Better known for cold weather lures than hot weather tours, summer in the Caribbean is not only affordable but it’s also the best way to audition on island before booking a more expensive winter getaway. Yes, the party is still hot, hot, hot and with the islands on sale during the summer, a Caribbean vacay is a sunny alternative to a week at the lake house back home.
St. Maarten
For fans of island hopping, summer bargains galore await at Aqua Mania Adventures in Simpson Bay. Big bang for the buck include day trips to St. Bart’s for $50 per person, two-day getaways to the volcanic island of Saba for $260 and snorkeling excursions to Prickly Pear Cay off shore at next-door Anguilla going for for $75, including drinks and snacks. Upping the ante, if you book two island hops, a sunset sail along the coast of St. Maarten/St. Martin on the Tango Catamaran is yours for just $15. http://www.StMaartenSailing.com
Anguilla
The entire month of August is party-central on the quiet isle a seashell away from St. Maarten. Now in its fifth year, Anguilla’s Summer Prix Fixe Program coincides with the Summer Festival that livens up the sleepy island with beach barbecues, boat races, calypso competitions and soca shows on the sand. To bring in the crowds, resorts are dialing down their rates with suites at the uber-luxe CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa discounted by up to 30%, spectacular views included.
Anacaona on Meads Bay Beach is also on the summer-sale bandwagon with gratis nights for a four- to six-night stay.
Curacao
For wallet watchers who also like the beach, Papagayo Beach Hotel on family-friendly Jan Thiel Beach has sliced rates just for summer travel.
Hilton Curacao tempts with a $129-per-night rate for rooms big enough for four, and for families, the resort on the beach entices with the ‘Family Fun’ deal that gets better with breakfast for the entire brood, gratis shuttles to Willemstad and kayaking adventures through Piscadera Bay.
For city slickers who stay up late, Renaissance Curacao fits the bill with its on-site shopping promenade, Carnaval Casino and rates that won’t break the bank.
Source: USA Today | Melanie Reffes
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