Archives for June 2011

Cheapest caribbean holidays are indeed available if you know where to look and HOW to look. We will lead you through the best tricks in the trade where people get to visit these exotic islands at a fraction of the costs.

• Book in the low season – Lots of people avoid the Caribbean islands during the seasonal low season because this also marks the annual hurricane season. However by some smart planning you can avoid any upsets to your vacation. Look at the more southerly isles for example like Tobago. This island lies out of the “hurricane belt” and though tropical storms do threaten from time to time, the odds are on your side when it comes to enjoying your Caribbean Holidays;

 

• Go for the layovers – We have found that once you are not travelling with little kids (or if they are more tolerant than most children of a young age), you can save up to half of your airfare by taking a longer route. There are very popular sites out there that make it their business to get you the cheapest rates available;

 

• Budget on the meals – Let’s face it you did not go on holidays to cook in a kitchen. However, you can significantly lessen your meal costs by having at least one meal at home. Our suggestion is to go to the local market which is in itself an attraction to most visitors when they visit the Caribbean. Pick up lots of local fruit and have that in the morning before venturing out. Pick up a loaf of bread and small bottle of your preferred spread and just by saving on one meal you will have more to spend on things you will enjoy more;

 

• Book early – Whether it is for hotels or airfare, one key trick is to make your plans early. Many of us have to give our employers our planned dates for vacation at the beginning of the year, so why not formalize it even more and book your tickets at that time as well. If you are like many of us and this may be risky as anything can happen, look at the cancellation policy of the airline and hotel. Many of them offer an insurance like incentive which at a slightly extra cost covers you if you have to cancel;

 

• Direct contact – So many of us have gotten accustomed to using these “middle-men” sites to do our booking that we forget the days of picking up the phone or sending an e-mail directly to the hotel. Many of these establishments have sales teams that are allotted a quota of discount incentives. There is no harm in calling in and saying you want to request if there are any deals coming up for your desired date. Remember they want your business, you are the king around here;

 

• Opt for the all-inclusive – You save a lot of money when you do not have to worry about food and drink, especially if you are travelling with little kids. From our research, St. Lucia, Barbados and Jamaica are the leaders in the Caribbean when it comes to competitive offers for all-inclusive packages. If you are not convinced of the savings work out the estimated cost per meal multiplied by your family’s size and add tip. Food is not cheap in the touristy areas of many islands and this trick could have huge pay-backs;

 

• Cot in room strategy – If you are a small family a lot of hotels will allow a certain number of additional people in a room especially if there is a sofa bed. This can potentially save you the cost of an extra room;

 

• Use those points – Make sure and be a member of some sort of frequent flier program. To many people we speak to have the option and do not use it. Many credit cards give us miles and we don’t use them strategically enough. Remember, you are planning way in advance so dedicate that miles credit card to all normal purchases from now till ticket purchase. Don’t go buying things you don’t need, just your normal budgeted items, i.e. groceries, gas, household items, children’s uniforms and so on.

 

• Rent a car – The Caribbean roads are not hard to navigate. Basically get your temporary license, get a map and remember what side of the road to drive on and you are off. What costs the money is taking taxis everywhere. Not only is it expensive but you can’t stop everywhere you wish or leave when you want without paying even more. Make sure and take out insurance which is another minimal costs that has great benefits, remember, safety first;

 

• Cut back on the impulse buying – Too many times we see tourists paying exorbitant prices on the beach or roadside for locally made handicraft. Always know this, you are in the heat of the moment when you are here and think of where you will wear the item when you get back home, in the office? To church? To the PTA meeting? If no to all of the above, save your money and take some good pictures with your family instead. Honestly, the items do not cost much to make and what has inflated the prices is the fact that tourists will pay top dollar to buy a local piece of art, while that is great for those who can afford it, we want to keep you on target for an economical stay;

 

