Best place to go for adult-only honeymoon-like beach vacation?

[essnce629]

So we had a great time in Kauai last week with the kids (thanks for all your help!) but after being there for 8 days I realized it was not the place I would want to spend an adult-only honeymoon-like vacation with just DBF and I. We've never gone on a full on vacation with just the two of us (besides 2 nights in Vegas alone when DS1 was 2) but I think the kids are finally old enough for us to leave them with my mom for a week to do a real vacation on our own. Especially next year when DS1 will be turning 5 and DS1 will be 10.

So this is my wish list for the perfect adult-only vacation:

* White sand beaches with fine sand (I found the Kauai sand pretty coarse)
* A resort or hotel that is adult-only or not family orientated
* Not an all-inclusive
* A place that doesn't rain too much
* A place where the weather is super warm (85 degrees or higher every day)
* Warm water at the beach (the water in Kauai was pretty cold to me. The water at my kids' swim school is kept at 93 degrees and that is perfect!)
* Crystal clear beach water
* Lots of things to do like snorkeling off a boat, zip lining, biking, horseback riding, etc.
* Lots of local restaurants with great food.
* Easy access to the beach.


So any ideas?

[SnuggleBuggles]

Not sure about water temperature but maybe Costa Rica would be worth a look. Of course, you could go to the South Pacific. The St. Regis in Bora Bora sure looked nice in the movie Couples Retreat. :) Costco always has vacation packages to places like Tahiti too...they look wonderful.

[wellyes]

The only place I can think of is Bali.

[queenmama]

I'm dreaming of such a vacation!

DH and I have always wanted to go to Fiji or Seychelles.

Lara

[Philly Mom]

Santorini, Greece.

[flashy09]

I loved St. Lucia. We did one week at Sandals Grande, which wouldn't fit your needs, but the second week was at a place called Ti Kaye (www.tikaye.com) and that was pretty amazing and I think ticks all your boxes.

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/yy70/keepthelegend/st%20lucia/47583_10150108453235336_1356286_n_zps5f1ccb5e.jpg

Plus you can get a massage while you look down to the ocean!

[Nechums]

We went to Turks and Caicos Grace Bay Club. It was excellent. I think it fits your list. There were some families, but mostly it was adults. There's an adults only pool also.

[bisous]

Oh wow. I think you're the first person I've heard of that also finds Hawaii too cold, lol. I was in Maui in August and found that I'd get super chilly snorkeling.

Is the water really warmer in some of these other places? I'm thinking the recommendations for the Mediterranean, for example, would be much colder, no?

[citymama]

The only place I can think of is Bali.

Um, nope. Bali does not have the white sand beaches and is more a cultural experience IMO than the perfect beach vacation. One of my favorite places on the planet, but does not fit all your requirements. The Maldives, on the other have, have some of the most crystal clear waters on the planet. Some of the other Gilis (islands) not far from Bali, and some of the smaller Indian Ocean islands off Thailand and Malaysia. Closer to home, perhaps Belize would qualify.

Re Kauai: we go there every summer (August, to the northwest) and I'm a tropical gal and the water is plenty warm! Were you on the north shore? Iirc you ended up on the east coast which is much colder year round, but certainly in winter-spring. All these places will be affected by time of year - avoid the monsoons!

[lcarlson90]

We stayed at Secrets Maroma Beach in Playa Del Carmen last summer and I think it meets most of your criteria except for its an all inclusive. The beach is awesome. It was warm clear water with soft white sand. It's adult only. It's all inclusive but there are 7 restaurants and they were all really good.

[3isEnough]

Latia, have you and DBF been to Terranea in Palos Verdes yet? It could be a great interim vacation for you guys for 1 or 2 nights if you can get your mom to watch the kids for a weekend. It's not super warm since it's up on the bluffs, but it is fabulous, close to home and affordable given all the deals on Groupon and the like. Although it's very family friendly (read: a lot of kids everywhere, often including mine!), there's an adults-only pool, a very nice restaurant, a great spa and a wonderful atmosphere. I highly recommend it for a mini-getaway :thumbsup:

[essnce629]

Thanks everyone for all your responses, I'll definitely be looking into all of them! Bali actually looks really cool to me and it seems like there's lots to do there. Bora Bora is absolutely breathtaking it looks like, but with it being such a tiny place (just 6 miles long?) it doesn't look like they'd be much to do besides relaxing at the beach. I think I want something a little more adventurous-- stuff that we can't normally do because of the kids.



