Last year when the caribbean and florida were getting hammered the media were saying that the tourism industry had been decimated and would take that long to recover. Were they wrong? Probably doesn't matter because our research has told us that we'd be unlikely to be able to have the kind of holiday we relish anyway. Our perfect vacation would be to hire a large villa / house near a beach and in a village away from the large resorts. We'd hire someone local to cook a few nights a week and have a group of families staying with the children free to roam. People seem horrified by this. We'll be able to do it in Thailand or Australia or Fiji so we'll be looking at those areas instead. shorter flights too
Sarah, why don't you just go to the French Polynesia (Tahiti). It's closer to you and nicer (more $ though).
Tahiti is definately on the list... but I think Thailand or Aus will win - part of the group consensus process
So the crime problems are greatly exaggerated. You don't really have to stay in plastic, high rise resorts?
There are horrific crime problems in certain areas...I have spent a good part of my adult life in the Caribbean either living/working or vacationing. If you want I can send you some photos of a villa that my family rented a few yrs. ago. I don't do plastic high rise.
Oops didnt finish that...99% of the places are fine. But where its dangerous, its ugly. Don't look for cocaine late at night, bad things, etc...Enjoy a nice family vacation and it is wonderful.
Thanks, that would be great. You have no idea how tame I am! Besides Kiwis rely on being able to travel via the USA to get places and you can't do that with a drug conviction...
That's almost exactly what we did in Phuket, Thailand (minus kids). Let me know if you want the name of the place.
Pictures arent that great, but the place is... http://www.carrollcommunications.com/a.html http://www.carrollcommunications.com/b.html
I would relish a visit to the Holy Land, Jerusalem, Israel. The cradle of the world, where Jesus our Lord and Savior walked as a man and changed the world once and for all. Yah, i would love to.