Some travelers looking ahead to winter and spring getaways may be wondering what their options are when it comes to Caribbean islands, with all the headlines about hurricane damage.
Some islands such as Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and St. Martin have a ways to go in recovery from the storms. But many other places were relatively unscathed. Island destinations where it’s business as usual include Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas.
Here are some recommendations about other spots you might consider if you had your heart set on an island destination that’s now off-limits, but you’re still hoping for sun, sand and sea.
• BEACHES, DIVING:
Brian Major, executive editor for the Caribbean and Latin America for the trade media company travAlliancemedia, says if you look on a map, it’s easier to understand the storms’ path. The hurricanes mainly impacted the Caribbean’s northeastern Leeward Islands, which include among other destinations Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, St. Martin, Dominica, Anguilla and St. Barts.
Largely unaffected were islands farther south, such as Grenada and Trinidad, and farther west, such as Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.
Major offered a few alternatives to hurricane-impacted destinations.
• Consider Martinique or Curacao if you’re looking for the European cultural mix found on St. Martin. There’s “terrific air service” to Martinique, he said, and “an excellent highway system” if you care to rent a car, “wonderful food” and mostly boutique hotels, along with interesting historic sites such as the Schoelcher Library, named for a famed abolitionist. On Curacao, you’ll find great diving, Dutch-style gabled houses on the waterfront and food vendors at Plasa Bieu.
• Consider Montserrat for rugged landscapes and outdoor adventures like what Dominica is known for. Montserrat is a volcanic island with soaring mountains, inland rivers, waterfalls, diving and snorkeling.
• The Bahamas, like the Virgin Islands, offer a little of everything, with easy access from many U.S. cities. They offer “every stripe of resort, from all-inclusive to small historic.” Travelers who want to experience the famed Atlantis waterpark on Paradise Island without paying for lodging at the resort often stay across the street at the Comfort Suites.
• Try Barbados for “cosmopolitan flair” and “nice beaches.” A former British colony, it offers everything from UNESCO World Heritage sites to horse racing. Hotels range from all-inclusives such as Sandals to three- and four-star and boutique hotels.
• NO PASSPORT? CONSIDER HAWAII:
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have always been favorites among Americans who travel without a passport. Luf said her office was able to rebook travelers to Hawaii whose trips to St. Thomas and Puerto Rico were canceled because of the hurricanes. These customers thought Hawaii was unaffordable, she said, but ended up vacationing there for “not much more” than the Caribbean.
