Jost Van Dyke, BVI

lilsalty · Post by **lilsalty** » November 3, 2006 12:33 pm

I'm bringin up this post again, cuz I just booked a June trip to the BVI and St. John! We're heading to Tortola (Mongoose Apartments, right near Cane Garden Bay), then to Jost Van Dyke, and then St. John....I want to hear more about Tortola since that's the only island of the 3 we haven't explored yet. I know I'll be headin to the Bomba shack but want to know some more beaches, bars, and beach bars to hit!

AlbatrossFlyer · Post by **AlbatrossFlyer** » November 3, 2006 12:53 pm

Things to do on Tortola

you can swim with the dolphins at dolphin discovery

be sure to take in an evening of tunes with Quito at his place on the beach at cane garden.

enjoy a chesseburger that was the inspiration for "cheeseburger in paradise" at the Village cay Marina.

keep in mind that roadtown closes up at about 10PM we arrived around 9:30 PM and had to go without any food till morning.

Pusser's has pretty good food and cheap rum.

the cuban cigars you can get are crap

when a restaurant says that dinner reservations are recommended they mean it. they usually only have enough food on hand for that night's reservations.

visit the rum distillery at cane garden bay, everyone should see how a moonshine still works.

Jost Van Dyke

the soggy dollar bar on Jost Van Dyke invented the pain killer and their restaurant is fabulous. a must.... reservations definitely required.

and of course foxy's is a must stop.....

Reefdiver · Post by **Reefdiver** » November 3, 2006 8:34 pm

I agree with everything Albatross said, except the dolphin thing. Stay away from it,,,,,,,it's horrendous how they keep those magnificent creatures. Theres been talk over at www.traveltalkonline.com about it. Check out that site........lots of VERY informed folks there. Many who visit the BVI's several times per year, and a few who live there too. The Callwood distillery is definately something you should see.......yea, everyone should see how moonshine is made.

You'll be able to walk there from Mongoose. Honestly though, I like their spiced rum better than Pussers rum.

One more thing, watch out for Bomba.......the dirtiest old man you'll ever see.......he makes Capt. Tony look like Capt. Kangaroo.

lilsalty · Post by **lilsalty** » November 5, 2006 8:04 am

We are going to stay 3 nights at the Sandcastle on Jost, so we'll be sure to eat there--and how great to be staying at the hotel where the Soggy Dollar is!! wooo hoooo
Thanks for all the suggestions--keep em comin!

Afternoon Golfer · Post by **Afternoon Golfer** » November 6, 2006 9:29 am

lilsalty, my wife and I are hitting Sandcastle and Biras December 2-9. I will let you know how Sandcastle is. Evidently at night the Soggy Dollar is an honor bar for those staying at Sandcastle! Can't wait, less than a month.

lilsalty · Post by **lilsalty** » November 6, 2006 12:59 pm

I heard the same thing about the after-hours Soggy Dollar honor bar! Just go behind the bar, pour your own, and put it on your tab. Awesome

Have a great time & be sure to report back!!

tjtryon · Post by **tjtryon** » November 6, 2006 11:43 pm

lilsalty wrote:I heard the same thing about the after-hours Soggy Dollar honor bar! Just go behind the bar, pour your own, and put it on your tab. Awesome :-)
Have a great time & be sure to report back!! :wench:

Actually, I thought that was Ivan's Bar, not the Soggy Dollar?

Dutch Harbor PH · Post by **Dutch Harbor PH** » November 7, 2006 1:21 am

WOW!!!!

I am Sooooo glad you all resurected this thread!!!! 2 Academy buddies of mine and our famillies are headed out over the Presidents holiday week to bare boat 2 45' Catamarans (8 adults and 8 kids....well I guess it's really 16 kids....). We have no specific Itinerary as yet but from the recommendations i've just read I'm getting exicted!!!! WooHooo!!!!! Anybody else gonna be there then?????
Any specific things to see/do when Bare boating?????

lilsalty · Post by **lilsalty** » November 8, 2006 1:23 pm

I did read that the Soggy Dollar also has the after hours honor bar. I read it on tripadvisor.com. Either way, I'll be sure to stock up my room with plenty o' rum & drinky-poos!

I'm psyched to hit BOMBA's for the first time on Tortola also. I don't think it'll be a full moon party, but I'm psyched nonetheless!

McGee · Post by **McGee** » November 15, 2006 12:06 pm

My wife and I got back yesterday, and while the washing machine is churning away I'll fill you fine pholks in on the trip.

First things first though---Reefdiver cherish that picture of you climing the palm tree with the tire swing because it got washed down a week ago Monday in some heavy surf. I was running by (yes running---my wife made me run with her up those hills every morning!) when it happened. It fell over right in front of me and scared the heck out of me!!

Lilsalty-You'll love Mongoose, it's where we stayed. Nothing bad to say about the place at all. there is a small convenience store (Sunset Bar I think) at the end of the walk and across from the beach where you can get most things. Bobby's supermarket a 1/2 mile or so walk away has a better selection and a little cheaper though. You are an easy walk on the beach from all the CGB bars and restaraunts. I could write several pages on CGB so to save space PM me with any questions on Mongoose or CBB and I'll answer them if I can.

