Caribbean Flightseeing trip

[231LV]

Although still early, I am beginning to plan a trip throughout the Caribbean for my wife and I in our plane. I would love to hear the thoughts of those who have already done this along with suggestions, concerns, places to see, etc. We plan on doing this sometime early next year (Jan,Feb,March). We have no time limits and plan to be gone at least a month. At this point, we will Airbnb in Old San Juan, PR,  St Lucia, Grenada and possibly Curacao. There will be nightly stops throughout the Bahamas  and other islands like Dominica and USVI for fuel and sightseeing and if we like what we see, stay a while. Flight planning shows around 3200 nm to Grenada from our home in SedonaAZ but my wife really wants to go onto Curacao which looks doable without stopping in Venezuela. If we do that, it would seem the best way home is up through Central America. I plan to purchase a raft rather than rent one plus personal locators and vests. We have spent some time visiting most the islands in the Caribbean and know which one's we really are not interested in seeing again but would like any suggestions on some of the islands not on cruise itineraries. I have already received costs for tie down, immigration, etc in Grenada and fuel seems to hover around US$7/gal throughout the Caribbean for 100LL. We are experienced flying out of the states to Mexica and Canada but haven't headed into the Caribbean before. I do plan to spend most flight hours in the morning before the air gets hot. If anyone has some experience, I would really enjoy hearing from you....thanks!

[neilpilot]

23 minutes ago, 231LV said:

I do plan to spend most flight hours in the morning before the air gets hot.

I don't think afternoon heat is too much of an issue, especially in Jan-Mar.  Just avoid any high altitude runways.

Since my Caribbean experience  is all prior to 2001, I'll let others offer more timely advice.  Obviously check your insurance coverage before you go.  Back in the 90s I always carried a few sheets of carbon paper for those multiple copy forms.

[231LV]

Great info, Dave! We were down in the Caribbean last month and three months before that so have seen first hand the devastation from the hurricanes on the USVI. Both times we were in Old Town San Juan was during daytime hours so no experience with staying although Airbnb reviews seem pretty awesome with no mention of problems....we don't really care for Aruba  and Grand Cayman is way off the beaten path...better to get there via Cancun or over flight from Key West over Cuba...probably not on this itinerary and neither is Belize. I would prefer to avoid S America entirely but will likely need to fuel in Columbia if heading home via Central America....I will PM you!

[lwikle]

MYLS. Stella maris is our fav. Cape Santa Maria beach resort is awesome. Good runway and great FBO. Customs and gas.

[FoxMike]

I did almost the exact trip in 2011.  We did Stella Maris, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, St. Marten, Guadalupe, Martinique, Grenada, Curacao, Panama, Guatemala, Mexico, US.  Plan a about $100 or so for ramp fees at most of the airports.  Willemstad required we hire a handler.  Venezuela would not let us near shore so a raft is a good idea.  I got a bill from Grenada for airspace use after I get home.  If you come home through Central America you need to file advanced notice for both overflight and landing with each country.  Some countries will issue a code that you report to SENAM at border crossings.  I found it best to stay on an IFR flight plan. Central America seemed to be the biggest pain about paperwork.  I got a Jepp trip kit and followed the entry requirements section.   At the time of our trip Nicaragura and Guatemala wanted at least a week advanced notice.  I hid a lot of US dollars around the airplane so I would have enough to pay fees and gas.  Very few places accepted credit cards. Plan to be on the ground well before dark.  DEA patrols the Caribbean and they get very suspicious near dark.  The places we enjoyed the most were Dominican Republic (although getting flight plans approved anywhere in the country is slower than molasses), St. Marten,  Guadalupe (but not Pointe a Pitre),  Curacao (diving was marginal), and Guatemala.  Watch out for parking fees in Costa Rica.  Recent hurricane damage needs to be assessed as descent rooms may be hard to find.  You will be asked for proof of insurance at many of the airports.  I made 50 copies of general declarations partially filed out and had to make more.  That is all that comes to mind right now.  Have a good time when you go, we certainly enjoyed our selves and might do it again.

