Rum Therapy, Author at Rum Therapy

May 17, 2014November 6, 2020

Tropical Sunrise

As pretty as a tropical sunrise, this rum cocktail is a refreshing choice of beverage – even for brunch!

Tropical Sunrise
(makes one)

1-1/2 oz. silver rum
1/4 c. pineapple juice
1/4 c. orange juice
1 oz. triple sec
1 oz. grenadine
orange slice and cherry for garnish

Shake rum, juices and triple sec over ice. Fill serving glass 1/2 full of ice and add grenadine. Strain remaining ingredients slowly into the serving glass. Garnish with a slice of orange and a cherry. Gently stir before serving.

For more recipes, visit our Rum Recipe Picture Directory
or Rum Recipes by Category

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

May 16, 2014April 21, 2021

CocoMaya Restaurant and Bar, Virgin Gorda

Toasting the evening at CocoMaya, a beautiful restaurant and bar in Virgin Gorda…

Although we love re-visiting some of our favorite places in the islands, we also love to find and experience new ones – and then share them with you!

To see more posts on Virgin Gorda and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory.

We’d read just a little bit about a new restaurant/bar on Virgin Gorda and during our last BVI visit, we were able to stop and experience CocoMaya.

copyright Rum Therapy — Approaching CocoMaya from our boat

Established in 2011 and not far from Spanish Town, we found CocoMayato be a real treat.We were able to spend one evening there and enjoyed relaxing in the outdoor lounge with our toes in the sand around the fire pit.

Coco Maya, Virgin Gorda copyright Rum Therapy — Comfortable lounges surrounding the fire pit

CocoMaya’s outdoor lounge is an excellent place to meet up with friends or just cozy up on a lounge chair for two around the fire.

CocoMaya’s decor is appealing and relaxing and blends right in with the tropical surroundings.

Wonderful aromas were wafting from the dining area and if we didn’t already have dinner planned upon our return to the boat, we would have enjoyed one of their menu offerings in the open air dining room with a beautiful view of the beach and sunset.

Although we certainly didn’t mind just spending time on a lounge chair for two on the beach with a soft tropical breeze and the warmth of the fire on our toes…

To find out more about CocoMaya Restaurant and Bar:

Visit their website

and Facebook Page

To see more posts on Virgin Gorda and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory.

All information is correct to our knowledge at the time of writing, but be sure to verify current information before your visit.
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

May 13, 2014May 15, 2019

Dinghy’s Beach Bar & Grill, Water Island

Dinghy’s Beach Bar & Grill, located on beautiful Honeymoon Beach, Water Island is only 10 minute ferry ride from St. Thomas, but feels a world away from the hustle and bustle.

To get to Water Island, you can catch a ferry in Crown Bay, St. Thomas right next to a restaurant/bar called Tickles. Tickets are $10 round trip and the trip takes only about 10 minutes.

Water Island is the smallest of the US Virgin Islands and has a population of around 200. One of the main attractions on Water Island is beautiful Honeymoon Beach which can be reached by an uphill hike from the ferry dock, a golf cart (which can be rented for the day) or if visiting Dinghy’s Beach Bar & Grill, you might be able to catch their safari ride to and from the dock.

You’re treated to a beautiful view of Honeymoon Beach when you reach the overlook. Since we’d caught a mid-morning (10:00a.m.) ferry to Water Island, Honeymoon Beach was still relatively quiet.

The Dinghy’s safari took us down the hill and dropped us off at Dinghy’s Beach Bar & Grill, a fun looking place filled with bright colors and colorful art. Dinghy’s is owned by Giorgio and Lisa, an energetic and super friendly couple who purchased what was then Joe’s Beach Bar in April 2013.

At that time, it was just a little bar on a boat trailer with a few old rickety tables and chairs and a small generator to run the blenders and lights. Giorgio and Lisa had bigger plans for this bar and although the bar is still in the cool boat trailer (with the addition of a colorful coat of paint) they brought in electricity, water tanks and running water, built a tiki hut over an existing concrete pad and added many more tables and chairs, beach lounges and umbrellas, a professional kitchen trailer and an ATM!

According to Giorgio and Lisa, the new name came to them for their beach bar, as they sat and counted 30 dinghy’s beached in front of the bar!

