BuffettNews.com

Caribbean Soul Man · Post by **Caribbean Soul Man** » November 30, 2007 1:41 pm

Afternoon Golfer wrote:Wheels up for JVD tomorrow AM at 7:00. I'll have a painkiller for everyone on this thread!

bon voyage!

there's a bunch of us here, you'd better have a few

stack those cups up at the Soggy Dollar for us!

ContinentalDrifterIII · **JoNeS BeAcH 8/21/14**

Afternoon Golfer wrote:Wheels up for JVD tomorrow AM at 7:00. I'll have a painkiller for everyone on this thread!

Have fun Golfer! Please have a painkiller for me! Visit Seddy's One Love and look for the Liars Saloon T shirt hanging from the ceiling when you walk in. Its on the left. Thats my shirt. I hung it there in June. Have a great time!

jbfins · Post by **jbfins** » December 1, 2007 9:18 am

I got back on Monday from the BVI. Here is a short summary of my trip and observations:

Wednesday - JFK to St. Thomas, catch ferry to Tortolla (West End), take another ferry to Jost VAn Dyke (Great Harbour). Set up tent at Ivan's campground in White Bay, get drunk, swim eat dinner cooked by fellow campers go to sleep.

Thursday - Up early, for a morning sea bath and then catch ferry back to West End, where I rent a car from the girl who works at Hertz. (Hertz didn't have any more cars, so she rented me her's.) Drive all around Tortolla which is more hilly than you can believe. Beaches are nice, but overall I think that the island is a dump. Head back to JVD and have a great Thanksgiving dinner at Foxy's.

Friday - Up early again for a swim. Catch ferry back to West End then have a crazy cab ride, and I mean crazy (my cab driver is doing 70 mph and passing people on blind turns) to Roadtown, and then another ferry to Virgin Gorda. Rent a scooter from Andy, who works at the local bank, and drive all around the lower part of the island. I tried to get over the hill, but the scooter didn't have it in her. Lunch at a great restaurant called the Mine Shaft, then explore "The Baths." Return scooter and take Ferry's back to JVD, where I have dinner at The Soggy Dollar at the bar and hang out with the manager, hearing all of her stories.

Saturday - Relax day. Wake up late, pancake breakfast at Soggy Dollar, swim, start drinking, head over to Soggy Dollar and do a "bar crawl". It's lunch time and the area is very different because all of the day sailors and charter boat people are there. Play that ring game, make dinner reservations, eat dinner, stumble home to my tent drunk.

Sunday - Head home. Was supposed to get into JFK at 10:30 p.m., got in at 2:30 a.m. instead. Nuff said.

Summary - I will go back with the wife and kids, but we will charter a boat. Tortolla and Virgin Gorda did not impress me, but Jost Van Dyke was everything that I dreamed and more, and could just be that "OPH" that I have been searching for.

no shoes · Post by **no shoes** » December 1, 2007 1:58 pm

Thanks jbfins for posting your memories of what sounds like a great trip.

I have been planning a trip to the BVI and am proposing to base myself in Tortola. Can I ask if you mind going into more detail of what you didnt like about the two islands? I realise we all like different places (thank goodness) but was there anything in particular you feel you can share.

Many thanks

lilsalty · Post by **lilsalty** » December 2, 2007 7:22 am

Personally, I really enjoyed Tortola! We stayed at the Mongoose Apartments and all we had to do was stroll down a lane to arrive at lovely Cane Garden Bay, which is lined with excellent beach bars! The water is great, the beach quiet, the people wonderful...and the Elm's BBQ night is great! And you can't beat eating a cheeseburger and drinking a pina colada at Stanley's!

jbfins · Post by **jbfins** » December 2, 2007 3:16 pm

Personally, I thought that Tortolla was a little too big and too spread out. The beaches were nice, but getting to them is an adventure if you are going to drive, and expensive you are going to take a cab. I was happy to see that the streets were not lined with McDonald's, Burger King, etc. (like Nassau), but at the same time I think that the island is way behind some of the others as far as development goes because it is so popular with sailors (i.e. people who just come ashore for the beach and don't stay). I went there to see if my wife and I wanted to rent a villa, and I can tell you that after my visit I would not even consider staying there for several nights.

Same thing goes for Virgin Gorda. It just didn't impress me, but I have to say that I did not make it over the big hill to the other side where the Bitter End Yacht Club is. Maybe that end of the island is better.

I will go back to the BVI though, as the people were great and so was the atmosphere. I'll just rent a boat instead.

If you are considering going, and just want to chill, then I would strongly recommend JVD. There is nothing to do there except drink and relax. I recommend a villa there if I didn't have kids.

