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Best carribean island to go on vacation- Virgin Islands or Jamaica?

My wife and I want a REALLY romantic trip (think second honeymoon) to an island in the Carribean. We have never been to a carribean island. We have narrowed it down to the (American) Virgin Islands and Jamaica. Which of these has better scenery? Which is cheaper? Which has better food? Also, which part of Jamaica, or which island in the virgin islands would you reccomend? P.S. It will be next June, in case that matters.

Public Comments

1. I have never been to Jamaica but I understand that it has fabulous scenery. The only problem apparently is (this from friends who just returned) a lot of unrest with blacks not very happy with the whites. Apparently they ended up basically being locked in a compound at night for their own protection. With regard to cost I can tell you that nothing is cheap in the Caribbean because everything has to be shipped in. the food is wonderful everywhere. I have been to the U.S. Virgin islands three times. I love St. Thomas but it is a stopping place for all the cruises lines and some days they drop as many as 10,000 extra people on the island. It gets very crowded to say the least. St. John's is very very beautiful and the biggest part of it is a national park. But i believe it is quite upscale and therefore quite $$$$. I really liked St. Croix and found it more laid back. You could stay at St. Croix and take the waterboat to St. Thomas which of course is a huge duty free port and has tons of shops. Have a wonderful trip you lucky people!!
2. you should go on a cruise, it's cheaper and you get to see more places
3. I'd say not Jamaica, unless you want to go to an all-inclusive and stay on the premises. Jamaica isn't an easy country to travel around, although it is beautiful. There's just too much crime and too much hassle from the locals. St. John is beautiful - most of the island is a national park - and it has beautiful beaches. Caneel Bay is an upscale resort there. St. Thomas has beautiful beaches, too, but it's busier and more touristy, especially when the cruise ships are in port [which is almost every weekday]. In June you should be able to get some good deals in the Caribbean, although it is also hurricane season. If I were doing a land vacation at that time of year, I'd buy trip insurance [insuremytrip.com is a good site that compares different companies]. You might be interested in these sites: vinow.com and caribbeanonline.com and TripAdvisor.com.
4. Jamaica would be better. It's more luxurious. You could go to the best resorts such as the Grande Ocho Rio, Nigrel, and Sandals they are wonderful. Sandals is in Montego Bay, The Grande Ocho Rio is in Ocho Rio, and Negril is in The city of Negril hope I was much help anymore questions?
5. The BRITISH Virgins, perhaps... but I'm not in love with the U.S. Virgins. and Jamaica is so full of crime and violence that you can't walk the streets in much of Jamaica safely even during the day and certainly not at night... they have that stupid "gun court" that takes the guns out of the hands of honest people and allows the thugs, police and military, which are usually the same peope... to have guns. I live on Antigua 7 months a year and love it because I don't see that many AmeriKans there since most AmeriKans have never heard of it or know where it is.
6. We have been to both. Jamaica has better scenery and one of the most popular tourist sites in the Caribbean at Dunn's River Falls. Cheaper mainly depends on how much effort you put into researching hotels and resorts and how far in advance you book. Keep looking over a period of weeks if not months to find price breaks. The food is more Americanized in the U.S. Virgin Islands, but it all depends on your tastes. The other post is right -- if you go to Jamaica, go to an all-inclusive resort for safety. In that case, you have many places to consider around the island. We have been to St. Thomas twice and liked it, but again it's very commercial. I have heard good things about St. John. It's more quiet if that's what you want. Finally, when we walked around Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, we were never treated badly by anyone. We did get approached by vendors, but they were polite. That doesn't mean the locals can't be a problem, just that we didn't experience anything bad. Being careful is always a good idea in any place where you don't know the people.
7. I would go to St John and rent a villa with a hot tub and pool. Rent a jeep and explore the island. Love the US Virgins. If you are the adventurous type, take a excursion over to the BVI and visit Virgin Gorda and the Baths. St John is 2/3rds national park and it's beautiful. Hiking, fishing , scuba diving, snorkeling or just hanging out. The scenery is the best. June would be a wonderful time to go. Prices drop after April 15th or May 1st. We really enjoy renting a villa/house, more room and you can save a bit by eating breakfast in, pack a lunch for the beach and you only have to worrying about eating dinner out. St John has some very nice restaurants, some value, some expensive and some just right. The rentals have everything you need, towels, coolers, beach chairs, washer and dryers. Just like home. You have 39 pristine beaches to enjoy. Some to yourself. Very romantic. Good Luck and check out the link below for rentals)