Where Do We Go From Here?, A Travelogue
June 8th, 2008 categories: Lifestyle
There is a downside to living in paradise. I realize that sounds a little whiney but when you live in such a beautiful and rich environment, it’s hard to come up with a better vacation destination. Particularly if you want to just relax and unwind. But, after much investigation (and three subsequent trips), I have found the perfect vacation destination for those who live in paradise… The British Virgin Islands. It’s sooo not Hawaii. ‘Not that there’s anything wrong with’ Hawaii but you have to admit, it’s a lot like San Diego. In fact, half of the wait staff you deal with are from San Diego.
So if you really want to get away, to a place where the trade winds carry away every care and there’s nothing to do but lounge and play, consider the BVI. It’s a bit of a trek but you’ll end up a world away and sometimes, that’s just where to want to be.
The British Virgin Islands are located just east of Puerto Rico and lie only a few miles from the nearest US Virgin Island of St. John which in turn, is next to St. Thomas. While St. Thomas is a commercial mecca, the BVI are anything but. In this lies their charm.
The BVI are an English territory but self governed by the Belongers, the name given to the natives of the islands who are descendants of African slaves brought to the islands to work the sugar cane plantations. The history of the BVI is rich with pirate lore, truly a hang-out of the notorious Blackbeard. Blackbeard’s pirates would scan the Caribbean Sea for Spanish merchant ships from the peak called Lookout Point at Norman Island. Once spotted, they would then race from their hiding place in the cragging coast line of the island to attack and loot the treasures within the great ships.
The great sugar plantations of the islands parleyed into sugar mills which lead to rum distilleries, the remains of which are still scattered about the islands. There is a distillery still in operation on the island of Tortola, at Cane Garden Bay called Callwoods Distillery. The distillery has been in operation continuously for more than 300 years and makes a fine bottled of rum indeed. All day long you can stop in and test the various rums produced on site and for a modest fee (of a couple extra dollars) even get a tour of the facility (which will take about 7 minutes- history included). To say that it’s rustic is the understatement of understatements. Take a bottle of Callwoods Rum home with you. A few years ago the distillery would use whatever glass bottles they could get ahold of, even old coke bottles. Today, they use new screw cap bottles that are sealed with a measure scotch tape. That’s how you know it’s new!
The main islands of the BVI are as follows; Tortola, the capital of the BVI and largest island, Virgin Gorda, Ginger Island, Cooper Island, Salt Island, Peter Island, Norman Island and Jost Van Dyke. There are many other tiny islands and cays (pronounced keys) scattered about the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea. The BVI is known as possibly the best sailing in the world. The waters are generally calm and always warm, around 80- 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Same goes for the air temperature. In the winter, it rarely gets below the high 60’s F and in the height of summer, can get to the low 100’s F. Due to the incredible visibility, the area is also known for scuba diving and snorkeling. There are fabulous coral reefs such as ‘The Indians’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland’, even a sunken ship, the Rhone, and plenty of diving excursions to take you there. Most off-shore dive sites are within 30-40 minutes by boat which makes for more diving and less floating. But you needn’t leave the shore for extraordinary snorkeling. We’ll go over our favorite spots by island.
Tortola again, is the largest of the BVI and has the most shopping and dining opportunities. Road Town is the city center and where the local government is located. Cruise ships pull into port at Road Town and that’s where all the shopping is. It’s important to know that the accepted currency in the BVI is the American dollar. That’s good news with today’s exchange rates. Mostly you’ll find trinkets and textiles but there are a couple of spots you will want to visit. Sunny Caribbee Herb and Spice Company is a must! I won’t come home without the Hot Pepper Jelly, a sweet and spicy condiment that’s unbelievably wonderful with pork or chicken. They also have all the spices that make the local food so flavorful. A short walk from the cruise ship dock are the local duty free jewelry stores. I don’t know if they’re any less expensive but it’s fun buying jewelry on vacation! Last trip, my husband and I came home with new watches. The most popular restaurant in Road Town is Pussers Road Town Pub, named after the famous Pusser’s Rum (named after a ships Purser who gave out rations of rum to the English sailors back in the day). They are famous for appetizers and finger foods and of course, rum drinks. It’s a fine place to spend an hour or so on the front deck sipping cool drinks and watching the funny looking tourists (wait, do we look like that?) There’s one cool ’surf shop’ called Hiho that has great t-shirts and hats. That’s about it for Road Town. Let’s go to Long Bay!
