All Inclusive Is NOT The Only Way

More and more frequently, travelers are turning their heads away from vacations that don't include all expenses paid in advance of their arrival.  Everyone seems to want an all-inclusive resort where their food, adult beverages and activities are included.  There is no question to the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your credit card won't come back from vacation having been beaten and bruised.  However, many of the most amazing properties in the Caribbean do not offer a pre-paid plan.  With a good budget and an open mind, these can become as care-free as the all-inclusive resorts. 

Generally speaking, destinations that don't have many all-inclusive opportunities are the safest ones.  That isn't an invitation to walk down the darkest alleys in your designer shoes and tropical shirt to shoot pictures of unique doorways.  All-inclusive resorts were created to entice timid travelers into places they may have had safety concerns about visiting.  You know the drill.  Everything a vacationer would need in one place without leaving the safety the gates provided from the unknown.  Then, they could brag to their friends about having visited the exotic locale. 

Although many all-inclusive resorts some wonderful dining opportunities, foodies must venture outside the gates to get a true taste of a destination.  A trip to Jamaica is incomplete without a stop for a Red Stripe and jerk chicken at a roadside jerk pit.  With over 400 restaurants on the 37 sq mile island of Saint Martin, wouldn't you feel silly eating that resort buffet? 

Party people are drawn to the all-you-can-drink beverages offered by most all-inclusives.  Having said that, please remember that your price may be based on the assumption that you are capable of throwing back as many drinks as the members of I Tappa Keg fraternity who are also on spring break.  A moderate drinker won't likely use the value of the drinks at an all-inclusive resort.  Wine drinkers will enjoy the wine festivals in The Caymans, Barbados and Cancun.

Most Caribbean destinations have a wonderful, rich history with tales of pirates, sugar mills and European fights for territorial rights.  If you have an interest in the past or even the present, a resort stay can impede your 

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