Planning any family vacation can be stressful, but planning a vacation overseas presents even more challenges. For inexperienced travelers, choosing which Caribbean Island is best for their family can be difficult.

Caribbean islands all have certain things in common that are attractive to travelers looking for a relaxing fun filled vacation experience. Warm weather, sunshine, beautiful beaches, and adventure activities. However each island also has its own history, culture, and geography.

A family traveling with small children, looking for a simple easy to plan vacation, may have different requirements than a honeymooning couple looking for ultimate adventure.

Here are a few important things to consider before choosing a particular Caribbean Island:

1.  Is duration or distance of travel an important factor? Families, especially those with small children, may find that the closer islands with shorter hour flight times, are less hectic than those in the far eastern Caribbean which require 2-4 hours additional travel time. Most young children just don’t have the patience to sit through a 5 hour flight.
2. Are you looking for modern resort facilities or a rustic back to nature experience? Many popular Caribbean resort areas feature the same modern facilities and comforts that one would enjoy at home, however the lesser traveled Islands, may not offer the same level of amenities. After 2 nights in 100 degree heat and high humidity, you might just decide that Air conditioning is something that you can’t live without.

For More Information:

Caribbean vacations, Islands Getaways, Everything Caribbean at SunSandandSeas.com 

Sandals all inclusive resorts for couples offer the same great inclusions as Beaches and much more. Twelve award winning all inclusive resorts on four idyllic Caribbean Islands at Sandals offers the best Caribbean beach Vacations. Inclusive plans at Sandals will satisfy your every need.

Read our full Sandals resorts Review on Squidoo - Best Caribbean Beach Vacations - Inclusive Resorts for Couples

Riu verses Beaches Vacations Inclusive Plan Secrets Revealed

Are you looking for the best all inclusive family vacation at an affordable price? Before booking you next vacation make sure to compare all the costs.
Here we’ve outlined the differences between the two most popular Caribbean family resorts.

Comparison is based on 6 night stay for a family of 4 with 2 children under 12 years of age. We chose the lowest available room category for the same week at both resorts.

Beaches Negril: 210 rooms located on the famous 7 mile Negril Beach, Jamaica
Room Description - Room features two double beds with patios (ground floor) or balconies and views of the lush perfumed gardens.
Cost: $3408.00

Riu Ocho Rios: 856 rooms, located on the beach in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.
Room Discription - 1 Double standard, partial sea view, balcony or terrace. All guests are required to wear wristbands.
Cost: $2736

What’s Included?

Dining:

Riu: All meals and snacks

Dinner- Buffet, or choose a gourmet speciality restaurant featuring; Japanese/Asian Teppanaki,  Italian, Tex- mex, or  Caribbean (Adults only w/ white glove service). Four additional restaurants are available as well at nearby Beaches Sandy Bay.

 

Beverages:

Both include unlimited local and some imported beverages.  Beaches features Appleton Rum. Riu offers 6 bars for 856 rooms. Beaches has 5 bars.

 

Pools:

Riu: 2 pools with Jacuzzi, swim up bars,  1 childrens pool.

Beaches: 3 pools, 1 Kids pool, 3 whilrpools, 2 swim up bars, Lazy river, 18,000sq’ waterpark, water cannons, and misting pool.

Watersports:

Riu: Windsurfing, sailing, kayaking, Snorkelling equipment, & 1 introductory scuba diving lesson in the pool. Lessons for watersports like windsurfing, sailing, snorkeling will run around $25 per person. Guided  snorkeling trips cost $10-20/person. Scuba diving is available for certified divers for around $40/dive including equipment. Resort diving certification including 1 dive is $95.00 

Beaches: Kayaks, windsurfing, water trikes, sail boats, Hobie cats, Banana boat, Unlimited Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, all equipment and instruction.  Resort diving certification and unlimited beginner dives is $70

Full Scuba certification is additional at both resorts, but is slightly cheaper at Beaches.

Land sports:

Both resorts offer: Gym, table tennis, sauna, tennis courts,etc.Billiards are available at both but Riu Charges extra.

