Beach Vacation Ideas

[JJ_Tex]

The wife and I are beach people and looking for ideas for a vacation in April/May of this year with just the 2 of us. We have done FL, Mexico, and the Western Caribbean a fair amount and are looking for something different. We were sold on the Maldives, but just read that April and May are their monsoon season and to expect heavy rainfall then. TFP is a diverse group of well-traveled people, what ideas do you have? I put more details below, but really just looking for ideas we can research.

Our ideal spot:
- Warm enough to swim and go to the beach in April/May
- Great beach we can see from our hotel room and easily walk to with crystal clear water
- Resort-style location with options for food/drinks where we would not have to leave the resort every day
- Some other activities available like hiking, snorkeling, sightseeing, etc. if we do not want to do the beach every day

Places we have been/not high on our list:
- Florida panhandle and Keys (I would be open to other FL options, but the FL panhandle is our go-to family vacation spot)
- Mexico, at least not the Cancun or Cabo areas as we have done those
- Bahamas, Grand Cayman, Jamacia, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands
- Hawaii (Maui and Kauai) - I could be talked into the Big Island, but been to the others

Places we brainstormed and would love feedback on:
- Bermuda
- Eastern Caribbean Islands (Turks and Caicos, St. Maarten, St. Lucia and any other of the St. islands)
- Costa Rica
- Portugal
- Maldives
- Croatia (probably too cold in April/May)

Thanks all!

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Bora Bora.

 

[generessler]

We had a couple of great family vacations in Puerto Rico. It's been through a couple of hurricanes since then, so can't vouch for current state.

 

[JJ_Tex]

Bora Bora.

Have you been? There is a cringe-worthy project at work with the same name and scared me off, but I should look there and Fiji

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Yes, been there, but way back in 1985. There's no island like it but I'd guess it's less idyllic than when I was there with my girlfriend. Who shortly thereafter became my wife.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

I have not been, but a friend from work is going in March, to the Dominican. This will be their second time to visit there. They really enjoyed it. All inclusive, they never leave the resort. They aren't big excursion or activity people, so not sure what is available for that kind of stuff, but I'm sure the resort has things that you can do other than lounge.

--Jeff

 

[ajw22]

Manu Lani, Manu Kea, or Fairmont Orchid on Big Island of Hawaii.

Fairmont hotel in Maui checks all your boxes and Maui has more alternative activities then the Big Island.

 

[JJ_Tex]

Manu Lani, Manu Kea, or Fairmont Orchid on Big Island of Hawaii.

Fairmont hotel in Maui checks all your boxes and Maui has more alternative activities then the Big Island.

Good idea. We were in Kaanapali, but I remember liking the Wailea part of the island better... and its hard to beat a Fairmont.

 

[ajw22]

Good idea. We were in Kaanapali, but I remember liking the Wailea part of the island better... and its hard to beat a Fairmont.

Kannapali is like Miami Beach and the most touristy part of Maui. Other areas are so much nicer.

Ritz Carlton at Kapalua is very nice. I played golf there on Monday. Kapalua is very nice but cooler and wetter than Wailea. Kapalua can be overcast while sunny and warm in Wailea.

Fairmont in Maui is all suites hotel and was just renovated the last few months. It is on one of the nicest beaches in Maui. It has a few nice restaurants. I had lunch there last week after being on their beach.

I was on the Big Island last month. I think either island has much more to offer then a Caribbean Island although the BVI and Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda can be very nice if the flight to Hawaii is too long.

Hawaii is the best guarantee of warm beach weather in April/May of the places you list.

Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts program has some very good deals on the Fairmont Hotels and others if you have an AMEX card.

 

[JJ_Tex]

I was on the Big Island last month. I think either island has much more to offer then a Caribbean Island although the BVI and Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gouda can be very nice if the flight to Hawaii is too long.

I like your travel style. We stayed on the US side, but loved BVI and did several excursions including the baths and my absolute favorite was Jost Van Dyke and the Soggy Dollar Bar and their painkillers.

We also went fishing off of a little known island with a huge American flag owned by "a rich finance guy" according to our guide. Fast forward a few years and it turned out to be Epstein's island.

 

[ajw22]

I like your travel style. We stayed on the US side, but loved BVI and did several excursions including the baths and my absolute favorite was Jost Van Dyke and the Soggy Dollar Bar. .

You can see the BVI like we did in 2008 when we rented a sail boat with a Captain and First Mate and went around the Islands for a week. Virgin Gorda and dinner at Little Dix Bay was just one of the stops.

We are still in contact with that crew who has since married and we have been talking about doing another BVI boat trip in 2025.

 

[mknauss]

We spent a month in Jaco, Costa Rica in 2021 (Covid escape). It is great. Not super touristy. It is the weekend beach spot for the San Jose residents. We had a condo on the beach. A great fish market a block away with the best ceviche we have ever ate, and a great farmers market another block away with the best vegetables and fruit.

