usvi-on-line
Suggestions of - dare I say - another destination
You'll have a ball. Tulum and Coba are definitly doable in a day. Coba is huge and still mostly covered by jungle. If you go to Coba try to get a Mayan guide and learn some Mayan - you get a discount if their English is not fluent.LMG wrote:I'm glad to hear people (FlipFlop) talk about Cancun and Playa del Carmen and the Yucatan in general. I'm headed to Playa in a few weeks and staying at a small hotel some friends referred us to. I'm really looking forward to it!
lpowmacbac- We got a great deal on this trip. We are not going all-inclusive but many of those were even very reasonable, as well. We just decided on the more "real" experience of not being on a resort.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI
Ali,
As others have said and as you alredy know...it's impossible to compare St. John...same as it's impossible to compare Hawaii to other places. We visited Hawaii for several years and of course loved it...we always said that there was no place like it....and there isn't. Same goes for St. John; it is so special...but there are many locations which are also special...only in different ways.
I know you had asked about Puerto Rico...not sure if you found what you wanted to know. I love Old San Juan, PR; it has the feel of an old European city...truly lovely and interesting with wonderful restaurants. The people of Puerto Rico are warm, helpful, and friendly. El Yunque, (sp?)the rain forest is spectacular, and some of the beaches are very lovely. You can take a ferry or flight(I think) to Veiques Island, where I'm told that the beaches are quite beautiful.
Another wonderful place to visit is Tulum on the Riviera Maya; I found the ruins to be magical. The sand is white and silky....the water sparkles with shades of sapphire. The Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve is incredible...you can cruise down the Mayan canals, which is quite an experience! Many of the guides are 100% Mayan. Some of the beaches on the way from Tulum to the Biosphere are stunning as well. http://www.locogringo.com/research/beac ... nkaan.html
Good luck!
As others have said and as you alredy know...it's impossible to compare St. John...same as it's impossible to compare Hawaii to other places. We visited Hawaii for several years and of course loved it...we always said that there was no place like it....and there isn't. Same goes for St. John; it is so special...but there are many locations which are also special...only in different ways.
I know you had asked about Puerto Rico...not sure if you found what you wanted to know. I love Old San Juan, PR; it has the feel of an old European city...truly lovely and interesting with wonderful restaurants. The people of Puerto Rico are warm, helpful, and friendly. El Yunque, (sp?)the rain forest is spectacular, and some of the beaches are very lovely. You can take a ferry or flight(I think) to Veiques Island, where I'm told that the beaches are quite beautiful.
Another wonderful place to visit is Tulum on the Riviera Maya; I found the ruins to be magical. The sand is white and silky....the water sparkles with shades of sapphire. The Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve is incredible...you can cruise down the Mayan canals, which is quite an experience! Many of the guides are 100% Mayan. Some of the beaches on the way from Tulum to the Biosphere are stunning as well. http://www.locogringo.com/research/beac ... nkaan.html
Good luck!
It takes both the sun and the rain to make a beautiful rainbow. --Unknown
Wow, this isn't even my thread and I've gotten some good feedback on Playa and Tulum. Thanks, FF, Rick G and Mia. WWWT, you got it on the pictures. 
Interesting comments about the Mayan guides. I can't wait to take a look at the ruins. Has anyone been to Xen-Ha?
Right now, we're waiting to see how the effects of Dean unfold. Relatively fortunately, the eye of the hurricane didn't move over the most populated areas of the Yucatan. However, considering it was a category 5 at the time, I am sure there was damage. We're hoping folks are doing okay by this time. We'll go down and help clean up if we need to.
Did the same in a hotel in Hawaii a couple years ago after an earthquake. One of my most memorable trips ever, and didn't even make it to the beach for a couple days. Anyway, tangent, sorry!
Interesting comments about the Mayan guides. I can't wait to take a look at the ruins. Has anyone been to Xen-Ha?
Right now, we're waiting to see how the effects of Dean unfold. Relatively fortunately, the eye of the hurricane didn't move over the most populated areas of the Yucatan. However, considering it was a category 5 at the time, I am sure there was damage. We're hoping folks are doing okay by this time. We'll go down and help clean up if we need to.
Did the same in a hotel in Hawaii a couple years ago after an earthquake. One of my most memorable trips ever, and didn't even make it to the beach for a couple days. Anyway, tangent, sorry!
Do you mean Xel Ha? It's a touristy place, but fun for half a day. Just don't do Xel Ha and Tulum the same day, it's like going to Trunk Bay on an 8 cruise ship day, twice.LMG wrote:Interesting comments about the Mayan guides. I can't wait to take a look at the ruins. Has anyone been to Xen-Ha?
