in the surrounding towns.
My favorite island is Anegada, however that is really expensive to get to and there is no nightlife.

we were actually thinking about the BVI's but I jiust do not know much about them at all. I remember seeing one of iamwiz's pictures of some bay over there and was breath taken by it, but I just do not know much about them.

St Thomas and St John.... SO SO beautiful on St. John. There is a lot of info on the USVI/BVI. its beautiful there.

St. John is the national park island right? And I'm assuming they have faries that go from St. Thomas to there? I believe my sister went to St. Thomas last summer (not sure which island it was, pretty sure it was that) and from the pics and her trip,it looked just okay and it seemed like they stayed at hte resort most of the time.

Are those islands known for and safe to go arond and explore?

Also I think Hiawaii would be pretty expensive to go to being on the East coast, but I will check out some stuff about Hawaii. I would like to go there as well.

If you want to get some prices and the like for Hawaii, we have a travel agent IN hawaii that has gotten us better deals than ANYWHERE online. let me know!

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: SpanishFry

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: SpanishFry
Can you post your Aruba $2,000 deal?

FWIW, we really enjoyed Costa Rica

I just found em on Travelocity and Expedia. the Aruba airport code is AUA. I'm in Maryland too just so you know how far I have to travel.

which hotel? I'm seeing $2000/person from N.O.

The Mill resort is like $850/person for me, and the one I may stay at is Amsterdam Manor (I've stayed there before) and it's like a little over $1k/person. This is for July 21st to July 28th.

My airports are IAD, DCA, and BWI too if you wanna check for yourself.

 

[Mill]

If you want to go off the beaten path -- try San Andres

It is near to Nicarauga. It would be possible to fly there or into Cartagena and then take a boat or plane to San Andres. The culture and atmosphere there would be VERY different from most other Carribean islands.

If you want something more catered to tourists, then I don't think you can go wrong with The Virgin Island, any of the French Islands, or even Costa Rica or the Dominican Republic.

But, hey, it sounds like you had so much fun in Aruba that you should probably just go back there. I'd imagine it would make you just as satisfied, because it may be a gamble to try somewhere else.

 

[laketrout]

I'm trying to back to the bahamas myself. I went there a couple years ago and had a great time. Its really not expensive to get there and because there's so many islands there is a lot to choose from for people who are looking for different things, like people bringing kids and people trying to avoid them. I've found http://www.tripadvisor.com/ to a be a really helpful website with lots of good info in the forums especially if you're looking for a bahamavention.