When it’s cold in northern North America, it’s high season in the warm reaches of the south — especially in the Caribbean — as snowbirds flock to sunnier shores.
High season ushers in high prices, but bargain seekers can claim a stretch of sand by considering the value of all-inclusive resorts that bundle meals and activities into the rates. For example, Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada in the Dominican Republic offers a beach, pools and five restaurants (doubles from $170 a night for two). Liberty Travel, an agency based in Montvale, N.J., and known for its expertise in the Caribbean, steers clients to the Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa for its four beaches and multiple dining options (from $285 for a double).
But for those seeking a D.I.Y. getaway, the following destinations allow travelers to stretch their budgets this winter.
A small Dutch island about 50 miles north of the coast of Venezuela, Bonaire is not the place for classic sandy beaches; most are scattered with coral and shells. Instead, the eco-centric island, surrounded by a marine reserve, is for snorkelers, swimmers and divers looking for easy-to-reach reefs. (Visitors pay a $75 entry tax as well as a $40 nature fee, which allows access to the island’s marine park and national park.)
More than 50 of the destination’s roughly 85 dive sites are accessible from shore, meaning certified divers won’t need a guided boat excursion — a big savings — to swim among staghorn corals and schools of tropical fish. At beaches like 1,000 Steps — an exaggeration of the 67 limestone steps required to reach it — both divers and snorkelers can view marine wonders and stick around for sunset over the cactus-studded horizon.
Home to few large hotels, Bonaire offers many vacation rentals and small resorts. Bamboo Bonaire, for example, has cottages, with kitchenettes and furnished porches within a lush walled compound (doubles from $225 a night; stays of five nights or more are eligible for 20 percent off).
You’ll need to rent a car to explore the island (Kayak lists rentals from $34 a day), including Washington Slagbaai National Park on the north end, a nearly 10,600-acre preserve that is home to swim-inviting beaches and salt ponds filled with flamingos.
Cartagena, Colombia
On the northern coast of Colombia, Cartagena offers a more urban option in the sun. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Cartagena’s historic center is filled with military architecture from the 16th through 18th centuries that attests to its strategic location as a Caribbean trade port on par with Havana and San Juan, P.R.
Beach lovers will find Airbnb rentals from about $70 a night in the Bocagrande seaside district on a peninsula south of the old center. Culture seekers will appreciate a more central address, such as the Townhouse Art Hotel, an art-focused boutique hotel with 11 individually decorated rooms, a piano bar, two pools and a rooftop lounge with views over the city (doubles from $155 a night, including breakfast).
A walled city, Cartagena deserves a day of walking its cobblestone streets to appreciate the gracious colonial architecture painted in Caribbean hues. Two-hour free walking tours offered by Free Tour Cartagena (don’t forget to tip your guide) provide an overview of the city’s main plazas and landmark churches. Explore the corridors and batteries of the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, a Spanish 17th-century military fortress atop San Lázaro Hill (admission 36,000 pesos, or about $8).
For entertainment, hit the arty Getsemaní neighborhood, outside the old city walls, which is known for its street musicians, murals, bars and restaurants arrayed around the Plaza de la Trinidad.
Guadeloupe archipelago
Between Dominica and Antigua in the Lesser Antilles, the French archipelago of Guadeloupe consists of five island groups — Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, Les Saintes and La Désirade — offering rainforest and volcano hikes, snorkeling and diving on protected coral reefs, sandy beaches and surfing. Trails, beaches and the National Park of Guadeloupe are free to visit.
Flights from Miami to Guadeloupe land at Guadeloupe International Maryse Conde Airport, which is connected to neighboring Basse-Terre by a bridge. Ferries to other islands cost 25 to 45 euros (roughly $26 to $47) one-way. Rental cars offer convenient ways to get around (the average rental price is $39 a day, according to Kayak).
Look for relatively affordable stays at a number of small, eco-friendly resorts, including the 23-room Les Galets Rouges on Basse-Terre, overlooking the Cousteau Reserve marine park and near several hot springs (two-night minimum stays in a double start at €550, including breakfast). On Les Saintes — technically composed of nine islands, of which two, Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas, are inhabited — the guesthouse Les Hauts de la Baie is near Grand Anse beach on Terre-de-Bas (doubles average €130 a night, with access to a shared kitchen).
Culinary highlights include the bokit sandwich, a fried bun stuffed with a choice of fish, pork or chicken with spicy sauce and usually sold for a few euros at local stands.
Placencia, Belize
On the southern coast of Belize, the laid-back beach town of Placencia, on the tip of a 16-mile-long peninsula, offers access to the Belize Barrier Reef offshore and a bohemian town center.
“The real charm of Placencia is its unique ‘main street,’ which is actually a narrow sidewalk lined with colorful bars and restaurants that give off a fun Caribbean and rustic vibe,” wrote Rob Harper, the co-owner of Namu Travel Group, a Costa Rica-based travel agency that specializes in Central America, in an email.
Vacation rentals in the former fishing village include Bella Azul from Bella Vita Casitas (starting at $198 a night), a cabin for two with use of kayaks, paddle boards and bikes included. A small guesthouse modeled in French colonial style, Alux House has studios designed to sleep two from $105 a night. Studio apartments in the Driftwood Gardens Guesthouse start at $65 a night for two.
Save money on rooms in order to splurge on an all-day trip on the water to snorkel at one of the offshore isles (from $125 at Captain Jak’s) or hike and go bird-watching in the nearby Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (from $139 with Viator). Golf cart rentals are another popular way to explore the peninsula ($55 a day from Barefoot Services).
San Juan, P.R.
According to Dollar Flight Club, a membership service offering cheap airfares, San Juan is one of the best deals in the region, with round-trip flights starting at $138 from Atlanta.
Upon touchdown, travelers can readily see why the capital of Puerto Rico has bargain appeal. Beaches and San Juan’s colonial center lie within easy reach of the airport.
Among lodging options, Old San Juan offers a number of atmospheric hotels, including the Gallery Inn, which features 22 rooms with access to 15 patios and views over the town walls in a building designated a National Historic Landmark (doubles from $170). Closer to the beach, Hibird, in the coastal Condado district, offers accommodations with a rooftop pool and a beach club about a five minutes’ walk from the hotel (studio suites with a kitchenette from about $188).
While many Caribbean destinations offer escapes into nature, San Juan’s strength is its history and culture. A walking tour of Old San Juan is a good place to learn about its colonial past (Patria Tours offers two-and-a-half-hour itineraries for about $51, including entrance to Castillo San Cristobal, which the National Park Service says is the largest fortress in the Americas).
Seek culture in the nearby Santurce neighborhood, home to vibrant street murals, the Art Museum of Puerto Rico (admission $15) and the Museum of Contemporary Art ($8). Stick around after dark to drink, dance and sample street food like empanadillas (turnovers) and alcapurrias (fritters) at La Placita de Santurce, a public square that is particularly lively on the weekends.