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February 6, 2014September 21, 2019

What to See and Do in Sandy Ground, Anguilla

Sandy Ground Village and Beach, located on bustling Road Bay on the beautiful island of Anguilla, offers visitors a myriad of opportunities to dine, drink, enjoy live music and enjoy the beautiful beach.

Although Road Bay is Anguilla’s main port for ships, don’t let that scare you off. Sandy Ground Village and Beach, fringed by Road Bay, contains a long expanse of sugar soft sand and turquoise water and some of the best nightlife on the island.

The last time we spent the day in Sandy Ground, we started at one end and walked to the other, enjoying many of the sights and sounds along the way. I’m sure there are a lot of other places to discover in this pretty area, but this should give you an idea of a few things you might want to explore.

We began our day at Elvis’ Beach Bar at the north end of Sandy Ground Beach.

We’d sampled some of Elvis’ stellar rum punch in a previous visit and looked forward to ordering more, but unfortunately they were not open yet, so instead we took the opportunity to lounge on the chairs in front of the bar, checking out the boats and the incredibly blue water. Read more about our visit to Elvis’ here.

From there, we wandered south down the beach and took a quick jog to the left, across the road to check out The Pumphouse. The Pumphouse gets pumping after dark and is a great place for live music, food and fun nightlife.

We headed back to the beach and ended up at Johnno’s. Johnno’s is known for it’s great live jazz and in a previous visit, we spent a great afternoon with our toes in the sand, drinking rum and coke and listening to jazz. Perfect afternoon..

Moving on down the beach we pass the Visitor’s Pier. There are some large ships that anchor in the the deep water at the edge of the bay, boat visitors in and drop them off at the pier. This area hasn’t been all that busy when we were there, but I’m sure it can be.

Shortly past the Visitors Pier sits the Sandbar. The Sandbar has a beautiful setting right on the beach and after 5:00p.m serves up excellent appetizers and drinks.

Onward to Roy’s Bayside Grill. The last stop before the commercial pier, we decided to order a beverage and enjoy the sugar soft sand of the beautiful beach.

We had gotten pretty warm walking in the beautiful sunshine and thought we’d order a Bushwacker. It was delicious and we enjoyed it while sitting under a thatched umbrella on the beach in front of Roy’s.

We fought the temptation to order another, knowing we had a lot more beach to explore and continued south from Roy’s. Now, it looks as if the beach ends at the commercial pier, but, at the time of this writing, we were able to go under the pier and continue on to a very quiet and beautiful stretch of beach past the pier.

Just past the pier is a large boat that has been beached. The color contrast of the boat against the water was stunning…

A little further and we came across some adorable Anguillan children playing in their “backyard”. Lucky kids…

From there it was beach time.

The end of the beach was marked by a large ship that found itself on the rocks during a hurricane in 1995.

Thirsty, we headed back for a refreshing cocktail and some live music.

Are you ready to spend a day in Sandy Ground, Anguilla?

For up to date information on all things Anguilla, be sure to check out our friend Nori’s website who lives on island. Can’t say we’re not just a little jealous….

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

Copyright©Rum Therapy Beaches, Bars & More, Tropical Travel Guide, 2013
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.

January 31, 2014June 5, 2019

What to See and Do in Philipsburg, St. Maarten

Whether arriving by cruise ship or spending time on the island on St. Maarten/St. Martin, Philipsburg, the capital of Dutch St. Maarten, offers a ton of fun things to see and do, most within view of the gorgeous blue water of Great Bay.

Philipsburg is an area of only a few streets sandwiched between the Salt Pond and beautiful Great Bay. There are many shops, bars, restaurants and musicians lining the streets. Do you like to shop? You can find a lot of items in Philipsburg from inexpensive souvenirs to diamonds and watches. Want to find something to eat? There are a variety of options ranging from very casual to elegant and tony. Any good bars? Well, of course! The boardwalk especially is dotted with bars with a wide variety of great tropical concoctions.

With the ability to dock 6+ large cruise liners and the addition in recent years of a wonderful boardwalk that is about 50 ft. wide and nearly as long as the waterfront of Great Bay, Philipsburg really caters to it’s visitors. From the cruise ships you can either walk down a lovely palm lined path or take a short water taxi ride to town. If staying on island, there are several fairly large parking lots.

