Beaches Archives | Page 3 of 4

June 3, 2013June 5, 2019

Rum Therapy On St. John

Although the smallest of the three US Virgin Islands, St. John has a tremendous amount of things to do and see, or plenty of space to stretch out and do nothing at all, if that’s what you’re looking for!

During a recent visit, we took an early morning car ferry from Red Hook, St. Thomas to St. John. The car ferry is a good option if you’ve rented a car on St. Thomas and have plenty of time – just check with your car rental company to make sure they allow it.

Car Ferry from Red Hook, St. Thomas to St. John

Lovely Cruz Bay, St. John. Cruz Bay is where the ferries arrive and depart.

Right off of the passenger ferry dock you’ll find a number of great beach bars and fun stores. During this trip, we made a stop at St. John Spice (upper level) and Bones Rum (1st level).

Take a hike down the beach and stop for a drink at:

High Tide

Joe’s Rum Hut, or

The Beach Bar.

Cruz Bay has a lot of other great restaurant, bar and shopping options – there’s literally something for everyone. We headed up the hill on 20 toward the north side beaches and stopped at the Cruz Bay overlook for a pic.

Then took a hike down through the forest to check out Salomon (Solomon) Bay and Honeymoon Beach.

Salomon (Solomon) Bay

Honeymoon Beach

We continued on 20 past Caneel Bay

And stopped at Hawksnest Bay Beach to lounge in the water for a while

Climbed Peace Hill to check out the ruins and the gorgeous views…

Then lingered for a while at the popular Trunk Bay Overlook for a picture of the spectacular bay.

Trunk Bay

And snorkeled at the Trunk Bay Underwater Snorkel Trail

Stopped at Cinnamon Bay to put our toes in the sand

Checked out beautiful Maho Bay for the first time

And peaceful Francis Bay.

We took our time looking around Coral Bay.

Enjoying a very tasty Jazz Brunch at Miss Lucy’s

and later an extremely tasty hamburger and rum drinks at Skinny Legs.

We hiked the Salt Pond Trail to Drunk Bay

to check out some interesting coral sculptures that other visitors have created…

And took one last chance to wade in the clear, blue water of Salt Pond Bay. Reluctantly, we headed back to the ferry, a bit more tan and a lot more relaxed…

There you have it. A few of our favorite experiences from our last (much too short) visit to St. John. We’ll most certainly be going back, so, what have we missed? What are your favorite things to see and do on St. John?

To see other 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

May 31, 2013July 25, 2019

Prickly Pear Cays, Anguilla

About six miles from Road Bay, Anguilla lies a set of uninhabited islands called Prickly Pear Cays.

During a recent sail trip, our Captain suggested we make a stop there to enjoy some time in the sun on a gorgeous, quiet beach. The backside of the Cays were rocky with little vegetation.

But…as soon as we rounded the corner….wow. A beautiful cove of clear vibrant blue water fringed by a long stretch of very white sand.

We could hardly wait to dive in an swim ashore. The Captain anchored close to the picturesque point.

After lounging in the water and enjoying the floating bar, we took our time kicking and floating our way in to the beach.

And enjoyed exploring the small cay. There’s a small beach bar called Prickly Pear Bar & Restaurant where you can grab some food and drink, watch the sugar birds and lizards and lounge in the beach chairs.

We spent most of our time that day walking the sugar sand beach and floating in the calm water.

Excursions to Prickly Pear are available either from Road Bay, Anguilla or neighboring St. Maarten/St. Martin. Snorkeling was good out a little farther at the reef, but we had a hard time keeping our head under water when the view was so beautiful above….

To see more posts on Anguilla 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

May 23, 2013June 5, 2019

Little Deadman’s Beach, Peter Island

Little Deadman’s Beach, an extension of Deadman’s Beach on Peter Island in the British Virgin Islands, is a beautiful expanse of soft, light colored sand, excellent for sunbathing, snorkeling or just totally relaxing…

Rumored to have gotten its name for the pirates marooned on neighboring Dead Chest Island who drowned while attempting to swim to Peter Island and washed up on shore, Deadman’s Bay is gorgeous and well worth a visit!

Accessible only by boat, Little Deadman’s Beach offers beautiful views of Deadman’s Beach, Peter Island Resort and Tortola.