There are two Long Bays on the island, Long Bay east and west. We prefer the west. Overall, we prefer the west side of the island over the east. There are many wonderful places to explore. Long Bay Resort is probably the most posh lodgings on the island (aside from private villas that are available for vacation rentals) but don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing fancy about it. The rooms are very clean but a bit dated. There are two restaurants on site, one where the gents need long pants so we’ve never eaten there. The other is on the beach and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food is great- especially breakfast. The coffee is the most amazing I have ever tasted. It’s very bold and has an earthy, almost chocolate essence. I’ve never had anything like it anywhere else- not even at the other restaurants on Tortola.
At Long Bay Resort you can rent a car from National Rentals which is highly recommended. You can’t get lost on the island,or at least, not for long. You could drive around the entire island in just over 2 hours and all roads lead to one beach or another. This is the best way to get to know the area and waiting for taxis is like waiting for a rich aunt to die. It happens eventually but not timely. You will have to get used to driving on the left side of the road and the roads are very curvy and hilly so go slowly and use caution. Also at the resort, you can book a diving excursion, take a scuba class, get a terrific massage and do a little shopping. They actually have some great shirts and tanks in the shop next to the restaurant on the beach. There is no room service but the staff is very helpful and very friendly. You might be tempted to use the beach in front of the restaurant but I strongly recommend a little further down the road past the resort. They have lounge chairs down there for ‘resorters’ and once in a while, there’s a little shack open where you can get a cocktail or beverage. The beaches in front of the resort have coral below the waves instead of sand and this isn’t too comfy on the feet. Down the way it’s sandy and still walking distance from your hotel room.
Next, you’ll want to hop in your little 4×4 that you rented and take a drive you’ll not soon forget. About a mile west of the resort on one of the worst dirt roads you’ll find on the island you’ll find Smuggler’s Cove. Now I hear they may be doing some renovation to Smugglers so it may be in a different state than we last experienced it. It’s probably the best snorkeling on Tortola (aside from Brewers Bay which we’ll get to.) There are two reefs only 20 yards from the beach and fabulous ocean creatures abound. Parrot fish and angel fish, star fish, giant lobsters and even eels can be found very near the shore. Be careful of the reef though as some points are extremely shallow and you won’t want to wash your belly across it (been there, done that). There was a ’structure’ at Smugglers that was an outdoor bar and if it’s still there, order the Smuggler’s Punch- the best rum punch on the island. You’ll find abandoned in the flora, a 1965 Crown Victoria that’s rusting away. If the Smuggler’s ’structure’ is still standing, on the back of the door leading into the small storage room you will see that Crown Victoria in a very different state- in fact, carrying Queen Elizabeth II around Road Town back in 1966. Also decaying in the lush landscape is the dingy from the 1958 film “The Old Man and the Sea” with Spencer Tracy. At least some scenes were filmed there at Smuggler’s cove and the dingy and the shark prop are still there. Not preserved in any way, just rotting away into the landscape. I know it sounds strange, but this is some of the quirky charm that is Tortola. If the ’structure’ no longer exists, there’s always Steve, a local belonger, who sets up a little beach bar right on the sand and makes a mean Pain Killer. He’ll rent you a few lounge chairs too and he’s a heck of a nice guy.
Around the bend, the west tip of the island is Soper’s Hole. Now, if you are very brave, you can continue along that dirt road that will wind around the end of the island and eventually deposit you at Soper’s Hole. You’ll definitely need a drink by then as it’s a hair-raising drive (winding, steep, huge cliff, no guard rails, deep ruts- you get the picture). Or, just go back to Long Bay, pass the resort and Sebastians (which we’ll speak to) and make a right on Zion Hill Road. This will connect you to the other side of the island which is just over the hill on this very narrow part of the island. You’ll come to Sir Francis Drake Hwy and go right. This is where the ferry comes into Tortola from St. Thomas, only an hour and a half ferry ride from St. Thomas. Soper’s Hole is a Marina and lots of boats and yachts moor here. One of my favorite restaurants on the island is The Jolly Roger. It bears absolutely no resemblance to the Jolly Roger here, if it’s still exists. This is the real deal. Now again, it doesn’t look like much but the food is delicious. Our day-time faves are the nachos (believe it or not) which are the best nachos I’ve ever had and the chicken wings, flavors that are a delightful blend of jerk seasoning and sweet spices! Too good to pass up- don’t be on a diet! At night, the menu is quite different. French cuisine and other more sophisticated continental fare is added to the menu and served on the dingy dock where flood lights illuminate the 4 foot Tarpin that feed in the crystal clear water of the marina. You’ll need mosquito repellent here or you’ll be dinner yourself. Great food, great drinks and great people.
Now let’s suppose it’s the next morning and you are hungry all over again. Sebastian’s is a great place for breakfast. It’s located just east of Long Bay resort (you remember you passed it on your way to Soper’s Hole). We like to sit on the covered veranda and stare out at the beautiful sea that is the most amazing blue you can imagine. In fact, many shades of blue that change with every cloud that passes by.
