1st Timers coming in September. Hit us with your best shots!

Travel discussion for Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, and beyond!
Post Reply
SmilinJack
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2012 10:41 am
Location: Norristown, Pennsylvania

1st Timers coming in September. Hit us with your best shots!

Post by SmilinJack »

Hello!

I have already posted this on the TripAdvisor forum, but wanted to place it here as well to maximize the potential responses. Here goes:
My wife and I are coming to VG in September for 10 days, and we want to know...well...everything. I have already had a number of helpful exchanges with ACB and have read/looked at numerous posts from Boston Tia & alashas, but we'd love to hear from anyone who has anything they want to share. Some basic background: We're staying at a Guavaberry rental. We are avid snorkelers, in decent shape for our age, but do not dive. We will have a car and we like to explore. Probably the only meals we'll eat at the villa will be a few breakfasts, and we have a tendency to skip or go real light on lunch, so would like dinner & breakfast recommendations moreso than lunch - in particular, since we'll be getting in kind of late on travel day, would really appreciate a 1st night dinner tip. That's all I can think of right now. If supplying any more info would help, please let me know.

Thanks! Smilin' Jack
ClevelandDave
Posts: 291
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2008 3:51 pm
Location: Cleveland

Post by ClevelandDave »

Hi Jack...for my money, you've picked a great home base for VG. Not only are Tina and the gang at Guavaberry VERY nice and helpful, Spring Bay is arguably one of the best little beaches in the world and has wonderful snorkeling.

You'll be able to provision right at the Guavaberry commissary. Don't bother comparison shopping as Tina set this up as a convenience rather than a profit center.

Exploring past Spring Bay (toward SpanishTown) will yield hit after hit of great beaches.

I'd watch the morning safari buses to time your Baths/Devil's Bay visits for pre-hoard timeperiods. You will probably be able to do so from your deck at Guavaberry. The Baths with crowds ain't no fun.

Sept & Oct are popular for islanders to get away and there will be closings. I'd ask Tina about who will be open and who won't be during your stay. She'll have all the local knowledge you'll need.

The water will be warm, the swells won't have arrived and the island will be relatively quiet.

Have a grat time!
AquaGirl
Posts: 913
Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2006 6:59 pm
Location: Fairfax, Virginia

Post by AquaGirl »

Hello
We have only been to VG once and it was several years ago, and loved it. Its on our list to go back. We don't like to cook much on vacation and are also avid snorkelers. Here are some things we enjoyed.

Snorkeling at Savannah Bay. This is a beautiful beach and we had fabulous snorkeling here. There are a few shade huts along the beach. Get there early if you want to get one.

Snorkeling at Mountain Trunk Bay (near Nail Bay resort). You go to Nail Bay Resort and park near the restaurant. Walk down a short hill to the beach with a few shade palapas. This is one of our favorite snorkeling spots. Saw really wonderful coral and sealife. We ate a late lunch at the restaurant and it was great. (I think the restaurant is run by someone different now, so not sure if its still good.)

One day, we packed a breakfast and took it to Devil's Bay early in the morning. We took advantage of no crowds and went through the Baths. It was great and we only encountered a few people. Then we had a picnic breakfast on the beach. Be sure to wear water sandals or something on your feet for going through the baths. And watch your head when you crawl through the low areas. I got a pretty good bump by not paying attention. Loved going through there anyway.

As the OP noted, the commissary at Guavaberry is very nice. For an easy meal on your first night, you could get one of Ms Penguin's frozen meals. They are made on Tortola and are surprising delicious. We had the curried chicken.

One of our favorite restaurants for dinner is Mineshaft. We enjoyed going there before sunset and watching all the chickens roost in the trees. Its funny to watch them hopping up in the tree and vying for the best spots. We ate here several times and enjoyed the food. Mostly had seafood.

If Leverick is having a Jumbies show on a Friday night, be sure to go. They have a buffet dinner which was fresh and tasty. The Jumbies show was entertaining and fun.

Happy trip planning! Please post a trip report. There are a bunch of us "trip report junkies" on the forum. Now that I wrote about it, I realized how much I want to go back!
PA Girl
Posts: 4485
Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2006 11:55 am

Post by PA Girl »

I second the Mineshaft, we visited twice during a 10 day trip.

Unfortunately, we had really bad weather during our trip so we didn't get to snorkel. Reportedly, Mahoe is to have fantastic snorkelling.

We enjoyed the jumbie show at Leverick but I don't think it put on during the off season.

Saba was a nice lunch if you find yourself over that way. The dock at Leverick will summon the water taxi on the radio if you ask.

Our best meal on the island was the lunch buffet at Little Dix. Normally, I avoid buffets but this was was really terrific, lots of local dishes.

I will look for my trip report and post it.

Here is my report from 2009 -

http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/f ... rgin+gorda
blue_water
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:37 pm
Location: New York State

Re: 1st Timers coming in September. Hit us with your best sh

Post by blue_water »

Hi! alashas and others are very helpful with info on VG, I'm sure you will enjoy your time there. The only thing I can add as a recommendation is a stop at the Mineshaft Cafe to enjoy the gorgeous panoramic views and the signature drink, the Cave In - "It's all in the Juice, Mon!".

And do visit the BVI forum on TTOL as that is the best BVI forum - traveltalkonline.com.

We stay on Tortola and we plan to spend some time on VG in the future so be sure to post your report on TA and TTOL.

Have a great time!
Bluewater, white sand
Post Reply