Of the five ports we visited, this was our favorite. The shopping lady on board the ship, warned passengers that there wasn't very good shopping here. That was my first clue that this place would be more to our liking. Today the welcoming at…Read More

Of the five ports we visited, this was our favorite. The shopping lady on board the ship, warned passengers that there wasn't very good shopping here. That was my first clue that this place would be more to our liking.

Today the welcoming at the dock was a two man steel drum band. They weren't overamplified so it was a pleasant background sound. It set the mood for a Caribbean adventure. The walk into town was pleasant, we saw fences covered with sea grapes, then tents selling t-shirts, hats and novelties. The proprietors were polite and didn't badger us.

We spent some time in the Crafts Alive Village at Wickam Cay. I loved the setting. Small colorfully painted plantation style buildings were divided into up to four shops each. This compound was located on the water front, a lovely setting. We found crafts, clothing, and pottery here. It was fun stepping into each shop to see what variety they offered. Prices were reasonable, too.

Two guidebooks had highly recommended going to Pussers an Brit shop, bar and restaurant.We walked down the waterfront street searching for it. Found some other shops along the way. At one I bought a Christmas ornament. Pussers did have some quality sportswear but we didn't find the British treats and souvenirs we had hoped to find. It was too early for a lunch break so we decided to moved on to Main Street.

We had trouble finding a street that connected the two. A shop owner came out of her shop and walked us to Fountain Square, a small but lovely plazza that was connected the two streets. We sat for awhile and enjoyed the tranquility. Main Street like many other Caribbean streets is quite narrow and has unexpected twists and turns. The buildings hug the sidewalk and are highlight with some awesome color combinations. Exotic trees and flowering shrubs look like they were invasive not planted. Besides the visual charm, we were pleased to find shops we enjoyed. We shopped in small art galleries and local artist jewelry and pottery shops. Bill found Goodfellows, that sold good quality guayabera shirts. I found Sunny Caribbee spice and tea shop, where I bought tea and art glass. What fun!

We stopped for a tea and coffee break at Island Roots a local cafe/gallery. The staff was most accomodating to us: Helping us after a coffee spill and finding us a table to sit at because the high stools were difficult for us old shorties to manage. They had lovely pieces of art for sale and just to look at. It is a popular place, so I advise you secure a table, then place your order at the bar.

Today's shore time was limited, so after our refreshments we walked back to the ship. By this time a man with a burro was set up under the shade of a tree and was offering to be photographed...for a fee. Back on board we enjoyed watching the harbor traffic. Across from our veranda was a merchant dock. We watched them load containers on to ships and then the small ships passed by our ship on the way out of the harbor. We were curious if they were servicing other parts of the island or islands in the group. Looked too small to be going long distances.

Yes, Roadtown, Tortola was the Caribbean we were searching for. I hope we can come back to spend more time here.Close

Sugar Plum Villa - Tortola, BVII recently returned from Tortola, BVI and had to write about the incredible experience I and my group had at Sugar Plum Villa and with Cheryl of PurplePineapple.com. Sugar Plum is a wonderful 2 bedroom, 2 bath villa in…Read More

Sugar Plum Villa - Tortola, BVI

I recently returned from Tortola, BVI and had to write about the incredible experience I and my group had at Sugar Plum Villa and with Cheryl of PurplePineapple.com. Sugar Plum is a wonderful 2 bedroom, 2 bath villa in the West End of Tortola facing the north shore in Apple Bay. Located just a short drive from the West End ferry dock on the hill between Apple Bay and Long Bay, it is convenient to all of what the West End has to offer. Long Bay Resort, Sebastian's Villas and Restaurant, Bomba Shack and Coco Plums Restaurant are definitely walkable for the adventurous. Smuggler's Cove, Soper's Hole and The Jolly Roger Inn are just a little further by car.