Dinghy’s really is a great place to hang out for the day. They have a menu full of great drinks, including their signature drinks the Creamy Dinghy – Cruzan Dark Rum, Creme of Coconut and Fresh Local Passionfruit, when available, and the Paddlewhacker – a creamy Bushwacker with Chocolate and Peanut Butter blended in.

If you get hungry after snorkeling, paddleboarding, kayaking, extreme hammocking or beach chairing, drinking at the floating bar, walking the beach, listening to live music and beating your pals in corn hole and ring hooks – be sure to try one of their burgers, sandwiches, wraps or plates – all with a local flare. We tried the Beach Burger, certified Angus Beef seasoned with Argentinian Chimichuri Sauce – yum!

And be sure to take time to enjoy the beautiful beach Dinghy’s sits on.

Looking for some place close and a little different to hang out for a day while visiting St. Thomas? Dinghy’s on Water Island may be just what you’re looking for! Stop by and enjoy a great rum drink and say hi to Giorgio, Lisa and…Bubbles!

Their motto? “We’re Not Nuts, Just a Little Dinghy”

And a lot of fun.

We’re Not Nuts, Just a Little Dinghy!

To find out more about Dinghy’s Beach Bar & Grill,

Join them on Facebook

To see more posts on St. Thomas and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC. All information is correct to our knowledge at the time of writing, but be sure to verify current information before your visit.

May 6, 2014July 19, 2020

Exploring The Baths, Virgin Gorda

What’s it like to hike the trail through The Baths on Virgin Gorda?

A couple of weeks ago we had the chance to take another great hike through the boulders of The Baths to Devils Bay in Virgin Gorda. It was our 4th time to experience this amazing area and although there had been some changes made since our last visit, it was just as intriguing and awe-inspiring as ever.

Beach access has been limited to dinghy’s – which I’m sure is due to the large amount of people wanting to access the trail from their boats. If you are unable to swim about 50 yds from the roped off area where they’d like dinghy’s to drop boaters off, they are recommending that you go ashore at Spanish Town and take a taxi over.

We thought we’d just add a few new pics to the post we did of our last visit (The Baths), but we took a lot more pictures this time of the actual hike through the boulders from The Baths to Devil’s Bay, so we thought we’d write a new post and highlight what it’s like to hike the trail.

It was high season and we knew The Baths would be packed from about 10 – 3, so we showed up at about 3:30. Our dinghy dropped us off at the ropes and we swam to shore – electing not to take towels or even shoes because of the swim in. Previously we wore water shoes and I’d recommend them if you’ve got sensitive feet.

The initial entrance is but a small opening between two large rocks. Once through it opens up to a trail. Look for small cairns (rock piles) marking the trail as you go.

Not too far from the start you come across The Cathedral – one of the most photographed areas of The Baths. It looks different every time you visit depending on the light and the tide.

There’s another cool area to explore around every corner.

Make your way over the boulders and through the pools with the assist of wooden ladders and platforms along the way.

Once you get to this directional sign, you’re almost to Devil’s Bay.

You’re rewarded at the end of the trail with the sights of beautiful Devils’ Bay. Be sure to leave enough time to enjoy the clear, blue water before making your way back – or up to The Top of The Baths for a well deserved beverage!

To see more posts on Virgin Gorda and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC. All information is correct to our knowledge at the time of writing, but be sure to verify current information before your visit.

May 2, 2014September 25, 2019

B-Line Beach Bar, Little Jost Van Dyke

There’s a bit of “buzz” going around about a new beach bar in the British Virgin Islands called B-Line Beach Bar on Little Jost Van Dyke. During our recent BVI sail, after a stop at beautiful Sandy Spit, we decided to stop at B-Line to check it out.

As a point of reference, if you are sitting on Sandy Spit and looking at Jost Van Dyke, Little Jost is just to the right and if you go around the little point, you will spot B-Line Beach Bar.

According to B-Line owner, Christina Washburn, who also runs the Bananakeet Cafe and Heritage Inn on Tortola, B-line just opened up for business at the beginning of the year. Christina’s mother moved to this location on Little Jost Van Dyke in 1979 when there was just a stone structure and cistern. Christina would spend time there on school breaks. In 1990, Christina built a small cottage on the hill and extensions were added to the facility in the early 90’s.