Along the ocean front road on the north side of the island you’ll come to The Bomba Shack- a slightly notorious watering hole that is essentially some plywood boards, 2 x 4’s and corrugated tin nailed together and covered with magic marker messages from the thousands of visitors who have stopped for a cocktail. If you are particularly tall, you may have to duck to avoid the underwear hanging from the boards that resemble a (roof?) You’ll hear where those came from in a minute. Bomba Shack overlooks Carrot Bay which is the best (the only) surf on the island. Bomba Shack is best known for the Full Moon Party which happens, you guessed it, with every full moon. The tradition is that visitors and islanders alike meet at Bomba Shack on those special nights and get very drunk and naked. My husband, so far, hasn’t agreed to take me to the Full Moon party but next time, I swear I’ll wear him down. Who wouldn’t want to see that! Now, you’ll want to keep your head about you or you’ll end up naked and someone will take a polaroid picture of you and it will be posted on the plywood wall the following day and stay there for the next year or so or until the picture finally fades into oblivion. You may not want to take your kids to Bomba Shack unless they are ready for an anatomy lesson.
Further down the road is Cane Garden Bay which is where the Callwood Distillery is that we learned of earlier. It’s also a major mooring spot for sailors and yachtsmen. You can rent a motor boat on the beach at Cane Garden Bay for the day and cruise around the surrounding islands, mainly Jost Van Dyke, which is a favorite of ours. On Friday nights, the locals go to Quitos at Cane Garden Bay, a restaurant and bar, for live music and dancing. The food is wonderful- I especially loved the Conch in Arundel sauce. The atmosphere is awesome- it looks like a giant, yellow gazebo, which is what it is. It started as a little yellow gazebo on the beach and the owner, Quito, is something of a local celebrity. He had a hit or two in the reggae genre and still plays some nights at his club. All along the beach there are little bars and restaurants where you can relax with a beverage and watch the water.
High above Cane Garden Bay (shown in the picture at the start of this blog) where Cane Garden Bay Road meets Ridge Road, you’ll find Rudy’s Road Side Bar. It’s another 2 x 4, and plywood establishment perched at the top of the world, overlooking the incredible azure sea spotted with sandy cays. Do yourself a favor and stop for a Rum Punch. It actually doesn’t matter what you order, just sit on the wobbly chairs on the uneven plywood floor and take it all in. On Friday’s Rudy cooks. It’s usually barbeque (half a old oil barrel filled with charcoal) and sometimes soup. Last time I tried the ribs and goat soup. I was the only one brave enough. I’ll admit I had a bit of ‘goat’s revenge’ for a couple of days but I’m still glad I tried it.
Now back down the winding road to Brewer’s Bay- the best Pina Colada on the island (and some of the best snorkeling too). Brewer’s Bay has a terrific beach and a reef along one side where the fish and green turtles are abundant. We even saw a 4 foot Barracuda which scared us half to death. But, it’s one of our favorite places to spend the afternoon.
I know it sounds like all we do is lounge and drink on the islands and that’s not too far from the truth. The laid-back atmosphere of the BVI makes it very easy to forget your cares and let your hair down (although, it may get curly from the humidity). You can expect intermittent rain showers, as with any tropical paradise and a very casual dress code. Try not to pack too much- you’ll spend most of your time in a swim suit and tank top. If you’ve been to the Caribbean, you know to expect a whole different kind of sun. It’s much closer to the equator and it’s very strong. Take powerful sunblock with you and use it regularly. That massage won’t feel very good on a sun-burnt back. While snorkeling, you will want a rash guard. That’s when I seem to get the worst sun-damage. You will need plenty of mosquito repellent as well. Go for the maximum strength. While on any of the BVI, the worst thing you could do is to be in a hurry. You get terribly frustrated. You need to adjust your watch to island time both literally and figuratively. So don’t wait until your starving to get dinner. One of the reasons we’ve fallen in love with this set of islands are the people. They are quick to smile and love to laugh and are beautiful in every way.
This wraps up Tortola and I’ve got the feeling that if you’ve gotten this far, you’re probably a bit eye-sore by now. I will follow up this blog with more about some of the other islands that we love- in fact, my very favorite- Virgin Gorda and my other favorite, Jost Van Dyke.
Back to my original thought- it’s hard to find a better place to be than San Diego county, even on vacation. If you would like to have a little piece of paradise to call your own, call us at JB Home Sellers. We’ll get you fixed up in no time at all!
Loved it, Jennifer. Your blog really helped me to get into the mood for this trip. I hope we can try some of the spots you recommended.