Looking for a few ideas of what to see and do while visiting Philipsburg? These are a few things that we’ve enjoyed during our visits there.

1. The Beach

Although it can be just as busy as many of the other beautiful beaches in St. Maarten/St.Martin, Great Bay has gorgeous blue water, a calm surf and a variety of places to rent beach chairs and umbrellas. Plus you’re really close to some good bars, restaurants and shops when you need a break from the sun.

The turquoise blue water of Great Bay.

2. Eat & Drink

The majority of bars and restaurants line the boardwalk and offer a great view of the beach, surrounding hills and cruise ships. Each have their own tropical specialties.

Boardwalk Breeze at the Blue Bitch Bar

Pizza at Taloula Mango’s

Grab a $.99 beer at the Barefoot Bar to enjoy while walking the Boardwalk. The Barefoot Restaurant also serves up some excellent roti – mmm…roti…

Enjoy some good food and drink at Big Wood Grill on the Boardwalk, but don’t ask for a BBD if you are easily offended!

Walk through Big Wood Grill to get to Juggie’s Place, The Smallest Bar in the World!

Juggie’s Place on Front Street behind Big Wood Grill

Casual dining right on the beach at Chez Delphine

Stop, buy a cold drink and chat with some of the local vendors on the Boardwalk.

3. Shop

Front street and the connecting streets between the Boardwalk, Front and Back street have a large variety of shops carrying local crafts, souvenirs, liquor and more expensive items.

There are several liquor stores that carry a good selection of rums that we can’t find at home, so we usually buy a bottle or two to bring back with us.

And of course, be sure to stop at the Guavaberry Emporium on Front Street to sample different guavaberry rums, liquors and hot sauces. Be sure to try a Guavaberry Colada – so refreshing!

Direction sign next to the Guavaberry Emporium

So there you have it. Some of the things we’ve experienced and enjoyed during our visits to Philpsburg – so far. What have you enjoyed there?

To see more posts on St. Maarten/St. Martin 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

December 22, 2013December 22, 2013

Relax, Rum Therapy Style

Gearing up for a busy week filled with company and holiday activities? If you feel yourself getting a bit stressed, try relaxing Rum Therapy style. Choose a beach video below, grab a holiday rum drink, put your feet up and take a short escape…

Honeymoon Beach, St. John

Sandy Island, Carriacou

Cinnamon Bay, St. John

Key West Sunset

A few Holiday Rum Drink Recipes:

Candy Cane Rum Drink

Cranberry Mojito

Rum & Eggnog Shooter

Enjoy the Holiday Season!

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

November 1, 2013May 29, 2019

Happy Bay, St. Martin

A beautiful tropical beach really does make us happy, so when we heard about a beautiful beach on the french side of St. Martin called Happy Bay, we thought we really had to see it.

It’s a 15 minute hike to get to Happy Bay from Friar’s Bay, and the day we explored that side of the island we were in flip flops. We thought we’d attempt the hike anyway.

There’s parking for the trail in the lot behind Friar’s Bay and the path to Happy Bay which can be found on the north side of Friar’s Bay Beach Cafe.

There’s a section of trail that was a little rocky, but then it opens up to a nice meadow. Small signs painted on several rocks indicate where to go.

There are some nice views of Friar’s Bay and surrounding coves from the trail.

A gate mid-way down the trail opens up to a beautiful meadow.

Pass under the tree with the beautiful canopy to get to Happy Bay Beach.

We hear that Happy Bay is usually very quiet with very few people and although there were quite a few people playing in the water and enjoying the beautiful sand while we were there, there were still a lot of quiet spots to enjoy the sunshine and gentle surf. Currently there are no amenities available at Happy Bay, so be sure to bring in any snacks and drinks you might need.

Or, just make a stop for lunch and some drinks at Friar’s Bay Beach Bar/Cafe or Kali’s Beach Bar when you get back to Friar’s Bay!

Even if you’re in your flip flops – if you like beautiful, less crowded beaches, the hike to Happy Bay is well worth it.

