St. John Archives | Page 2 of 3

August 19, 2015June 6, 2019

Best of USVI Survey Results

Thanks to all who took our survey on the “Best-Of St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix”. We hope the results of our Readers Choice survey will give people planning to visit one of these beautiful islands in the near future some ideas of what to do during that well deserved vacation. The results below are simply a compilation of the answers given by our readers based on what they’ve enjoyed while vacationing in the USVI and we do not endorse, nor discount any of the properties, restaurants, shops or attractions listed or not listed. We encourage you to continue to do your own research prior to your trip.

Some of the answers were eye-opening to us and after reading this, we’ve added a few things to our list to see and do during our next visit! Enjoy!

St. Thomas

Best Beach on St. Thomas:
1. Magens Bay
2. Sapphire Beach
3. Coki Point
4. Bolongo Bay

Best Beach Bar/Island Bar on St. John:
1. Duffy’s Love Shack
2. Iggies
3. Big Kahuna Rum Shack
4. Island Time Pub

Best Rum Drink on St. Thomas:
1. Painkiller
2. Bushwacker
3. Banana Daiquiri
4. VooDoo Juice

Best Restaurant on St. Thomas:
1. Sunset Grille
2. Fish Tails
3. Banana Tree Grille
4. Mafolie

Best Hotel/Resort on St. Thomas:
1. Bolongo Bay Beach Resort
2. Marriot’s Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Beach Resort
3. The Ritz-Carlton
4. Dreams Sugar Bay
Write ins with multiple votes: Mafolie Hotel, Bluebeards Castle

Best Villa/Condo Rental in St. Thomas:
1. Slice of Heaven, Magens Bay
2. Sapphire Beach Condos – write ins
3. Point Pleasant – write ins
4. Brigadoon – Red Hook

Best Shop or Boutique on St. Thomas:
1. Pirates in Paradise
2. Bones Rum
3. Native Arts & Crafts Cooperative
Write ins with multiple votes: Fish Face, Caribbean Surf Co.

Best Souvenir to bring home from St. Thomas:
1. Bones Rum
2. Larimar Jewelry
Write ins with multiple votes: Hook Bracelet, Cruzan Rum

Best attraction to experience in St. Thomas:
1. Coral World Ocean Park & Undersea Observatory
2. Skyride to Paradise Point
3. Mountain Top
4. Tree Limin’ Extreme
Write ins with multiple votes: Great House Botanical Gardens, Drake’s Seat, Magens Bay

St. John

Best Beach on St. John:
1. Trunk Bay
2. Cinnamon Bay
3. Maho Bay
4. Salomon and Honeymoon
Write in with multiple votes: Gibney

Best Beach Bar/Island Bar on St. John:
1. The Beach Bar
2. Skinny Legs
3. Woody’s
4. Joe’s Rum Hut

Best Rum Drink on St. John:
1. Painkiller
2. Bushwhacker
3. Rum Punch
Write ins with multiple votes: Mojito and Island Girl from Joe’s Rum Hut, Lime in de Coconut

Best Restaurant on St. John:
1. The Lime Inn
2. Cruz Bay Landing
3. The Banana Deck
4. The Terrace Restaurant
Write in with multiple votes: The Fish Trap

Best Place to Stay on St. John:
1. Private Villa: There were more write ins on this one than votes on the entries posted. Most of the write ins were for private villas with no specific name mentioned with the exception of Villa Mar de Amores and Villa St. John.
2. Westin St. John Resort & Villas
3. Caneel Bay Resort
4. Gallow’s Point Resort

Best Shop or Boutique on St. John:
1. St. John Spice
2. Bougainvillea
3. Coconut Coast Studios
Write ins with multiple votes: Sloop Jones, Caravan, Freebird, Bamboo Studio

Best Souvenir to bring home from St. John:
1. St. John Hook Bracelet
2. Cruz Bay Grill Rub from St. John Spice
3. A Hand Painted Shirt from Sloop Jones
Write ins with multiple votes: T-shirt from The Beach Bar, Larimar Jewelry, rum, a good suntan

Best Attraction to Experience on St. John:
1. Snorkeling the trail at Trunk Bay
2. Snorkeling at Waterlemon Cay
3. Hiking anywhere in the VI National Park
Write ins with multiple votes: Drunk Bay, Exploring the town of Cruz Bay

St Croix

Best Beach on St. Croix:
1. Sandy Point Beach
2. Rainbow Beach
3. Cane Bay Beach
4. Sandcastle Beach
Write ins with multiple votes: Buck Island Beach