She and her husband, Bonky, have been trying to live permanently on Little JVD for a while, but due to their busy schedule on Tortola, they seem to get there only on the weekends. Once they had the idea to start a bar on property, it took several years to go through the legalities. During that time, they would spend the weekends working on what would soon be B-Line Beach Bar, making more accessible and visible.

How did they choose the name B-Line? Christina said they found themselves b-linin’ back and forth from Tortola to Little JVD with supplies and to work on the property and the name just kind of stuck.

Now B-Line is the only establishment on Little JVD. Access is by boat. There is a floating dinghy dock and a dock near the beach for larger boats.

(photo: www.photo.vi)

B-Line is open 10a.m.-10p.m. daily and food is served on the weekends.

Spend your day at B-Line lounging in the crystal clear water or soaking up the rays on the beach,

(photo: www.photo.vi)

Playing corn hole in the grass or checkers in the open air bar,

Talking to Jerry in the bar,

And sipping on an “Awesome Ginger Bloody”, Margarita, a cold beer or the B-Line signature drink, the Passion Confusion.

Quieter than some of its neighboring island beach bars, B-Line is a great place to relax, unwind and just listen to the sounds of paradise.

Their slogan? BLine, BHappy & BBack!

To find out more about B-Line, visit:

B-Line Beach Bar Website

B-Line Beach Bar Facebook Page

or Email: [email protected]

To see more island posts, check out our Island Blog Directory

May 1, 2014June 24, 2021

Mango Colada

If you like the taste of mango, you’re gonna love this cold and creamy blended rum drink. I can tell that as the weather gets warmer and summertime sets in, this will be a refreshing favorite here! Enjoy!

*We love bringing you amazing rum recipes! Our recipes may contain affiliate links to products that we use. If you click the link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support in helping us to continue providing rumlicious, tropical recipes!

Print Recipe

Mango Colada

Servings:

Ingredients

1/2 c Frozen Mango Chunks (fresh mango can also be used but you may have to increase the amount of crushed ice)
1/2 c Pineapple Juice
1 tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
1-1/2 oz Cream of Coconut
1-1/2 oz White Rum
1 c Crushed ice
Pineapple Slice and Maraschino Cherry for Garnish

Instructions

Add all ingredients (except the pineapple slice and maraschino cherry) to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Pour into a hurricane style glass and garnish with the pineapple slice and maraschino cherry.

For more recipes, visit our Rum Recipe Picture Directory
or Rum Recipes by Category

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

April 28, 2014June 6, 2019

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort, St. Thomas

Feel like you belong –
at Bolongo Bay Beach Resort…

This year, Bolongo Bay Beach Resort, on the south shore of St. Thomas, is celebrating it’s 40th Anniversary. Owned and run by the Doumeng family, this casual and comfortable resort sits on 1,000 feet of sandy beach and boasts 62 beachfront and oceanview rooms.

The story of how the Doumeng family ended up in St. Thomas is an interesting one. Dick Doumeng was a watch salesman in Long Island in 1968 when he took his family on vacation to Puerto Rico. During a day trip to St. Thomas, they fell in love with the island. The Doumeng’s then did what many of us only dream of doing. Dick quit his job, the family sold everything and they moved to the US Virgin Islands! The Doumeng’s eventually took over the management of Bolongo Bay Resort in 1974 when it was just a small 36 room hotel. Over time they transformed Bolongo into one of the first beachfront resorts on the island.

Fast forward a few decades and the reins have been passed to Dick’s sons Richard and Paul, along with their wives Katarina and Colleen. We had the pleasure of staying at Bolongo Bay recently and met with Richard, Katarina and Colleen. They, along with other family members and their very pleasant staff (including 3 that have been with Bolongo the entire 40 years!), take pride in making their guests feel like family too. It’s easy to see why there’s a high percentage of return guests at Bolongo!

To celebrate their 40th Anniversary, Bolongo is offering special anniversary package rates, 40 free room nights through activities at the resort and more! Be sure to check the Bolongo Bay website for more information.

These are just some of the highlights of our stay at Bolongo.

A banner at the front desk welcomed, by name, all of the guests arriving that day.

We were escorted to our room which was just steps away from the beach, comfortable and nicely sized.

A in-room welcome back package is provided for return guests!

We enjoyed our morning coffee on the deck with a beautiful view of the bay.

The Bolongo Bay swimming pool offers a beach view, lots of lounge chairs and a swim up bar.

