Maho Bay Camps: A true eco-resort in St John, USVI

by Willy Volk on

If waking to the sounds of thrumping tree frogs and the gentle sloshing of waves kissing a sugary beach — not to mention one of the most amazing sunrise views in the hemisphere — appeals to you, you need to move Maho Bay Camps to the top of your travel short list immediately. All this, and it’s a truly “green” resort, too.

Roughly 1100 miles southeast of Miami sits one of America’s most precious resources: the United States Virgin Islands. Named by Christopher Columbus for Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgins, the former mouthful “Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Vírgenes” has mercifully been shortened to the Virgin Islands, but it still casts the same kind of mythical charm over both first-time and regular visitors alike.

Today, the US Virgin Islands consist of three main islands: St. Thomas, known for its cruise-ship-friendly mega-port, Charlotte Amalie; St Croix, a (largely) working-class island boasting some excellent scuba diving; and St John, 75% of which is national park and therefore: pristine, lush, verdant. Think: America’s jungle.

Considering how untouched St John is, it makes sense for the island to host “green” hotels. In 1976 — long before the phrase “eco-resort” even existed — a visionary named Stanley Selengut decided untrammeled St John needed a self-sufficient hotel integrated seamlessly into the natural vegetation. To that end, he set about creating Maho Bay Camps. Today, Maho’s resort shines as perhaps the single finest example of an ecologically-friendly, low-impact resort in the world. Moreover, given its unspoiled, undeveloped location, this place is truly a hidden gem.

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On the northwest edge of St John, overlooking idyllic Maho Bay — and the widest stretch of beach on the entire island — Maho Bay Camps are essentially numerous canvas-sided tent-cabins framed with composite lumber. In order to harmonize with the environment — rather than simply replace it — Maho’s tent-cabins are built onto raised 16′ x16′ platforms, and all the buildings, from the admin offices to the restaurant (at right), are connected by nearly three miles of raised walkways to prevent vegetation from being trampled. In fact, ground cover and other plant and animal life flourish beneath the raised walkways and tent-cabins, and the trees and shrubs grow emphatically around both, making the camp feel like a natural extension of the hillside.

For those who think “eco-resorts” have to be uncomfortable or primitive, let’s dispel that myth right now: Maho’s 114 tent-cabins are, while simple, more than adequate for comfortable, long-term living. In fact, each tent-cabin has —

  • electricity and a fan
  • two beds and a sofa
  • a propane stove and cookware
  • a lock box for securing valuables
  • an ice chest and storage containers for drinking water
  • killer views of a diamond-tipped bay
Need to know:

* Rates in off-season (May 1 – Dec 15) run $80/night. Rates in-season rise to $130-135/night.

* Guests need to bring two padlocks (one for the door to their tent-cabin and one for their room’s lockbox). Guests are also advised to bring: mosquito repellent, beach towels, and a flashlight.

What the tent-cabins do not have is running water or en suite restroom facilities (though their sister properties, Concordia Eco-Tents and Harmony Apartments, both offer this). To shower or use the toilet, guests visit one of several shared washrooms. Cleaned regularly and sprinkled liberally throughout the property, shared facilities are not the inconvenience one might think (though, admittedly, they do get muggy). Other ecologically-sensitive practices the resort has established include:

  1. recycling 100% of aluminum cans, glass, and clear plastic bottles (including using some of the glass in the on-site artists’ studio)
  2. installing rain water catchments that collect 345,000 gallons of rainwater per year, for use in the laundry and restroom facilities
  3. reusing 2000-7000 gallons of “gray water” per day as irrigation for the adjacent terraced orchard
  4. operating aeration tanks to break down wastewater
  5. saving 12,000-15,000 gallons of water per year with waterless urinals
  6. running high-efficiency photovoltaic roof panels provide energy for lights, appliances and other equipment
  7. morphing “trash” as diverse as garbage bags, old automobiles, ketchup bottles and light bulbs
To reach Maho Bay:

Fly into neighboring St Thomas (there are non-stop flights daily out of Ft Lauderdale, New York, and Baltimore). On the ground, take a cab to the ferry at Red Hook ($10/person), and then take the ferry to St John’s Cruz Bay ($5/person). In Cruz Bay, look for Frett’s Taxi, which runs a shuttle service to the camp ($13/person).

But the real reason to visit this resort isn’t to engage in recycling. The real reason, of course, is to relax and enjoy yourself. In addition to stunning views from each tent-cabin, the resort offers a variety of activities, including:

  • various water sports, such as snorkeling (turtles frequent a reef an easy 10 minute swim from the beach); scuba diving; sailing; and sea kayaking (Whistling Cay is an uninhabited island in the bay, perfect for picnics);
  • a variety of art classes, yoga, and massage;
  • land-based excursions, like hiking trips to preserved ruins (both self-guided and, um, guide-guided);
  • and of course, just 118 steps from the main boardwalk, there’s a large white beach spilling onto a sparkling aquamarine bay. If the dozen-or-so folks sunning on the beach seems oppressive, within 10 minutes, you can be sitting on Francis Bay — and probably have that beach exclusively to yourself for the bulk of that day.