Oh wow. I think you're the first person I've heard of that also finds Hawaii too cold, lol. I was in Maui in August and found that I'd get super chilly snorkeling.

Probably because we live in the valley and I'm used to super hot temps! It was in the high 70s everyday in Kauai, and when we got back home it was 84 degrees here! One day we spent at the beach it was too cold for me to even get in! Plus we've spent several weekends in Palm Springs with the kids with temps in the 100s!



Re Kauai: we go there every summer (August, to the northwest) and I'm a tropical gal and the water is plenty warm! Were you on the north shore? Iirc you ended up on the east coast which is much colder year round, but certainly in winter-spring. All these places will be affected by time of year - avoid the monsoons!

We stayed in a condo on the east shore in Kapaa, but we drove around and checked out beaches in the north, east, and south. It was extremely rainy there our first 2 days and because of the storms the water on the east side was super cold and brown from all the run-off they said. The north was too rainy too and the water was also too cold. We ended up spending all our beach days in the south at Poipu beach since it was the only place that was sunny and warmer. Even then, our second day at Poipu was mostly cloudy and the water was too cold for me to get in. I wore my bathing suit cover up and a light jacket the entire afternoon!


Latia, have you and DBF been to Terranea in Palos Verdes yet? It could be a great interim vacation for you guys for 1 or 2 nights if you can get your mom to watch the kids for a weekend. It's not super warm since it's up on the bluffs, but it is fabulous, close to home and affordable given all the deals on Groupon and the like. Although it's very family friendly (read: a lot of kids everywhere, often including mine!), there's an adults-only pool, a very nice restaurant, a great spa and a wonderful atmosphere. I highly recommend it for a mini-getaway :thumbsup:

Sounds nice, I'll check it out! DBF did mention that we should go away for a 3 day weekend first to see how it goes with my mom, but I think it would be fine. She took DS1 for an entire week last summer in San Diego and she watched both of them overnight and for 2 days when we we went to a friend's wedding on Catalina Island last year.

[citymama]

We stayed in a condo on the east shore in Kapaa, but we drove around and checked out beaches in the north, east, and south. It was extremely rainy there our first 2 days and because of the storms the water on the east side was super cold and brown from all the run-off they said. The north was too rainy too and the water was also too cold. We ended up spending all our beach days in the south at Poipu beach since it was the only place that was sunny and warmer. Even then, our second day at Poipu was mostly cloudy and the water was too cold for me to get in. I wore my bathing suit cover up and a light jacket the entire afternoon!


Yep, this is why we go in August when it is HOT in the north and the water is calm and crystal clear! Hawaii absolutely has micro climates and seasons on different coasts (usually winter for the south and summer for the north - fall and spring are in between times).

Bali is really beautiful but do make sure to go to Gili Nangu, Lombok or other islands in the archipelago to get the white sand beaches and perfect snorkelling. Bali is not the place for that. But the cultural experience is unparalleled (also hard to take in when traveling with kids) - and the hotels are so special, even the simpler ones are made with local materials, architectural styles, Balinese elegance and craftsmanship. I hope we can go back some day when our kids are older. But a week total is way too short to travel from LA and back and get a reasonable amount of time in the region.

[billysmommy]

I read about this place in a blog and have been dying to go!!
http://www.hotelesencia.com/

They have a special where if you pay their published rates, you get a daily credit equal to your room rate - http://www.hotelesencia.com/en/rates-a-packages/specials.html

Here's the blog - http://casaresnick.com/joshs-birthday-getaway-part-1-playa-del-carmen/

[mushka]

If you want warm water and powder-like sand, you need to do Caribbean vacation. Try Dominican Republic, Negril Jamaica, Grand Caiman, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos.

[westwoodmom04]

If you are researching carribbean vacations,add Nevis to your list. The Four Seasons resort there is incredible (there are only a few resorts on the whole island). You will see a kid or two, but mostly honeymooners when we were there.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Because it was mentioned upthread...Belize wouldn't fit all on your list. It was lovely and I enjoyed our itinerary (4 days inland exploring ruins and culture, 4 days chilling on the beach). There are many better beaches in the world. :)

[trales]

Caneel bay on St. John's.

