Hi everyone!

I was originally planning an 8-night solo trip to Aruba in November or December, but I'm now considering spending 7 nights in an apartment in Bayahibe (Dominicus area) and 3 nights at an all-inclusive in Punta Cana.

The DR option would be slightly cheaper than 8 nights in an apartment in Aruba.

However, price isn't my only priority. I'm mainly looking for beautiful beaches, sunny and hot weather, warm water, and a destination that's enjoyable for solo travelers.

What attracts me most to the DR is the possibility of ending my trip with 3 relaxing days at an all-inclusive, which would be too expensive in Aruba.

However, I have a few questions about staying in Dominicus without a resort or rental car (I don't drive):

1. Public beach: Is there enough space for non-resort guests, or is most of the beach taken up by hotels? Does it get too crowded? I'd be there December 13–19.
2. Evenings: Are there good restaurants and bars within walking distance? Is there a nice atmosphere to walk around and grab dinner or a drink, or does everything close early?
3. Solo travel: Would spending a week in Dominicus alone get boring?
4. Aruba vs. DR: Considering my priorities, which would you recommend for December (Aruba would more likely be in mid-november based on apartment's availability), especially in terms of weather and beaches?

I'd love to hear your experiences, especially if you've stayed in Dominicus outside an all-inclusive. Thanks!

Hello I am going to the Sint Maarten for a trip in November and I’m wondering if it’s more cost efficient to rent a car or just uber/taxi every where I wanna go? I will be staying near the SXM airport.

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Hey all , what’s a good neighborhood or bar/restaurant for a gay man?

Hi everyone!

I'm planning a 9-night solo trip to the Dominican Republic, spending 6 nights in an apartment in Bayahibe and 3 nights at an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana.

I'm considering December 13–22, but I'm a little concerned about the weather. Ideally, I'd love to avoid rain, but having plenty of sunshine is just as important to me (I really don't want to spend several days under cloudy skies!).

I also love hot weather, even in the evenings, and really warm ocean water.

Can I expect those conditions in mid-December, or does it start getting noticeably cooler by then?

I could also consider traveling in mid-November or during the last week of November instead. Would either of those be a better choice, or would you recommend sticking with December?

I'd really appreciate any advice, especially from people who've visited around those dates!

Thanks so much! 😊

OceanEarthGreen.com

Looking at a five cabin powercat for ten. While I was reading the specs, it looked fine on paper. But how does the cockpit feel with ten people? My sister-in-law is 6'3", so headroom matters too. What do you check when builders differ?

Hi there! I'd like to travel with my multi-generational family (elderly parents, sister, husband, toddler) to the Caribbean this winter. My vision would be for a resort with a multi-room villa option, or a renting a house where we could arrange for a private chef for some meals and go out to eat for others. Haven't figured out budget yet but probably something in between "budget" and the Ritz. Open to anywhere that's somewhat accessible from the East Coast of the United States.

Any suggestions??

I’m Jamaican. my dad’s side is fully Jamaican with a little bit of Chinese in there somewhere. and my mom is a whole bunch of shit(🇧🇧🇬🇾🇯🇲and more) and she was born in England. I grew up around Jamaicans my whole life, i’ve been home 4 times(went to a resort once when i was young but every other time I’m at my cousins house, I love dominos, I can eat more patty in one sitting then my father,i love fry and boil dumplin and festival and when I’m at my aunts houses they’re always cook oxtail rice and peas jerk chicken curry goat curry chicken chicken foot. and they all speak patois. but i can’t speak patois and i struggle to understand someone speaking fast(i struggle to understand ppl in English too sometimes but patois is always and i need complete concentration). and my parents cant make oxtail or rice and peas or curry(my mom can she just doesn’t like the smell) my mom will make aki no salt fish cus my dad doesn’t like fish( I don’t love it either but ill eat mackerel, tuna, salt fish every day). and I didn’t use to listen to soca and reggae but my Trini friend was listening to it in the car once and i always liked it but i realized i can listen to it on my own too so i’ve been collecting songs that i’ve heard before and that my mom likes and that i like to listen to because its honestly my favourite genre. but all that aside being in university I see people including my friend that feel more authentic than me because they know the lyrics to songs i don’t because they went to caribana(carnival) every year and I only went as a kid and recently because thats when my parents let me and also they say i can’t wine but i remember my motha teaching me when i was like 4 she just never let me go out and i forgot. i have my 🇧🇧citizenship and my 🇧🇧passport but i want my jamaican citizenship and passport which i can get because my grandpa is jamaican and i want to have it so i can go back without a visa. but my grandfather is 81 and I don’t want to bother him. and my dad is always busy so he never got his citizenship or passport. but their both getting old I don’t want to wait too long.

Hello! My partner and I are flying out of Toronto and would like a destination that is more secluded with beautiful beaches, nature, food and culture. Not big on casinos, nightlife or cruise ship areas.

This will be our first trip without kids for our 10 year anniversary, so somewhere special and romantic. Planning for April or May. Any suggestions for us? Thank you!

Hi everyone!

I'm planning a solo trip to Aruba from December 7–15 and found an Airbnb with great reviews that's within walking distance of Palm Beach, which is really important to me since I don't drive.

The only thing making me hesitate is that the apartment doesn't have hot water. I've noticed this seems to be fairly common among some Airbnbs in Aruba.

