10 things to do on Jost Van Dyke, the “New York of the Virgin Islands”

Only five miles from Tortola, the main commercial center of the British Virgin Islands, minuscule Jost (rhymes with “toast”) Van Dyke is a little island with a big reputation. The scant 8-square-mile island — dubbed the “New York of the Virgin Islands” because it offers so much nightlife — probably packs more fun per square inch than any other island in the BVIs.

Most of the action occurs on the south side of the M-shaped island, in either White Bay (to the west) or Great Harbour (in the south-central area), though rugged Little Harbour, way to the east, is making a play for adventure- and fun-seekers, as well. Moving roughly west to east, what follows are some of Jost Van Dyke‘s brightest, shiniest hot spots.

One Love Bar and Grill
This ramshackle restaurant (left) seems like it must’ve been cobbled together from junk that floated up on the beach, but the fact is: this place serves painfully cold Carib beers and heaping, open-faced lobster rolls ($20).

The dining area — if you can call it that — is the part of the beach under a sprawling sea grape shading scattered plastic chairs and tables. If you plan to visit, don’t worry about your outfit: you really can’t be dressed too casually for this dive.

Soggy Dollar Bar
If you’ve been to this place (large image, above), you know how fanfreakingtastic it is. If you’ve only heard tales about it, let me break it to you gently: it’s seriously more fun than your friends told you. If you’ve never heard of it, well … you lead a sad, sad life.

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Named for a patron who reportedly anchored his boat, swam to shore for a drink, and paid for it with wet cash, the Soggy Dollar is probably most famous as being the birthplace of the potent yet refreshing cocktail known as the Painkiller.

If you’ve only heard tales about the Soggy Dollar, let me break it to you gently: it’s seriously more fun than your friends told you.

Shaded by massive sea grapes and cardamom trees, this nautically-themed open-aired bar boasts one of the finest, whitest beaches in the Virgin Islands. It offers ample space to relax — both actual chairs (if you can manage to hit the seat) and hammocks (if you just need to collapse). The bar has several ring-toss games set up, and the competition gets fierce as the rum flows. Alternatively, the property’s scattered tiki huts offer plenty of space for private chats, and there’s food grilling in back if you’re feeling peckish. Mercifully, if you’re just too tired (read: too drunk) to make it back to your boat, the adjacent Sandcastle Hotel offers delightful cottages ($190-$295/double, depending on the room and the season).

Don’t think the Soggy Dollar could really be this wonderful? Check their beach cam and get back to me.

Ivan’s Stress-Free Bar
Owned by Ivan Chinnery, the Stress-Free Bar (left) ranks several notches lower on the “Wild Scale” than the Soggy Dollar (most of the time). From the water’s edge, Ivan’s is nearly obscured by clumps of puffy sea grape bushes. However, as you approach the building, you quickly realize it’s really a giant piece of folk art. Decorated with hundreds of thousands of shells, Ivan’s is a sprawling, cozy, covered bar that offers a BBQ (on Thursdays, in season) and both campsites ($20-40, depending on season and amenities) and very basic cabins ($45-75).

What makes this place stress-free? Chinnery keeps the vibe mellow, but Ivan’s also boasts an “honor bar.” Feelin’ thirsty? Head behind the bar, mix your cocktail, and leave some money in a jar. No lines, no dealing with snotty bartenders, no watered-down drinks. If you time it right, Chinnery may even play some tunes. He’s no slouch, either — he’s played with Kenny Chesney, who filmed his video for No Shirts, No Shoes, No Problem here.

Foxy’s Tamarind Bar
Over in Great Harbour, situated at the base of the tallest hill on Jost Van Dyke and hidden by a thick mask of coconut palms, sits this shanty institution. Foxy (Philiciano) Callwood is the unofficial mayor of Jost Van Dyke (population 180), largely because of the interstellar success of this bar.

Decorated with dangling t-shirts, bandanas, hats, and underwear, Foxy’s (right) has an on-site brewery; mixes wickedly strong cocktails (a single $6 “Wrecked on the Rocks” will send you reeling); boasts live music on the weekends; and offers the islands’ best “all you can eat” ribs, chicken and fish on Saturday nights ($28/person). Be on the lookout for Taboo, Foxy’s adorable black lab, who doesn’t have time for head-scratches … though he’s always got time for a rib bone.

Not everything on Jost Van Dyke revolves around drinking and eating, however. Other things to do on the island include:

  • Jost Van Dyke Scuba offers both scuba diving trips and eco-excursions around the island.
  • Stroll barefoot through Jost Van Dyke’s “city center” (though this’ll probably only take you 20 minutes, even with a strong headwind).
  • Head to the far east end of the island to slip into the “Bubbly Pool,” a naturally-formed tidal pool.
  • Just east of the Bubbly Pool is a small, uninhabited island, Sandy Spit, perfect for picnics and snorkeling — the shallow waters surrounding the island literally boil with small bait-fish.
  • Tame the winds and the waves on a windsurfing kit.
  • Explore the island on ATV.
  • Why do anything at all? Just Sit and soak up all the beauty from the room of your villa.

