What Caribbean Island Is The Cheapest To Vacation On
When looking to find the cheapest island to vacation on, it can be a pain to find pricing across all of the popular islands in the Caribbean. For example, Puerto Rico has different prices from Dominican Republic and Aruba which makes it difficult to get an accurate average of what it costs for a week-long vacation.
As a global leader in cruises and island vacations, we get asked daily by our clients to find them the most luxurious and serene Caribbean island to visit. Since that question is almost impossible for us to answer for every single one of our valued clients, we decided to do a little research on the subject and see which islands appeared to be the happiest, have the most breathtaking coastlines, and most importantly, are the cheapest and easiest to travel to from the United States.
You’ve heard of Jamaica, you’ve heard of Aruba, now let me tell you about the Caribbean island I love to vacation on; Trinidad and Tobago. I’m going to compare it to other Caribbean islands throughout this blog post and tell you why it’s more affordable for your next dream vacation.
Definitely not the one they’re going to tell you, though it often ends up being that. But that’s not good enough — I’m here to give you the truth and give you a deal on your next vacation!
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is probably the cheapest Caribbean island to visit if you’re looking for affordable all-inclusive deals. On a recent visit to CheapCaribbean.com, I spotted dozens of packages in Punta Cana, the most popular resort area, starting at just $599 per person for air and four nights’ accommodations. Activities in the area include snorkeling, zip lining and off-road ATV tours through the jungle. You can also go hiking and swim in clear lagoons at the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park & Reserve.
The average round-trip fare to Santo Domingo is $402, according to CheapOair data, and Oyster pegs the average hotel rate at $184 a night. Other popular resort areas in the Dominican Republic include La Romana and Puerto Plata.
What Caribbean Island Is The Cheapest To Vacation On
Where to stay: The Punta Cana Princess All Suites Resort & Spa offers a beachfront all-inclusive experience for less than $200 a night on the dates I checked. If you’re not up for a big resort, consider the NH Punta Cana, a boutique hotel with breakfast included and a beach within walking distance.
Bahamas
This Caribbean-adjacent strand of tropical islands is a popular getaway just an hour-long flight from Miami. Most visitors fly into Nassau (on New Providence Island) or Freeport (on Grand Bahama Island); it’s worth checking fares to both airports to see which is cheaper. Consider Grand Bahama Island for a quieter, more laid-back vacation, while high-energy Nassau suits travelers looking for lots of activities and nightlife.
One of Kayak’s trending beach destinations for 2019, the Bahamas are served by multiple discount airlines (JetBlue, Southwest) as well as the major carriers, with a median airfare of $455 round-trip. Fly during January, September or October for the lowest fares, according to Kayak data.
The average hotel rate is $199 a night, according to Oyster. One way to save money is by looking into packages from sites such as CheapCaribbean.com or Expedia.
Where to stay: The Bell Channel Inn in Freeport offers basic but comfortable rooms within walking distance of the beach. Bay View Suites Paradise Island is a modestly priced option near Nassau.
Martinique
With its lushly forested mountains, sweeping sand beaches and colorful villages, Martinique offers a variety of landscapes along with a taste of French flair. Between beach days, visitors can stroll through the Jardin de Balata, tour lovely cathedrals or hike to one of the island’s many waterfalls.
Martinique didn’t have a reputation as one of the cheapest Caribbean islands until a European discount airline started flying there from the East Coast, making fares more reasonable. “Norwegian’s nonstop service to the French Caribbean island of Martinique hovers under $300 round-trip from the Northeast,” says Stewart. Norwegian flies to Martinique from New York (JFK) and Fort Lauderdale.
There are hundreds of places to stay around the island at a wide range of price points. To find lower rates, try to avoid peak season, which runs roughly from December through April.
Where to stay: Residence du Village Creole is a reasonably priced three-star hotel located in the village of Trois-Ilets, within walking distance of a beach. Or pay even less for a cozy stay at Tante Arlette, located in a restored historic building in the northern part of the island.
St. Croix
The largest but also most overlooked of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix quietly offers a variety of attractions for visitors. You can tour Fort Christiansvaern, built by the Danes and now a national historic site; go snorkeling at Buck Island Reef National Monument; or hike to the Carambola Tide Pools, where you can take a dip to cool off.
“Since Spirit Airlines recently launched service, fares to St. Croix have dropped quite a bit to the under-$300 range,” says Stewart. Spirit currently offers direct flights between St. Croix and Fort Lauderdale, with connections to numerous other cities in its network.
As with Puerto Rico, the fact that St. Croix is a U.S. island means that you don’t have to worry about currency exchange fees or paying for a passport.
Where to stay: The moderately priced Hotel on the Cay sits on a small island in Christiansted Harbor and even has its own beach. Or try the Hotel Caravelle on St. Croix, which has an attached casino and is located near the boardwalk in downtown Christiansted.
This story originally appeared on SmarterTravel.com.
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