If that sounds interesting also check out our list of the cheapest Caribbean islands for all-inclusive resorts, which lists 17 destinations from cheapest to most expensive. In fact, flights into Punta Cana Airport are almost always cheaper so that is what we used for this entry. Others are probably better off in the more developed San Juan area, but surfers love it here and often rent local houses rather than staying in the somewhat pricey hotels. Nassau is another very popular stop for cruise passengers, and its also well known for Paradise Island just over the bridge, which is home to the famous Atlantis Resort and Casino complex. The resort area occupies the far eastern tip of the Dominican Republic and the hotel beaches can either face northeast or southeast. The 13 Cheapest Caribbean Islands You Need To Travel To At - MTL Blog Nonstop flights from: Most major US, Canadian, and European cities, Pictured above: Bahia Principe Grand Cayacoa From US$178/night for two, including tax. As of September, 2022, most Caribbean islands have no COVID or vaccination restrictions or require just a negative test or proof of vaccination. 8 Caribbean Islands You Can Fly To for Less - U.S. News Travel There are many all-inclusive packages available to visit Punta Cana. With thanks and appreciation in advance. Keep up the excellent job!!! If you go alone you might find a rate closer to US$100 per night, but thats obviously still double what you have in mind. Regardless of where you are starting, its worth checking the prices of the airfare and the hotel separately, and also as a package. I have lived there for two years and rising cost will keep many tourists in distress. When researching Caribbean vacations, you'll find the cheapest all-inclusive deals are clearly on the islands with the most resorts. Jamaicas busiest airport is near the heart of Montego Bay so visitors can be checked-in sooner here than if they went to Negril or Ocho Rios nearby. For guests who are looking to escape the scene of the huge hotels and mass-market tourism of the DR and Jamaica, this is an excellent option. And routes with connections may be available at a cheaper rate. In other words, the best all-inclusive resorts are often on islands with only a dozen or so choices. If I wanted a relaxed spot (resort or not) with great swimming/snorkeling that isnt too crowded and a mid-range price, which islands would you suggest? Featuring about 25 hotels that offer all-inclusive options, Montego Bay in Jamaica has a few rather affordable resorts, but most of them are at least a bit up the price ladder, well over US$300 per night in high season. A unique experience Le Gosier offers is the ability to Kayak or swim over to the deserted Ilet du Gosier for snorkeling, and solitude. . Ive looked into St. Lucia, Grenada and Vieques but prefer to stay away from hurricane regions. Let me know if you have any other questions. Im happy that I stumbled across your list! St. Lucia is not cheap either. Airfares from New York were used because they are often cheaper than from even south Florida, and they are a good gauge of prices from connecting airports. Cheap to mid-range on price. In case you are only starting to plan your first-ever all-inclusive holiday, its worth noting that ALL of these resorts mentioned below are in the Tropics, meaning that its warm every day and every night. But similar to Montego Bay, the actual town of Ocho Rios is underdeveloped, unimpressive, and somewhat annoying, filled mostly with nearly identical souvenir shops and a few jewelry malls. Flight costs from the U.S. to Montego Bay are $421 on . There are a few resorts with views of the Pitons and if you want to make your friends super jealous you might want to book at one of them. Nonstop flights from: Atlanta, Baltimore, Orlando, Miami, New York-JFK, Boston, Chicago-OHare, Houston-Intercontinental, Newark, Washington-Dulles, Toronto-Pearson, Amsterdam, Milan-Malpensa. The Cheapest Caribbean Islands to Find Your Paradise About 90-minutes east of Montego Bay Airport on Jamaicas northern shore, Ocho Rios is similar in price to Montego Bay and Negril (see above). This popular and long strip of hotels is where youll find some of Jamaicas best bargains for those who prefer to pay for food and drinks separately, but its all-in resorts are more geared for the mid to upper range guest. The most popular countries (Mexico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica) all allow for unrestricted visits with no COVID tests or vaccination requirements, and most of the other islands are welcoming to