Where would you go on a budget when all you want is white beaches and blue skies.
Thinking December or January.

Westjet has a 15% off sale until Oct 31. Most resort towns in Mexico on sale, as well as the Caribbean. I found just over $400 Victoria to Los Cabos end of November.

Woah!!

Omg

Zanzibar!

SE Asia... cheap as chips.

Those airfares though...
def. Lots on my list there!

Just got back from Thailand. Yes felt I needed to get it done but honestly the flight was long and so next time I want nice beaches mexico or the Caribbean it is.

If you want white sand beaches on a budget, Varadero is cheap the first week in December.

Hawaii on air Canada sales! We were there two weeks ago!

Hmmmm, yessss... on my wishlisht for a while. US dollar sucks though...

Hawaii is really expensive with the dollar being so bad. We just got back from there.

Cayo Santa Maria Cuba, best beaches my feet have ever touched

Second that on a budget

Mexico

Baja in Mexico. San Jose, Zacatitos, Todo Santos, etc. Gorgeous beaches and blue skies.

Bahamas, Cayman Islands, BVI, Maui

$$$!!

Just wait for a last minute deal. We went to the Dominican for $585 all inclusive last march

That might work!

Anne may I ask which property? That's unbelievably cheap.

Was it flight and hotel?

It was. Direct flight there, a stop for fuel on the way home.
It was Be Live.
We upgraded to VIP. Great vacay

That's the criteria we used for a holiday last year and we ended up in Cayo Santa Maria in Cuba. The beaches and water was exactly as we hoped it would be. Food is bland though. I have a review on Trip Advisor that goes into more detail.

Cuba is usually more affordable, Mexico can be too depending on whether it is the Baja or Caribbean side you fly into. You can find some deals in early December or mid-January.

Hawaii!!

We are going to isla mujures little island off cancun. Beautiful white sand beaches and great swimming. Still low season beginning of dec. we love it there. Little golf carts to go around the island!

Cancun is lovely but most of the time you can't swim in the ocean. Playa del Carmen is better, I was just there in February. If you stay close to downtown there are lots to do and a bit of shopping. Cozumel is just a ferry away if you are into diving.

January Bali or Thailand

We are going back to Phuket in 3 weeks - super excited. Once you are there, it's relatively inexpensive to stay 3 weeks or more for the price of a 1 week or 10 days vacation down south.
http://www.phuket.com/

If you are thinking under $2000-$3000 for a couple you are probably looking at Cuba, beautiful beaches, amazing service... don't let the food comments turn you off if you are prepared going in. It's really not that bad!

The food is just bland. We saw people bringing their own ketchup, salt, pepper, peanut butter

Jamie Thanks for the insights!

Just go to an all inclusive on the Carribbean side of Mexico. There are deals to be had in December.

We just booked Sayulita, Mexico!

Used to love it there. Checked it out last year and sad it's changed. OXXO stores on every corner. More bars and speciality wine shops. The vendors on the crowded beach hit you up every 30 seconds. Last December I heard first hand the sewer systems could not keep up with the crowds and overflowed. What a difference 3 years makes.

Jeannett I'm sure we'll still have a good time. We're staying up in the hills away from town.

Jillian Walker you will. It's just so different from when we used to go there. We spend the month of February in a town called La Manzanilla 1 Hr north of the Manzanillo airport or 3 Hr drive S of PV. Like sayulita 25 years ago I here and the water is calm and warm with a 4 K flat beach to walk. Lots of houses to rent.

Lapaz Mexico- Baja Peninsula 3 hour drive north of Cabo- white sand beaches, seals and whale sharks, no overlyt touristy

Belize! Also has great snorkeling

Not much for beaches though...
Honduras was great, a
Tulum and Akumal are lovely quieter beach and velvet sand.

My girlfriend stayed at the Akumal Bay Resort in October and she loved it. She is going back in the spring because it is very relaxing and quiet.

We just used wifi everywhere.. iPhone we IM and facetimed. I used viber for android. As long as on wifi no charge for messaging