Best Beach Bar/Island Bar on St. Croix:
1. Rhythms at Rainbow Beach
2. Rum Runners
3. eat @ cane bay
4. Off the Wall
Write ins with multiple votes: Beachside Café

Best Rum Drink on St. Croix
1. Painkiller
2. Cruzan Confusion
3. Green Flash
Write ins with multiple votes: Lime in de Coconut

Best restaurant on St Croix:
1. Polly’s On the Pier
2. Rowdy Joes
3. The Waves at Cane Bay
4. Galangal
Write ins with multiple votes: Duggans Reef, Rum Runners, LeReine Chicken Shack, eat @ cane bay

Best place to stay on St. Croix:
1. TIE: Renaissance St. Croix Carambola Beach Resort & Spa and Sand Castle on the Beach
2. The Buccaneer
3. Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort
Write ins with multiple votes: Cottages by the Sea, Condo Rental

Best shop or boutique on St. Croix:
1. Sonya Ltd
2. Purple Papaya
3. ib designs
4. From the Gecko Boutique
Write ins with multiple votes: Franklins on the Waterfront

Best Souvenir to bring home from St. Croix:
1. St. Croix Hook Bracelet
2. Cruzan Rum
3. Chaney Jewelry

Best attraction to experience on St. Croix:
1. Catamaran Sail to Buck Island
2. Kayaking at night in a bioluminescent bay
3. Point Udall
4. Beer drinking pigs at Montpellier Domino Club
5. Cruzan Rum Factory Tour
Write ins with multiple votes: dive the wall, dive or snorkel the pier, Jump Up Festival, St. George Village Botanical Gardens

To read more about these and other islands, be sure to check our Blog Directory by Island

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

June 7, 2014November 19, 2015

Love City Radio – The Sound of St. John

Just recently, Facebook friend Patrick B. turned us on to a new radio station started by St. John residents Kevin Burgess and Jamie Gladman. Love City Radio is as diverse as beautiful St. John itself, and offers up selections from reggae to country to pop – an eclectic mix that evokes the feeling of relaxing in your favorite St. John bar and enjoying some music while kicking back and sipping a cold brew. (perhaps an Island Hoppin’ IPA from St. John Brewers?)

Jamie, who had 15 years of experience in radio in Kansas City, now does advertising and print work for local businesses on St. John. Kevin owns Wet Woody’s Boat Charters and St. John A/V, a custom audio/video and home technology company. Together, they launched the new station in December 2013 and are already experiencing a great response from those of us in need of an occasional (or constant) St John fix.

According to Kevin, there are several ways people can interact with Love City Radio. Song requests can be made through, Facebook, and Twitter by using #LCRsongrequest. They also send out free stickers if listeners contact them and provide their mailing address. Listeners often post photos on the Love City Radio Facebook page when they receive their stickers and also of themselves listening to the station.

I just requested a Love City Radio sticker and now am gonna go kick back and enjoy some Love City Radio tunes. Currently playing: Biggie Irie – Carnival Again :)

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

May 27, 2014June 6, 2019

What to See and Do in Cruz Bay, St. John

Cruz Bay is the active, yet laid back main town and port of St. John, US Virgin Islands. Here you will find most of the islands stores and restaurants and visitor services such as taxis and car rentals.

copyright Rum Therapy — Ferry Dock in Cruz Bay, St. John

Passenger ferries from either Charlotte Amalie or Red Hook on St. Thomas arrive and depart from the dock in Cruz Bay, bringing many people to the island throughout the day. See ferry schedules here. Many people head directly for one of St. John’s gorgeous beaches and spend very little time in Cruz Bay, but if you have the time, there are many great things to experience right here.

We’ve had the pleasure of visiting Cruz Bay quite a few times, and although we’ve yet to experience all that this fun & funky town has to offer, we’ve listed a few of our favorite attractions to date. Feel free to leave a comment below with some of your favorite things to see and do while visiting Cruz Bay, St. John.

We’ve highlighted a few of our favorite stops (so far) on the map above.

Upon arrival at the ferry dock, we usually head straight for the wonderful smelling St. John Spice, which can be found on the second floor of the building just to the right as you leave the dock.

Here you can find all sorts of spices, Cruz Bay Grill Rub, coffee, local cookbooks, island gifts, and island wear. St. John Spice also has a webcam that gives a real time view of the ferry dock and beautiful Cruz Bay. Tell your family and friends to watch for you as you enjoy yourself in paradise!

If you’ve worked up a thirst (or appetite) already, there are three great beach bar/restaurants right at the waters edge. High Tide, Joe’s Rum Hut and The Beach Bar all offer slightly different menus and drinks and all are great places to hang out, chat with locals and visitors, listen to some live music and admire the scenery.

