Given how cold it is for most of us this time of year,thoughts of a Caribbean vacation can be awfully attractive and made possible inpart because of cheaptravel options, such as cheapfares, cheap airplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages.
While it is true that winter is the high season (i.e.,typically the most expensive time of the year) in the Caribbean, some expertsbelieve that the best time to purchase airline tickets to the Caribbean is fromNew Years day to early March, when airlines cut prices before the spring breakrush.
The following Caribbean destinations are where visitors canfind the best bargains, according to Smarter Travel:
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Bahamasis inexpensive this time of year with cheap airline tickets because of itsproximity to the United States and frequent service from most majorairlines. The value becomes even greaterwhen you create a vacation package by booking your hotel at the same time yourmake your airline reservation.
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OutIslands, Bahamas will appeal to true connoisseurs of island life. There you will find few big resorts andlittle traffic, but plenty of pristine sand and sea. Major pastimes are swimming, snorkeling, and justrelaxing.
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StThomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) is probably the most budget friendly of thethree major U.S. Virgin Islands given its wide variety of accommodations andactivities. It is also home to themagnificent Magens Bay, one of the top beaches in the world. JetBlue is offering great prices from majorcities on the East Coast to USVI for flights departing and returning onMondays.
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Bonaireis the least crowded of the often referred to ABC Islands (the others beingAruba and Curacao). Bonaire is a diversparadise, sporting one of the most abundant fish populations in theCaribbean. There are no major resorts onthis island, resulting in small crowds, low prices, and abundant deals.
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DominicanRepublic (DR) is home to a wide variety of all-inclusive resorts gatheredaround Punta Cana. Round trip flights tothe DR are unusually cheap this year, with flights from Chicago in the low$400s. There are plenty of budgetfriendly hotels to choose from.
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PuertoRico is a U.S. commonwealth that offers everything from gambling and salsadancing to surfing. The island is hometo many waterfalls, colonial history, and the national rainforest of El Yunque. Flights in February are as cheap as the low$300s from New York on JetBlue or Delta. The cheapest hotel rates tend to be found around San Juan.
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Jamaicahas a number of destinations, including Negril, Montego Bay, and Ocho Rios thatoffer many bargain priced all-inclusives during the colder months.
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St.Lucia is a luxury, yet wallet friendly destination. Savings of up to 50 percent are being offeredby hotels.
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RivieraMaya, Mexico offers a wide variety of activities from wreck dives in PuertoMorelos to ziplines that thread through natural parks. Explore subterranean cenotes, climb ancientruins, or just relax on a beach lounge chair without breaking the bank. Competition between airlines makes theRiviera Maya relatively inexpensive to reach and a surplus of resorts meansthere are plenty of value accommodations to choose from.
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Belizeoffers great values for travelers willing to do a little research. Airfare to Belize is more expensive than manyother Caribbean destinations, however discounted accommodations can be found inthe islands laid back beach towns. Lonely Planet has observed that travelers on a budget can survive onBelize for as little as $60 to $80 per day.
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