vaccinated guests and some to unvaccinated guests with a recent negative test. The US Virgin Islands were hit pretty hard in the 2017 hurricanes and it took a few years before most of the better places opened back up again. La Romana does have just enough inexpensive hotels to make it this high on the list, but the area is mostly known for larger upscale resorts. And in the 2017 hurricanes, almost all of the hotels on Barbuda were wiped out, so at this point its all about Antigua itself. The best-value time of year is from around January 10 through the end of February, because you get perfect weather and smaller crowds than around Christmas and in March. In other words, this is a very French island that caters nicely to budget and mid-range Europeans, but it can be expensive and difficult to reach from North America if you arent starting in the right city. In fact, even the more populous St. Kitts feels mostly empty with wide-open land, with Nevis even more empty. All the prices researched are for high-season rates, from early January through March, but not peak-season rates in late December. Not many hotels have a view of them, but there are ways to explore and even climb them for those with enough energy. Visitors to all three of Jamaicas main tourist spots will all fly into the Montego Bay Airport, which has very competitive fares and nonstop flights from all over, so the chances of a cheap nonstop to get here are fairly high. With countless all-inclusive resorts to choose from, Jamaica is beloved by travelers. Theres great shopping and nightlife here, at least for the Caribbean. Nearest airport: Grantley Adams International Airport (code: BGI) Most people dont even leave the resort until they are heading home, so if that is what you are interested in youll have many great choices there. >>Why Sandals might be your best Caribbean all-inclusive choice, Best affordable Caribbean destinations for each kind of trip. If you want a bit of culture and dont need nonstop buffets, then San Juan might be the best option in the Caribbean at a modest price. The scenery here is some of the best in the Caribbean, but most visitors are happy to stay in their hotels for most or all of their visit. I recently visited Thailand and it was much much cheaper than the Caribbean islands w/ better food and accommodations. Martinique 12. Flights into Grenada arent among the cheaper ones compared to some of its neighbors, so this isnt an ideal destination for those looking for great bargains. Guests generally spend almost 100% of their time in their private hotel rooms or in the open air. The nightlife in Playa del Carmen isnt as famous as that of Cancun, though the town far more interesting in most other ways. Barbados 4. 27 Cheapest Caribbean Islands To Live In 1. The French Island and British overseas territory are often classed as the most expensive of the Caribbean . In other words, if you are considering a first visit, its probably best to book on Tobago unless you want to specifically explore the culture (and oil fields) of Trinidad. Though its technically a long way from the Caribbean, Bermuda gets included here because its a good alternative, especially from April through June when its warm enough. They do have a small airport nearby, but most visitors fly into the large Santo Domingo Airport and take a one-hour taxi or shuttle ride. The 10 Most Affordable Caribbean Destinations - U.S. News Travel The main problem with Grand Bahama is that somehow the flights here are incredibly expensive, especially considering the modest distance from the United States. Typically, the most expensive part of travelling to the Caribbean is flights. Samana has quite a few posh and expensive resorts, but its also got a nice mix of more affordable simple hotels near the beach. Thoughts!!! I would love to take my partner on a week vacation (5-8days) to an all inclusive resort with an overwater bungalo. Guests do hear planes taking off a few times an hour, but its over in 10 seconds or so. You must also purchase Aruba visitors insurance from them, which runs about US$10 per day for most people. A round trip between any two of these islands can cost around US$100. Cheap and direct flights from many cities help make San Juan a good budget choice, even if hotel prices here start higher than other destinations near the top of this list. Thank you. Grenada has very few resorts and hotels, which might be a plus for you, but it all feels a bit disorganized to me. All of the biggest islands for all-inclusive resorts have dropped all COVID and vaccination restrictions