things to do

Day Trips from St. John to the BVI

June 17, 2016 by caitylincoln

If you’re vacationing on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, you’ve GOT to set aside some time to venture into the British Virgin Islands. Trust me…if you don’t, you’ll be missing out. Feeling a little overwhelmed about how to do day trips from St. John to the BVI? Not sure which islands to visit or how to get there? This post is for you! Here’s everything you need to know about day tripping it to the BVI from St. John:

The Lay of the Land

While technically two separate countries (part U.S. and part British), the Virgin Islands’ proximity and culture really make it feel like one destination. This means that traveling between the US and British Virgin Islands really isn’t that big of a deal. While it’s really one big island chain, the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix) are located at the southwest end while the British Virgin Islands (Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, Anegada, and about 60 smaller islands) are located at the northeast end. You will need a passport and you’ll have to pay exit taxes (plan to have about $45 cash per person) when you leave but otherwise, it’s a pretty routine and quick boat trip (depending on which island you’re headed to). Read this post for 22 things to know before you go to the BVIs.

Which Islands to Hit

The two most popular British Virgin Islands to visit on a day trip form St. John are Jost Van Dyke and Virgin Gorda. While Tortola is the main island, it’s more of a bug and less likely to be your destination if you’re only going for a day. And Anegada is too far out to reach as a day trip from St. John. Those are the main islands but there’s also a smattering of smaller islands that many of the boat charters make stops at for snorkeling and lunch. Here’s the breakdown of the islands I would suggest visiting as a day trip from St. John:

Snorkeling in Turks and Caicos

June 16, 2016 by caitylincoln

On my beach trips, besides just laying around in the sun and reading (which I do plenty of), I like to plan a couple of activities that give me a taste of what is special about that particular place. You can read about my experience paddleboarding through mangroves and horseback riding on the beach, but the icing on the cake of this trip might just have been our snorkeling excursion. A snorkeling trip is probably the most popular thing to do n the Turks and Caicos and that’s because it’s home to the third largest barrier reef in the world (behind Australia and Belize). To get to the reef, you’ll need to be on a boat and there are plenty of companies that offer snorkeling excursions out of Grace Bay. We chose to sail with Island Vibes because I’d read some good reviews and it seemed like their guests had an overall fun time. We did the half-day snorkel cruise and here’s how it went:

Things to Do on Jost Van Dyke + Where to Stay

June 5, 2016 by caitylincoln

If you’re sailing the BVI, I’m willing to bet you’re making a stop on Jost Van Dyke. You should be at least…it’s BEAUTIFUL! It’s a tiny little island and most day visitors are really just on a mission to get to the Soggy Dollar, but if you’re on a boat, or even staying on St. John or Tortola, plan to stay on the island for a couple of days. There are plenty of things to do on Jost Van Dyke that make it much more than just a day trip. I’m going to tell you about my favorites. I’ll also give you a few pointers on where to stay if you’re going to be on the island.

Things to Do on Jost Van Dyke

Beach bar hop on White Bay. This is the number one thing to do on Jost Van Dyke and believe me, it will live up to the hype. What Bay has the whitest sand, the bluest water, and the best views you’ll find anywhere in the BVI. And there are plenty of beach bars to choose from, with the Soggy Dollar of course being the most popular. Read this post for a breakdown of the 9 best beach bars on Jost Van Dyke.

The 9 Best Beach Bars on Jost Van Dyke

May 30, 2016 by caitylincoln

If you’ve ever listened to a Kenny Chesney song, you know that Jost Van Dyke has GOT to be on your list of stops in the BVI or on your agenda for a day trip from St. John. Jost Van Dyke is famous for its beach bars. In fact, this tiny island has a quite disproportionately high number of beach bars for its size. But besides the beach bars for every day of the week, Jost Van Dyke has quite a bit of exploring opportunities to keep you busy.

Here’s a breakdown of the Jost Van Dyke beach bar situation:

Soggy Dollar Bar: This is the most famous bar on Jost Van Dyke and the #1 stop on pretty much everybody’s itinerary. The bar got its name from sailors who dropped anchor, swam ashore, and paid for their drinks with soggy dollars. Yachties and tourists alike keep the tradition alive today by jumping off their boats and swimming up for one of the Soggy Dollar’s famous Pain Killers. White Bay, which is one of the most beautiful beaches in the BVIs, is packed with boats bringing people to the Soggy Dollar everyday (many tour boats make the Soggy Dollar a stop on their route from St. John and Tortola). Soggy Dollar is a well oiled machine with great (and quick) bartenders, plenty of beach chairs, and or course, a gift shop. They usually serve a limited breakfast and lunch with appetizers from 4:30 to 6 and dinner by reservation only. Soggy Dollar is THE place to be on Jost Van Dyke when the sun’s up.

Foxy’s: Located in Great Harbor, Foxy’ is a Jost Van Dyke tradition with its namesake being a larger than life personality famous for being a legendary host and patriarch to most of the island. If Soggy Dollar is the place to be when the sun’s up, Foxy’s is the place to be when the sun goes down. Come for dinner and stay for karaoke and dancing. You won’t be sorry. Foxy’s also has a great gift shop with more than just logo wear. They also sell bikinis, cover ups, and everything you need for a great beach vacation.

