{"id":20574,"date":"2026-01-16T16:04:41","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T21:04:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sunflowerit.ca\/travel\/auto-draft\/"},"modified":"2026-01-16T16:04:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T21:04:43","slug":"doing-things-a-bit-differently","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sunflowerit.ca\/travel\/other-trips\/trips-caribbean\/trip-carribean-island-hopping\/doing-things-a-bit-differently\/","title":{"rendered":"Doing Things a Bit Differently"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This trip was different for us in several ways. First, we committed to staying in each accommodation for five consecutive nights\u2014a big shift from our usual travel style, where we rarely stayed in one place for more than four nights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, we booked both our flights and accommodations for the entire duration of the trip in advance. In the past, we typically only secured our outbound airfare and the first few nights upon arrival, leaving the rest open-ended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And finally, we planned to rent a car during our island stays. Normally, we either brought our own means of transportation (i.e. our tandem) or relied on local public transport, so having our own set of wheels felt like another new chapter in how we travel. By the way, it dawned on us that our last winter getaway was our Southeast Asia trip back in 2023<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trip planning<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

As we began planning the trip, we were pleasantly surprised by how well connected our target islands were by air. While the distances between islands were short\u2014often just 30 to 45 minutes by plane\u2014we quickly ruled out ferries, as those same journeys would have taken far longer by sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With plans to spend five nights on each of the nine selected islands, the total length of our adventure settled at 47 days. Although Jamaica was originally part of the itinerary, we decided to postpone that visit after Hurricane Melissa caused widespread damage at the end of October 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sequence of our island visits was largely shaped by available air links, with a strong preference for direct flights whenever possible. When it came to accommodations, we prioritized apartments with kitchen facilities. While beachfront stays aren\u2019t expected, we\u2019re hoping to enjoy at least a few sea views along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n