Holiday destionation advice for 60th.

chillidoggy

I'll be 60 next year in October, and the wife wants to push the boat out holiday-wise, with something really special. This of course means that I will have to pay for it as per usual, but there you go. Anyway, I'm thinking a 3-week job if I can wangle it, or depending on how much it's likely to cost.

But where to go and what to do?

The missus is leaning towards Staniel Cay and the swimming with pigs thing, and I have to agree the place looks absolutely stunning. But it ain't cheap, to stay there, and it ain't cheap to get there, either. The only way, unless you happen to have a half-decent boat, which I don't, is by plane from Fort Lauderdale, and the cost of that is pretty eye-watering, too. So if we can do it, I cannot afford to stay there for too long, so would need either an alternative, or maybe combine a few nights there with a second venue. I was wondering about Cuba as I've never been there before, and as you can now get flights from Miami direct, that could be a goer, too. Mexico, perhaps? But I don't want to get shot or kidnapped, really.

So, anyone have any suggestions around the Southern US/Mexico/Bahamas or maybe Caribbean?

bingefeller

My sister went to Cancun in July and stayed for 2 weeks.  She enjoyed it but said it was too long as there wasn't very much to do.  She's not really into clubbing or anything like that either, she said that there wasn't that many shops around where she stayed.  She also said the heat was mental, especially when she was on public transport.  It would be a nice holiday if you just want to relax and do nothing. 

fretmeister

I'd go for a cruise on the beautiful Nordic coast and then a stay in the glass topped hotel place in Norway to see the Northern Lights properly.

I don't mind the cold though.

DrCornelius

If money were no object I'd start at the Florida keys then island hop around the Caribbean. Drink plenty of rum in Jamaica, some deep sea fishing off of St Lucia, try and catch some local cricket in Antiga - that sort of thing.

jellyroll

Disneyland?

BigMonka

There's huge diversity across the Caribbean islands, from sandy atolls to mountains with lush forests. Even the difference between the Atlantic and Caribbean Sea sides of the same island is huge. So a trip that went to a few of them over the 3 weeks could cover loads of interesting ground.

EricTheWeary

bingefeller said:

My sister went to Cancun in July and stayed for 2 weeks.  She enjoyed it but said it was too long as there wasn't very much to do.  She's not really into clubbing or anything like that either, she said that there wasn't that many shops around where she stayed.  She also said the heat was mental, especially when she was on public transport.  It would be a nice holiday if you just want to relax and do nothing. 

Probably not a Discussion I can help with very much but I have been to Cancun and that sounds about right. Good if you like eating steak, painfully hard to find any Mexican cuisine. 

boogieman

Mexico will be mostly all inclusive resorts so you could be anywhere really. It's also full of loud 'Murcans, from what I've heard from people who've been there.

We went to Key West a few years back, it's very pretty although it's quite small, but you could island hop round the Keys I guess.

My missus has been to Antigua (before I met her). She says it great if you want to just chill or are into water sports (steady!) and you can visit Barbuda
 and Montserrat from there easily. 

Cuba would be my choice out of your suggestions. It's on our bucket list too. 

octatonic

Go to somewhere (safe) in Africa.
Madagascar, The Gambia, Kenya etc.

boogieman

octatonic said:

Go to somewhere (safe) in Africa.
Madagascar, The Gambia, Kenya etc.

Isn't Kenya a bit dodgy these days? Thought there'd been kidnappings there? Gambia has had a fair bit of political unrest too recently. I went there in the 90s... nice beaches but bugger all else to do, it's a very underdeveloped country. 

Teetonetal

octatonic said:

Go to somewhere (safe) in Africa.
Madagascar, The Gambia, Kenya etc.

Oh don't go to The Gambia. Not for a special holiday.

We went for a week in 2011. It's just horrible. Too much poverty to feel comfortable. Too many scams. Oh and the beaches are getting washed away.

We got mugged one day for 5USD... the yellow taxis are death traps. .. the green ones probably just OK. The hawking and begging is non stop.

On the plus side we met a really cool guide who took us to the nature reserve, on a boat trip and to see / stroke Charlie the crocodile. 