Once you get up the hill out of Apple Bay, it's just a turn into the driveway and up the narrow drive to the twin villas, Sugar Plum and Sugar Apple. Walking in to Sugar Plum, you pass the handy outdoor gas grill which got plenty of use by us. At the end of the short hall way you see the huge hammock which hangs right on the edge of a balcony beyond which you see Apple Bay. The view and sounds and breeze are incredible. The entire front of the villa is a balcony that is open to the dining room, living room and kitchen. Day and night you get to enjoy the sight and sound of surf and feel ocean breezes while being able to check out if anything exciting might be going on at Bomba's or Sebastian's or Coco Plums!

The kitchen, living room and dinging area are wide open with plenty of comfortable living space. The villa has all the amenities you can imagine so you can settle right in and hit the ground running on your vacation. TV, VCR, DVD, stereo, iPod dock, books, games, refridgerator, microwave, coffee maker, dishes, cookware, gas stove, blender (very important!), small liquor cabinet, etc., etc. all there!

The 2 identical bedrooms are off of the living room. They are very roomy and have king 4-poster beds. Both have spacious, fully stocked en suite bathrooms with open walk-in tiled showers. They both also have large walk-in closets. There are air conditioners but between the ceiling fans and the ocean breezes, you probably won't need them.

But the best parts of Sugar Plum were our hosts and brokers through PurplePineapple.com, Cheryl and, her husband, Wakumba. They are the warmest, most gracious and attentive hosts imaginable. Cheryl cannot do enough for you to make sure your stay and vacation is perfect. Frankly, she spoiled the heck out of us and I'm reluctant to mention all she did for us for fear that she'll feel compelled to do the same for all her future renters! Whatever the villa doesn't have or that you run out of, she is on the case. Even if she wasn't such a gracious host and simply just our villa broker, our stay at Sugar Plum would have still been absolutely amazing.

I would strongly recommend Sugar Plum Villa and Cheryl at PurplePineapple.com for a vacation in Tortola!Close

I recently had the pleasure of leaving all of civilization and setting up shop in the remote locale of Anegada Island in the British Virgin Islands. Known as the "Drowned" land is a small island (about 10 miles long x 2 ½ miles wide) at…Read More

I recently had the pleasure of leaving all of civilization and setting up shop in the remote locale of Anegada Island in the British Virgin Islands. Known as the "Drowned" land is a small island (about 10 miles long x 2 ½ miles wide) at the end of the BVI trail that reaches a whopping 25 feet at its pinnacle. The island is also surrounded by a 18 square mile horse shoe coral reef (one of the largest in the world) that protects the island and creates some of the best underwater sights in the world.

There are a couple of hotels, three restaurants, some villas, and The Settlement (the local neighborhood). The only two ways to get to this secluded paradise are by either plane or boat. I arrived in St. Thomas airport and immediately caught a charter flight to this drowned island. The single engine Cessna that was operated by Clair Aero was an experience all in its own. I have never been so scared in my entire life with the takeoff. This tiny plane was playing with chicken with Boeing 747’s down the runway then jumping around like an excited popcorn kernel. However, once in the air, the ride was smooth and comfortable and LOUD. The roar of the engines was overwhelming but the views and smooth flying was an unparalleled time. After landing at this tiny airport, customs was our next stop. However, the customs office on this island was a rickety shack and the customs officer has to be called before you get there because there is rarely anything going on, so he is never there. But after a brief check-in (very brief) we were off to our villa.

On this island, one is limited in their places to stay, but the Anegada Reef Hotel (www.anegadareef.com) is a great place to stay. Although there are plenty of places to stay (hotels, private villas, and private houses) I can’t get over this place and they’re extremely kind staff. The Anegada Reef Hotel was one of the nicest places I have ever stayed. We rented a private house on the hotel’s property that had four bedrooms, three baths, a living room, kitchen, wrap around porch (with parts of it enclosed to avoid the late night bugs), a large grass yard surrounding the house, a private dock and an outdoor patio fully equipped with a bar and electricity. My first order of the day was to pour a rum punch and head for a walk along the beach around the curves of the beach to the West End Beach. This entire island is covered in burrs (little spiky covered plant seed) that float around and stick to your feet. This is a very painful and common thing, but the atmosphere is worth the annoyance. After pulling these burrs out of my feet, I finally arrived at West End Beach where the seas were rough and the winds were high, but the sun and seclusion were amazing. I almost fell asleep in the sun which is not advised for someone to do on their first day in a multi-day vacation because the sunburn could really mess you up. So I quickly headed back to the villa to go for a brief swim and then a shower and off to dinner.