Have you been to Happy Bay?

Find Happy Bay on our St. Maarten/ St. Martin Map

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

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

October 15, 2013May 29, 2019

Cupecoy Bay Beach, St. Maarten

The last beach on the Dutch side before crossing over to the French side on the west side of St. Maarten is a beauty. The beach at Cupecoy Bay winds among cliffs and caves and the strikingly blue water is a beautiful contrast to the soft, light tan sand.

Find Cupecoy Bay on the map above. For an interactive version of this map, click HERE.

Known as a “clothing optional” beach, Cupecoy has some longer expanses of beach as well as a series of small caves, perfect for those looking for a little solitude, or just to explore.

From the beach at Cupecoy you can see Saba faintly in the distance.

We got to Cupecoy early one morning to walk and explore the beach and caves. It was gorgeous and we were treated to a new view around each corner.

Rock cairn in one of the caves

At the end of the beach we ran across a small bar which unfortunately was not open yet that morning.

We took the path on top of the cliffs back to our car and enjoyed the beauty from above Cupecoy almost as much as down by the beach. Breathtaking.

Cupecoy has become known as a haven for naturists and if sunbathing and swimming “au natural” is your thing, you will be in good company. Even if you’d prefer to keep your clothes on, Cupecoy is well worth a visit as it is simply beautiful, has some good snorkeling and it’s one of the best places to watch a sunset on St. Maarten!

Have you explored the beach and caves of Cupecoy?

St. Maarten/St. Martin Map

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

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

September 3, 2013May 29, 2019

Mr. Busby’s Beach Bar, St. Maarten

Mr. Busby’s Beach Bar, St. Maarten is a laid back and fun beach bar with good food by day and an award winning Italian Food Restaurant called Daniels by the Sea at night.

Located on the east side of St. Maarten on beautiful Dawn Beach – close to the Oyster Bay Beach Resort, this bustling place is just barely on the Dutch side of St. Maarten.

Mr. Busby’s sits on beautiful Dawn Beach and you can rent the beach chairs that sit in front of the bar. Food and drink can be ordered directly from your chair on the beach, making it even easier to relax and enjoy the St. Maarten sunshine…

From Mr Busby’s you can even see St. Barths in the distance (very faintly in the center of the picture)

Swimming is good on calm days and there’s plenty of room to walk the long beach.

We enjoyed spending an afternoon at Mr. Busby’s and think it’s worth a stop if in the area for lunch – or a fine Italian dinner, good rum beverages and some quality St. Maarten beach time.

Find Mr. Busby’s Beach Bar on our St. Maarten/St. Martin Map

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

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

August 21, 2013May 29, 2019

Cinnamon Bay, St. John

We’ve been asked if we have a favorite beach on St. John, and we’d have to answer the same way that our friend Dwayne Allen of the Rum Bar in Phoenix answered when we asked him if he had a favorite rum. He said “They’re all like my children – I love them equally, it’s just that some days I prefer one over the other!”

Map of St. John north side beaches. The umbrellas indicate beaches. For and interactive version of this map, click here.

With so many outstanding beaches to visit on St. John, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but Cinnamon Bay will always hold a special place in our heart. When we first visited St. John some 17 years ago, we were on a cruise and had only one day to explore St. Thomas and St. John. We asked a good friend of ours who had spent time on both islands for his advise on what to do and see. This is the same friend that told us we must sample a Painkiller while in St. John…which, of course, we did, and have been sampling them ever since!

So what was his advice? Take the ferry to St. John and spend the entire day on Cinnamon Bay. That’s exactly what we did, and spent an entire, beautiful day on one of the prettiest beaches we’d ever seen, sharing it with only a family of donkeys. That’s right – aside from a couple way on the other end of the beach – and the donkey’s – we had it all to ourselves.

Fast forward 17 years and Cinnamon Bay is now one of the most popular beaches on the island and for good reason. It not only has a mile long expanse of gorgeous white sand, good swimming and snorkeling, it now has a ton of amenities as well.

Cinnamon Bay has a General Store, a Beach Shop, Watersports Activity Center, Restaurant, Restroom and Showers, Camping and Cottages, plenty of parking and regular taxi service.