• Watch the drinks – The punches of the Caribbean are renowned and it would be terrible of us to tell you don’t have any, but we will say, limit yourself. These rum punches are fairly expensive and honestly you can pick up an entire bottle and enjoy during your stay for a fraction of the cost. Better yet, pick up your allowable amount when leaving through duty free and take some of the finest rums you will ever taste back to your country. We always like to recommend the local beer to visitors if you wish to consume alcohol. Have a Red Stripe in Jamaica; a Carib in St. Kitts or Tobago; a Wadadli in Antigua or; a Banks in Barbados just to name a few. The locally brewed beers are often not as expensive as their imported counterparts and you will pick up a lot of points with the locals when they see you sipping on their favourite drinks as well;

 

• Eat local – A lot of times visitors to the islands request their bacon and eggs, continental breakfasts and non-Caribbean meals. While this is often available it can involve a lot of non-local ingredients. A good tip is to speak to a local and get a spot where a lot of the working locals patronize. A good local restaurant would be surprisingly good and we must tell you that veteran visitors to the Caribbean have made this trick into a science. Make sure and get a menu just in case they wish to add on a tourist price.

We hope you enjoyed some of our tips and essentially that is how you find the cheapest caribbean holidays.

 

A visit to the islands for your Caribbean Holidays may result in much more than you anticipated. Many a visitor may find himself or herself swept away with waves of inspiration with the peace and serenity the environment offers. Guests to the Caribbean always comment that they now have time to think through their thoughts without being constantly interrupted, bombarded or distracted by matters that quite simply will not make anyone’s life better.
Many of us will be interested to learn that many international novel writers; musicians; song writers and; actors/actresses make an annual trek to the many Caribbean islands to not only relax but to plan their upcoming releases. We do respect everyone’s privacy so we do not go into much more details but many of our own Caribbean Insider’s Guide islands are destinations of these pilgrimages. Of course the seeking out of inspiration is coupled with the need to recharge and revitalize mind and body and there is no better place to do so on earth.
So place yourself in the situation if you are still a little skeptical and that is understandable. You have been trying to read this self-development book for months but it is gathering dust at your bed-side table. You feel this is the book that can open your mind to greater possibilities in your life rather than a daily grind doing something you could not care less for. The Caribbean islands offer you the perfect ambiance for peaceful reading on the seashore with nothing to distract you but a passing seagull or your freshly squeezed fruit drink at your side. This sort of environment can kick start those wheels of inspiration and possibly change your life forever.
We also find that visitors on their Caribbean holidays are inspired by the opportunities available in the Caribbean. The region may not be as saturated with businesses, concrete structures and bill boards pleading with you to spend your last dollar. The Caribbean has thought many of us to look at what is right in front of us and go for it. Big corporations have little say in the islands for the time being at least and it is this freedom for one to tangibly express their goals and desires that have led to many successes. Visitors will see entrepreneurs with no vast educational background or rich heritage who have made well for themselves and their family by simply working hard and working smart.
Our team here has heard many fond stories of what Caribbean inspiration can bring to an individual. We have heard of students of a University in Barbados who utilized their Sundays by going to the beach and studying for exams there rather than being stuck in a cold library. We have heard of companies that pay for their management to travel to the Grenadine islands (sister isles of St. Vincent) to plan their upcoming budgets. We have also heard of the countless artistes that have found inspiration in Montserrat for many great songs of our time recorded right there before being released to the world.
For all visitors there can be something for everyone. We can chose to be obsessed with our mobile devices and be relating our minute by minute experiences to friends and family who really could not care less back home or we can chose to look into ourselves and possibly better our lives.
So don’t come here to text your holiday away, spending no time with your loved ones and not appreciated your exotic surroundings. Instead, come to the Caribbean and we assure you that by switching off your thoughts new ones will filter in and with this newfound “time to think” you will receive inspiration. Who knows but this inspiration may be the birth of a new novelist, playwright or simply to make a better well-balanced person capable of forging ahead in this sometimes stressful world. We do hope our article has inspired just a few of you and we do look forward to seeing you on your upcoming Caribbean Holidays.