Now on this island, because there are so few restaurants, they each close a couple of nights a week, giving the other restaurants a chance to make money. It’s kind of weird. Usually, if you are going out to dinner, you decide what type of food you are in the mood for, and then pick a restaurant and go. But here things are a little different. You have to go to only open restaurant and decide, out of what they have, what you are in the mood for. Also, another strange thing is how things are cooked. Old metal oil drums are cut open and metal grills are placed in with dried up palm tree leaves and bark used as the fuel for this fires cooking your exquisite dinners. I would suggest that you try each restaurant on the island because each is great and different. One place that really stands out in my brain is the restaurant at Cow Wreck Beach. "Cow Wreck Beach is famous for the cow bones (especially skulls) washed ashore from wrecks of ships carrying them to be ground up into bone meal used as fertilizer." (www.b-v-i.com/Anegada/default.htm) Although there are no more random bones around, the ambience of the once graveyard is definitely present. The locals have capitalized on the past and encourage the present. The restaurant at Cow Wreck has some of the best conch fritters that I have ever had and the crab cakes were unbelievable.

Now the night life is a little dull since the island only consists of maybe 1,000 people at any given time and that is being extremely generous. But sitting around at the open restaurant drink Carib Beers and rum drinks and then walking home in the dark with the moon lighting your way and the random cows on your way. That’s right, cows on a tropical island no bigger than the island of Manhattan. Since Cow Wreck Beach got its name from sunken ships with cow cargo, some of those fated cows’ relatives survived their swim ashore and produced offspring. These cows (which crap everywhere and go for noon day swims in the ocean) are protected on the island but are a real nuisance. In the middle of the night these skinny cows scare the crap out of you because they come out of nowhere and all you see is the eyes first and it’s freaky.

This island runs on the honor system and it's rather different. I was at one restaurant during the day and that happened to be the day that that restaurant was closed. But I was in the mood for a beer and nothing was locked up, so I grabbed a beer and left the $5 on the bar with a note saying I took one beer. I was told that this was very customary and acceptable given the nature of the restaurant’s constant decision to close.

Finally, I would not recommend renting a car on this island, because there are plenty of cabs to rent for decent prices. They are a dime a dozen (again this island runs off tourism). On my last day on the island, my scheduled cab didn’t arrive and I had a boat to catch (the last of the day) so a random man stopped, picked us up and drove us to the dock for nothing. We ended up paying him for his time and effort, but he didn’t want anything in return for his altruism. That just goes to show you how nice these people are. Please, if you have the chance, head to this island.

Beaches—the main beach which our room was on is Deadman’s Bay. Our suite was on one end of the beach and on the other end were the watersports center (kayaks, sailboats, floats, windsurfers—included in your room cost) and the beach bar and grill. The beach…Read More

Beaches—the main beach which our room was on is Deadman’s Bay. Our suite was on one end of the beach and on the other end were the watersports center (kayaks, sailboats, floats, windsurfers—included in your room cost) and the beach bar and grill. The beach is beautiful with plenty of palapas and chairs—they are very spread out and the beach was very uncrowded—it almost felt like we had it to ourselves at times! There is a large group of rocks to the right of the beach and across that is Little Deadman’s Bay. It’s small, but a nice sandy beach with good snorkeling nearby. Go by a few more rocks and you come to Honeymoon Beach. Resort guests schedule a time to go and only one couple is allowed at a time. There is just one palapa, a table, chairs, and two lounge chairs. There are a few rocks on the beach, but it was nice to have it all to yourself. There is also White Bay Beach which you also have to schedule a shuttle to go there—but not private like Honeymoon. One other beach is Reef Bay. They don’t recommend swimming there because the water is really rough. The spa is on this beach and I think you have to have a spa appt. to access it.