and travel is just as it was in 2019. You might have a look at our article about the best cheap destinations in November with great weather. Cozumel. Cancun, Mexico 6. Punta Cana is also our top pick for Caribbean islands for families with kids, by the way. I think I confused this with a new highway elsewhere in the country. Coming from Oregon and excluding Mexico, my best recommendation is the Guanacaste area of Costa Rica. Hotels that dont get very good or better reviews are not counted. The main tourist area of Montego Bay is almost as disappointing as the one in Ocho Rios, so staying in an all-inclusive is your best option. During our tests for early 2023, we found very reasonable flights from New York to Guadeloupe, so that doesnt always hold true. The island of Grenada is not very well developed so dont expect too much in the way of shopping or culture. Varadero is relatively cheap and good value for the Caribbean, and quality in its beachfront resort hotels is fairly high. Its also a very popular cruise port, so the local waterfalls and other attractions can be jammed or nearly empty depending on the day. Quite a few of them never reopened, but many that did are now refurbished, so theres that. As of autumn, 2022, things have gotten better in the travel world and especially for most of the countries on this list. But the actual town of Montego Bay, centered along the so-called Hip Strip is disappointing. It's known as a budget island where housing and food are both cheap (even if finding a hotel with air conditioning is challenging). Preferably the Caribbean, but anywhere in the world would do if its a great and amazing deal, price-wise. 10 Best Cheap Caribbean Vacations | U.S. News Travel Grenada 9. These are the only true honeymoon-style overwater bungalows in Mexico and they are very popular. Here's your answer: The Dominican Republic offers two options: Puerto Plata or Punta Cana. Cheapest RT airfare from NYC: $388. The Old San Juan area is gorgeous and there are many surprisingly affordable eating and sleeping options there. Ive been to all three of them and they are amazing, but most of us dont have that kind of money. Larger than nearby St. Thomas, the island of St. Croix is also harder to reach, with very few direct flights from far away. Nearly all of the all-inclusive resorts are on the edges of town or on the beach on the road from Cancun, so guests at these resorts will need to make special trips to enjoy the town itself. By far the busiest destination in the Caribbean, Cancun is obviously not an island so it might not count for some people. learning lots. 17 Cheapest Caribbean Islands in 2023 For All-Inclusive Resorts, 11 Best luxury overwater bungalows in the Caribbean, 23 Europe all-inclusive destinations from cheap to expensive, Best cheap Caribbean destinations for all kinds of trips, Todays deals on Mexico & Caribbean all-inclusive vacations and resorts, Best all-inclusive resorts in Puerto Plata for couples, families, nightlife, golf, foodies, and much more, Check current Puerto Plata all-inclusive package deals, Check current La Romana all-inclusive package deals, Check current Cozumel all-inclusive package deals, Check current Saman all-inclusive package deals, best Caribbean destinations for families with kids, Best Punta Cana all-inclusive resorts for couples, families, nightlife, foodies, golf, and more, Check current Punta Cana all-inclusive package deals, Check current Playa del Carmen all-inclusive package deals, Best Montego Bay all-inclusive resorts for couples, families, nightlife, activities, foodies, golf, and more, Check current Montego Bay all-inclusive package deals, guide to where to stay in the Cancun area, Best Cancun all-inclusive resorts for couples, families, spa lovers, and more, Check current Cancun all-inclusive package deals, Check current Negril all-inclusive package deals, Check current Ocho Rios all-inclusive package deals, list of the best Caribbean islands for honeymoons, Check current St. Lucia all-inclusive package deals, Atlantis, Paradise Island deals and specials, Check current Nassau all-inclusive package deals, Check current St. Maarten all-inclusive package deals, Check current Barbados all-inclusive package deals, Check current Antigua all-inclusive package deals, Check current Grenada all-inclusive package deals, Check current Aruba all-inclusive package deals, all-inclusive resorts with overwater bungalows, Why Sandals might be your best Caribbean all-inclusive choice, High season: US$110 $387 per night for two people, all inclusive, tax included.