| Blue skies, golden sand, azure water and swaying | | | | places that you could have easily gone to on your |
| coconut trees is an image etched in the minds of | | | | own. By researching you will know which places of |
| many when they think about the Caribbean. This | | | | interest you can easily find and so save the cost |
| image often fills the mind with a desire to visit a | | | | of a tour guide. The Internet has made |
| tropical island but then thoughts about whether it | | | | researching sightseeing attractions much easier |
| will be too expensive begin to intrude and dampen | | | | and one of the places you can learn about the |
| the desire. This article will look at ways to lower | | | | places to visit on different Caribbean islands is at |
| the cost of a Caribbean vacation so that you can | | | | the Island Adventures Page of the Caribbean |
| visit those glorious beaches. | | | | Outdoor Life web site. |
| Getting There | | | | On many islands there are numerous forts, |
| Very often throughout the year there are special | | | | historic buildings, old churches and government |
| offers of reduced prices on airfare to various | | | | buildings that are very interesting to visit. While |
| Caribbean islands. If you check regularly you can | | | | some attractions charge an entrance fee, there |
| find a great deal on airfare. However that great | | | | are many historical sites that have no entrance |
| deal may not be for the island that you want to | | | | fee. The smaller forts and churches are usually |
| go to or may not be at a time when you want | | | | free to visitors. As much of the early |
| to travel. If that is the case, one way you can | | | | development was concentrated in the capital cities |
| reduce the cost of airfare is to be flexible on | | | | you will often find these free places in the capital. |
| your travel days. On the major airlines flying to | | | | Getting Around |
| the Caribbean, flights on week days, especially | | | | If you do your advance research on your |
| mid-week are priced lower than flights on | | | | intended holiday destination at a site like Caribbean |
| weekends. If you are also flexible in terms of the | | | | Outdoor Life, you can usually fit your sightseeing |
| time of day you will find that where there are | | | | activities to places that are far from your |
| multiple flights to a destination, flights on off-peak | | | | accommodation into two or three days. This |
| hours are even cheaper. You will also find that | | | | allows you to rent a car only for those days and |
| multi-stop flights are priced lower than direct | | | | so save on car rental fees. For the attractions |
| flights. You can achieve further savings on airfare | | | | that are closer to where you are staying you can |
| by booking early, at least one to three months in | | | | use local transport such as buses to visit those |
| advance of your departure date. | | | | attractions. Most front desk staff will be very |
| Accommodation | | | | happy to give you advice on using the local bus or |
| One of the major cost items in a Caribbean | | | | taxi service. |
| holiday is the cost of accommodation. One way | | | | Eating Out |
| to lower the cost of the accommodation is to | | | | Vacations allow one to do things that are out of |
| consider staying in a house rather than a hotel. | | | | the ordinary but pleasurable. Sampling different |
| Throughout the Caribbean there are numerous | | | | cuisines is definitely a pleasurable experience and |
| villas, houses and cottages available for rental as | | | | on each island there is a wide range of cuisines |
| holiday accommodation. By using a house, you can | | | | and equally a wide range of prices. In deciding |
| go on vacation with friends and share the cost of | | | | where to eat, looking for places that have a |
| the rental, thus lowering the cost of your | | | | crowd is usually a good guide as to whether the |
| vacation. | | | | food the good. If that crowd happens to be locals, |
| There are beautiful villas in the Caribbean with all | | | | you will usually find that not only is the food good |
| types of amenities including Jacuzzis, swimming | | | | but the price is lower than in the places |
| pools, maid service, cable TV in every room. | | | | frequented by tourists. |
| Before renting a villa, consider your activities | | | | Street Food is a great way to get a quick meal |
| (what do you plan to do) and therefore how | | | | at a low price and also experience local culture. |
| much time will you spend in the vila to make use | | | | The Caribbean has great street food, whether it |
| of the amenities. If you plan a very active | | | | is doubles in Trinidad or bar-b-cued pigtail in |
| vacation with plenty of outdoor activities, then | | | | Barbados or jerk chicken in Jamaica. Before |
| you may find that you do not spend much time | | | | buying street food however, look at the |
| at the villa other than for sleeping. You may | | | | cleanliness of the surrounding and of the person |
| therefore not need a villa with all the amenities | | | | serving the food. |
| and houses with fewer amenities will cost less. | | | | Other Costs |
| No friends who want to accompany you or | | | | Although the idea of a vacation is to get away |
| maybe you desire privacy and an intimate setting | | | | from it all, in today's world most people want to |
| then consider an apartment hotel or self catering | | | | stay connected to the persons at home, even if |
| hotel. With an apartment hotel you have the | | | | it is to tell them how much they are enjoying |
| choice of eating out every day or using the hotel | | | | themselves. One of the hidden costs on a |
| restaurant (if there is one). Self-catering hotels | | | | vacation can be the cost of Internet access. |
| however provide another cost saving benefit, in | | | | Many hotels will advertise that they have internet |
| that you can use the kitchen or kitchenette in the | | | | access but this comes at an additional cost. |
| room to prepare some of your meals and so | | | | Fortunately the number of places that are |
| reduce part of the cost of your vacation. When | | | | offering free Wi-Fi access is increasing. You can |
| considering a self-catering hotel you should use | | | | check sites like wifi free spot to find outlets at |
| the Internet to examine the size of the kitchen | | | | your destination that have free Wi-Fi, and Travel |
| area to see if it will allow you to prepare a decent | | | | Post for a list of free Wi-Fi carrying airports in the |
| meal. | | | | Caribbean. If you do not have a free Wi-Fi |
| Caribbean beaches are a major attraction on all | | | | hotspot near to where you are staying you can |
| islands and most visitors when thinking about a | | | | look for an Internet Cafe. A directory of Internet |
| Caribbean vacation think about staying on the | | | | cafes can be found at cybercaptive. In choosing |
| beach. Another method to save money on a | | | | an Internet cafe look for places that don't seem |
| Caribbean vacation is to consider a location away | | | | to cater to tourists as their prices will generally be |
| from the beach as such properties will cost less | | | | lower. Another source of low cost internet access |
| than accommodation that is directly on the beach. | | | | is usually the public library. In some countries, |
| Make sure however that the house is within | | | | internet access at the library is free, while at |
| walking distance of the beach as you do not want | | | | others there is a charge but it is significantly lower |
| to spend on transportation to get to the beach all | | | | than at hotels of cafes. |
| the money you have saved on accommodation. | | | | When to go |
| If you are considering a house or self-catering | | | | Any time of year is a good time to visit the |
| hotel, find out if there are any supermarkets | | | | Caribbean, however the biggest cost saving on a |
| within walking distance of the property, so that | | | | Caribbean holiday is found by visiting in the |
| you can easily purchase items. When you visit the | | | | summer. During the summer months, hotels and |
| supermarket, buy local or regional brands rather | | | | airlines significantly reduce their rates. As such you |
| than European or North American brands as you | | | | can save on the cost of your vacation and when |
| will generally find that local brands cost less. | | | | combined with the other points in this article you |
| Activities | | | | will significantly lower the cost of your Caribbean |
| Research the sights and places of interest before | | | | vacation. |
| you travel. Very often tour guides take you to | | | | |