Here's more information about the beaches we visited-

Honeymoon Beach—They take only one couple at a time and send you there with a real picnic basket. You have to make a reservation for this ahead of time. When we went the road was washed out, so we took a dinghy there. Unfortunately after about 30 minutes there was a torrential downpour that didn’t look like it would clear up (actually was Tropical Storm Alpha!). So they came back to pick us up. We heard there was nice snorkeling here, but didn’t have a chance to try it.

White Bay Beach-- They shuttle you to this secluded beach. When we went there was only one other couple with us. There are 5 or 6 covered areas with chairs, table and lounge chairs very spread out on the beach. It’s not manicured like Deadman’s and there are a lot of rocks. It’s known to have good snorkeling, but since we went the day after Tropical Storm Alpha the sand was all stirred up and we couldn’t see a thing.

Deadman’s Beach and snorkeling—We did do some pretty good snorkeling here. In the middle of the bay we saw a starfish, stingray and barracuda. We also saw a sea turtle very close to the rocks on the right side of the beach. We heard there was good snorkeling to the left, in front of our suite, but when we tried it was also stirred up and hard to see much.
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Despite the excellent dining options on Tortola, many vacationers who are too busy diving or snorkeling hire a local or private chef for a taste of the islands in their own villa. Donna Arter (d_arter88@surfbvi.com), a private chef on Tortola, and diver Albert Stoutt,…Read More

Despite the excellent dining options on Tortola, many vacationers who are too busy diving or snorkeling hire a local or private chef for a taste of the islands in their own villa. Donna Arter (d_arter88@surfbvi.com), a private chef on Tortola, and diver Albert Stoutt, know the hidden fishing spots and often team up to not only prepare your food, but catch it too. With the growing demand for private catering services that focus on local cuisine, Donna and Albert have carved out a niche product – not only the freshest lobster, but served seaside as well.

"Many of my customers get a kick out of grilling their lobster over an open fire by the ocean, something that often is prohibited on beaches in the US," Donna told me on a recent visit, talking at ease with a live lobster in hand.

On our most recent experience, Donna and Albert hosted a boat full of wide-eyed family members – all treated to a day sail, snorkeling excursions, and rum runner lobster and asparagus grilled over a fire, with local made charcoal, on a secluded BVI beach.

Booking a local private chef isn’t has hard or expensive as one might imagine, and can often be lined up by vacationers during the week of their visit. Stephanie Shaw (284-494-8668), originally from New York, is always a good bet for foodies traveling abroad – as she can also whip up an unforgettable meal in your vacation villa, yacht, or just about anywhere else you can imagine. It’s no wonder Chef Steph is the "chef du jour" for the Chief Minister and First Lady in BVI, as well a handful of government officials and "celebrity clients."

Best of all, these wonderful chefs can free up valuable time during your vacation, giving you a chance to take scuba lessons, explore a nearby island, or relax longer on the beach.

Stumbling upon Edith, the bartender at Mad Dogs, was as good of a start that anyone could have asked for when traveling miles from home. Cracking open a Carib, a locally brewed pilsner, at the seaside bar perched on the rocks just above an…Read More

Stumbling upon Edith, the bartender at Mad Dogs, was as good of a start that anyone could have asked for when traveling miles from home. Cracking open a Carib, a locally brewed pilsner, at the seaside bar perched on the rocks just above an outcropping of massive boulders, Edith filled us in on Virgin Gorda’s most intimate of hideaways.

Known locally, and perhaps even worldwide, as the creator of the best Pina Coladas, Edith can certainly fill you in on the island's "sip sip" or good-natured gossip.