Xpuha is a wonderful beach that has a number of roads. We go down X-7. There's an RV park and a campground and two restaurants that serve locally caught fish. There is some decent snorkeling and there was a dive boat there on my last trip.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI
Rick, just curious...do you really have time to work?? (LOL) You've referenced reading forum posts, etc. on the subway, but with the extensive traveling that you've done, I can't imagine how you have time to do it all (not to mentioned the beer making, barbecuing and other hobbies). You are a walking wealth of information. Just knowing how much you and Christine love STJ and having such a huge list of destinations to compare it to, says so much for STJ; makes me feel even luckier to have found it since it's so high on the list of an expert. Ali~
STJ - I "get it"
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cypressgirl
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Passion!b-as-u-r wrote:...I can't imagine how you have time to do it all... Ali~
Well, I don't sleep a whole lot... and I really never stop working, thanks to email. I just love to travel and have put a lot of energy into traveling since I got out of college and got an "interesting" job that drove a lot of international travel on my own. Some of the work travel was good (Hawaii, Philippines, Japan, Singapore, Europe, Panama) and some of it was a burden (Diego Garcia, Aleutians, Middle East), but it all gave me a love of travel. You lose your fear of new places pretty soon when that's where you live half of the year. Some people are house poor; I take vacations.
No place has ever really caught me like St. John.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI
Cypress, I personally haven't been to Roatan but my parents have and had a great time!
LMG, I haven't been to Xel-ha but have been to X-caret. They are both Eco Parks and both offer pretty much the same thing. RickG is right on his assessment. They do offer quite a bit to see and do. X-caret has a dinner show. I would suggest Tulum, Coba, and if you want to spend an entire day and travel time with tons of fascinating history, Chitchenitza (I know I butchered the spelling, sorry). Honey also drug me off on a balls out adrenaline junkie 4-wheeling tour through the jungle. We toured caves and swam in cenotes. It was pretty cool, but definitely not for the faint of heart; or shall I say the slow and the meek.
LMG, I haven't been to Xel-ha but have been to X-caret. They are both Eco Parks and both offer pretty much the same thing. RickG is right on his assessment. They do offer quite a bit to see and do. X-caret has a dinner show. I would suggest Tulum, Coba, and if you want to spend an entire day and travel time with tons of fascinating history, Chitchenitza (I know I butchered the spelling, sorry). Honey also drug me off on a balls out adrenaline junkie 4-wheeling tour through the jungle. We toured caves and swam in cenotes. It was pretty cool, but definitely not for the faint of heart; or shall I say the slow and the meek.
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cypressgirl
- Posts: 2178
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Xislandgirl
- Posts: 4163
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We spend a day on Roatan twice while cruising and we loved the island. We went zip lining through the "jungle" and it was so much fun, went to the Iguana "farm" and got to see monkeys (and have them climb on us) at the Fantasy Island Resort. We also brought donations for the one of the Orphanages on the island.
It is nothing like STJ. It is a very poor island with really, really great people. We found them to be so friendly and welcoming. I have a friend that is a diver and she said that the diving is amazing.
We would love to spend a week there.
It is nothing like STJ. It is a very poor island with really, really great people. We found them to be so friendly and welcoming. I have a friend that is a diver and she said that the diving is amazing.
We would love to spend a week there.
Wow, thanks, everyone. Rick, you may get a PM from me. And "travel poor" is going to be my new catch phrase. There's only so much that can be done to the house.
Our trip is pretty quick so maybe Coba is the better bet. Tulum seems a bit far (we won't have a car) and Chichen Itza (I'm with you on the spelling, chrisn) is probably the same.
This will be my first non-college trip to Mexico so I am excited to get some exposure to culture and really get a different perspective.
Our trip is pretty quick so maybe Coba is the better bet. Tulum seems a bit far (we won't have a car) and Chichen Itza (I'm with you on the spelling, chrisn) is probably the same.
This will be my first non-college trip to Mexico so I am excited to get some exposure to culture and really get a different perspective.
Well, Tulum is probably the easiest bus trip. Coba is actually farther than Tulum. Chichen Itza is farther still. You can rent a car for the day in Playa del Carmen, there is a Hertz counter in one of the resorts.LMG wrote:Wow, thanks, everyone. Rick, you may get a PM from me. And "travel poor" is going to be my new catch phrase. There's only so much that can be done to the house.
Our trip is pretty quick so maybe Coba is the better bet. Tulum seems a bit far (we won't have a car) and Chichen Itza (I'm with you on the spelling, chrisn) is probably the same.
This will be my first non-college trip to Mexico so I am excited to get some exposure to culture and really get a different perspective.
I don't have any specific restauarant recommendations other than the ex-pat breakfast place with yogurt/fruit bowls on the main drag. Any place that has grandmothers hand patting tortillas is a good bet.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI
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chicagoans
- Posts: 1586
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If you're interested in Europe, apparently a very desirable destination now for Europeans is Eastern Europe, specifically Croatia.
I wouldn't immediately think "vacation... Croatia!" but I was talking with a friend last night (he's Danish, but lives here now) and his friend who is in from Spain. They said that Croatia has beautiful beaches and mountains, and the prices are much less than the more typical Western European destinations. Just a thought if you want something different!
I wouldn't immediately think "vacation... Croatia!" but I was talking with a friend last night (he's Danish, but lives here now) and his friend who is in from Spain. They said that Croatia has beautiful beaches and mountains, and the prices are much less than the more typical Western European destinations. Just a thought if you want something different!
