Affordable Caribbean Destinations

By Author: Steve Robinson
Total Articles: 468
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Yes, cheap travel options, including cheap airplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, and cheap vacation packages can be found, if you know where to look, to great Caribbean islands.

The following are affordable Caribbean islands recommended by Smarter Travel:

• Dominican Republic is much cheaper if you vacation where the locals go - the Samana Peninsula on the northeast coast. It is very different from the resort towns but offers lots to do. Tourists can ride horseback into the mountains and hire boats cheaply to visit the Los Haitises National Park or the white sand beaches of Cayo Levantado. JetBlue is offering a direct flight from New York to the Samana Peninsula for under $400 this winter.

• Jamaica’s less tourist driven South Coast is budget friendly and a great place to enjoy the country’s laid back vibe. There are plenty of cheap eats at the public beaches. Round trip flights from New York City to Montego Bay are often available for under $500 from Caribbean Airlines, Delta, and JetBlue.

• Puerto Rico can be downright cheap if you take a two hour drive west of San Juan to a Rincon, ...
... a small coastal town where almost everything is negotiable. Save on activities by pooling together with new friends you meet on the beach. In Rincon, the larger the group, the cheaper the rate. This is one of the world’s best surfing destinations. Flights are plentiful to San Juan where it is easy to rent a car and drive to Rincon.

• St Thomas is particularly popular with shoppers since the U.S. Virgin Islands have the highest duty free allowance ($1,600) in the Caribbean. No other island beats St. Thomas for retail volume and variety. Great values (30 to 60 percent lower than mainland U.S. prices) can be had on perfume, jewelry, and electronics. Major airlines as well as JetBlue and Spirit fly to St. Thomas year round. Average ticket prices from the northeast are about $360, though more expensive in the winter.

• St. Croix is another U.S. Virgin island that appeals to budget travelers with its affordable activities. St. Croix is home to historical sites, interesting museums, mountains and rainforests great for hiking, and a marine sanctuary ideal for snorkeling. American Airlines and JetBlue offer direct flights to St. Croix.

• Trinidad and Tobago throw the Caribbean’s bigger party during Carnival, which is the busiest and more expensive time of year to visit this dual island nation. Visit almost any other time of year and save with an itinerary that includes beach days, bartering in open air markets, and checking out the capital’s colonial style buildings. The island street food is plentiful, tasty, and inexpensive. While there are a few U.S. airlines that fly direct to Trinidad and Tobago, Caribbean Airlines usually offers the cheapest fares and preferred schedules.
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