The Caribbean Coast

Pros: Crystal-clear water; easily accessible; popular holiday site for Venezuelans
Cons: Aggressive merchants with in-your-face selling tactics

If you go to Venezuela, you want to make sure you go to Isla Margarita. It is very accessible from the mainland. You can take a ferry from Puerto La Cruz. Soon, you will find yourself traveling towards a site that is so popular with all Venezuelans...

Pros: The sun rises in the morning.
Cons: Hostile natives, trashy beaches, rampant crime, unstable government

Let me preface this by saying that we have not been back to Margarita Island since 1992. My husband, two young children and myself went on a family trip to the island during November of that year. I hope sincerely that things have changed, but you...

Pros: none
Cons: uninteresting, user unfriendly

When we found $225 roundtrip tickets to fly from Miami to Barcelona, which is the airport city for the east coast Caribbean resort of Puerto La Cruz, we thought we'd have an economical, interesting, one week vacation, but we were wrong. The first...

Pros: Special experiences
Cons: Limited comfort, no nightlife

Read this in its entirety. You may be surprised. Good for college age adventurous types. Bad for party and comfort seekers. If you are not South American, DO NOT DRINK THE WATER!

In the summer of 1999, we were looking for an unusual...

Pros: Beautiful beaches, friendly people
Cons: not as easy to get to as some destinations

and much, much more! I lived in Puerta la Cruz for two years and it was a wonderful experience. The beaches in this ares, the eastern costal area of Venezuela, are some of the most beautiful, most unspoiled in the Caribbean. There are countless island...

Pros: Beaches, fun, sailing, deep sea diving, great hotels, and the best family vacation.
Cons: The mosquitoes. Bring lots of spray.

I have to say going to Tortola was a great experience. The beaches out there is crystal clear. The island natives are great. They are respectful. Something you don't find in the US. You are greeted with a warm hello. I remember the car broke down. There ...

Pros: The View, Very Romantic, The staff is very respectful and helpful.
Cons: Constant soliciting from locals to buy merchandise.

My husband & i just returned from Montego Bay, Jamaica. What a trip!!!! We stayed at Sandals Resort for 8 days. There is so much to do. Once we arrived, we got a free room up-grade and while we were waited to be checked-in a employee came to us with our 1st cocktail. We had a ocean front view from our balcony, which was absolutly gorgeous. I would recommend Sandals resort to any couple looking for a romantic get-a-way...

Pros: relatively tourist free, safe, sophisticated and your dollar goes a long way.
Cons: Few direct flights, little english spoken

My husband and I have just returned from a combined business and holiday trip to Cartagena, Colombia. Wow, what a city and what an eye-opener to the supposed dangers of Colombia. Cartagena is an absolute gem- an exotic mix of stunning spanish colonial architecture, vibrant culture and attractive friendly people. The city is a UNESCO world heritage site and its obvious that huge sums have invested here to preserve the antiquities. But what was equally surprising was the feeling of security- we could walk anywhere in town by day or night. We stayed at a charming B&B called Hotel Casa La Fe in the heart of the old city (www.casalafe.com), owned and run by an Englishman and his colombian wife. They made us feel at home and nothing was too much trouble. I can thoroughly recommend Cartagena and Casa La Fe as a perfect holiday destination