[RNJill]

I love St John! So many beautiful beaches. Rent a boat and take it to private beaches to snorkel. Food is great. People are friendly. LOVE it there!

[Melbel]

Definitely consider Barbados. It is near South America and off the typical hurricane path.

Sandy Lane was pure heaven: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g147265-d148703-Reviews-Sandy_Lane_Hotel-Saint_James_Parish_Barbados.html

We have also stayed at Grace Bay Club in the Turks & Caicos and preferred Barbados overall (although we thought GBC was lovely).

St. Barthelemy is high on our list of places to go for an adults only vacation.

[KLD313]

Check out Grand Cayman, so beautiful. We snorkeled off a boat there and I remember being afraid to get in the water because I thought it may be cold so I asked about. The guy looked at me like I was nuts and said no it's not cold. OMG there was almost no difference between the air temp and water temp, like bath water!

[azazela]

I loved St. Lucia. We did one week at Sandals Grande, which wouldn't fit your needs, but the second week was at a place called Ti Kaye (www.tikaye.com) and that was pretty amazing and I think ticks all your boxes.

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/yy70/keepthelegend/st%20lucia/47583_10150108453235336_1356286_n_zps5f1ccb5e.jpg

Plus you can get a massage while you look down to the ocean!

Love Ti Kaye, we honeymooned there! The sand is black though... :wink2:

[american_mama]

When I was researching the Carribean, Grenada was high on my list, but it was too expensive for our family, plus didn't have meet our kid-oriented needs. The capital, St. George, is supposed to be particularly beautiful, I think one of their beaches is supposed to be top 10, there are great hikes to natural pools and such, nutmegs and other spices are grown there, and it has an interesting political history with the US invasion in 1983. I think Spice Island Beach Resort (not an all-inclusive) is one of the larger and more lavish hotels on the island, http://www.spiceislandbeachresort.com/.

Another option great for adults is St. Vincent and the Grenadines, because it is apparently a sailor's heaven and chartering a sailboat (with crew... you're just a passenger) for a few days outing at sea is quite common. I read about it and saw a brief travel video about it. Seemed really special.

I referred to a lot of travel guidebooks about the Carribean and one had a chart at the front saying "If you want X, consider island Y" which might help you. It was probably Fodor's Carribean which you can probably find at any library. I've only been to the Carribean once, but I read a heck of a lot about the region before deciding where to go. Places that stood out to me as good for adults that also match your tastes were St. Lucia (hilly, striking mountains, beautiful, few all-inclusives), St. Barts (expensive, celebrities, out of my league), Martinique (French, great cuisine), and Bonaire (fabulous scuba diving and snorkeling).

But I've only been to the Dominican Republic, which I would recommend in part (Samana Peninsula on the northeast coast, specifically the town of Las Terrenas). I loved the small beaches, small town, proximity of interesting day trips (waterfall hike on donkeys, boat trip in national park, day trip to undeveloped beaches) and we had great food there, but the town itself is unattractive and the overall feel may not be luxurious enough for you. The north coast by Puerto Plata has a lot of adventure sports, including wind surfing, that seemed fun without kids but I havent' been there. The most touristed part of the country is Punta Cana on the eastern tip and I think the beaches may be great, but it's far from most other activities and heavily dominated by all-inclusives.

Also, the Maya Riviera in Mexico might be good for you. There are great Mayan ruins that can be day trips, probably adventure stuff, and I think there is a wide enough range of resorts, probably including some adult-only places. I don't know anything about independent hotels in the area. http://www.rivieramaya.com/

Let us know where you go!

eta: If you read the description, this ebook might help you in picking from among Carribean countries:
http://www.amazon.com/Hawaii-Caribbean-choosing-perfect-ebook/dp/B006ZS8K7Q/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1365370551&sr=1-4&keywords=carribean+travel

[essnce629]

Yep, this is why we go in August when it is HOT in the north and the water is calm and crystal clear! Hawaii absolutely has micro climates and seasons on different coasts (usually winter for the south and summer for the north - fall and spring are in between times).

