A Budget Travel Narrative: The Caribbean Islands
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Choosing an Island
Some of the Caribbean's most recognizable islands have tourist industries that are geared specifically towards package tourists and travelers looking for a high-end experience. Knowing that the Caymans and Bahamas generally fit into this category, I decided to forego them. I also crossed other "big name" islands like Bermuda and Aruba off the list. Package tours and off-season travel can significantly cut the prices, but they still do not reach true "budget" rates.
With the help of an atlas, I compiled a list of the region's other islands. Then, I used Lonely Planet and LowFares to find out if there were cheaper accommodations on these islands. The result: larger islands like Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago and smaller islands like Grenada, offered the greatest chance of finding locally-owned guesthouses with cheap rates.
Grenada is reportedly much safer than either Jamaica or Trinidad and Tobago. Also, the smallness meant getting around would be easy and, hopefully, cheap. With this in mind, I decided to place my bets on Grenada.
Time of Year
Low season (Northern Hemisphere summer) prices are significantly reduced compared to high season (November through March for most West Indian destinations). However, hurricane season occurs during the summer. Though these tropical storms do not hit the region continuously, they do cause trips to be canceled and plans to change without much notice. I decided on a May travel date. The high-season is over by May, but the stormy weather is still a month or more away.
Researching Airfare
Airfare was the main negative aspect of my choice of a smaller island. Larger islands like Puerto Rico and Jamaica have plenty of direct flights. I would have to take one of these and then take a connecting flight to reach Grenada. A brief price check on LowFares showed that a direct flight was impossible, but there were some low-cost options. Regional budget carrier Caribbean Airlines flew from JFK to Trinidad. From there, a connecting flight to Grenada on Liat Airlines could be found for quite cheap. American Airlines also served Grenada, via San Juan. But their prices were beyond my budget, at over $600 round trip. The Caribbean-Liat option, in comparison, was around $350 before fees and taxes.
There are occasionally deals offered by specific airlines. So I went to the Caribbean Airlines site to check before going to LowFares.com, where I could compare the prices of the Caribbean-Liat flight on major booking sites.
Finding the Right Hotel
With my plane ticket booked, I set out on my hotel search. I got a taste for prices by using the hotel search function on LowFares.com. I was able to find some hotels on Grenada's Grand Anse Beach, the most popular tourist area in the country, for around $70 per night. However, knowing that many family-run guesthouses and small inns are not listed on these major sites, I chose to continue my search using other sources. My local library had a hard copy of Lonely Planet Eastern Caribbean, a good resource for budget travelers. To assure myself that the listings in Lonely Planet were up to date, I went to the web, browsing the Grenada entries on Wikitravel and Trip Advisor. I was able to find Sam's Inn, a small hotel with low rates located a quarter of a mile away from the main resort district. Online booking was not possible but a brief email, followed by a phone conversation was all it took to reserve a small suite for a mere $50 per night.
Making an Itinerary
I stayed with Wikitravel to get a taste of the attractions in Grenada. Though Wikitravel did not have all the details, it had enough to give me some ideas to research further. Grenada's official travel web site helped to fill in my itinerary with up-to-date information. Through this tourism web site, I was able to find directions to the beaches and a complete listing of restaurants and bars in the area near my hotel. To plan the cheapest way to get around, I went back to my copy of Lonely Planet Eastern Caribbean. When it comes to finding information about using public transportation, nothing beats this famous budget backpacker's guide. I then went to the Lonely Planet web site to make sure that the information that I was planning to use was up-to-date.
Utilizing Local Sources to Save Money
I arrived on the island of Grenada after a straightforward flight. I had a basic itinerary in hand. However, I found that I was able to use the staff at my hotel as a source for information. They were able to book a tour of a local spice plantation for a better price than I could have gotten on my own. They were also able to get me a better deal on a snorkeling tour and on bicycle rental. The biggest money-saving advice I got from local sources was how to take the island's buses and mini-buses. This freed up quite a bit of money, which I was able to use on restaurants and nightlife. In addition, these public transportation rides were quite jovial, with fellow passengers listening to music or engaging me in conversation. It was on these rides that I was able to get a taste of Grenada's true local culture.