The protected bay is great for swimming, kayaking, walking the beach or just floating in the turquoise waters…

Walk over to the stunning Deadman’s Bay Beach, where although the beach chairs and other amenities are for use by the Peter Island Resort guests, day visitors can order lunch or beverages from Deadman’s Beach Bar & Grill.

If you want to stretch your legs a bit, take a hike up the road where you can sit and take in more amazing views of the bay.

And the other side of the island…

Big Bay Reef, Peter Island

And, if you’re looking for a little “alone” time, just head over to Honeymoon Beach right next to Little Deadman’s Beach, where you’ll find just one thatched palapa with two lounge chairs.

One day on Little Deadman’s Beach wasn’t nearly enough and got us thinking that maybe a longer stay on island at the Peter Island Resort might just go on the “list”!

Find Little Deadman’s Beach on our Peter Island Map

To see more posts on the BVI 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

May 15, 2013July 25, 2019

Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla

Have you ever seen a beach so white and so beautiful that it was almost blinding?

During our recent trip to Antigua we had Rendezvous Bay on our list of places to visit. Not actually to see the beach as much as to visit a famous beach bar (which we’ll talk more about later). I mean, we had just spent time on Shoal Bay and Upper Shoal Bay earlier. Nothing could be a as beautiful as those two beaches – could it? Little did we know…

We parked at the Anguilla Great House and walked through to the beach. It was a bit breezy that day so we kept our heads down a bit to keep the sand out of our eyes and we were busy checking out the pretty grounds of the hotel. When we got to the beach and looked up we let out a little gasp.To the left was a long, long expanse of super white beautiful sand and extremely blue, blue water. So white and so blue that it was really almost blinding – yet we couldn’t take our eyes off of it.

To the right was an even longer stretch. The beach was nearly secluded – just a few people playing and enjoying the gorgeousness. Two miles of secluded white sand fringing beautiful turquoise blue water and a great view of nearby St. Martin. Stunning.

We made our way to the right, intent on finding the beach bar we were searching for, but moved slowly to try and take it all in.

Halfway down the beach we walked by a colorful and fun looking bar called The Sun Shine Shack. Wanting to stop and sample a beverage, we decided to continue down the beach and stop on our way back. (We did and highly recommend stopping in to say hi to Garvey and to enjoy a rum punch or two!)

Further down the beach we came across the beautiful CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa. CuisinArt sits on an amazing long stretch of beautiful Rendezvous Bay.

By now we were getting thirsty and just in time. Just a short way past CuisinArt we spotted the beach bar that we were originally hoping to see – Dune Preserve.

We enjoyed a rum punch at Dune Preserve while looking back at the beauty of Rendezvous Bay and realized that this is one beach we’d like to spend a lot more time on…a LOT more time…

If you’re heading to Anguilla, we’d recommend Rendezvous Bay for swimming, sunbathing, walking and enjoying time at the Sun Shine Shack and Dune Preserve.

Find Rendezvous Bay on our Anguilla Map

To see more posts on Anguilla 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

May 15, 2013April 18, 2021

Coconut Bar, Young Island Resort

I was looking at some FB pics the other day and saw a picture of a bar that looked very familiar. As I read on, I realized that we had visited the bar a number of years back and had completely forgotten.

The name of the bar is Coconut Bar and it’s a swim up bar in the water just off of Young Island Resort, which is a private resort/island just off the coast of St. Vincent. I looked through our archives of pictures from past trips and found it.

Located just a few strokes away from the beach, Coconut Bar had a good selection of rum cocktails as well as good cold Hairouns (St. Vincent beer).

We were ready to embark on a week long sail through the Grenadines and our boat was anchored on the southeast side of St. Vincent at the Young Island Cut. While waiting to board, we were told that we might enjoy taking the free water taxi over to Young Island and enjoying a bit of sunbathing and a beverage.

The island itself looked like a tropical rainforest with lush foliage and flowers everywhere.
The beach had a selection of comfortable lounge chairs and hammocks and we enjoyed the afternoon lounging in the sunshine while watching the boats move in and out of the Cut and looking across at beautiful St. Vincent….

And the best part? When we got a little too warm (or thirsty!) we just took a short swim over to the Coconut Bar to chat with the bartender and enjoy another beverage!

Have you been to the Young Island Resort or the Coconut Bar? If so, let us know about your visit!