[FoxMike]

Dave,

You need to plan a "C" note or more every time your wheels hit the concrete.  The group I was traveling with wanted to stop at even more islands but I insisted we stop where we would have something to do.  If you go to St. Marten be sure to land on the French side.  Cost will be $100.00 or so but at Princess Juliana it will be 3X that.  A coupe of other thoughts.  Money is a bit of a problem as some US bills are counterfeit so most vendors will not accept anything bigger than a $20.00.  Make sure all the bills you take are not torn or beat up.  I found that the fuelers will take larger bills because the fuel is so expensive.   I would not carry more than several hundred at a time.  Because you will not be on any island very long I would not exchange for too much local currency.  Most places will take US money although the exchange rate is not the best.  I still have a small amount of local currency from each country.  Maybe I will get back down there and have a chance to spend it.  I gave all the change to the Salvation Army since the US banks will exchange with them at no charge.  

We rented cars on ST. Marten, Martinique  and Guadalupe but found it was just as cheap to hire a cab.  We let the cab driver act as the tour guide.  If you rent a car in Grenada you have to go to the police station to get a permit.  Again, enjoy the adventure.

 

[231LV]

Fantastic info! Really helpful....at this point, my plan to to clear through the Bahamas and stay on one of the islands for a few days...then San Juan for a couple weeks in an Airbnb.....on down to St Lucia for another week or so airbnb then Grenada for a week or two airbnb. Stops in between for fuel but at $100/landing, I will have to be judicious. My wife really wants to pop over to Curacao and I figured once there, it would be better to come home via Central America rather than retrace our steps. Would I be wise to stay away from Central Am? We have spent a fair amount of time flying down in Baja with no problems but only limited time in mainland Mexico. Obviously, I plan on avoiding Venezuela entirely but would likely have to stop in Columbia for fuel/rest...Panama,  Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala are total unknowns to me.

[jetdriven]

On 4/17/2018 at 12:55 PM, lwikle said:

MYLS. Stella maris is our fav. Cape Santa Maria beach resort is awesome. Good runway and great FBO. Customs and gas.

We just went there. It was fantastic. 

I don’t advertise but I do rent the raft, life vests, and PLb. 

[FoxMike]

231LV,

You wanted advice on the return trip.  You will likely find that a stop in Columbia is not possible.  We planned a stop in Cartagena but were unable to get insurance coverage.  It was about 4 hour haul from Willemistad to Panama City all over water.  You get a little help from the tradewinds but not much.  As an alternative I might suggest you might leave Willemstad and head to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  If you like history this is a great place.  If you could plan it right you might be able to join a tour of Cuba with either the Caribbean Flying Adventures Group or the Baja Pilots.  I visited Cuba a couple of years ago and enjoyed the trip, especially the rum.  Be advised landing fees are in the hundreds.  On our trip we moved the airplanes but if I were doing it again I would use ground transportation to see the island.  Lots of US rules to comply with if you try to do this by yourself.  The trip home  through Central America is not that difficult but needs to be well planned.  Lots to see in Panama City and Guatemala.  You have to stop in Tapachula, Mx. by law and once entered you may as well look around.  Mexico has APIS like the US so you need to comply so take a computer.  Well there is a little food for thought.  I must compliment you on your choice of a spouse.  Most Mooney pilots seem to have trouble getting their wives to buy off on a trip like this.  BTW If you have Foreflight you lay the whole trip out with mileages and some information on FBOs.  AirNav also has some information.

[231LV]

Thank you for the thoughts based on experience...yes, the "boss" is pretty good (even with progressive deterioration of muscular dystrophy) she is pretty willing to try and we use her wheelchair everywhere so it has a lot of mileage on various caribbean islands. Obviously, I try to take as much stress off her as possible which is why I was concerned about returning through Cent Am. She is also nervous about a long overwater since if something happened, she figures she would be toast. I planned to "hopscotch" down with land within sight as much as possible and stopping at the places she really enjoyed when on cruise ships.  Sounds like a return trip with different islands would be best...I do have it laid out on FF...really helps to put the whole thing together....thank again!!