As a side note, I read that short BVI book that some woman wrote, can't remember her name right now. It's pretty useful and I recommend reading it before you go.

flipflopgirl · Post by **flipflopgirl** » December 2, 2007 3:25 pm

lilsalty wrote:Personally, I really enjoyed Tortola! We stayed at the Mongoose Apartments and all we had to do was stroll down a lane to arrive at lovely Cane Garden Bay, which is lined with excellent beach bars! The water is great, the beach quiet, the people wonderful...and the Elm's BBQ night is great! And you can't beat eating a cheeseburger and drinking a pina colada at Stanley's!

that's where i want to stay! someplace by Cane Garden Bay! Love the beach there! Only got to spend the day on it during a cruise!

bixxx · Post by **bixxx** » December 2, 2007 5:16 pm

we have been to tortoal a number of times and love it the beaches are awesome, the people very nice not begging or bothersome locals at the beaches bombs'a is a hoot the downtown are is okay, the pussers on each end lots of fun JVD more lais back, less crowded all good in the BVI's plus tortola has an airport

no shoes · Post by **no shoes** » December 3, 2007 6:02 am

flipflopgirl wrote:
lilsalty wrote:Personally, I really enjoyed Tortola! We stayed at the Mongoose Apartments and all we had to do was stroll down a lane to arrive at lovely Cane Garden Bay, which is lined with excellent beach bars! The water is great, the beach quiet, the people wonderful...and the Elm's BBQ night is great! And you can't beat eating a cheeseburger and drinking a pina colada at Stanley's!

that's where i want to stay! someplace by Cane Garden Bay! Love the beach there! Only got to spend the day on it during a cruise!

So do you think that would be a good place for a 'Tampa tailgate' reunion

Hope you are well...........

Caribbean Soul Man · Post by **Caribbean Soul Man** » December 3, 2007 12:53 pm

something to keep in mind if you are planning a first trip to the BVIs,
they are truly a sailing paradise (not the giant cruise ships but much more for bareboat or crewed charters). Much of what they have to offer is set up for, and best experienced from the perspective of a well appointed sailboat.

that being said, I'm sure they don't seem very convenient to someone traveling primarily by car or taxi on the little mountain roads and that is definitely not the best way to experience these islands. Trust me, from the cockpit of a sailboat and making landfall at the dinghy docks, Cane Garden Bay, Soper's Hole, the Baths, Bitter End Yacht Club, Anegada, Great Harbour and White Bay JVD, and the Biras Creek Resort, etc. - they are all wonderful places that most assuredly would not be accurately described as a "dump."

Picture yourself relaxing onboard your sailboat on a mooring at Anegada, you've just witnessed the most beautiful panoramic sunset you've ever seen and now the full moon is rising from the opposite direction, you have a little Club Trini playing low in the background as you enjoy your favorite boatdrink and appetizers for "happy hour" and in the distance on shore, you can see the glow of the lobster grills firing up on the beach and you can almost taste the Anegada lobster already... Now that's BVI

Skibo · Post by **Skibo** » December 3, 2007 1:06 pm

Caribbean Soul Man wrote:something to keep in mind if you are planning a first trip to the BVIs,
they are truly a sailing paradise (not the giant cruise ships but much more for bareboat or crewed charters). Much of what they have to offer is set up for, and best experienced from the perspective of a well appointed sailboat.

word

Ambition At Bay · Post by **Ambition At Bay** » December 3, 2007 3:45 pm

Caribbean Soul Man wrote:something to keep in mind if you are planning a first trip to the BVIs,
they are truly a sailing paradise (not the giant cruise ships but much more for bareboat or crewed charters). Much of what they have to offer is set up for, and best experienced from the perspective of a well appointed sailboat.

that being said, I'm sure they don't seem very convenient to someone traveling primarily by car or taxi on the little mountain roads and that is definitely not the best way to experience these islands. Trust me, from the cockpit of a sailboat and making landfall at the dinghy docks, Cane Garden Bay, Soper's Hole, the Baths, Bitter End Yacht Club, Anegada, Great Harbour and White Bay JVD, and the Biras Creek Resort, etc. - they are all wonderful places that most assuredly would not be accurately described as a "dump."

Picture yourself relaxing onboard your sailboat on a mooring at Anegada, you've just witnessed the most beautiful panoramic sunset you've ever seen and now the full moon is rising from the opposite direction, you have a little Club Trini playing low in the background as you enjoy your favorite boatdrink and appetizers for "happy hour" and in the distance on shore, you can see the glow of the lobster grills firing up on the beach and you can almost taste the Anegada lobster already... Now that's BVI

Yup, sailed the BVI's twice and WILL do it again

flipflopgirl · Post by **flipflopgirl** » December 3, 2007 3:48 pm

no shoes wrote:
flipflopgirl wrote:
lilsalty wrote:Personally, I really enjoyed Tortola! We stayed at the Mongoose Apartments and all we had to do was stroll down a lane to arrive at lovely Cane Garden Bay, which is lined with excellent beach bars! The water is great, the beach quiet, the people wonderful...and the Elm's BBQ night is great! And you can't beat eating a cheeseburger and drinking a pina colada at Stanley's!

that's where i want to stay! someplace by Cane Garden Bay! Love the beach there! Only got to spend the day on it during a cruise!
So do you think that would be a good place for a 'Tampa tailgate' reunion

Hope you are well...........

Sure would be Roxanne!