To find out more about Young Island Resort and the Coconut Bar, you can visit their website here:
Young Island Resort

To see more posts on St. Vincent and the Grenadines 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 9, 2013April 27, 2021

The Baths, Virgin Gorda

The Baths, Virgin Gorda – one of the most recognized beaches in the British Virgin Islands. The Baths “biggest” feature? HUGE boulders that pepper the light sandy beach.

Devils Bay, to the south of The Baths and Spring Bay, to the north of The Baths both have gigantic boulders as well, but highest concentration of boulders are in The Baths area and you can find a trail here that will lead you around, over and through some of the most spectacular of them.

See what it’s like to explore The Baths here: Exploring The Baths, Virgin Gorda

The path starts at the BVI National Trust building near the parking lot near the Top of the Baths Bar/Restaurant and shopping area and winds down the hill toward the beach.

You’ll find yourself walking on a sandy path one moment, then entering an opening between mammoth boulders, wading in shallow blue water between the rocks, climbing a few ladders and using ropes placed on some rocks to help navigate the incline.

And if you can make it through the maze to the end of the trail, you will be rewarded with the beautiful Devil’s Bay beach – a great place to sunbathe, and to swim and snorkel when the water is calm.

When you are done hiking, exploring, swimming and sunning, you can head back up the hill to enjoy a frosty beverage at the Top of the Baths, as well as a stunning view of The Baths, Sir Francis Drake Channel Beef Island and Tortola in the distance.

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.

April 24, 2013June 5, 2019

Pumpkin Bluff Beach, North Caicos

O.K. we admit it – we are just crazy about beaches. Something about the beautiful blue water and creamy white sand absolutely soothes our souls. We’ve been lucky to have seen some amazing beaches in our travels and this is one of the top on our list.

Getting there:If you don’t like deserted beaches, with miles of undisturbed sugar soft sand, you should probably not read any further. We visited this one, Pumpkin Bluff Beach on North Caicos three times during our stay on the island, never saw another person – and LOVED the solitude…

Pumpkin Bluff was not the easiest beach to find on North Caicos – perhaps the reason it was so isolated. In fact, we never saw a sign leading to Pumpkin Bluff and originally called it Shipwreck Beach because of the freighter shipwrecked just off the reef. It wasn’t until we returned home and located the beach on a map that we realized the name was Pumpkin Bluff. Still think we like Shipwreck Beach better!

We’d recommend just getting a good map and exploring until you find it – it’s well worth it. Three Mary Cays on the right in the distance is a great place to snorkel.

Pumpkin Bluff has very long expanse of beautiful white, soft sand and the water is shallow and clear for a long way out. The weather was calm and warm while we were in North Caicos and the swimming (and floating) were great!

The Rum Therapy gang enjoying the beach all to ourselves…

Amenities: none :)

Recommended for: swimming, anyone that enjoys a quiet beach experience. Take a picnic and your favorite rum drinks and enjoy the solitude.

Other Turks & Caicos post that you might enjoy:

Rum Therapy in Turks and Caicos

Mudjin Harbour, Middle Caicos

Find Pumpkin Bluff Beach on our Turks and Caicos Map

To see more posts on the Turks and Caicos islands and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

April 10, 2013September 25, 2019

White Bay, Jost Van Dyke

There are a few beaches that we’ve come across in our travels that simply take our breath away and White Bay, Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands is definitely one of them.

With powder soft white sand and turquoise blue, clear water set off by lush foliage, it is truly a tropical paradise.

In addition to its incredible beauty, White Bay is home to some of the best beach bars around, such as One Love Bar & Grill, Gertrude’s, Soggy Dollar, and Ivan’s Stress Free Bar. (See more about Jost Van Dyke Beach Bars here: Bar Hopping On Jost Van Dyke)

Separated in the middle by a rocky outcropping, it’s well worth the hike to go from one end to the other checking out the people, the scenery and ALL of the bars! (be sure to wear shoes or sandals when crossing the outcropping. There is a cement stairway over the top of it, but there are some sharp rocks to navigate on Ivan’s side)

Getting there: Get to White Bay via boat, taxi over from Great Harbour, or rent a jeep from Great Harbour (the adventurous, non-inebriated, very fit or frugal individuals can walk over the hill from Great Harbour. We hiked it once…)

Beach: beautiful white sand with gradual access. Great for swimming in the quieter areas (watch for boats – White Bay can get very busy with boats, especially in the afternoon), snorkel by the rocks on the east end.