The only bad thing about all of this? You most likely won’t be the only ones on the beach with a family of donkey’s anymore. But with a mile of beautiful beach to enjoy, you should still be able to find a great spot in the sun as you can see from a picture of a more recent visit above.

One of the Cinnamon Bay Cottages

View to the left from the beach

Looking down Cinnamon Bay Beach to the right

Cinnamon Bay – still one of our favorite places to get our toes in the sand on St. John. Can you see why?

For more information on camping and other amenities on Cinnamon Bay, check out the
Cinnamon Bay Campground Website

Find Cinnamon Bay on our St. John Island Map

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

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

July 12, 2013September 25, 2019

Loblolly Bay, Anegada

It’s really not that easy to get to Anegada in the British Virgin Islands, which is good because if it were, everyone would go. And part of Anegada’s charm is the fact that many times you can walk for miles along one of it’s gorgeous beaches and not see a single soul. That’s our kind of beach!

Loblolly Bay is located on the north side of Anegada. You can easily get a taxi to Loblolly from Setting Point or The Settlement. See the map below for more information on the location of Loblolly Bay.

Loblolly has some really good snorkeling in areas, but our favorite thing to do on Loblolly is to walk the seemingly unending white sand beach and play in the powder blue water.

Big Bamboo Beach Bar & Restaurant is located at the entrance to Loblolly. We didn’t have a chance to sample the food, but hear it’s very good and we certainly enjoyed a few cold rum beverages.

Big Bamboo Beach Bar

Another restaurant/bar called Flash of Beauty (love that name) is located close by.

There are palapas for shade, and also a dive and gift shop, restrooms and showers available at Big Bamboo.

Take a day trip from Tortola or Virgin Gorda, or plan to stay longer in the Loblolly Beach Cottages or one of the other small inns found on the island.

A little peace and quiet mixed with some spectacular beach scenery. We’re ready to go back – how about you?

To see more posts on the British Virgin Islands 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.

July 2, 2013July 25, 2019

Dune Preserve, Anguilla

On an picturesque stretch of sand on beautiful Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla, sits Dune Preserve, an ever changing bar/restaurant/music lounge owned by famous reggae musician Bankie Banx.

Dune Preserve sits between the beautiful CuisinArt Resort and Spa and its Greg Norman designed golf course, and is ever changing because owner Bankie and friends continually add to the work of art with predominately salvaged and discarded wood and other materials found in the area.

We loved checking out the funky decor and chatting with a few of the locals hanging out there the day we visited, but we’d love to go back someday to enjoy the live music.

The Dune Preserve is home to the annual Moonsplash Festival, a several day event featuring world class musicians and usually a few surprise guests. Apparently both Jimmy Buffet and John Mayer have stopped in to jam at past festivals.

Great place to enjoy a tasty libation and food along with a fantastic view of Rendezvous Bay and St. Martin and if you can time it right, some great live music.

Find out more by visiting the Bankie Banx Website.

Find Dune Preserve on our Anguilla Map

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

June 20, 2013May 29, 2019

Hawksnest Bay, St. John

It’s hard to pick a favorite beach on St. John – there are just so many gorgeous ones. There’s one after another on St. John’s north shore and one of the closer ones to Cruz Bay is Hawksnest Bay.

Hawksnest is easy to get to, has parking close to the beach, has good amenities such as BBQ grills, restrooms and covered pavilions, and because of these conveniences – can get busy. What we like the most about Hawksnest is that it’s a great place to have a picnic, is great for swimming and snorkeling (unless there’s a north swell) and has some terrific shady areas and a little privacy in and amongst the lush foliage.

Walk along the beach to the west then on a trail through the woods next to the water to get to Little Hawksnest Beach for a little more seclusion, or drive .3 miles past the Hawksnest Beach parking lot to park and enter Gibney Beach, which is actually part of Hawksnest Bay. Gibney has very limited parking but is beautiful and usually quite secluded.

Looking towards Little Hawksnest Beach

View of Gibney Beach

The clear water makes for great snorkeling in areas

One of the paths to Hawksnest Beach

Find Hawksnest Bay on our ST. JOHN MAP

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

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