Caribbean travel tips and tricks

Saving Money on a Caribbean Holiday

Worried about the drop in your 401k and the uncertain economy however still considering a holiday but concerned about the cost? Well it is possible to have a holiday in the Caribbean and save money. This article will provide you some of the ways you can reduce your Caribbean vacation cost and still have a wonderful time.

Hotels
These are the times in which it pays to shop around. The economic slowdown in the United States and Europe is causing many hotels in the Caribbean to have empty rooms and so lower rates are available. By researching the various hotels and the packages they offer you can find hidden bargains.

Another way to reduce your hotel cost is to remember that hotels that are not directly on the beachfront but within walking distance of the beach usually cost less than hotels on the beach.

What type of hotel
Ask yourself the question, how much time do I really spend in the hotel room and the hotel? If your answer is that you spend a lot of your vacation time out of the hotel room, then do you really need to stay in a large hotel? On all the Caribbean islands there are small hotels that offer much lower rates than the large hotels.

Another vacation saver is to consider self-catering hotels. Many self-catering hotels provide all the conveniences of a regular hotel room with the added benefit of a decent sized kitchen or kitchenette. By being able to prepare some of your meals (at least breakfast) you can reduce your vacation food bill. When researching self-catering hotels ask for photos of the kitchen area so that you can see if it will be adequate for your needs. Also find out if there are any supermarkets within walking distance of the hotel.

If you choose a self-catering hotel, when you visit the supermarket, buy local brands rather than simply buying the brands that you use at home. You will generally find that local brands cost less.

Eating Out
One of the pleasures of a Caribbean vacation is dining, as there are numerous restaurants on each island serving all types of cuisine. One way to save money during your Caribbean holiday is to eat where the locals eat. You will invariably find that the prices at these establishments are lower as these places cater for locals who do not have the purchasing power of tourists. Part of the benefit of a vacation is to experience the culture of the island and local cuisine is a great way to experience local culture. How to know where to eat; use the time tested method: if it is lunchtime and there are many people lining up then the food must be good and the price must be reasonable.

Alcohol
Almost every hotel in the Caribbean has a bar because relaxing with a drink is part of the holiday experience. Visiting the bar everyday however can eat into a holiday budget. One way to save money and still have your alcohol is to visit the supermarket. By purchasing your alcohol at the supermarket and having some of your drinks on your hotel balcony while watching the sunset, you can save money. When buying alcohol in the Caribbean you will find that local and regional brands of beer cost significantly less than U.S. and European brands of beer, so buy local. The same is true with the cost of rum when compared to other distilled spirits such as whiskey and vodka.

Getting Around
Most people on a Caribbean vacation want to do some sightseeing and visit the places of interest on each island. Renting a car is a great way to do your sightseeing. Many of the attractions on each island can be found once you are armed with a good road map. In addition, having a car allows you to widen the circle of places where you can choose to have dinner. In deciding to rent a car however you should think of the amount of time the car is parked in the hotel parking lot while you are relaxing on the beach in front the hotel or taking an afternoon siesta. While the car is parked and you are not using the car you are still paying the rental for the car for that entire period.

One method of having the benefit of a car and still save some money is to plan your holiday in advance by researching the sights. The Internet has made researching sightseeing attractions much easier and one of the web sites where you can learn about the places to visit on different Caribbean islands is at the Island Adventures Page of the Caribbean Outdoor Life web site. Once you have completed your research you make a list, then rent a car for only 2 or 3 days and do all the sightseeing on those days. In this way you save on the car rental. On the days that you have the car you can choose to visit restaurants that are not in walking distance of your hotel.

Another potential vacation saver can be found in the area of car rental insurance. Check if your home auto insurance or credit card will provide insurance on a rental vehicle while you are on vacation in the Caribbean, thus saving you from purchasing insurance from the car rental company.

On the other days when you do not have a car you can use local transport for getting around. All hotels either have taxis at the hotel or arrangements with taxis who will quickly come to the hotel once they receive a call from the front desk. A much cheaper alternative however is to use the local bus service. The front desk staff can usually provide you with directions and advice on using the bus service.

Tours and Attractions
Every Caribbean island has retained much of its natural vegetation and so hiking to visit waterfalls and scenic points is one of the attractions of a Caribbean holiday. All islands have at least one local hiking club and/or Field Naturalist Club that will organise hikes for its members. All of these clubs will allow non-members to participate on their organised hikes. While these clubs will charge a fee for you to participate in their hike, the fee will be much less than the fee charged by a tour guide. One point to remember however is that these hikes are organised for their local members and will therefore be on a weekend.

Many of the attractions on the various islands charge a fee for entrance. There are however many other attractions that you can visit for free, particularly historic buildings especially churches, the smaller forts and government buildings. The capital of each island is one location where you are certain to find historic buildings and monuments that are free places to visit.

So if you are thinking about a vacation, consider the Caribbean, with a little planning you can have a wonderful vacation at a significantly lower cost.

brian ramsey
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