Things to Do on Anegada, BVI + Where to Stay and Eat

May 26, 2016 by caitylincoln

If you’re familiar with the British Virgin Islands, you’ve probably seen the Baths on Virgin Gorda, been to the Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke, or maybe even chartered out of Tortola, but fewer people make it out to Anegada. It’s one of the four main islands in the BVI but its location and topography keep it a little more under wraps. It’s the northeast most island in the chain and about an hour (by fast ferry) from Tortola. It’s also completely flat (the only non-volcanic island in the chain) and surrounded by a sizeable reef. The reef situation keeps less experienced captains away (many charter companies won’t let you go there) and its isolation leaves many yachties foregoing it in favor of more popular and convenient spots.

But let me tell you, if you’re looking for the undiscovered BVIs, Anegada is it. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about the most unknown island in the BVI including where to stay, where to eat, and things to do on Anegada.

So first off…how to decide if you’ll like Anegada…

You’ll like Anegada if…

You like places that are a little off the beaten path.
You like wide-open long stretches of white sand beaches. The beaches here are perfect for long walks unlike the little coves and bays on some of the other islands.
You like quiet and solitude.
You like to snorkel, bonefish, or kite surf.
You LOVE lobster.

You probably won’t like Anegada if…

You need a lot oto do. There’s about three different beaches on the island and that’s it.
You’re expecting epic views and lush green mountainous landscapes. It’s a flat island and Tortola and Virgin Gorda are a little too far away to be seen any other way than very faintly in the background.
You like to fly by the seat of your pants. It’ll take planning to get to Anegada (limited ferry schedule) and there are only a handful of restaurants on the island all of which require you to make a reservation for dinner and place your order in advance.
You can’t stand bugs. The mosquiteo situation was worse here than anywhere else in the Virgin Islands.

S, if you’ve decided that a trip to Anegada is in your future, here we go!

The Baths on Virgin Gorda, BVI

May 22, 2016 by caitylincoln

I’ve got to say, of all of the things I had planned during my trip to the Virgin Islands, seeing the Baths on Virgin Gorda was the one I was most excited about. I see amazing pictures of the smooth boulders and the maze like path they make as they descend to the ocean ALL THE TIME on Pinterest and could not wait to finally experience them in person.

While the Baths are possible to see as a day trip from St. John or Tortola, we saw them while actually staying on Virgin Gorda so we’d have plenty of time and not be rushed. We took the ferry from St. John to Virgin Gorda (almost a two hour trip), cleared customs and checked into our apartment before heading to the Baths.

It was around noon when we arrived and we were STARVING so we stopped at Top of the Baths for some lunch. This place is a must do to get the total Baths experience. Top of the Baths is like a little resort right at the Baths entrance (minus the rooms!). There’s a lovely restaurant with incredible views of…you guessed it…the top of the Baths, several shops and even a fresh water pool that feels so good during the heat of the day.

After our lunch, we paid our admission ($3) and began the hike down to the Baths. For the first part of the trail, you’ll most likely want shoes. It’s a slow decent with some of the path being rock and some being sand and a few steps every now and then. Also, expect to see a lot of cacti! Once you reach the bottom you’ll find a little bar serving up drinks and snacks as well as small lockers. There are a few picnic tables and a nice little beach if you want to hang out awhile but here is where the real fun begins.

Paddleboarding in Turks and Caicos

April 5, 2016 by caitylincoln

If you’ve glimpsed those perfectly clear turquoise waters of the Turks and Caicos, you’ll know that it’s the ideal spot for water related activities, especially paddleboarding. I mean, calm water, 50 ft visibility…conditions don’t get any better than that folks! While there’s plenty of snorkeling, diving, and kayaking in the TCI, one of the trendiest new things to do is paddleboarding. It’s a combo of surfing and kayaking and the calm warm waters of the TCI are the perfect place to learn.

While most of the resorts on Grace Bay rent paddleboards by the hour for guests to try out, I had my eye on a paddleboarding excursion that would take us out to the mangroves. We booked a tour with SUP Provo who has several guided tours into TCI backcountry. The Mangrove Island Tour is one of their most popular tours since it takes paddleboarders into an ecosystem that they wouldn’t ordinarily see while on vacation. In addition to the lazy mangrove trails through shallow waters, we were told we could expect to see baby sharks, eagle rays, sea turtles, snapper, conch, starfish, and pelicans. Read on for details on my paddleboarding trip.

15 Things to Do in Turks and Caicos

March 28, 2016 by caitylincoln

I’m just back from the Turks and Caicos and boy do I have the low down for you! Geez, it was so much fun and equal parts lounging on the beach and having super fun adventures. Anyways, if you’re heading to TCI soon, or thinking about planning a trip there in the future, here are 15 things to do on Providenciales (the most visited island in TCI):

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