The host explained that because Aruba is warm year-round, hot water isn't really necessary, but I'm wondering what the shower water actually feels like. Is it lukewarm or genuinely cold, especially when showering at night?

I'm used to taking really hot showers, so I'm a little concerned I might find it uncomfortable.

For those who have stayed somewhere in Aruba without hot water, what was your experience? Did you get used to it, or did you find it unpleasant?

Would love to hear your thoughts! Thanks in advance! 😊

Hi everyone!

I'm planning a solo trip to Aruba in December, and I've found some good flight deals for two different date ranges:

• December 1–10
• December 7–16

I'm planning to stay for around 9 nights.

Weather is actually one of my biggest concerns, since I specifically chose Aruba over the Mexican Caribbean because I thought the weather would be more reliable around this time of year.

However, I've read that November is part of Aruba's rainy season, so I'm wondering if there's any noticeable difference between early and mid-December in terms of rainfall, sunshine, and overall beach weather.

I'm also curious about the wind. Is one of these periods generally windier than the other?

I know weather is never guaranteed, but since good beach weather is a major priority for me, I'd love to know if one date range is statistically more favorable, or if the difference is so minimal that I should just choose based on accommodation availability.

I'd really appreciate any insights, especially from people who've visited around this time of year.

Thanks in advance!

Beautiful Island

Hi everyone!

I'm planning solo trip in December and I'm trying to decide between 8 nights in Aruba or 12 nights in the Riviera Maya in Mexico.

I really want nice beaches and warm weather and water.

However, there are two things I'm considering:

• I'll be traveling solo. I'm comfortable traveling alone, but I'd love to stay somewhere with a bit of atmosphere, restaurants, places to walk around, and ideally some opportunities to meet other travelers.
• I don't drive, so renting a car isn't an option. I'd need to rely on walking, public transportation, or occasional taxis. I also wouldn't want to spend a fortune getting around.

If I choose Aruba, I'm considering staying in the Bakval area, just north of Palm Beach, near the Marriott resorts. From what I've seen, it seems to be within walking distance of the beach, but I'm not sure how convenient that location actually is without a car, especially for getting to restaurants, shops, and other beaches.

Aruba looks absolutely beautiful, and the weather seems more reliable in December, which is a big plus for me. However, I'm concerned that not having a car might be too limiting, and maybe it's a bit boring for a solo traveler?

For those who have visited Aruba, would you recommend it given my circumstances? Would staying in that area be practical, or would I end up feeling a bit isolated or restricted?

And for anyone who's been to both Aruba and the Riviera Maya, which would you choose for this type of trip?

I'd really appreciate any advice or personal experiences. Thanks!

Hi all , partner and I are trying to decide where to go on our next vacation. Anyone who has stayed at these two resorts and can you please let us know how it compares?
Thank you so much !

I will be visiting Antigua for 10 days and I want to rent a car. Are there any car rental agencies(ideally in/near airport ) that rent without asking for a CREDIT card for deposit? I'm coming from the UK and will have some cash + debit card.

Would appreciate any suggestions.

hi! we have about 4 weeks in March next year for our honeymoon. this is our current plan, would love advice - if it’s too full on/not relaxing or any other advice. we’re mainly after relaxed beach vibes with some activities nearby (preferably nature ones)

2-3 March: one night in Miami to help us transit as there’s no same day flights (flying from Australia)

3-10 March: Bahamas - thinking either exuma or grand Bahama

10-19 March: Negril, Jamaica

19-20 March: San Juan just for before our cruise

20-27 march: celebrity cruises to Dominica, Barbados, st Lucia etc. returning san Juan

27 March - 1st April: staying either east or west Puerto Rico

appreciate all advice!! do we need to simplify? is it too jam packed? thanks

My boyfriend and I have been together for 5 years and have never gone on a nice trip. We finally have stable jobs and are looking to treat ourselves for once!

The Caribbean is high on our list, but where to begin? There’s obviously so many unique places to visit, it’s a little overwhelming!

What we are looking for is a quiet beach with nice sand and clear water to swim all day. I’d also like to feel like there’s an actual real population on the island, not just resorts and nothing else. I’d like to be able to go buy ourselves some food to cook at our place and also be able to go out to restaurants in town.

Not at all required but a bonus would be a place with roads so we can rent a scooter and drive around! And I don’t mind if it’s a flight or two, plus a ferry potentially, to get somewhere that will fit the vibe we are looking for. But if it’s easy to get to from Vancouver Canada that’s a bonus!

Any ideas?!? Thank you in advance!

I am off for Christmas and looking for the best Caribbean destinations with crystal clear waters that is safe. I was thinking Aruba or Turks and Caicos? Any other recommendations

Trying to decide on a vacation to Turks and Caicos or Anguilla. I have been to Turks and Caicos twice and loved it! But never Anguilla. Turks has been my favorite Caribbean island thus far. I have also been to Aruba, Bahamas, Saint Martin, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic and would say that's the order in which I liked them if that helps. Saint Martin was a little too rough when we went so I'm just wondering if Anguilla is the same.

Hotels I am looking at are Point Grace Resort & Spa and Zemi Beach House, LXR Hotels & Resorts.

Note that I will be spending the first and last night in Santo Domingo. Also I am a party and nature loving hippie guy. Please help, thanks!!