Romantic Escapes in St. Martin & St. Barts

Geography

The islands arch out like a cracking whip, with the largest islands to the west and the small islands to the east, curving on down to South America and ending with a snap back to the west at the ABC islands: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.

The whole formation of islands is referred to as the Antilles, usually divided into the Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles. The Greater Antilles, as the name suggests, are the Caribbean's largest islands: Cuba, Hispaniola (an island shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti), Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. The term Lesser Antilles encompasses the other islands.

Often, the area is just divided up into the Eastern and Western Caribbean. The Eastern islands are the same as the Lesser Antilles; the Western Caribbean is the Greater Antilles and the Cayman Islands.

The multiple names given to this region is your first hint at the diversity the Caribbean boasts. In researching and writing this book, we traveled to the Caribbean every few weeks and many friends asked us, Are you getting bored visiting the same area again and again? Besides the fact that it would be pretty tough to tire of perfect weather, postcard-pretty scenes, and a sea as clear as glass, the Caribbean holds an endless fascination for us, and hopefully for you, because it offers so many different types of experiences.

Although every one of these countries is an island surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, they differ in many ways. The political structures range from crown colonies to independent nations. Some islands span hundreds of square miles; others can be covered by bicycle in a single afternoon. Languages vary as well; English, Spanish, French, Dutch, and even a beautiful mélange of languages called Papiamento greet visitors, though you'll find that English is spoken in just about every resort area.

Although technically not part of the Caribbean, the Bahamas share its azure waters and perpetual summer. Bermuda is also beyond the Caribbean's reaches, though it, too, offers a romantic island atmosphere.

How Do You Say....

The Caribbean contains a few tongue twisters. So you can sound like a local, here's how to say some of the toughest:

Anguillaan-GWIL-a

Antiguaan-TEE-ga

Barbudabar-BOO-da

NevisNEE-vis

SabaSAH-buh

StatiaSTAY-sha

St. BarthsSt. Barts

St. CroixSt. Kroy

St. LuciaSt. LOU-sha

Getting Started

Okay, it's time tomake some decisions. Which island will you choose? It's a question that only the two of you can answer, based on your own personal tastes. Do you want high-rise luxury or Robinson Crusoe-type seclusion? Glitzy dinner shows or evening serenades from tiny tree frogs? Days spent shopping, snorkeling, scuba diving, or just sunning on a sandy beach?

When friends ask us for help in selecting a destination, we advise them to first identify their preferences. We sometimes like the bustling atmosphere of busy islands like Jamaica, St. Thomas, or Puerto Rico; other times we long for the serenity of St. Kitts, Nevis, or Virgin Gorda.

To help you make this major decision, begin by asking yourself these questions:

Is our budget a major factor in our choice?

Will this be a quick three- or four-day getaway or a leisurely vacation of a week or more?

Do we enjoy casino gambling and shows?

Are we looking for luxurious accommodations?

Would we prefer the convenience of an all-inclusive resort?

Do we want to rent a car and explore on our own?

What activities are most important to us? Snorkeling? Scuba? Tennis? Windsurfing? Sailing? Hiking? Shopping?

Do we want a lush, tropical environment?

Do we want white sand beaches? Nude beaches?

Do we want the simplicity of remaining on US turf or would we rather experience a different culture?

Sit down together and consider your answers. Then take a look at your choices. 

Vacation Options

Budget Getaways

There's no good way to put this, but you'll find out soon enough that a trip to the Caribbean isn't cheap. Even if you select a budget hotel, transportation to the islands is a big expense that you just can't avoid.

However, some islands are less expensive than others. These destinations are high volume, bringing in commercial and charter flights on a daily basis. This may mean more crowds, but your airfare will probably be cheaper than flights to more secluded islands.

Some destinations offer packages that include air, hotel, and ground transportation for one affordable price. Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic offer these kinds of deals.

Charter airline companies serve most of these islands as well. For more information on low-cost carriers, see Travel Information.

Quick Getaways

If you're planning a three- or four-day retreat, make the most of your visit by minimizing travel time. These islands are the easiest jumps from the US: the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Cayman Islands, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica (if you stay in the Montego Bay area; Negril and Ocho Rios are nearly two hours from the airport, Port Antonio is even farther). From the UK, you'll find the best connections to Barbados, Antigua, and Bermuda.

Mega Resorts

Twenty-four-hour room service, full-treatment spas, and satellite TV aren't commonplace throughout the Caribbean. However, the two of you can be pampered at full-service properties in Puerto Rico, Aruba, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Barbados and St. Lucia in hotels that offer more than the comforts of home.

Where to Stay

Whatever you're looking for in the way of accommodations - high-rise hotel, seaside bungalow, bed-and-breakfast inn, small traditional hotel, or private villa - you'll find it in the Caribbean.

Just as varied as the type of accommodations available is the range of prices at these properties. Everything from budget motels with spartan furnishings to private islands that attract royalty and Hollywood types is available.

This guidebook covers things in-between, places where the everyday vacationing couple can enjoy safety and comfort in surroundings where romance can flourish. The resorts, hotels, and villas featured on these pages offer all levels of activity. Some have round-the-clock fun and evening theme parties; others point the way for guests to find their own entertainment. Some are located on the beach; others up the mountains with spectacular views. Some are full-service properties with everything from beauty salons to jewelry shops to a half-dozen bars and restaurants located right on property; others are simple accommodations where the guests enjoy dinner in former greathouses built over 200 years ago.

Choosing a Caribbean accommodation is more important than selecting a hotel at other destinations. A Caribbean hotel, unlike a property in a downtown US city, for example, becomes your home away from home. This is not just where you spend your nights, but also a good portion of your days, languishing on the beach, lying beneath towering palms, and luxuriating in a warm sea.

What form will your paradise take? White sandy beaches? Rugged limestone cliffs perched above baby blue water? Mountainside vistas? A resort with daily activities and a pulsating nightlife? A historic inn furnished with Caribbean antiques? Or a quiet getaway where the only footprints are your own?

The choice is yours.

Prices

Hotel prices vary drastically between high and low season and also by view. Garden view rooms are generally the least expensive, followed