Island hopping

How practical is it to do most of the Carib islands from south to north in terms of time and costs? Are the ferries/flights frequent between islands and how about costs? Could I cover most countries within 2 months on a $150/day budget? Thanks

You should be able to do it on a budget of $150, depending on how flexible you are. It is possible to stay on most islands in guest houses for about the $40 - $70 range. LittleKris, a poster on this branch, even traveled around on much less than that (see the link for a list of his budget finds). If you want a decent hotel, you can find one on just about any island for under $100.

Here's a list of ferry connections in the Carribean. As you can see there are lots of "breaks" in service that will prevent you from ferrying all the way through the islands, but with your budget you can probably afford to make a few flights to connect the dots. Check www.kayak.com , Liat, , and Caribbean Airlines (formerly BWIA) for flights and prices. You can usually fly between two neighboring islands for anywhere from about $60 - $120.

Public transport on most islands is pretty good, but is designed for the locals (meaning that it tends to service towns where people work and live, and not necessarily transportation to that trail head or secluded beach you are wanting to go to), and service will usually end pretty early in the evening. An occasional car rental can help fill the gaps enormously, but beware that many islands will charge you for a "temporary drivers license" that will run you anywhere from $15 - $30 regardless of how many days you rent the car.

All in all, I think it is doable. I would strongly suggest getting a new Lonely Planet Caribbean guide, which has the best listing of budget accomodations I've seen out of the various guidebook options. Do some planning and figure out a rough idea of a schedule and costs and then post back here to work out the details and fine tune your trip.

Sounds fun ... I am envious! Good luck.