But a place I'd never go back to.

octatonic

boogieman said:

octatonic said:

Go to somewhere (safe) in Africa.
Madagascar, The Gambia, Kenya etc.

Isn't Kenya a bit dodgy these days? Thought there'd been kidnappings there? Gambia has had a fair bit of political unrest too recently. I went there in the 90s... nice beaches but bugger all else to do, it's a very underdeveloped country. 

Shhhh... I was trying to get rid of him.
Seriously though, perhaps I am not up to date with where is safe.

boogieman

octatonic said:

boogieman said:

octatonic said:

Go to somewhere (safe) in Africa.
Madagascar, The Gambia, Kenya etc.

Isn't Kenya a bit dodgy these days? Thought there'd been kidnappings there? Gambia has had a fair bit of political unrest too recently. I went there in the 90s... nice beaches but bugger all else to do, it's a very underdeveloped country. 

Shhhh... I was trying to get rid of him.
Seriously though, perhaps I am not up to date with where is safe.

I lol'd.

I wasn't exactly sure so I just checked the the FO website. Kenya is ok in the safari parks but there's lots of warnings about terrorism elsewhere and it's really iffy up near the Somalian border, as you'd kind of expect. Gambia has settled down now, but as someone else has said, it's not the greatest destination unless you want Africa on the cheap. 

scrumhalf

Margate?

If you go somewhere beyond the ordinary it may be best to look at an escorted tour. I've been on loads, almost always huge amounts of fun and the removal of the need to arrange transport and hotels means there's more time to see stuff. I've enjoyed quite a few 60th celebrations in various place. There are companies that deal in all price and comfort levels.

Do you want to do one thing, multiple things or nothing at all? Do you want to go to one place or many places? Do you want to do specific things or just see what comes along at whatever place you want to go to? Do you want heat or are you not bothered.

There are fewer places you can go to safely these days but the choice is gobsmacking. I'm a few years younger than you but have been to places that, when I was a kid, were as accessible as the moon.

Flink_Poyd

Swimming with pigs you say? 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-41012135

Do you get this after you've finished?

RandallFlagg

New York

Nitefly

2 years ago my daughter went on a small-group tour of Costa Rica, and said it was brilliant.  I think there were 10 or 12 in the group, of varying ages including one lady of 70.

I can find out how she booked it if you like?

RMJ

Vegas!!!!!!

chillidoggy

We had a week in Key West as part of our holiday last year, the hotel was fantastic, expensive, very boutique, and quiet with brilliant service. But Key West itself had lost a bit of its magic from when we went the time before. The food and service wasn't great in the ressies, and if you did want decent food, it was effing dear. It was also plagued with pissheads, and it's become even more commercialised (if that's possible).

While we were on one of the watersports multi-activities experiences, a woman in our party was killed when one of the other party members crashed his Wave Runner over hers. Which kind of put a damper on things for a while, bloody shocked, we all were. The Keys are OK if you haven't been, but we won't be going back for the foreseeable future.

Africa? Hmmmm, the wife wouldn't go there if there any possibility of any trouble, or if there were any beggars around, so that's out, hence the original choice of locations. But, yeah, the island-hopping in the Carib or Cuba is floating my boat right at this moment. I had wondered if Cuba was likely to be fucked up by Murcan tourists and commercial business interest, however someone told me that the Cuban government had put a block on Murcan ownership of property. Not sure if that's true, or not.

 For anyone who hasn't seen the swimming pigs they're on the Staniel Cay Yacht Club website www.stanielcay.com 

Keep em coming, guys, I think I could narrow it down soon,
 

CarpeDiem

If you fancy Southern USA, I'd suggest flying to Atlanta and doing a fly drive and doing a round trip including civil rights and musical hotspot sites in Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee. A good excuse to visit the Gibson factory in Memphis. I'd suggest two weeks for this trip followed by a week in the Caribbean; Jamaica is interesting, friendly people, varied scenery, and good food.

mike_l

Push the boat out and go to Ramsgate for a day out.................


Or more seriously, go on a cruise. Mum and Dad take them every year and love it.