A quick guide to the Caribbean!

Hypothetical situation here: 

If someone randomly asked you "if you had to choose any Caribbean Island to go to right now, which would it be" how would you respond?  Would you answer with an educated response or simply name off one of the ones you think is most popular?  I honestly, would pick a popular one off the top of my head and roll with it!  Sure, they are all tropical islands that anyone could have a great time on but shouldn't you consider the specialties of each island before booking your stay there?  

I recently just learned about a killer travel website called, Easy Planet Travel, and their motto is, "travel around the world, made easy for everyone." Isn't that nice.....I think so :)  I mean, who doesn't appreciate a comprehensive website that makes researching destinations easy!  Easy Planet Travel has put together an extremely well researched guide to the islands that highlights the top reasons people visit: beaches, snorkeling, diving, golf, dining, resorts, relaxing, hiking, nightlife.  View here. 

One good thing about living in the United States is that we have fairly easy access to the 700+ Caribbean Islands, making them the ideal vacation spot.  But like I said, there are 700 of them, so choosing the right one can be slightly daunting.  Hopefully, after you check out their Quick and Easy Guide you will be able to make a more educated decision. 

 Also, you will need to consider the seasons when decided which month to book in...

High Season: "Winter is considered the high season for tourism to the Caribbean, largely because travelers want to escape the cold winter weather of the north. Tourism booms from mid-December through mid-April. The winter weather in the Caribbean features little rainfall and has average lows in the low 70s and average highs in the mid-80s. Northern Caribbean destinations' lows are closer to the 60s, while southern islands' lows are in the 70s. This is the perfect time to travel if you don't mind large crowds and paying top dollar for accommodations, but reservations should be made months in advance because so many travelers prefer this time frame."

Shoulder Season: "The Caribbean's shoulder season is in late spring and fall when the weather is milder in the north. The weather in the Caribbean is warm with little rainfall, but the islands are less busy than in winter months. You can expect temperatures with average lows in the mid-70s to average highs in the mid-80s. One of the great advantages to traveling in the shoulder season is that travelers can usually get a discount on accommodations because there is less demand for hotel rooms. The exceptions during shoulder season are Easter and spring break, when family tourism picks up."

Low Season: "When the weather is hot throughout the north in the summer, the demand for a Caribbean vacation decreases dramatically, which is why the low season is in June, July and August. June is one of the rainiest months of the year in the Caribbean, but July and August are generally sunny and nice. The humidity and temperatures rise in the summer months, with average daytime temperatures mostly in the mid-to-upper 80s and nighttime lows in the mid-to-upper 70s. You can expect dramatically decreased room rates and a quiet, relaxed vacation."

Hurricane Season: "Hurricane season in the Caribbean runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, although September and October are peak times for hurricane activity. Many people shy away from the Caribbean during this season, but you may be surprised to know that not all areas are affected equally. The southeastern region has the least number of hurricanes, while the southwestern and northeastern regions have the most. Southern areas like the Dutch Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao are rarely affected because hurricanes tend to travel away from the equator. Barbados is also relatively safe from hurricanes, experiencing one about every 20 years. If you're willing to take the risk, you can save a lot of money on accommodations and experience a quiet vacation because so few people come to the Caribbean in this season."

Seasonal Weather Source: Travel Tips from USA Today 

Now lets take this Caribbean vacation planning one step further!  Now lets take out a travel loan through United Military Travel to book your airfare, hotel, and car rental so you can keep more cash in your pocket.  I am serious, you can do this - in order to be qualified for United Military Travel's travel loans, you just need to be Military and/or Government Personnel. They finance both Active Duty and Career Retired Military members, as well as government employees, and can get most applicants approved with NO DOWN PAYMENT!  Financing vacations is the new and easy way to travel...creating opportunities for the world to be your playground!  When you call in to UMT and speak to one of their travel consultants, you could start planning the ultimate vacation to places like St. Lucia, Martinique, Grenada, the Virgin Islands but you have to make the call first.  Or you could simply apply online here and one of their representatives will reach out to you.  

                                         866-582-9579