Bali is really beautiful but do make sure to go to Gili Nangu, Lombok or other islands in the archipelago to get the white sand beaches and perfect snorkelling. Bali is not the place for that. But the cultural experience is unparalleled (also hard to take in when traveling with kids) - and the hotels are so special, even the simpler ones are made with local materials, architectural styles, Balinese elegance and craftsmanship. I hope we can go back some day when our kids are older. But a week total is way too short to travel from LA and back and get a reasonable amount of time in the region.

DBF decided he wanted us to all go to Kauai for spring break and booked everything, but it looks like we went at the wrong time! Too bad I didn't get to research the weather before he booked it. Now I know!

It seems like Bali would be too far to travel in 7 days time. My mom works full time and can only take a week of vacation off at a time so we definitely couldn't go anywhere for longer than a week without the kids. So maybe it makes the most sense to stick to somewhere in the Caribbean or South America.



Also, the Maya Riviera in Mexico might be good for you. There are great Mayan ruins that can be day trips, probably adventure stuff, and I think there is a wide enough range of resorts, probably including some adult-only places. I don't know anything about independent hotels in the area. http://www.rivieramaya.com/

We had thought of going there last spring break with the kids, but didn't. DBF wants to do a Mexico trip with the kids since it's so close. So that will probably be a vacation we'll do as a family.

Thanks for the e-book recommendation too!

[mackmama]

OP- off topic but where did you stay in Kauai? We are looking for a family vaca spot. Thanks!

For honeymoon- try Mauna Kea on the big island.

[essnce629]

Santorini, Greece.

DBF spent every summer as a child/teenager in Greece so he said he doesn't want to go there! His parents still go there at least once a year it seems.

[essnce629]

OP- off topic but where did you stay in Kauai? We are looking for a family vaca spot. Thanks!

We stayed in a condo at the Waipouli Beach Resort in Kapaa, on the east shore. It was a one bedroom (kids slept on sofa sleeper in living room), 2 bathroom condo with an awesome kitchen and a full-size washer and dryer. It had a great pool area for the kids with water slides and 3 sand bottom hot tubs (2 were adult only). I really liked the location since it was central to everything and we could drive to either the north shore or the south shore easily. Lots of restaurants close by and 2 grocery stores across the street too. DBF booked it though Airbnb.com

http://www.waipoulibeachresort.com/

The Grand Hyatt in the South Shore looked great too. We went there for Easter brunch and all the Easter activities they had for the kids. The partner DBF works for stays there every single year with his family of four. Really close to Poipu beach too which was our favorite beach.

[Carrots]

Caneel bay on St. John's.

:yeahthat:


I love St John! So many beautiful beaches. Rent a boat and take it to private beaches to snorkel. Food is great. People are friendly. LOVE it there!

:yeahthat:

[Jen841]

Another recommendation for St John. We got a condo at Gallows Point and it was perfect!

[jenmcadams]

The only two places we've been in the Caribbean are St. Kitts & Nevis and St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

We loved St. Kitts and Nevis (spent 1/2 the time on each island (over 15 years ago)). We hiked Soufrierre (sp? it's a gorgeous volcano), snorkeled, hiked in rain forest on Nevis, etc.). We stayed beach side on St. Kitts and in the hills on Nevis. Four Seasons is amazing and I know things have developed since we've been there.

My sister was in the Peace Corps in SVG. St. Vincent itself is nice, but the Grenadines are amazing. We chartered a boat for 3 days and went to some amazing deserted islands/beaches. We also did volcano hikes, waterfall trips, etc. on St. Vincent itself, but the Grenadines are amazing.

We tend to stay in more reasonable places and spend our $$ on excursions/jeep/eating out, so we didn't do super luxury on either place.

I've heard great things about St. Johns and the USVI in general and my sister traveled all over and loved St. Lucia, Turks & Caicos and Grenada too!

[Tondi G]

I would suggest St Thomas (St. John). We went on a southern Caribbean cruise for our honeymoon almost 14 years ago. We left from Puerto Rico and hit 5 different ports. The most amazing water was in St. Thomas. Crystal clear ... you could be standing up to your neck in water and still see your toes .... and the fish were just every where. AMAZING!

I don't know about adults only resorts in St. Thomas but you can look into it. I have heard that St John is lovely .... you fly into St Thomas I believe to ferry over to St. John.