I'm hoping to get there sometime early next year! Feb or March!

jbfins · Post by **jbfins** » December 4, 2007 8:18 am

Caribbean Soul Man - I completely agree with you. That is why I said that I will be going back with the family, but will travel by boat next time.

SuperTrooper · Post by **SuperTrooper** » December 4, 2007 12:08 pm

jbfins wrote:Caribbean Soul Man - I completely agree with you. That is why I said that I will be going back with the family, but will travel by boat next time.

How does April, 2011 sound?

http://www.buffettnews.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=63945

Virgin-Island-Girl · Post by **Virgin-Island-Girl** » December 5, 2007 12:08 pm

Ambition At Bay wrote:
Caribbean Soul Man wrote:something to keep in mind if you are planning a first trip to the BVIs,
they are truly a sailing paradise (not the giant cruise ships but much more for bareboat or crewed charters). Much of what they have to offer is set up for, and best experienced from the perspective of a well appointed sailboat.

that being said, I'm sure they don't seem very convenient to someone traveling primarily by car or taxi on the little mountain roads and that is definitely not the best way to experience these islands. Trust me, from the cockpit of a sailboat and making landfall at the dinghy docks, Cane Garden Bay, Soper's Hole, the Baths, Bitter End Yacht Club, Anegada, Great Harbour and White Bay JVD, and the Biras Creek Resort, etc. - they are all wonderful places that most assuredly would not be accurately described as a "dump."

Picture yourself relaxing onboard your sailboat on a mooring at Anegada, you've just witnessed the most beautiful panoramic sunset you've ever seen and now the full moon is rising from the opposite direction, you have a little Club Trini playing low in the background as you enjoy your favorite boatdrink and appetizers for "happy hour" and in the distance on shore, you can see the glow of the lobster grills firing up on the beach and you can almost taste the Anegada lobster already... Now that's BVI
Yup, sailed the BVI's twice and WILL do it again

We used to sail them all of the time when I lived down there. It's been a long time and from what I heard from friends still down there, it has become more commercialized??? It's been 15 years...

Quito's used to have $1 Pina Coladas for happy hour. We usually tried to get there earlier to ensure we could snag a buoy. Cane Garden Bay was one of my favorite places.

ContinentalDrifterIII · **JoNeS BeAcH 8/21/14**

I loved Tortola! My last trip I stayed in Jost Van Dyke, St John and Tortola. In Tortola I stayed at the Mongoose Apartments and that was my favorite. Cane Garden Bay was incredible! The locals are friendly and they leave you alone. If you need something they are there for you but if you want to be left alone they leave you alone. I am planning a trip back there in 2009. I want to stay in Tortola the whole time and bounch around from there.

nutmeg · Post by **nutmeg** » December 22, 2007 1:15 am

we've stayed on both Virgin Gorda and Tortola and I wouldn't consider either a dump. We loved both!

We stayed at Quitos place on Cane Garden Bay. It was wonderful!

We have stayed at Little Dix Bay, Nail Bay and Bitter End on Virgin Gorda.

Total Paradise!

Reefdiver · Post by **Reefdiver** » December 23, 2007 11:24 am

I've refrained from commenting on the "Tortola being a dump" thing till now. I did NOT find Tortola to be anything but a beautiful and friendly island. The thing I like most about it and VG is the fact that they are NOT commercialized much at all. No mega resorts, and no American fast food places cluttering the scenery. Half the charm of Tortola is seeing first hand how the people of this island live their everyday lives. I'm not trying to start an arguement or anything, but I personally found the statement "Tortola is a dump" to be a slap in the face to the people of Tortola and to everyone who loves to go there. If it's glitz and glamour you want, then a trip to Tortola is not the thing for you. There's plenty of Caribbean Islands that have those things. If walking on a beautiful beach with no one around to spoil it for you is what you're looking for, then Tortola is where you want to be.
I've traveled to many Caribbean Islands and in my own opinion, The BVI's are the most beautiful of any I've visited.

lilsalty · Post by **lilsalty** » December 23, 2007 12:29 pm

Reefdiver wrote:I've refrained from commenting on the "Tortola being a dump" thing till now. I did NOT find Tortola to be anything but a beautiful and friendly island. The thing I like most about it and VG is the fact that they are NOT commercialized much at all. No mega resorts, and no American fast food places cluttering the scenery. Half the charm of Tortola is seeing first hand how the people of this island live their everyday lives. I'm not trying to start an arguement or anything, but I personally found the statement "Tortola is a dump" to be a slap in the face to the people of Tortola and to everyone who loves to go there. If it's glitz and glamour you want, then a trip to Tortola is not the thing for you. There's plenty of Caribbean Islands that have those things. If walking on a beautiful beach with no one around to spoil it for you is what you're looking for, then Tortola is where you want to be.
I've traveled to many Caribbean Islands and in my own opinion, The BVI's are the most beautiful of any I've visited.

Love the BVIs...Love Tortola, love Jost, and I think the people on the BVI are wonderful. I love St. John too, but prefer the BVI. Planning on heading back in 09! Has anyone been to Anegada? Is it a good day trip idea if we're on Tortola?