From there we always try to make a stop at the Pink Papaya, a Caribbean Style Gallery that specializes in unique and unusual Caribbean style gifts including fine painting and jewelry from local artists.

A little more walking and we’re usually ready for a Love City Smoothie from Our Market Smoothies.
Cognac, Passionfruit, Strawberry and Rum – cold and delicious!

Want information on St. John National Parks? After all, much of this beautiful island has been designated as a National Park. Find out how to explore it at the National Park Service Visitor Center.

More shopping? No problem! Mongoose Junction on north side of Cruz Bay is a beautiful complex of intimate shops, restaurants and services. A few of our favorites here are:

Bajo el SolArt Gallery – featuring the works of several local artists.

The Tap Room – have you heard of St. John Brewers? Check out some of the tasty local beer crafted by Kevin and Cheech at this Island Microbrewery & Brew Pub.

Sun Dog Cafe – casual dining and a really good Sunday Brunch

Arawak Expeditions – looking for adventure? Check out their kayak, paddleboard, fly fish and snorkel expeditions!

Still have more time to explore? Here are a few more places that are on our Cruz Bay to-do list:

The Elaine Ione Sprauve Library & Museum – Find a great deal of information on St. John, the other American and British Virgin Islands and the Caribbean in general.

Quiet Mon’ Pub – the best Island Irish Pub around!

Woody’s Seafood Saloon – good food and a great place to hang out!

Whew. There you have it. Just a few ideas of what to see and do in Cruz Bay, St. John to help you plan for your next visit.

Tell us – What are some of your favorite Cruz Bay attractions?

To see more posts on St. John 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

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

Copyright©Rum Therapy
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

August 7, 2013June 6, 2019

Top Things To See & Do in the Caribbean Before You Get Too Old To Travel

WOW! We thought it would be fun to put together a list entitled “Top Things To See & Do in the Caribbean (and Bahamas) Before You Get Too Old To Travel” based on our wonderful readers suggestions and you once again came through! Just as you did with the Ultimate Rum Therapy Beach Playlist, you sent in a LOT of excellent submissions and we’ve compiled these in a list by island. If we have already written a blog post on this adventure or location, we included a link for more info and pictures. I’m sure there are many more things worthy of a mention here, so if you see something you think should absolutely be on the list, comment below and we’ll update the list from time to time.

So, sit back, prepare yourself for a little Tropication and see how many of these things you’ve already experienced or which ones you want to put on your own tropical “to do” list!

Anegada
Walk, swim and snorkel Loblolly Bay
Enjoy a rum beverage at Cow Wreck Beach Bar
Linger over a lobster dinner while barefoot on the beach

Anguilla
Walk Shoal Bay from one end to the other
Treat yourself to a stay at beautiful Cap Juluca on Maunday’s Bay
Enjoy the food at the restaurants of Sandy Ground, Anguilla – especially the Lobster Creole
Take a catamaran ride out to Prickly Pear Cay for the day

Antigua
Enjoy an amazing sunset from Shirley Heights
Take the Xtreme Circumnav Tour
Check out the parties and fun during Antigua Sailing Week
Spend the winter in Antigua, lying in hammock at Curtain Bluff or the beach at Pigeon Point

Bahamas
Experience the party at the Independence Day Celebration in Freeport, Grand Bahamas
Climb the Elbow Reef Lighthouse in Hope Town, Abaco to check out the view
Check out the amazing beauty of Treasure Cay Beach on Abaco
Enjoy an original Goombay Smash (or two!) at Miss Emily’s Blue Bee Bar on Green Turtle Cay
Swim with the pigs on Big Major Cay, Exuma Cays
Swim with the nurse sharks on Compass Cay

Barbados
Take the Mount Gay Rum Factory Tour

Bequia
Visit the Moonhole – or at least sail by it and take lots of pictures
Enjoy a Lobster Pizza at Mac’s
Visit the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary

Belize
Ambergris Caye – Swim with sharks at Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Spend a day line fishing, spear fishing, and snorkeling with manatee. Bring your catch to a private island where it’s cooked on the grill while you relax on hammocks or snorkel the mangroves looking at seahorses. Take a day trip to the mainland jungle to spot wildlife (including monkeys) and check out Mayan ruins.

Bonaire
Go diving – it’s beautiful!