In short, Maho Bay’s eco-resort is comfortable and thoughtful, discrete and beautiful. Enjoying one of the tents on this fabulous property will not only allow you to get as close as possible to enjoying nature — it’ll actually help you protect it.

Additional resources:

UPDATE: Maho Bay’s lease expires in 2011, and according to Selengut, “I can’t believe there are only two years remaining [on the lease]. When I signed the lease in 1974 thirty-seven years seemed an eternity. Thirty-five years flew by and now we must close Maho in July of 2011.”

Hope remains that the Trust for Public Land will be successful in their efforts to purchase Maho’s 14 acres from the private owners. However, as the time draws near, we must assume that Maho will close its tent flaps at the stroke of midnight, July 31, 2011.

Fortunately, this means there’s still time for you to visit … but you’d better hurry.

83-year-old lands plane on expressway

by Jamie Rhein on

Imagine. There you are driving along an expressway in South Florida. You’re checking the rear-view mirror and side-view mirrors, watching the distance between you and the cars in front of your car, smoothly navigating traffic. You’re doing a swell job, and then there’s a surprise–something you weren’t planning on. A yellow object comes into view. A large yellow tropical bird, perhaps? Your heart starts pounding faster. You think “Gaad!!! WHAT IS THAT THING?” It’s a plane–a single-engine Hummelbird plane, and it’s landing in front of you. ON THE EXPRESSWAY for heaven’s sake. And the plane is being driven by an 83-year-old.

That’s what happened yesterday morning to drivers on the Sawgrass Expressway near Oakland Park Blvd. Luckily the plane didn’t hit any cars and cars didn’t hit it when it landed in the midst of traffic after pilot Ralph Squeglia experienced engine trouble.

Lest you think this mishap had something to do with Squelia’s age, on the contrary. He’s been flying since the mid-1940 and knows a thing or two–such as how not to panic when landing a plane on an expressway and what to do if the airplane’s wing clips a light pole. Oh, yeah–and how to do so without hitting cars.

According to Carlos Miller’s Miami News article, Squelia is not getting a citation from the state troopers and the FAA has yet to comment. As for the state trooper’s report, perhaps there isn’t a citation regarding how one should land a plane in traffic. Like “I’m sorry sir, you landed on the wrong side of the road. You’re supposed to be going with traffic.”

More crazy stories from the skies

Layover: New York

by Heather Poole on

If you ever find yourself at La Guardia or John F. Kennedy International airport with a little sit time on your hands between flights, sit tight. Traffic in New York is terrible and you don’t want to miss your flight. But if you’ve got four hours or more to kill, how about doing what flight attendants do. Grab a cab and head on over to Forest Hills, New York, which is located right next to Kew Gardens, otherwise known as Crew Gardens, which is located in Queens – just a short fifteen minute taxi ride from La Guardia and twenty minutes from JFK.

TAXI! Tell the yellow cab driver to drop you off on Austin Street and 71st Avenue in Forest Hills (off of Queens Boulevard). That will put right smack in the middle of everything. Austin Street is where it’s at in terms of restaurants and shopping. There are even a few movie theaters if you’ve got the time. Approximately six blocks long, Austin Street has everything you could possible want within walking distance. When you’re ready to head back to the airport, give Kew Gardens Car Service a call and they’ll pick you up from wherever you are.

JUST WALK AROUND: After being cooped up in a germ infested flying tube for hours on end, there’s nothing better than fresh air. Forest Hills is a wonderful place to just walk around and relax. It was named best cottage community in 2007 by Cottage Living Magazine. The homes are a mixture of magnificent and charming.

Start by walking down 71st street, right past the Forest Hills train station and Forest Hills Inn, and then take a left on any street you prefer. Let the exploring begin. I’ve been living in the area for more than 14 years and the beauty of this place never ceases to amaze me. Don’t worry about getting lost, the streets are in alphabetical and numerical order.

GRAB A BITE TO EAT: Even if you’re sitting in first class, airplane food is airplane food. Here are a list of my favorite places to grab a bite on Austin street…

  • 5 Burro Cafe – A great place to grab a drink and eat Mexican Food, but go early because the place gets packed.
  • Latin Cubana Express – Short on time, grab the picadillo to go! Don’t forget the plantains
  • Martha’s Country Bakery – A nice place to relax over a cup of coffee and a carrot cupcake – mmm…heavenly!
  • Narita (Japanese) – A little on the pricey side, but the hibachi is totally worth it.
  • Nick’s Pizza – is practically famous for it’s thin crust pizza and vinyl booths.
  • Pahal Zan – A hole in the wall, but serves the most amazing Israeli falafel and kabobs.