My Planning Resources
LowFares.com
Lonely Planet
Grenada's official tourism web site
Step-by-Step Guide to Planning the Perfect Budget Getaway
The Caribbean is not the first region that people think of when they're listing viable budget travel options. Despite the prevalence of large and posh hotels and all-inclusive resorts, there are plenty of under-the-radar guesthouses and inns offering cheap accommodations. However, this is not the case on every island. Some islands have streamlined their tourism industry for package tourists and resort-goers. Other Carib nations, however, also cater to travelers who aren't looking for the typically sterile resort vacation. The tropical weather, beaches and outdoor activities are free features that make the West Indies ideal for budget travelers. With this in mind, I began my quest to plan the perfect budget Caribbean getaway.Choosing an Island
Some of the Caribbean's most recognizable islands have tourist industries that are geared specifically towards package tourists and travelers looking for a high-end experience. Knowing that the Caymans and Bahamas generally fit into this category, I decided to forego them. I also crossed other "big name" islands like Bermuda and Aruba off the list. Package tours and off-season travel can significantly cut the prices, but they still do not reach true "budget" rates.
With the help of an atlas, I compiled a list of the region's other islands. Then, I used Lonely Planet and LowFares to find out if there were cheaper accommodations on these islands. The result: larger islands like Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago and smaller islands like Grenada, offered the greatest chance of finding locally-owned guesthouses with cheap rates.
Grenada is reportedly much safer than either Jamaica or Trinidad and Tobago. Also, the smallness meant getting around would be easy and, hopefully, cheap. With this in mind, I decided to place my bets on Grenada.
Time of Year
Low season (Northern Hemisphere summer) prices are significantly reduced compared to high season (November through March for most West Indian destinations). However, hurricane season occurs during the summer. Though these tropical storms do not hit the region continuously, they do cause trips to be canceled and plans to change without much notice. I decided on a May travel date. The high-season is over by May, but the stormy weather is still a month or more away.
Researching Airfare
Airfare was the main negative aspect of my choice of a smaller island. Larger islands like Puerto Rico and Jamaica have plenty of direct flights. I would have to take one of these and then take a connecting flight to reach Grenada. A brief price check on LowFares showed that a direct flight was impossible, but there were some low-cost options. Regional budget carrier Caribbean Airlines flew from JFK to Trinidad. From there, a connecting flight to Grenada on Liat Airlines could be found for quite cheap. American Airlines also served Grenada, via San Juan. But their prices were beyond my budget, at over $600 round trip. The Caribbean-Liat option, in comparison, was around $350 before fees and taxes.
There are occasionally deals offered by specific airlines. So I went to the Caribbean Airlines site to check before going to LowFares.com, where I could compare the prices of the Caribbean-Liat flight on major booking sites.
Finding the Right Hotel
With my plane ticket booked, I set out on my hotel search. I got a taste for prices by using the hotel search function on LowFares.com. I was able to find some hotels on Grenada's Grand Anse Beach, the most popular tourist area in the country, for around $70 per night. However, knowing that many family-run guesthouses and small inns are not listed on these major sites, I chose to continue my search using other sources. My local library had a hard copy of Lonely Planet Eastern Caribbean, a good resource for budget travelers. To assure myself that the listings in Lonely Planet were up to date, I went to the web, browsing the Grenada entries on Wikitravel and Trip Advisor. I was able to find Sam's Inn, a small hotel with low rates located a quarter of a mile away from the main resort district. Online booking was not possible but a brief email, followed by a phone conversation was all it took to reserve a small suite for a mere $50 per night.
Making an Itinerary
I stayed with Wikitravel to get a taste of the attractions in Grenada. Though Wikitravel did not have all the details, it had enough to give me some ideas to research further. Grenada's official travel web site helped to fill in my itinerary with up-to-date information. Through this tourism web site, I was able to find directions to the beaches and a complete listing of restaurants and bars in the area near my hotel. To plan the cheapest way to get around, I went back to my copy of Lonely Planet Eastern Caribbean. When it comes to finding information about using public transportation, nothing beats this famous budget backpacker's guide. I then went to the Lonely Planet web site to make sure that the information that I was planning to use was up-to-date.
Utilizing Local Sources to Save Money
I arrived on the island of Grenada after a straightforward flight. I had a basic itinerary in hand. However, I found that I was able to use the staff at my hotel as a source for information. They were able to book a tour of a local spice plantation for a better price than I could have gotten on my own. They were also able to get me a better deal on a snorkeling tour and on bicycle rental. The biggest money-saving advice I got from local sources was how to take the island's buses and mini-buses. This freed up quite a bit of money, which I was able to use on restaurants and nightlife. In addition, these public transportation rides were quite jovial, with fellow passengers listening to music or engaging me in conversation. It was on these rides that I was able to get a taste of Grenada's true local culture.
My Planning Resources
LowFares.com
Lonely Planet
Grenada's official tourism web site
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