Jost Van Dyke is awesome, but the soggy dollar was NOT what I expected. It has sadly become a victim of it's own success and was the most crowded place we found ourselves in 5 days in the BVI. Several of the large day sail catermans from St. Thomas or whereever just beat us there and large hords of tourist (ok, I know I know I'm a tourist too) were swimming ashore with their little life vest or noodles and inundating the place. the line at the bar was 3 and 4 deep--CRAZY! But I'm getting ahead of myself.

We took the ferry to Jost from Sopers hole. The ferry drops you off on the other side of the hill from White Bay but there are numerous taxi's to take you over for $5/person. We skipped the taxi's and walked down the "main" street to foxy's (it's a dirt road) Had a beer, talked with the man himself and then walked over the hill to Ivan's stress free bar. Ivan's is what I think soggy dollar used to be. My wife and I sat at the bar, talked to Ivan for an hour or so and had a few drinks. Ivan showed us around the campground, and while I'd like to stay there, the accomodations are just too rustic for my wife. Ivan is building a guest house though so maybe next year we'll give that a shot.

I understand the need to visit the Soggy Dollar and have a painkiller, but either go back to Ivans or move down the beach even 50 yards and you can leave the madness of Soggy dollar behind.

I have pictures of all the places and can e-mail them out if anyone wants them

Reefdiver · Post by **Reefdiver** » November 15, 2006 5:28 pm

McGee, I heard about the tire swing tree. Even saw a pic of it..........what a bummer!! The pic of me climbing it is one of my favorite ones, and will always be cherished. I think the BVI's are gettin a little too popular anymore.......cruise ships in Tortola a couple days a week...huge crowds at The Baths...etc. It's a shame really, but we as humans, usually do ruin great places and things. I'd love to see some of your pics......you got em posted on webshots, or a similar site? You must not have drank too much during the nightime hours if you were running up those hills in the mornings. Man...those things are brutal !!!

SchoolGirlHeart · Post by **SchoolGirlHeart** » November 15, 2006 6:16 pm

Someday I Will....

Crazy Navy Flyer · Post by **Crazy Navy Flyer** » November 15, 2006 6:46 pm

SchoolGirlHeart wrote:Someday I Will....

Next year for me.

SchoolGirlHeart · Post by **SchoolGirlHeart** » November 15, 2006 6:53 pm

Crazy Navy Flyer wrote:
SchoolGirlHeart wrote:Someday I Will....
Next year for me.

How about next week? Does next week work for you??

Let's go!

AlbatrossFlyer · Post by **AlbatrossFlyer** » November 15, 2006 6:56 pm

May 07 is in the works

SchoolGirlHeart · Post by **SchoolGirlHeart** » November 15, 2006 6:59 pm

Crazy Navy Flyer wrote:Next year for me.

AlbatrossFlyer wrote:May 07 is in the works

This is beginning to look suspiciously like a phlocking.....

Reefdiver · Post by **Reefdiver** » November 15, 2006 7:38 pm

I'm thinkin of headin back next year too. So...........when's the phlocking?

McGee · Post by **McGee** » November 16, 2006 6:24 am

I agree the BVI are getting pretty popular but we went from Tortola to Antigua and Antigua was worse. When we go again we'll try to split our time between Anegada and maybe Peter Island as they aren't as built up. Either that or if we can get the right travel companions we'll rent a catamaran for a week.

I DID drink too much at night which made the runs especially brutal. The good thing was I sweated everything out during the run and then could start all over again while sitting on the beach.

I'm not a real techy type guy but I'll explore webshots this weekend and see if I can figure it out.

bixxx · Post by **bixxx** » November 26, 2006 4:08 pm

McGee we just missed you, we were in St John 15-20th we had taken a charter to the baths and then on to soggy dollar/gertrudes on the 18th, and had a great tiem therewe have been there a few times before and it was as great as i remembered. it was busy, but not crowded it is such a pretty beach, and if you are into painkillers, gertrudes next door are better, as is the food, but they were remodeling(not sure what that means in the tropics) and her kitchen was closed. FYI i believe Bomba's has live music on sun and wed nights, otherwise it is quiet. You have to have his punch, full moon or not. If you catch it on the right day it is"magical" the jolly roger on Tortola's west end makes a real nice PK as well try the honor beach bar on the beach just past long bay heading west, used to be Bob's, but I believ he passed away a few years back. if on STJ at all, sundays at skinny legs, coral bay, a must if you need to see your football team, also on STJ, if you are in Maho bay at all, try the maho bay campground rest great food. awesome view, happy hour 430 to 530 we actually stayed there, at harmony. BVI USVI awesome place

Afternoon Golfer · Post by **Afternoon Golfer** » November 27, 2006 9:01 am

5 days until we head down to Jost and VG. Can't wait!!!