Learn more:

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

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.

New Peter Island wants to help make a new you

Peter Island Resort & Spa is celebrating a new look with a fresh deal. The largest private island resort in the British Virgin Islands has refurbished its 32 ocean-facing rooms and 20 beachfront junior suites and wants to show off the new look. Hey, if you just got a makeover, wouldn’t you? So, the property is offering up the “New Us, New You” package, which runs through October 31, 2009.

Remember, this is Peter Island, so you’re going to have to put out some cash, but you’ll get plenty for it. For $2,780 (or $4,020 for a junior suite), you’ll get five nights and only pay for four. On top of that, the resort is throwing in three meals a day and access to resort activities, including windsurfing, kayaking and the like. The best part – in my mind, at least – is the 75-minute Ayurvedic Abhyanga massage. The private yoga class for two doesn’t do much for me, but if you’re into yoga, I imagine you’d like it.

While you’re in the 10,000-sqft spa, check out some of the other treatments, as well. There are 13 types of facial available, with everything from collagen to caviar to botanical extracts.

If you need a reason to go relax on a private island that keeps even its own guests to a minimum, this is probably it.

Luxurious isolation at Peter Island

Four miles south of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands and accessible only by boat or helicopter, Peter Island is occupied exclusively by the Peter Island Resort. Consisting of only 52 rooms and three villas-along with 1,800 acres containing five private beaches-you’ll have no trouble finding a genuine retreat from the frenetic pace back home.

Guests at this exclusive resort can revel in treatments at the 10,000 sqft Spa at Peter Island, including signature services such as the Thermal Sand Bundle Massage, West Indian Honey and Sesame Seed Glow and Thalasso Mud Bowls Alfresco. When such pampering becomes tiresome, dinner at Tradewinds can distract, with cuisine reflecting West Indian influences. In the restaurant’s wine room, up to 300 bottles are displayed in a climate-controlled cabinet, and you can gaze upon $60,000 in consumable inventory.

The most exciting offer on Peter Island consists of three villa estates: Hawk’s Nest, Crow’s Nest and Falcon’s Nest. Redefining super-luxe, these three properties are self-contained without feeling confining. Starting at 3,000 sqft (Crow’s Nest) and exceeding 21,000 sqft (Falcon’s Nest, the newest villa), they offer housekeepers, groundskeepers, valets and chefs, as well as in-villa spas, pools and astounding ocean views. Space and comfort represent the twofold focus of the villa properties, and they do not disappoint.

The magnificence of the Falcon’s Nest villa comes as much from a commitment to style as a dedication to luxury. The work of interior designer Cooper Carry sets the tone, and features such as a rain shower with 150 jets make it tangible. A cascading waterfall, grotto and Jacuzzi are within striking distance of a zero-entry, two-tiered pool. And, yes, there is a swim-up bar. Sitting 350 feet above the Caribbean Sea, this particular villa is positioned to make the most of the water’s available views.

Of course, this level of luxury doesn’t come cheap. A night at the Hawk’s nest starts at $3,400, and if you want to stay at the Falcon’s Next sometime between January 4 and March 31, a night of heaven will set you back $15,000. These are 2008 rates; 2009 hasn’t been published yet. Nonetheless, you can see where this is headed. A shower with 150 jets, unsurprisingly, will cost you a fortune.

The fact that Peter Island is remote-despite being only four miles from its neighbor-is supported more by the exclusivity of the resort than its proximity to its nearest neighbor. Often overlooked but never forgotten, the Peter Island Resort starts at luxury, with the villas offering a class of service that is only too rare. Hiking, biking or sitting by the beach, this destination is sure to relax-and send you home refreshed.

Holistic Holiday Cruise

Don’t you hate it when you return from vacation to find your luggage isn’t the only thing you’re packing? Wouldn’t it be great to go on a cruise, eat all you wish and come back as slim, fit and healthy as ever? Yeah, I think we all long deeply for that one and I’m not promising anything by sending you to this link, but it’s worth scoping out. A Taste of Health & Vegetarian Times is hosting a seven day trip for the mind, body and spirit. Holistic Holiday at Sea IV – Voyage to Well-Being takes to the seas March 4-March 11, 2007.

What’s cool about the cruise? Experts in holistic living and natural health will be on board shedding their light on any interested takers during lectures and workshops. Continuing education credits (CEU’s) will also be available. The liner itself is said to be a world premier Italian luxury and will stop at ports in the Dominica Republic, St. Thomas, Puerto Rico, Grand Turk and the U.S. Virgin Islands to name only a healthy handful.

So you probably won’t loose any weight, but you’ll have a good time.