With her quite and unassuming way, she politely declined questions related to her secret cocktail ingredients, but happily pointed us and a handful of other adventure-seekers to the best kept secrets of the British Virgin Islands.

For instance, the Mineshaft Full Moon Party, held each month - was at the top of her list of suggestions, and one I'd whole heartedly recommend myself. Lincoln, a jovial fixture at the restaurant, is sure to give you his lively version of the local scene. Decline his offers for the famous "Cave In" (a secret beverage with "a little bit of everything") and you’ll live to tell friends back home of the evening. From atop the large hillside deck, guests are treated to island fungi music, native islanders (that don’t make appearances until well after 2am), and an excellent local dish of flying fish.

When most people hear the name BVI, they immediately think of the "Yachting Capital of the World." However, Lincoln and many of the other locals (like Coco – one of the wait staff at the restaurant), will ensure that there are other treasure too. For a trip to the islands wouldn't be complete without also sampling Anegada lobster, local conch, fresh papaya, mangos, and passion fruit galore.

With full bellies and a good night's sleep we awoke to explore nearby islands such as Jost Van Dyke, a four-mile long treasure, known as the "barefoot" island due to its casual lifestyle. However, Edith and other locals will warn not to let the nickname fool you. Jost Van Dyke may be a favorite destination of yachties and movie stars due to its protected anchorages and relatively unknown status, but it is still one of the best party islands of the Caribbean.

Foxy Callwood, the larger than life bartender/owner, has hosted some of the biggest parities on the island at his popular beachside watering hole called Foxxy’s. Halloween parties, catamaran races, and legendary New Year’s Eve parties are hosted with style as yacht owners, Rastafarians, European backpackers, and locals converge on this tiny island along with a famous face or two.

Everyone on the popular, yet still unknown island, will tell you -- before leaving Jost Van Dyke you must try a "Pain Killer" (a mighty rum concoction) invented at the Soggy Dollar Bar. Named the "Best Beach Bar in the Caribbean" in 2000 and 2001, it didn’t come as a surprise when Islands Magazine chose the digs as "The Number One Watering Hole in the World" in 2002. Despite its fame, the Soggy Dollar Bar has no dock, leading thirsty patrons to often swim ashore from their boat – thus paying for drinks with "soggy dollars." If you’re brave, or intoxicated, dare to ask the bartender Kendrick (call him KC) to a game of ring-toss before you leave.

Just down the Sir Frances Drake Passage, is another treasure – Treasure Island that is. Make sure to his it as well on your short boat ride back to Virgin Gorda.

In actuality it’s called Norman Island, the acclaimed island in which the Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Treasure Island’ was based. Appropriately, a pirate ship has sat at anchor in the busy bay since 1987. After the brig called William Thornton sunk, locals resurrected what is now known as Willy T, a world famous floating bar where truly anything goes.

Back on Virgin Gorda, or "fat virgin" as Christopher Columbus tagged it, you’ll want to save time between island hopping for a true day at the beach. Pick any, as they are all as close to perfect as one could hope. Practically private, you’ll rarely see more than another party or two, and some even are known to go "topless" – the beaches are just that secluded! For a good bet, try Spring Bay (designated as National Park) and go to "The Crawl," a series of boulders that form peaceful pools of water and a break from the sun. Little Trunk Bay, Savannah Bay, and the small beach at Guava Berry Estates are very nice as well, and provide the kind of snorkeling experience one would expect to find on a commissioned day charter. Just off the beach are a number of excellent coral heads, barracuda, and tropical fish that’ll have you guessing at for weeks.

What does this mean for you?

An entire week, maybe longer if you're lucky, of the kind of luxury most of us only come close to on a post card or travel channel segment. As BVI continues to define itself far beyond sun and placid waters, you’ll want to saver these moments before the secret is let out of the bag.

Enjoy yourself, and don't forget to tip Edith for such good advice.

