The Caribbean is always a great choice for a vacation. Nothing beats the surreal feeling of being surrounded by the tranquil blue-green sea and green palm trees.
If you have decided to visit the Caribbean on your next vacation, you’d want to make the most of your trip, especially if you’re visiting for the first time. To ensure you get a complete Caribbean experience, there are a few mistakes you must avoid.
Avoid Not Spending Enough Time on Your Caribbean Vacation
If you’re planning a vacation in the Caribbean, ensure your trip is long enough. The truth is factors like flight delays, traffic, jet lag, and others can take more time out of your trip than you’d realize.
So, you should put those things into consideration when planning your trip and ensure that there’s enough time to actually experience the Caribbean before you leave.
Avoid Going Cashless
It will do you some good to have enough cash on you when jetting off to the Caribbean. You might find it handy when you need to make some little unplanned purchases from the side of the road or when you need to tip the porter.
Although many islands in the Caribbean accept US dollars, you should find out whether you need to make some currency exchange before you begin your travel.
Avoid Thinking Every Island is the Same
From the pictures we see of the Caribbean on the internet, it’s easy to assume that all the islands are alike. But in reality, no two islands in the Caribbean are the same. From the food to the people, the culture, and the wildlife, there’s always something new to experience on every Caribbean island.
Whether you’ve visited the Dominican Republic before doesn’t matter. What you’ll experience in Barbados will be totally different.
Avoid Visiting Only During the Peak Season
While the peak season is a great time to visit the Caribbean, it’s not the only time to visit. The period between December to mid-April is high season in the Caribbean and it’s when the weather is most ideal, but it’s also when it’s most expensive to visit.
Avoid traveling during this time for cheaper deals and lesser crowds. The good thing is no matter what time of the year you choose to visit, the weather is always warm.
Although the area is prone to hurricanes during the off-season, especially from June to November, you are more likely to land yourself a sweet deal during this time.
While you might be wary of the storm, it will please you to know that places in the Caribbean such as Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, and Grenada do not fall within the Hurricane Belt and are less likely to experience hurricanes.
Avoid Assuming the Water is Potable
The last thing you want is to fall sick on your Caribbean vacation. Like in many other places around the world, not every region has potable water. Some islands in the Caribbean, for example, the Dominican Republic, do not have safe-to-drink water.
If you’re visiting an island in the Caribbean for the first time, you might want to find out from your host which water is safe to drink to avoid getting sick and ruining your vacation.
Do Not Avoid the Locals and Their Dishes
One of the reasons people travel is to experience other people’s cultures and traditions. And who better to educate you on the Caribbeans than the Caribbean islanders themselves?
You may have heard that the people of the Caribbean are some of the nicest people in the world. Why not see for yourself?
No matter how comfortable and all-inclusive your resort is, you’ll be missing out on a lot if you fail to step out, explore the islands, and interact with the locals. Feel free to try a few local dishes. It’s the little things like these that will make your Caribbean vacation worthwhile.