Cayman Islands
Swim with the stingrays at Stingray City
Visit Rum Point, Grand Cayman
Watch the sunset on Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman

Culebra
Walk Flamenco Beach

Diving & Snorkeling
The Wall, St. Croix
Underwater snorkel trail at Buck Island, St. Croix and Trunk Bay, St. John
Dive Speyside Tobago
The Rhone, Salt Island
The Indians, BVI
Snorkel The Caves, Norman Island

Dominica
Hike to some of the spectacular waterfalls in the ultra-lush rainforest
Buy tasty fresh locally grown fruit and spices at some of the roadside stands

Guadeloupe
Snorkel or dive at the Jacques Cousteau Underwater Reserve
Take the rum factory tour on Marie-Galante (just south of Guadeloupe)

Grand Camanoe
Snorkel Diamond Reef

Grenada
Shop at the Spice Market and bring home some fresh spices

Happy Island
Order rum punches and visit with owner Janti

Jamaica
Ziplining
Take the Appleton Rum Factory Tour
Watch the sunrise from Blue Mountain Peak in Jamaica
Order Jerk Chicken, Pork or Fish at Scotchies
Climb Dunn River Falls or visit YS Falls
Horseback ride & swim at Chukka Cove
Spend a day at Floyd’s Pelican Bar, a bar 1/2 mile from shore
Jump off the cliffs at Rick’s Cafe, Negril

Jost Van Dyke
Have a Painkiller at the Soggy Dollar Bar
Enjoy some “stress free” time at Ivan’s
Enjoy a BBC at Gertrude’s
Go to the Bubbly Pool on JVD and then hit up Foxy’s Taboo after for a drink or two
Attend a Halloween, New Year’s Eve or Full Moon Party at Foxy’s and party ’till dawn
Bring home a bottle of Foxy’s Firewater Rum
Check out EVERY beach bar on JVD
Explore Diamond Cay

Mexico
Swim with the Whale Sharks in Cancun
Ride a golf cart and enjoy some authentic Mexican food on the island of Holbox, Mexico
Explore, snorkel or dive some of the cenotes in the Yucatan Penninsula of Mexico
Explore the Tulum and Chichen Itza ruins
Zipline and snorkel (not at the same time!) in Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Monserrat
View the Soufrière Hills Volcano and be awed at the forces of nature

Mustique
See the mansions of the rich and famous
Go to Basil’s Beach Bar for the Mustique Blues Festival

Nevis
Visit Old Bath House Ruins and The Nisbet Plantation
Have lunch at the Montpelier Plantation and Beach
Just GO to Nevis!

Norman Island
Experience the Shot-Ski at Willy T’s
Snorkel The Caves
Take the plunge at the Willy T’s
Snorkel or dive The Indians (close to Norman Island)

Petit Tabac
Explore the island and imagine finding Jack Sparrow’s hidden stash of rum

Puerto Rico
Explore El Yunque
Walk the cobblestone streets of Old Town Puerto Rico
Tour the 400 year old Fort El Morro

Saba
Hike Mt. Scenery

Sailing
Sail the British Virgin Islands and The Grenadines

Salt Island
Dive the Rhone

St. Barths
Enjoy a Cheeseburger at Le Select
Find the rhum at R. St. Barths and the infused rhum’s at M’Bolo

St. Croix
Bioluminescent Tour in a Glass Bottomed Kayak
Visit St George Village Botanical Gardens
Lyming by Sandy Point and Rainbow Beach on a Sunday
Take the Cruzan Rum Factory Tour and enjoy a delicious Cruzan Rum cocktail at the end
Spend a day on beautiful Cane Bay Beach
Be the first person in the U.S. to see the sunrise at Point Udall
Watch the sunset from Coconuts on the Beach
MontPellier Domino Club to see the drinking pigs and enjoy some Mamma Wanna and the best bushwacker on island
Snorkel the underwater trail at Buck Island
Dive the Wall by Cane Bay Beach and dive the Frederiksted Pier
Find seahorses at Frederiksted Pier
Check out the grounds at Mount Washington Plantation
Sail to Buck Island and explore for the day

St. John
Take pictures at the picturesque overlook of Trunk Bay
Snorkel the underwater trail at Trunk Bay
Kayak with a friend to a secret pocket beach
Try to see every beautiful beach on St. John
Enjoy some Key Lime Pie

St. Kitts
Explore Brimstone Hill
Explore Plantation Homes
Hit the Shiggidy Shack and Reggae Beach Bar & Grill for sun, fun and rum!

