Hawaii VS Caribbean

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Hawaii sucks

Before I moved to St Thomas, I looked at Hawaii also. I found Hawaii to be beautiful but very remote. It isn't easy to travel to the other islands, nor back to the mainland. It is also a state, not a territory, which has good and bad aspects.

When you say you want seasonal jobs at 30 hours a week, do you mean waiting tables and such? Because I think to make money, you'll need to put in more time than that.

If you haven't already done so you should read everything on this site. See bar top of this page and go all the way through from "Hone" to "Message Board". I agree with East Ender, if you're hoping to make enough to live on at a seasonal job of only 30 hours that's totally unrealistic. Many people who work in that industry work two jobs and work way more than 30 hours/week to make ends meet! Have fun with the researching!

welcome to the forum. any specific question you have, just ask

actually, it looks like you would have an easier time finding a job in hi, also looks like a lot more fun, more things to do. i would thing it would be cheaper to get flights to the mainland from hi too?

It is cheaper on STX to buy or rent than in Hawaii. I hear food and gas is cheaper as well.
We are probably more like Kauai than the others

It is cheaper on STX to buy or rent than in Hawaii. I hear food and gas is cheaper as well.
We are probably more like Kauai than the others

Terry is correct, it is cheaper to own on STX. Gas today is $4.32 to $4.56 a gallon on Kauai. Power is less than here. Housing is the killer, you can buy a condo in the Kapaa area for less than 200k but the assessments are close to a thousand a month plus insurance and taxes.

I spent vacation time there over a 20 year period and searched all over the island for a place to no avail. The island is beautiful no matter where you go. The big difference on Kauai is crime does not even come close to here. Most people never lock their doors day or night. You can park anywhere without fear. The natives may not like us much but it's nothing like the STX teeth sucking. I always give greetings to everyone no matter where I go and I must say the people are friendlier in Frederiksted than in Chritiansted IMO.

Others may disagree but this is my fairly knowledgeable opinion.

thats interesting on the frederiksted v christiansted. i will say they are friendlier at the big k out west, always have been

We considered Hawaii and settled for STX last year. I will most likely get criticized for this one... but it is just my biased opinion based on many travels all over Hawaii.

Hawaii:
- Travel between islands easier and cheaper (if a resident). Freight moves easily between islands.
- Much bigger (except for Molokai and Lanai), More choices for stores, restaurants, etc.
- Honolulu is a major US city, nothing seems to be missing (good or bad).
- Gateway to other islands in the Pacific, closer/oriented towards Asia in many aspects
- Paperwork all around simpler, like most other states
- More diversity of scenery, stores, cultures, people, etc.

USVI
- Housing less expensive
- Closer to the US mainland (Miami) and Puerto Rico for "city life". You can be in most of the major East Coast cities by lunchtime.
- Warmer winter/early spring
- Easier to feel "part of things and people" because it is smaller
- Things don't work the way one would expect in the states (electricity, internet, government, etc.). Forces patience and possibly a change of attitude, a positive.

Both are wonderful places!

"Travel between islands easier and cheaper (if a resident)'

Mixie: I am pretty sure you have to fly between the Hawaiian islands, right? At least from St Thomas, you can take ferries to St John, Jost Van Dyke, Tortola, Virgin Gorda. It IS difficult to get anywhere down island. From St Croix, you do have to fly.

@EastEnder thank you, I stand corrected. Travel expenses only holds for St Croix where flying is required to get off island.

I have lived on Hawaii, and much prefer St Croix. There is a warmer, kinder, friendlier community in the Virgin Islands.

I am wondering about Hawaii as well. Sounds idyllic but so far away. Also, I'm curious if there are any posters here from San Diego, and how San Diego compares to HI, and compares to STX. any comments?

very crowded and expensive.
Water is colder as is the temp

i would think comparing san diego to any island would be like comparing apples to oranges.

lol San Diego? Um really? Not an island soooo I am not sure how you would even begin to compare the two. That was funny thou.

I stayed in Kauai for 5 months when thinking about moving there. IMHO the water in the VI is WAY nicer, clearer, warmer, more fish more corals, more wildlife in general underwater although the coral in HI did look heather in areas. But then again I know all the great spots here 😉 STT or STX can't compete with the beauty above water of HI (speaking of only Kauai) but I moved here for the water... and the lack of 15-20ft sharks 😀 I also found HI too much like stateside just a bit more expensive. Here it seems so much different culturally, some good some bad lol. I will say that living here has made me a more tolerant person and I do know that I never really want to live stateside again.

have visited Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii ( the big island ) and never found the people to be that friendly.
Went to STX for just a weeks vacation with NO intent to purchase and on the way home we said to each other " We need to buy a place there". Found the people much friendlier and liked the more rural lifestyle.

We have property on Kauai, but
Live on STX. It was far more expensive to fly from San Francisco to Kauai, than to fly from STX to San Francisco. We just did ths last October. Plus food and other necessities, other than electricity is more on Kauai. We chose to convert to solar here on STX since we own, so WAPA is no longer a problem. I love the friendliness of STX over Kauai. But this is just my opinion

To quote several that know... "The VI is friendlier"!!!(tu)

That should be our motto...