So you’re thinking about planning a vacation to a tropical Caribbean paradise, and everyone you know who has been to the Caribbean has all kinds of advice about what you should do.
But do you know what kinds of things you *shouldn’t* do?
Just as important as knowing what you should do, knowing what not to do is part of planning for a wonderful tropical vacation!
Here are 5 of my favorite “don’ts” when it comes to visiting the Caribbean.
Don’t Assume All Islands are the Same – Clear blue water. Beautiful white sandy beaches. Palm trees. Those are the things folks are looking for when they travel to the Caribbean, and while you’ll probably find all of these – more or less – in most destinations, each island is most definitely NOT the same, and it’s important to know how they are different. What you’ll find in St. Lucia is completely different from Jamaica. Grenada is not the same as Barbados. In the Bahamas, Nassau couldn’t be more different from Exuma. And so on. There is a unique character to each island so don’t think that if you (or a friend) have seen one, you’ve seen them all. There’s a rich and diverse variety in the culture, food, traditions, history, and even/especially geography in each island.
Don’t Assume All Hotels are All-Inclusive – It’s a common assumption that if you’re going to the Caribbean, you’ll be at a resort where everything is included. And that might be the case. But it also might not be. Don’t make the (expensive) mistake of expecting everything at your resort to be included. Read the fine print, and discuss with your travel agent, so that you’ll know what is – and is not – included in your destination hotel.
Don’t Assume the Weather is Always Sunny – When you visit many of the Caribbean islands, you’ll find lush green vegetation, and that’s one of the beautiful things about much of this region. But you know how all that green happened? Rain happened. In fact, it’s important to remember that you’re in the tropics and rain is likely just about any day – even if it’s just a brief afternoon shower. Of course, this all varies depending on the season (and the island), and certain times of the year can be significantly rainier than others. Along these lines, you will also want to consider hurricane season as well, because well, hurricanes can wreak havoc with vacation plans. Still, peak hurricane season (mid-August through late October) is considered off-peak, and so often features some of the best pricing – along with lower crowds. So, it’s important to take all of this into consideration as you make your plans and know what to expect. You might want to consider one of the islands like Barbados or Grenada that are outside of the “hurricane belt” if you want to travel during the peak of the season. And of course, having travel insurance is super important.
Don’t Assume You’ll Have Cell Service – While much of the tourist/resort areas of the Caribbean are pretty modern it’s still important to remember that you’re visiting an island – so a strong (or any) cell signal isn’t guaranteed, and Wi-Fi can be spotty at best. And although some places will have good service, even at that, don’t expect lightning-fast speeds. But you know what? You’re on vacation, so this is your chance to unplug for a bit and relax in a hammock with pina colada in hand, and enjoy those tropical breezes.
Don’t Expect a Fast Pace – One of the things I loved the first time we visited Jamaica, was how everyone we met told us “no worries” – about pretty much everything. The expression island time really is a thing, and no one is in a hurry – for anything. No worries about being on time. No worries about being late (and what does *late* even mean when you’re on island time anyway)? So, embrace “no worries” as we did, and relax. You’re on island time now, and it’s pretty awesome!
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