Which tropical island is right for you? by Pauline Frommer
Sand, seas and sunny skies — that’s all there is to a tropical island vacation, right? Well, that’s not enough for everyone, and certainly not for me. Perhaps I’m too demanding, but I find that after baking in a lounge chair for several hours, I’ve had enough of beach time. I start looking for historic sights to explore, good patches of sea to snorkel, restaurants to try and dance clubs to hit. And on some islands, these “extras” are in woefully short supply.
The truth is that no island can fulfill every need; those that have the best snorkeling often have the blandest restaurants. Find one where the nightlife is hopping and it may be because the beaches are gritty and the waves too rough for swimming, so people gear their vacationing to the night hours rather than the daytime.
Doing your research and figuring out which island has the right mix of offerings is the key to picking the right destination. Price, too, plays a big role in choosing correctly.
To help you in your decision, I’m going to stick my neck out and name the islands that I’d rank as “superlative” in several important categories. I’m sure many of you will disagree with my choices (and with so many islands to choose from, it’s inevitable that I’ll leave out some great ones). So I’m hoping that you’ll regard this list as a starting point, and that you’ll add your own picks to the mix below.
Two notes: My selections are listed in alphabetical order, so please don’t assume that no. 1 in each category is meant to be better than the others. Also, note that I’m defining “tropical island” as one that has warm weather year-round, which may very well eliminate your favorite beach destination.
Okay, let the games begin:
Most beautiful beaches
- Bora Bora, Tahiti
- Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
- Kauai, Hawaii
- Mauritius
- Phi Phi Island, Thailand
- Zanzibar, Tanzania
Most intriguing cultural and historic attractions
- Bali, Indonesia
- Cuba
- Curacao, Netherlands Antilles
- Molokai, Hawaii
- Oahu, Hawaii
Best off-shore attractions (e.g. scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing)
- Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles
- Isla Holbox, Mexico
- Maldives
- Palau, Micronesia
- Turks and Caicos
Best on-shore natural sights and activities
- Big Island, Hawaii
- Dominica
- Maui, Hawaii
- Montserrat
- St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Best cuisine
- Bali, Indonesia
- Jamaica
- Guadeloupe and Martinique, French West Indies
- Mauritius
- Oahu, Hawaii
- Puerto Rico
Best nightlife
- Cuba
- Jamaica
- Morro de Sao Paolo/Tinhare Island, Brazil
- Mauritius
- Puerto Rico
Most affordable (for costs on the ground)
- Bali, Indonesia
- Dominican Republic
- Jamaica
- Langkawi, Malaysia
- Margarita, Venezuela
Most expensive
- Bora Bora, Tahiti
- Lanai, Hawaii
- Mustique, French West Indies
- Necker Island, British Virgin Islands
- St. Barts, French West Indies
- Nevis
What do you think of these choices? Share your thoughts with other travelers in the comments section.