"I’ve been here for 30 years, but I call it a couple of mornings," says Hugh "Benji" Benjamin, concierge extraordinaire at the Peter Island Resort. I, however, visited this amazing place for only five days and left it wishing that my visit could have lasted…Read More

"I’ve been here for 30 years, but I call it a couple of mornings," says Hugh "Benji" Benjamin, concierge extraordinaire at the Peter Island Resort. I, however, visited this amazing place for only five days and left it wishing that my visit could have lasted 30 years. In fact, this magical and majestic gem of an island had me entranced in just under 30 seconds.

Situated on 1200 magnificent acres, and surrounded by the crystal waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Sir Francis Drake Channel, Peter Island is located just four miles south of Tortola. Even though Peter Island (part of the 60 islands, quays and reefs that comprise the British Virgin Islands) is visible from other islands and is easily accessible by boat, it feels miles away from nowhere.

You won’t find nightclubs, corporate resorts, commercial restaurants or a bevy of boutiques in this slice of paradise, but if you are lucky you will find yourself. This shouldn’t be a difficult feat considering the idyllic setting, serene atmosphere, and unparalleled service and accommodations.

With just 52 guest rooms and suites and four private villas, there are never many more than 100 guests on Peter Island at one time — that’s about 12 acres of space per guest. Most of the land is undeveloped, natural and just waiting to be explored.

Being an island, sea and sand is expected, but here, guests may choose from five beaches — one more breathtaking than the next. Deadman’s Bay stretches on for about a mile and boasts silky, white sand, coconut palms, abundant lounge chairs and unobstructed views of Dead Chest (where the infamous pirate Blackbeard slew 15 mutinous men with just one sword and a bottle of rum) and Salt Islands. If you’re seeking some physical activity, Deadman’s is the beach to windsurf, kayak and sail with Peter island’s natural athlete and instructor, Shermon King. His smiling face and cool wit will give you the confidence of a professional in no time at all. Honeymoon Beach is the resort's most intimate, and couples seeking solitude can often be found lazing in the shade on the site’s two lounge chairs found beneath a small, thatched hut. Snorkeling is best at White Bay, where thousands of fish exist among natural reef. Little Deadman’s Bay is a Caribbean hot spot for yacht-watching and Big Reef Bay is perfect for beach combing and sunset strolls. While beachside, be sure to take lunch at Deadman’s Beach Bar & Grill. Relax and breathe a sigh of content at this open-air restaurant that boasts serene views of turquoise waters and surrounding islands. Be sure to try the grilled swordfish or warm grilled calamari salad with tabouli and arugula, followed by divinely decadent chocolate chip cookies and fresh fruit for dessert.

Dinner will most likely take you oceanside, to Tradewinds Resataurant (overlooking the Sir Francis Drake Channel), where veteran Chef Wilford "Willo" Stoutt prepares sophisticated, tongue-tantalizing continental and West Indian dishes. His specialties include "famous" Crab Cakes, Carmalized Red Snapper Fillet and Grilled Prawns with Panchetta. Adjacent to tradewinds is the wine room, which houses between 300 and 400 bottles of fine wine. And what’s dinner without desert? Put your calorie counters away and indulge in Chocolate Passion (light chocolate mousse with chocolate passion fruit crème brule inside) or Pina Colada Cheesecake. Says Food & Beverage Director Allen Davis, "We want guests to enjoy a diverse menu of world class cuisine with the flair of indigenous Caribbean products."

Sun, surf, sand, delectable food. . . can it get any better than this? Only at Peter Island Resort. Visitors will now be able to experience the brand new, $3.2 million "Sea and Self" spa. Constructed on its own secluded beach, the spacious, full-service facility sprawls across 13,000 square feet, encompassing 10 treatment rooms in addition to elegantly understated common areas, complete with views of natural surroundings. The spa also is home to its own pool, two seaside spa suites and a juice bar that serves calming concoctions and light meals.

