It used to be that if you said the word "eco-resort," people would stare at you blankly. "Eco… resort? Isn’t that an oxymoron?" But now, slowly but surely, the idea is spreading. Case in point? Over 25 years after its opening, St. John’s pioneering Maho Bay Camps finally has a counterpart on St. Croix: Mount Victory Camp. Like Maho, Mount Victory features open-air tent-cabins offering a selection of basic amenities (furniture, kitchen facilities) that can best be categorized as "camping deluxe": close to nature, but without the discomforts that usually go along with it.
Of course, all this is not to say that Mount Victory is a mere clone of Maho. The basic idea may be similar, but the atmosphere is very different. For one thing, Mount Victory is still quite small, with only a handful of tent-cabins. And unlike the tent-cabins at Maho, which are all built on essentially the same simple design, each of Mount Victory’s five habitations is a unique and beautiful work of art. Each is made from a different kind of native wood (salvaged, of course). And each has its own character and its own distinctive touches: one has a spiral staircase leading up to a second-floor sleeping area; another has a tree growing through it; and there’s even one that’s built into the ruins of an old schoolhouse. There are also sites available for tent camping, with access to all the camp’s shared facilities (yay, clean bathrooms and hot showers!).
Mount Victory is tucked away in the mountains and built around a small, eco-friendly farm, which gives it a wonderfully out-of-the-way, down-home feel. Not that you’ll lack for things to do—there are plenty of trails nearby for hiking or horseback riding, and plenty of interesting ruins in the vicinity to explore. And the beaches and attractions of St. Croix are just a drive away.
In fact, for such a seemingly out-of-the-way place, Mount Victory is certainly a hot gathering spot. Why? Well, the camp’s central pavilion just happens to incorporate an awesome jungle bar. Plenty of locals come to hang out here, so if you’re the type of traveler who likes to meet people and mingle with folks from the area, you’ll find plenty of opportunities. You can hardly avoid it, in fact, since the jungle bar is also the dining area (serving authentic Caribbean food made by local cooks)! As if that weren’t enough, Mount Victory also plays host to live music performances. So even if you decide to stay elsewhere, you should stop by just to hang out, sample the food, and catch a concert.
If your tropical-getaway nightmare is a high-rise hotel on a crowded resort strip, then Mount Victory should be a dream come true—a place where you’ll be secluded, yet comfortable, close to nature, and immersed in local life. It may not be the Caribbean’s first eco-resort, but it’s certainly one of a kind.