St. Lucia
Eat lunch between the Pitons at Hotel Chocolate
Stay at Jade Mountain Resort and stare at the Pitons in the comfort of your own in room pool
Snorkel/Scuba between the Pitons

St. Maarten/St. Martin
Watch the planes land right over your head while enjoying a rum punch at Sunset Bar & Grill, Maho Bay
Enjoy a drink while watching the bridge go up and the yachts go through at the Sint Maarten Yacht Club
Go shopping in Marigot at the outdoor market and in Philipsburg for watches, diamonds and Guavaberry Rum
Eat fanstastic French pastries at Sarafina’s Bakery
Walk Orient Beach from one end to the other
Drive, then hike to the top of Pic Paradis

St. Thomas
Spend the day at Magens Bay
Take the skyride up and enjoy the view of Charlotte Amalie and a Bushwacker

St. Vincent
Visit Wallilabou and visit the filming site of Pirates of the Caribbean

Tobago Cays
Snorkel with the turtles at the Tobago Cay Turtle Sanctuary

Tortola
Visit with Winston at the Nature Boy Beach Bar on Long Bay Beach
Float in the Limin’ House pool while sipping Sebastian’s Rum and stare at the view
Go to a Full Moon Party at the Bomba Shack AND Trellis Bay
Visit the Callwood Rum Distillery in Cane Garden Bay
Watch the sunset from BananaKeet Cafe

Turks and Caicos
Have a few drinks at Jack’s Shack, Grand Turk
Boogaloo’s Conch Shack, Providenciales
Go Bone Fishing

Vieques
Kayak the Bioluminescent Bay

Virgin Gorda
Spend lots of time exploring The Baths

Check out our Blog Directory by Island for even more pictures and island adventures!

July 18, 2013May 29, 2019

Drunk Bay, St. John

Ever go to the beach to check out the….flotsam art? We didn’t take the short hike to Drunk Bay in St. John specifically for the art, but we ended up finding it to be, well, quite entertaining, actually.

Drunk Bay does not have one of the typically gorgeous St. John beaches, such as any of the north side beaches, but we found it worth a visit nonetheless. Walk down to the pretty Saltpond Bay Beach and look for a trail that takes you to Salt Pond (you can find Saltpond Bay and Drunk Bay on our St. John Map). Walk past the Salt Pond, (which we are told is a good place to collect useable St. John sea salt) and towards the rocky shoreline of Drunk Bay.

As you near the shoreline, you will begin to see some rather unusual man-made coral and rock formations scattered about.

Decorated with pieces of coconut husks, driftwood and other items washed up from the sea, some of them are quite unusual and perhaps even artistic? It appeared to be a virtual outdoor art gallery!

A few were even anatomically ~~correct~~ similar.

Apparently the collection is continually changing with the tide, the weather and the anonymous artists that come to create their own Drunk Bay masterpieces.

An easy hike and something quite different. Glad we went.
Is some of your artwork on display at Drunk Bay?

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

June 25, 2013May 29, 2019

Palm Trees in Paradise

Nothing is quite as calming as a pictures of a palm tree next to beautiful blue water, and over the years we’ve amassed a nice collection of these types of pics. So…we thought we’d put some of our favorites together to share with you. Actually, we can’t verify that they are all palm trees – sorry- we’re far from palm experts, but they’re definitely palm looking plants that give us the same tropical feel! Since we couldn’t narrow it down any more than this, this is a sort of Tropical Palm Pictorial Journal. Pull up a glass of rum and enjoy a little tropication!

No wonder it’s called “Palm” Island…(The Grenadines)

Gorgeous palms on Saltwhistle Bay Beach, Mayreau.

Shoal Bay, Anguilla. This one gets extra points for the hammock :)

Palm Tree Tire Swing in Cane Garden Bay, Tortola

O.K, these are palm fronds on a palapa (and a small palm to the right), but we’re gonna count it anyway because it’s just super fun to look at and remember. Extra points for the rum punch at Guys Driftwood Boat Bar in St. Maarten.

Hard to believe there could be palm trees on a manmade conch shell island off of Union Island in the Grenadines, but as you can see, there certainly are palms on Happy Island!

Lovely palms and boats at Smathers Beach, Key West.

Gorgeous palm sunset on Kauai…

Cool leaning palm at Bolongo Bay, St. Thomas

Amazing palms and scenery of Tobago Cays, The Grenadines

The palms burned (cinematically – thank goodness) on Petit Tabac in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

The perfect twin palms of Maho Bay, St. John

A palm tree shadow at the gorgeous Magens Bay Beach, St. Thomas

View of the palms at Spring Bay, Virgin Gorda from the crystal clear blue water

A palm and a beautiful beach, what more do you need on Prickly Pear Cays, Anguilla?

A palm and a view at Smuggler’s Cove, Tortola

And I guess it wouldn’t hurt to end up with a palm (or two) and a Painkiller (or two) on White Bay, Jost Van Dyke in front of the Soggy Dollar Bar…would it?

To see more posts on these 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

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

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