BootsnAll Travel Community

Ok, Lets call this a unofficial poll. I seem to be running a lot of them lately in my life.

So.... a couple days after New Years I turn (gasp) 30. Gasp. I've decided that I'm getting out of wyoming for a week if it kills me- or my supervisor.

Actually, I want to spend my b-day, and about 4 days before and after, sitting on a beach with a beer in my hand.

Important points-
I'm not rich
I won't be in December either
Just about anywhere is warmer than Wyoming
I'm looking at 1000-1500 usd for everything- preferably less.
I can't stand resorts- my father loves them, they give me a rash.
I don't surf

So Kayak's giving me prices right around $500 to Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cancun, and Costa Rica. I've been to PR, so it's off the list. People I asked at work mostly recommended Costa Rica, but I think that's because they're all pot heads. Tho I could be wrong. A couple suggested DR, and it looks interesting. The only people who said Mexico were the ones I had to push for any answer other than "you should stay home, them crazy for'ners'll et ya fur breakfast. And build a fall-out shelter, too...."

-important lesson learned from this- crazy wyoming people bad choice to ask about travel ideas.

So- where would/ have you gone? What do you guys suggest? Do you recommend somewhere else? How much should I budget for beer? Do you have a failsafe method of avoiding "but it's too dangerous" convo's with your parents other than not telling them where you're going until after you get back?

-j.

Based on your "important points," -- I'd recommend Puerto Rico first, Dominican Republic second.

Puerto Rico has some beautiful beaches, and you can avoid resorts there with a little searching, and it's likely the easiest to get to/from and around on while you are there. If you are truly just after a beach and a beer, that'd fit the bill and be an easy trip.

I haven't been to DR in over seven years, but hear good things. Hopefully others have better info for you.

I'm neutral on Costa Rica, mostly because I haven't been, and have heard mixed reviews from recent visitors. I get the feeling it isn't the idyllic paradise it used to be.

I recommend against Cancun - it's laden with the resorts you say you loathe.

Regarding the "but it's too dangerous" conversation: I find it nearly impossible to try to explain to non-travelers the whys, wheres, and hows that I/we travel. I pretty much say, "that's fine you don't like/approve of it, but I'm going. Would you like a postcard?" Seriously, unless they are funding your expedition or have some other stake, I don't see the need to get approval or explain my actions to many others.

Good luck with the planning - keep us posted!

want quiet? corn islands, nicaragua. i love those islands. not so quiet? caye caulker, belize. both those places i would say cost about $20-30/night for decent accommodations, and beers are cheap. on caulker, i think i spent about $100-200 in a couple of days. corn islands, i splurged and spent about $400 for the week i was on both little and big corn.

i didn't like what i saw of costa rica, but then again i only went to quepos. you should check out marisa's blog, she was in costa rica and has lots of really pretty pics from panama too!

A rash isn't exactly loathing. I like the clean inclusiveness, just not the ravening hoards. I'm not the most sociable person under the best conditions. But I work in retail, and the week after x-mas I can almost guarantee that being in a place with tons of people will have me locked in my room, drinking scotch.

OMG, xoom- You keep talking about the corn islands, and... wow, if tickets go down even a little between now and then, I can totally see myself there. Not so sure about the almost forced overnight in Managua, tho... I'll add it to my seriously considering list. hmmm. kayak has no idea how to get me from here to that caye in belize... might take some more research

I don't really care what my family thinks- and I get plenty of the "why would you want to leave Wyoming" talk from people here... I just really don't want to suffer through another "but they have AIDS there" lecture from my father. I think he might figure out eventually that my phone connection doesn't go out as often as I pretend.

So, anyone else?

-j.

I once made the mistake of spending New Years in Costa Rica. "San Jose was a Dead city".. I would recommend you saving a bit more money and hit Rio de Janeiro. It's something you will never forget if you live to be 100..

Sounds as though you are getting close to making up you mind, but, for what it's worth....

I, too, would delete CR and Cancun. I have not been to PR or DR, but they sound interesting, and I assume cheaper than Mexico. Having said that, one suggestion I would throw in is Cabo San Lucas on the tip of Baja. The down side is the town itself is quite touristy. The upside is it's easy to get to, and, if you get yourself some private transportation there are miles of quiet, unspoilt yet well-serviced beaches to the east, and even more seclusion to the north.

Going east you can literally take any side road going toward the coast (all beaches are public in Mexico) and there is a better-than-good chance you find a quiet restaurant selling cold beer and fresh seafood next to the sands of a tranquil cove.

Puerto Rico is not cheap at all. Food, drink and transportation are all at NYC level prices, and budget accommodations are far and few between. We drove around the whole island, and there are very very few nice beaches, mostly near the touristy resort hotels.

I second the Baja California, MX idea. Cabo, La Paz, or others.

look at apple tours...they usually offer quality all inclusive type packages for short term visits to warm places...seems to fit what you are looking for...

I have not been to any of the places you listed but I would go for Dom Republic first then cancun then PR...

Zander- somehow I think quiet beer drinking beaches are going to be tough to find in Rio at New Years. And if I wanted to spend that much time on a plane, I'd just go back to NZ... plenty of quiet beaches and beer in the northlands.

Braslvr and Spiralout- Baja sounds tempting. I'll add it to my list. And since I'm at the library already, I'll hunt down a book or two. I'm sure even this library has a couple.

So... any more quiet beer drinking locations?

-j.

quote:

So... any more quiet beer drinking locations?

Thousands.

It's.Not.That.Hard.

1. Save on airfare....fly AFTER New Years, but before your birthday.
2. From Wyoming....eh?....airports?....airlines?....United through Denver?....Delta through SLC?.....anyway, pick whatever airline works and flies to whatever beachy resort Wyomingites and others fly to escape winter. As far as Mexico is concerned, there have to be a million flights to Vallarta and Cabo and elsewhere, por ejemplo.
3. Then, get on a bus and go and hour or so away from whatever Disneyland you've landed in.

As stated above, once you're outside of the overdeveloped areas, you can't swing a cat without finding a nice beach, a palapa, a cold beer and fresh-off-the-panga seafood.

Pick your airport/airfare....then go from there!

NTFT- I realize it's not difficult. I'm asking for specific recommendations.

As for flying between new years and my birthday... prices actually go up for the first, and I'm not flying the day before my birthday, so the second's out. I want to be relaxed when I turn thirty, not still pissed off about airports.

Tho I will be looking more specifically at stuff in Mexico.

Oh- and people in wyoming don't seem to escape the winter... most of them appear to really like it. freaks. Tho I guess it makes sense- it does last 10 months.

j.

Actually, I hear beach destinations in Mexico are quite crowded over the Christmas/New Years holidays, so it might not even be a great idea anyway. But since you asked for some suggestions, here are some of the smaller/quieter locations that are easily reached via some of the big beach resort airports. Some of them are a bit more chill than others, some a bit more lively. You said "quiet", but that can be relative. There's quiet, and then there's dead. None of these are either dead or undiscovered. Still, many are pleasant.

PUERTO VALLARTA: (to the north) Sayulita, San Pancho/San Frnacisco, Playa Chacala.

VALLARTA: (to the south) Boca de Tomatlan, Jelapa

IXTAPA-ZIHUATANEJO: La Barra de Potosi, Troncones

CANCUN: Isla Holbox

ACAPULCO: Pie de la Cuesta

HUATULCO: Puerto Escondido, Zipolite, Puerto Angel

CABO: Todos Santos

MANZANILLO: Melaque, Barra de Navidad

These days, Mexico ain't that cheap. So if you can find a comparable airfare to D.R., that might be the way to go.