Activities for Teens:

Riu: No teen only activities

Beaches: Club Liquid, Scratch DJ Academy, Xbox 360 game Garage, Beach Shack.

 

Tips, gratuities, transportation, etc:

Riu includes tips, but does not exclude the practice to tipping. This means that employees are open to ask you for a tip at any time. This can be especially costly in Jamaica, where everyone expects a tip. Transfers to and from the airport are also included. Riu is a 2 hour bus ride from Montego Bay airport.

Beaches includes everything you need for a perfect, worry-free vacation-from airport transfers, in air-conditioned buses, to all tips, gratuities and hotel taxes. Beaches vacations inclusive plans feature the famous no tipping policy. Meaning you will never be asked for tips.Beaches Negril is 45 minute bus ride from Montego Bay Airport.

As you can see even though Beaches is a much smaller resort, they have a lot to offer at a very comparable price. If you are looking for the cheapest option possible then Riu may offer a good value. However if you want even better value, don’t want to be pressured to tip, or are interested in doing any of the additional activities like snorkeling and Scuba, then Beaches vacations inclusive packages are the only way to go.

Read our full review of Beaches All Inclusive Family Vacations.

Click here to Check Rates, Availability, or book your next Beaches all inclusive vacation Today!

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The best beaches of Beaches  all inclusive family vacations

Planning a trip to Beaches resorts  but not sure which one is best?

For Many people it all comes down to the beach, but how do you really know which one is best?

So we decided to rate the beaches at Beaches all inclusive family vacations and here is what we found.

# 1 -Beaches Turks & Caicos

Resort  type: All Inclusive Family Vacations, 615 rooms, 16 restaurants.

Location: Provencales, Turks & Caicos Islands

Beach : By and far Beaches Turks & Caicos offers the best of the best beaches. Sitting on a 12 mile stretch of pristine sparkeling white sand, it is no wonder this resort has been dubbed “the last of the true exotics”. One of the only places you can snorkel right off the beach, Turks & Caicos ranks in the top 5 best places to dive in the world.

# 2 -  Beaches Negril

Resort  type: All Inclusive Family Vacations, 210 rooms, 11 restaurants.

Location: Negril, Jamaica

 Beach : Our second favorite pic and for good reason! Located on the widest stretch of the famed 7 mile beach, Beaches Negril really takes the cake. The beach here is overflowing with  beautiful soft white sugar-sand. The weather here is generally calm and the waves are small unless a storm passes nearby. Besides the beach Negril is known for some of the most amazing sunsets in the world, and cliff diving at Rick’s Café down the road. 

# 3 - Beaches Sandy Bay

Resort  type: All Inclusive Family Vacations, 128rooms, 4 restaurants.

Location: Negril, Jamaica

Beaches sandy bay takes an easy 3^rd place on our list. Although not quite as wide as the beach at Beaches Negril, this resort may be the best value in Negril. The beach here is great, and the service at this small resort is fantastic. Not to mention you can “Stay at 1 and Play at 2” with full exchange privileges and transportation to Beaches Negril included.  

# 4 - Beaches Boscobel

Resort  type: All Inclusive Family Vacations, 223 rooms, 12 restaurants.

Location: Boscobel, Ocho Rios, Jamaica

If we were ranking on other factors besides the beach, this resort would be much higher. They offer an awesome waterpark for the kids and fairly good service. Unfortunately the beach here, just can’t compare against the stiff competition of the other resorts. The beach here is small, but ample for the size of the resort, unfortunately if you are looking for a place to take long walks this isn’t it. The sand here is more yellow & larger grained. Soft, but not as nice as the other choices. 

What is does have going for it is privacy, you won’t see locals or passers-by from other resorts strolling along this beach.

**Something to consider…If you are offended by topless women or do not want to expose your children to that, this is a good place to go. It is not uncommon to see women walking down the beach topless at the other resorts.   

Hopefully this article has helped in your search for the best Beaches all inclusive family vacations.  

Click here to read our full review of Beaches All inclusive Family vacations  
or
Click here to Check rates or book online at Beaches.com

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