 

[Bperry]

Depending on how culturally exotic you prefer, there’s some beautiful beaches and scenery in Taiwan. It’s a pretty westernized society so easy to visit. Not sure about the water clarity though.

 

[mgtfp]

Whitsunday Islands in Australia. Beautiful.

 

[HermanTX]

Our ideal spot:
- Warm enough to swim and go to the beach in April/May
- Great beach we can see from our hotel room and easily walk to with crystal clear water
- Resort-style location with options for food/drinks where we would not have to leave the resort every day
- Some other activities available like hiking, snorkeling, sightseeing, etc. if we do not want to do the beach every day

Now you speaking my language
Seychelles and/or Mauritius - east coast of Africa - need to check the monsoon season but it beautiful - we have a friend that named their first daughter Seychelles after their visit there
Maldives - beautiful but understand your concern on rain however it has not dampened our visits as there is always something to do and it is not a constant rain - many islands to select from with some requiring hour or longer journeys from main airport
French Polynesia - Bora Bora is the best but many islands are beautiful - expensive like Hawaii
Palau - again beautiful and able to kayak amongst the small islands
Closer to home - south Texas - Cinnamon Shores - 4 hr drive from Houston - also can go further south on Padre Beach

 

[Katodude]

Maldives, one of the top beach vacations I have ever had. I cant speak to the weather that time of year.
Lanai is also one of my favorites. Not much to do but that is what I am looking for. Also the golf course is amazing.

 

[6XSBChamps]

Cabo San Lucas

 

[clduncan]

Hands down the most beautiful beach is Grace Bay in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. We stay at the end of the beach at Oceans Club, we never have to fight for an umbrella and the rum always flows smoothly! Grace Bay is always ranked top 3 beaches in the world!

 

[phonedave]

Places we brainstormed and would love feedback on:
- Bermuda
- Eastern Caribbean Islands (Turks and Caicos, St. Maarten, St. Lucia and any other of the St. islands)
- Costa Rica
- Portugal
- Maldives
- Croatia (probably too cold in April/May)

Thanks all!

St Lucia is beautiful, but holy planes, trains, and automobiles (or in our case, car, plane, helicopter, and then car) to get to where you need to go (and do the same in reverse).

EDIT - SOMEHOW I MISSED THAT YOU SAID YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED IN THE CAYMANS. I'll leave the description anyway (and see the comment about Croatia at the end)



For me, you cannot go wrong with the Caymans (Grand Cayman). For what you are describing you would be staying on (SMB) Seven Mile Beach. (However in our house SMB stand for So Many Boogers, because one trip I came down with a horrible head cold, but I digress).

Very safe island, very friendly people, exchange rate is pegged to the US, $1.25 US = $1.00 Cayman. Almost every place takes US dollars as well. It is a bit expensive (it is an island after all)

Some of the best snorkeling and diving in the world is in the Caymans.

Some great restaurants all across the island too - including a AAA 5 Diamond seafood one by Eric Ripert and well as some awesome "not so fine" dining (Like people who charge $15 to eat whatever they catch cooked in their backyard)

I know you said " Resort-style location with options for food/drinks where we would not have to leave the resort every day". The Seven Mile Beach strip is filled with these sort of resorts, but I suggest you think outside the box and look at the East End instead. The East End is much more low key. But I like it much better.

Look into either Morrits Resort or the Wyndham Reef Grand Cayman. I have stayed at Morrits 6 or 7 times now. My friend have a time share there and I have also rented there on my own.

Morritt's Resort | Grand Cayman Vacation Club

Morritt's Resort is a family owned vacation club in Grand Cayman. Join us for an experience that has kept visitors coming back for over 30 years.

morritts.com

There are pools, the beach, a number of bars, a casual restaurant, and a more refined restaurant on site, plus you can walk over to the Wydnham. There is also a small shopping center across the street. Morrits are full kitchen units and there is a grocery store across the street.

If you are staying on the East End you kind of do need a rental car to go anywhere, but the rates are not that bad on the island, and the island is small enough that you can be right in the heart of SMB in under an hour (that is one end of the island to the other). Morrits also has reciprocity with a beach club on SMB, so you can get in for free and use chairs, umbrellas etc.

One other nice thing about staying on the East End is you can plan your trips to SMB to be when the cruise ships are NOT in port. The anchor just off of SMB and tender in, and George Town gets packed when they are in port.


I have never been to Croatia, but my friends (the same ones that own in Grand Cayman) said it was one of the most beautiful places they have ever been to.

 

[JJ_Tex]

St Lucia is beautiful, but holy planes, trains, and automobiles (or in our case, car, plane, helicopter, and then car) to get to where you need to go (and do the same in reverse).

St. Lucia is where we ended up going, but you are right... its not the easiest place to get to. People from England seemed to have much more direct flight options which was odd to me.

Regardless, it was a good trip once we got there. We celebrated our 23rd anniversary there and will save up for the Maldives or some place a bit more exotic for our 25th.

Here are some pics for anyone considering going (1st is just right outside of our hotel room, 2nd is one of the two Piton mountains on the island):