There are comfortable areas to relax with friends and enjoy the view.

Bolongo guests have complimentary and unlimited use of non-motorized water sports such as kayaks, paddle boards, Hobie Cats, aqua tricycles, swim mats, snorkel gear and paddle boats.

Not to be missed – the weekly snorkel rum hunt, where bottles of rum are hidden in the bay and guests snorkel to find it. If you find it – you keep it!

We enjoyed fine dining at the Lobster Grille

Eggs Benedict with grilled pineapple

Jerk Pork Tostadas

and Lobster Arancini. Mmmm…

And spent plenty of time at Iggies – a fun and lively on-site beach bar featuring tasty food, drinks and live music – 7 nights a week!

Awaiting a taste of Iggies infamous Voodoo Juice poured with skill by our bartender “Mr. Awesome”.

Happy Hour specials include Rum Punch made with Cruzan Rum.

We relaxed in the sun in colorful chairs on the beach, and played a little volleyball and cornhole in the sand.

Unfortunately we weren’t there for Carnival Night – held every Wednesday at Iggies, but hear it’s a favorite evening of entertainment for guests and locals alike. Carnival Night features a buffet of Caribbean specialties, live music, Moko Jumbi Stilt Dancers, a conga line, dance contest and a fiery finale that includes flame eating and glass dancing.

A lovely place for a wedding on the beach. Some guests have also chosen to get married aboard Bolongo Bay’s beautiful 53 foot catamaran – Heavenly Days.

We were treated to a lovely sunset harbor cocktail cruise on Heavenly Days, which also offers a day sail to the island of St. John and a half day trip to Turtle Cove to snorkel with the turtles.

During our sunset sail, the captain masterfully maneuvered the cat along the coastline, into Charlotte Amalie and around Water Island. The crew gave us some history of the area while pampering us with refreshing cocktails and hors d’ oeuvres.

The sunset was spectacular that evening,

…and the lights of the resort were reflected in the waters of the bay upon our return.

On our last night at Bolongo, after spending some time enjoying the live music at Iggies, we savored the cool ocean breeze and moonlight from one of the hammocks near the beach.

Perfect.

Bolongo Bay offers something for all ages and travelers. It’s a comfortable, casual and friendly resort that offers great travel deals and a lot of amenities for its guests. Choose a room only rate or the popular all-inclusive plan that includes food and beverages. The convenient location between Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook makes it ideal for island exploration!

To find out more about Bolongo Bay Resort, be sure to visit their website, join them on their Facebook page, or contact them directly:

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort
St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands 00802
Reservations: (800) 524-4746
[email protected]

Oh – and if you’re a US resident, you don’t need a passport to get to Bolongo!

Find Bolongo Bay Beach Resort and Iggies on our St. Thomas Map

To see more posts on St. Thomas and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

Copyright©Rum Therapy Beaches, Bars & More, Tropical Travel Guide, 2013, 2014
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

April 21, 2014September 25, 2019

Cow Wreck Beach Bar, Anegada

On the west end of the beautiful island of Anegada in the British Virgin Islands lies a stunning expanse of brilliant white sand beach and a bar, both with the unusual name of Cow Wreck.

According to the Cow Wreck Beach Resort website, this stunning white sand beach was named Cow Wreck after a ship filled with cow bones (used to make buttons and other things in the 19th century) wrecked off of the northwest coast of Anegada. Cow bones drifted ashore for many years afterwards, thus the name Cow Wreck Beach.

There’s plenty of room to relax with one of their signature drinks, Cow Killer or Wreck Punch at the bar and the word is they have excellent conch fritters. As fresh as you can get them, no doubt, given the number of conch shells used in the surrounding landscaping.

Once you have your fill of food and drink, be sure to take plenty of time to enjoy walking the miles of stunning and deserted white beach, and play in the clear turquoise water.

And if one day at Cow Wreck is just not enough, you might consider renting one of their cozy rooms or villas right on the beach…

Cow Wreck Beach Resort Villa

We rented a car in Setting Point to drive to Cow Wreck so that we could explore along the way, but there are also taxis available in Setting Point.

To find out more about Cow Wreck Beach Bar or Cow Wreck Beach Resort,

Check out their website: Cow Wreck Beach Resort

To see more posts on Anegada and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC. All information is correct to our knowledge at the time of writing, but be sure to verify current information before your visit.