“Or you could just tell them to go to the Jackson Hole Diner,” my husband said when I told him what I was writing about. “A cab would only cost about $8 from La Guardia and that’s where they’d find the biggest hamburgers they’ll ever see in their lives.”

Forest Hills, New York

Plan a golf getaway in New England this summer

by Tom Johansmeyer on

When summer hits, it’s time to go north to play golf. After all, who wants to get drenched while pushing through 18 holes on a hot Florida day? Instead, put New England on your itinerary. There are plenty of golf packages being offered in conjunction with the inns and resorts in these six small states. And, where else will you find some courses with unlimited rounds, free carts and unrestricted tee times?

The New England Inns and Resorts Association, which consists of nearly 300 properties in the region, has pulled together some of the best packages in the area. Here’s a taste.

At Cranwell Resort, Golf & Spa, in Lenox, Massachusetts, your stay comes with a country breakfast, a bucket of balls per golfer for the range and an unlimited day of golf. You can also use the spa after you drop your bag in your room. At $215 to $250 per person, this is an absolute steal!

Glynn House Inn, in Ashland, New Hampshire (a great town, which I remember well), a three-night stay will get you a free day of golf for two and a cart. At $159 a night for two people (including breakfast and daily refreshments), the savings tops $130.

In Kennebunkport, Maine, you can take advantage of the Kennebunkport Inn‘s “Golfer’s Getaway.” Spend two nights there, and you’ll pick up an unrestricted tee time for Old Marsh or Webhannet, a four-course dinner for two and a special in-room golf amenity. Breakfast is included too. The package starts at $519.

The “Fore” Getaway Package at Groton Inn & Suites in Groton, Connecticut includes accommodations for four people (either two traditional rooms or a two-bedroom apartment) with breakfast. You’ll also get 18 holes of golf Pequot Golf Course in Stonington (with carts). Rates start at $360 for four people, includes taxes and gratuities.

Five famous fathers: Visit where they lived with their children

by Jamie Rhein on

For a Father’s Day nod to famous fathers, it seemed apropos to do a post on Father’s Day travel with a twist. Read a biography of famous men and it may take more than a few paragraphs to get to their children. The children seem tucked in between those details that made a man famous. Regardless how much or how little press is given to the offspring, there are landmarks where these men lived with the people who helped keep their legacies alive.

Although these are the sites we head to to find out about what made these men tick as contributors to the rest of us, they are also the places that children called home, and where the men who might have tucked them in at night were called “Dad” (or “Papa,” or “Father” or “Pops” or some other variation) by those people whose tiny hands they once held in their own.

Here are five men through history who have had an influence on the world and where you can visit where they lived with their children. From humble houses to elaborate palaces, here are five places where you can imagine the varied conversations that happened within the walls–the type that only fathers and children share.

1. Henry VIII (Religion)–Hampton Court Palace, London. This Tudor palace is where King Henry 8th of England, with a penchant for beheading his wives, lived the most. It’s a gorgeous piece of architecture with a fascinating history and a remarkable maze in the garden. Henry’s three children used this palace as a haven after they became adults as well. Son Edward was christened in the chapel and Mary spent her honeymoon here. Henry died when Edward was nine. The two daughters were older. Henry’s desire to divorce his wives led to the England’s shift away from Roman Catholicism.

2. Abraham Lincoln (Politics)–Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Springfield, Illinois. This is a hallmark year to visit the house where Lincoln lived with his family prior to becoming president. Take a guided walk in the neighborhood where Lincoln took strolls, probably with sons Robert, Willie and Tad (son Edward died.) Lincoln brought the North and South back together.

3. Claude Monet (Art)–Monet’s House and Gardens, Giverny, France. Monet moved to this lovely farm with his family and lived here for 43 years. Here he painted is famous works connected to Impressionism and provided a haven of art and creativity for his brood made up of eight children. When you look at Monet’s studio where he painted, inspired by the garden on the property, imagine what his children saw and how the smell of paint and flowers were prominent in their lives.

4. Martin Luther King Jr.(Civil Rights)–Dexter Parsonage Museum, Montgomery, Alabama. Visit the house where Martin Luther King Jr. lived where he was a young pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist church. This is where he was living with his four children and wife when someone threw a bomb onto the porch. You can still see the damage. No one was hurt. The house looks as if the King family just stepped outside for a moment. It’s a step back in time for sure. King’s message of equality provides hope and drive to those who are struggling for equal rights. If it wasn’t for him, and those who rallied behind his words, where would we be?

5. Elvis Presley (Music and Popular Culture) Memphis, Tennessee–Graceland. No matter what a person thinks of the over-the-top decor of Graceland, it’s the place where Elvis felt at home and he lived with his wife Priscilla and daughter, Lisa Marie until Priscilla moved out, taking Lisa Marie with her. Still, this is the home where Lisa Marie can still go to remember her dad who made a big time impact on popular culture and music. The photo is of Lisa Marie’s swing set in the back yard.