Recommended for: well, anyone that loves a beautiful beach…

Tip: because of the popularity of the beach bars on White Bay (especially Soggy Dollar), it can get very busy in the afternoon. If you like a party, you’ll love to be there at the busy time. If you’d rather experience White Bay when it’s quieter, consider visiting in the early morning, or later in the evening when the day crowds have gone home. Here are a just a few pictures taken during some of the quieter moments…

And top off a perfect beach day with a perfect sunset…

Other Jost Van Dyke posts you might be interested in:

Rum Therapy On Jost Van Dyke

Barhopping On Jost Van Dyke

Ivan’s Stress Free Bar

Foxy’s Tamarind Bar

The Soggy Dollar Bar

White Bay Villas and Seaside Cottages

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

April 4, 2013June 5, 2019

Maho Bay, St. John

When it comes to beautiful beaches, St. John, USVI sure has its share. The island is dotted with phenomenal white sand beaches with beautiful clear, turquoise water. Just past some of the most popular and sometimes quite crowded beaches, Trunk and Cinnamon, you come to the overlook of another St. John beauty – Maho Bay.

Overlook of Maho Bay

Access: Limited parking in parking spaces right on the road, close to the beach.

Beach: a nice stretch of soft sand with lined with palm trees and Maho trees. Gentle sandy access, great for swimming. Usually calm surf. Popular with the locals on weekends.

Amenities: A beach pavilion that can be reserved by permit through the Virgin Islands National Park Service.

Recommended for: swimming, some snorkeling, families, photography, anyone wanting a quiet beach with few amenities.

Tip: stop at Trunk Bay for snorkeling or Cinnamon Bay for full amenities, but continue to Maho if you want to escape the crowds and don’t need a lot of amenities.

Find Maho 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, 2014
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

March 8, 2013June 6, 2019

Mudjin Harbour, Middle Caicos

On the North coast of a sparsely populated island called Middle Caicos is a beautiful area that is a bit reminiscent of Ireland – with probably a wee bit more sunshine. The area is called Mudjin Harbour and it’s spectacularly beautiful!

Middle Caicos is one of the island in the Turks and Caicos chain. The largest of the islands, Middle Caicos, is 48 square miles with a population of under 300. The north shore of Middle Caicos is more dramatic than the other Caicos Islands with limestone cliffs and long sandy beaches.

Access: If not taking an excursion via a local tour operator, the best way to get to Middle Caicos is to take the ferry from Providenciales to North Caicos, rent a car on North Caicos and drive across the causeway to Middle Caicos. Credit cards are sometimes not accepted at gas stations – so be sure to bring cash and fill up on North Caicos as there are no gas stations on Middle Caicos.

Once on Middle Caicos, turn left into the Blue Horizon Resort and park by the cement path to the beach. Follow the Beach Cave Trail for a short hike to the overlook of Mudjin Harbour.

Beach Cave Trail Sign
Overlook of Mudjin Harbour
Looking down at Mudjin Harbour
Mudjin 5
Beach: Snorkeling in this area can be excellent when the ocean is calm and the beach is wonderful for walking and exploring small beach caves. When the tide is low you can walk from the beach to “the dragon” – the rocky outcropping about 200 yards off the beach. Take the trail from Mudjin Bar & Grill over the top of the cliffs for stunning views of the area.

Amenities: Mudjin Bar & Grill serves food and drinks with an excellent view. Want to stay longer? The cottages at Blue Horizon Resort offer quiet and tranquility with easy access to the beach.

Recommended for: anyone willing to go a little out of the way to see a stunning beach and overlooks of limestone cliffs and a turquoise sea, those who like to explore relatively unknown and uncrowded beaches, and photographers.

Tip: In addition to Mudjin Harbour, while on Middle Caicos, be sure to check out the caves – some of which you can explore on your own and some that require guides. Hike part of the Crossing Place Walking Trail. Stop at Conch Bar Village for some fresh seafood and the Middle Caicos Co-op to see a collection of handmade TCI crafts. Drive a little further to see beautiful Bambarra Beach and if you’re lucky enough to be in the area around Valentines Day, check out the Traditional Model Sailboat Races in the Valentines Day Cup

Find Mudjin Harbour on our Turks & Caicos Map

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