Carefree in the Caribbean: Budget Bahamas and Puerto Rico
By Vince Font
You don’t have to be an experienced world traveler to know that you can get cheap Caribbean vacations for rates that are so startlingly low, they don’t even seem to make mathematical sense. Still, many people see these costs and immediately think “What’s the catch?” As you’ll come to learn, there are no catches. Just deals so incredible they boggle the mind. Here are just two of the coolest cheap hotels and vacation packages you’ll find in the Caribbean. Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel & Casino If you’ve ever had a hankering to visit Puerto Rico but weren’t sure where to set down for a few nights, you could do a lot worse than staying at the Sheraton in Old San Juan. In fact, considering its location overlooking San Juan Bay and its proximity to all of the island’s tourist-favorite coastal hot spots, as well as the fact that there’s a casino on site, you’ll be convinced you hit pay dirt on first sight. Rooms are classy with gorgeous bay views, and heading upstairs gets you to the rooftop Jacuzzi and pool area for an incredible panoramic view. Cheap flights to get you here are readily available, with round trip tickets and a 3-night stay running from the low $800s to the upper $900s per person. Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach All-Inclusive Here’s further proof that cheap flights and cheap hotels to the Caribbean aren’t an anomaly or an exception – they’re the rule. Case in point: The Viva Wyndham all-inclusive resort in The Bahamas, a property that usually charges in the upper $100s per night, but that you can score for seven nights for under $1,000. Including round-trip airfare. I know some people who’ve paid that much for a one-way ticket from Los Angeles to Cleveland, forget throwing in stately lodgings overlooking the sea. And considering that the all-inclusive package means you won’t even have to pay for a single, solitary meal the entire week you’re there, I’d call that a steal. Figure in all the other amenities on hand, like tennis courts, a kids’ club, a disco and free entertainment, and you’re bordering on outright theft. These are just two of the many cheap Caribbean vacations you can find if you know how to look. Fortunately, all you have to know to find them is how to work a computer mouse. Knowing when to go is also important if you want to miss out on hurricane season, which runs from June to November. Try booking your Caribbean trip at the tail end of May for the best weather and the best deals. Related resources Vince Font is a travel writer with a deep love of weird, wacky, and off-the-beaten-track vacation destinations.