April 17, 2014January 19, 2017

Angels Rest, St. John

Angels Rest, a 40 ft. pontoon boat and bar, was on our list of places to visit while in St. John recently. We’d seen Angels Rest a few years ago while driving past Coral Bay, but with the recent buzz about it, we were on a mission to find out more.

We emailed Capt. Peter (Peter Hoschl) to find out if he’d be at Hansen Bay in front of Vie’s Snack Shack the day we were in St. John and being newbies to Angels Rest and probably not the best group of swimmers around, we asked if there was a dinghy for pickup on the beach. We loved his answer.

“Ahoy there my fellow rummies, the best way to get a hold of me is call before you head out there, everybody swims out to the bar, I am usually anchored out about 100 ft . off shore, no pick-me-ups.

See ya there, I got water wings for ya if you get toooo rumed up.”

Tel#. 340-514-6270 Capt. Peter. M/V Angels Rest

This was gonna be fun!

We made our way out to Vie’s on the east side of St. John and east of Coral Bay, and got our first glimpse of Angels Rest.
(UPDATE – Vie’s Snack Shack has recently closed, but we heard that you can still access Hansen’s Bay by driving just a little past Vie’s and access it though the next property – check with Capt. Peter to confirm the best way to get there)

Thinking the swim out would be fine but we may need water wings to get back, we made our way into the clear, blue water.

Capt. Peter greeted us as we swam up, made it to the platform and pulled ourselves in.

Not knowing what to expect, we were pleasantly surprised at the interior – bright colors, a beachy feel and a great view of the bay made it a place we felt like we could hang out for quite some time – and we did!

Watch for fish (or people) under your feet as you sit back and relax with a beverage

Angels Rest sound system

We ordered a round of Capt. Peter’s special rum punch (mostly rum with a little punch) and chatted with him about Angels Rest. A great guy who loves to meet and talk to his guests, we loved hearing the about his travels and how he’d ended up in St. John building a pontoon that would someday become a floating bar which doubles as his personal home. He also offers day charters (with gourmet meals) – or longer charters including a honeymoon charter!

Quite the storyteller, we found ourselves very entertained with his enthusiastic tales of adventure.

Angels Rest has a deck on the top for patrons to enjoy as we with some seating. The upper level has a great view of the beach and bay.

After a few hours, we took one last look around,

thought about using the water wings…

Grabbed one of Capt. Peter’s business cards,

And said goodbye to some new friends.

When we asked Capt. Peter why he chose the name Angels Rest for his pontoon, he said,
“We are all angels, and we all need a place to rest!! So why not have a hangout where all us angels can rest together.”

Exactly.

To find out more about Angels Rest, where it will be when you are visiting St. John or chartering and day trips,
Join the Facebook page: Angels Rest
Email Capt. John: [email protected]
or call him: (340)514-6270

Find Angels Rest (when in front of Vie’s in Hansen Bay) on our St. John Map

To see more posts on St. John and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

March 29, 2014June 24, 2021

Papa’s Pilar Bitter’s & Blonde

Papa’s Pilar, the new super-premium rum inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s spirit of adventure. Both the Dark and Blond are award winners and we’ve recently had the pleasure of sampling both.

Jump to Recipe

“Papa’s Pilar is the only rum supplier utilizing a solera that contains rums of various ages and sources of supply – each unique in their own right, ” said Jay Maltby, lead master blender, Papa’s Pilar. “This exclusive process creates a one of kind liquid that is singular in its creation and final product.

Although we enjoyed both the Dark and Blonde over just a piece of ice, we thought we’d give a couple of recipes a try. This is the first one we’ve tried – and thoroughly enjoyed!

Print Recipe

Bitter's & Blonde

Recipe with Papa’s Pilar, the new super-premium rum inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s spirit of adventure.

Course: Drinks

Servings:

Author: Dryan Dayton, presented by Rum Therapy

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz. Papa's Pillar Blonde Rum
3 oz. Ginger Beer
Angostura Bitters
Lime Wheel Garnish

Instructions

Build over crushed ice.
Top with a few drops of Angostura bitters.
Garnish with lime wheel.

To find out more about Papa’s Pilar Dark & Blonde Rum,
Check out their website:
Papaspilar.com
and Facebook page:
Papa’s Pilar