What should we look for and where should we stay in the Caribbean? I'm turning 80 and my daughters want to take me there to celebrate my birthday.

There are so many islands and places to stay in the Caribbean that you have to make some preliminary choices. While there are hundreds of islands in the region, about 40 of them are reasonably well populated and offer a host of choices.

And what a range of accommodations there are -- from the small and not very desirable hotels, if you can call them that, to massive 1,000-room-plus resorts, many of them all-inclusive. There also are inexpensive guesthouses and good-value efficiency apartments, which have refrigerators and partial kitchens. There aren't as many reasonably-priced "chain" motel and hotels on most of the islands as compared to what you would find in the United States.

For a family such as yours, you might want to look into renting a villa -- you will have ample room, can do your own cooking and enjoy plenty of privacy. Rentals, according to the Caribbean Rental Association, can range anywhere from $600 a week for a basic villa -- bedrooms, kitchen and living space -- to $15,000 per night for a beach-side estate with staff. You could rent an entire island if you want -- that's actually true!

As far as rates are concerned, there is "low season" (mid-April to December) and "high season" (December to mid-April). Rates can fluctuate 30 percent or more depending on the season. Some properties, I'm told, close for a month or so in late summer, when traffic is down. Some of the smaller hotels and guesthouses might be closed from June to September. The Caribbean is like Alaska in reverse!

Depending on what you want to do, there are lots of activities available. Water is all over the place and it's no wonder that aquatic sports dominate the activity roster for most vacationers. Cycling and mountain biking are popular, too. And there is an ample number of golf courses.

There is plenty of shopping, of course, and that's a favorite pastime in the Caribbean. And rental cars are easy to find.

When you're out and among the natives, be watchful of pickpockets and beggars. Most of the islands are poverty-stricken and you would be well to go out in a group with a guide. That's one reason why I favor the all-inclusive resorts -- we have stayed at several, mostly in Jamaica. Virtually everything you'd want is available at these resorts, and they offer well-run group tours.

With so many islands available for a stay, we'd offer St. Maarten as one of our favorites, as well as Grenada, if you're not interested in an all-inclusive stay.

Before committing yourself on where you want to stay, you might want to research accommodations via www.caribbeanhotels.com, which has helpful links to the individual islands' hotel associations.

And after you have made some preliminary assessments, I'd suggest a meeting with a travel agent who has visited the region and/or sent clients there. Another variable is airline flights -- some of the smaller islands don't have major airline connections with the United States.

Planning a trip but need some advice? Ask the Travel Man, a weekly column that seeks to find all the answers. Send travel-related questions to life@postbulletin.com. Next week: What happened to Route 66?

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