If you seek respite from the day-to-day doldrums of the world, or just need to get away, Peter Island is the perfect place to do it. It’s a haven for serenity, a savior of souls and a lover’s dream world just waiting to be discovered.

This was another highlight. The trip is $40 per person and we took the PI ferry to the island. I think there were about 8 other couples on the trip with us. When we got to the ferry dock we took a taxi to the…Read More

This was another highlight. The trip is $40 per person and we took the PI ferry to the island. I think there were about 8 other couples on the trip with us. When we got to the ferry dock we took a taxi to the baths. The taxi dropped us off at the top of the baths. We then headed down a little trail to the baths. The beach there was beautiful and the boulders made it really interesting. It was really uncrowded, which is very unusual, so I was very happy about this. There was good snorkeling there with more coral and fish than I expected. Even though there were some pretty large waves, the visibility was good. Much better than what we experienced at PI. We took the "cave" trail through the boulders. It was a little adventure, but so worth it when we finally made it to Devil’s Bay. This was probably the most beautiful beach I have ever seen. There was noone on the beach when we got there! The snorkeling here was pretty good, but mostly smaller fish. We didn’t bring our fins with us though, so we didn’t swim too far out. We then took a taxi tour of the island and saw some nice views, and ended the tour with a stop at Little Dix. They had great mixed drinks at their beach bar. Their beach was very pretty, but I think Peter Island’s beach was nicer.
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Restaurants—There are only 2 restaurants on Peter Island. Tradewinds which is more fancy and has a dress code for the evening, and Deadman’s Beach bar and grill which was more casual. Since there weren’t a lot of people at the resort there was only one…Read More

Restaurants—There are only 2 restaurants on Peter Island. Tradewinds which is more fancy and has a dress code for the evening, and Deadman’s Beach bar and grill which was more casual. Since there weren’t a lot of people at the resort there was only one restaurant opened per meal. For breakfast which was always at Tradewinds, you could either get the buffet or order from the menu. My favorite was the made to order omelets. We had a few lunches at Deadman’s—the pizzas were great and sandwiches pretty good. There were two days that we were out and about for lunch, so they packed a picnic for us—sandwich of our choice, fruit salad, pasta salad, and cookies all put into a koozie cooler. All but one night we had dinner at Tradewinds. The change the menu daily, usually have about 4 or 5 appetizers and entrees to choose from. For the entre there would be one meat, one vegge and the rest seafood choices. I’m not a seafood eater, so I ended up having steaks most nights—and they were very good. My husband really enjoyed the seafood entrees. The service in general was excellent in both restaurants. I did have a couple of issues with the menu. On our 2nd night we had dinner at 8:30—they were out of my first two appetizer choices, and my husband’s first choice for entre. After that, we decided not to get to dinner after 7 pm. The next night the only meat entre they offered was lamb, which I did not want to eat. So they happily accommodated me and made me a cheeseburger. I also have to say that the desserts in general just were not very good. But the frozen drinks were great!

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There isn't much shopping on Tortola so don't expect it to be like St. Thomas if you go. This is a good thing because it makes you focus on taking lots of great pictures to capture all of that natural beauty to take home…Read More

There isn't much shopping on Tortola so don't expect it to be like St. Thomas if you go. This is a good thing because it makes you focus on taking lots of great pictures to capture all of that natural beauty to take home with you as a souvenir. We highly recommend visiting the artist David Thrasher, who has a gallery behind Coco Plums restaurant. We bought several of his prints to adorn our new home and the remind us of our honeymoon every time we look at them. Soper's Hole has some specialty boutique-type stores that had some great gift items and souvenirs.

Take home some hot sauce for those people in your life that are convinced they can handle anything hot. They will change their mind. We also made it a goal to buy a t-shirt from each of the islands we visited. Foxy's on Jost Van Dyke is the legendary bar featured in many of Kenny Chesney's songs. They had the biggest selection of clothing by far and lots of Foxy's/Jost Van Dyke souvenirs. Foxy's Taboo (further around the island) is much smaller so don't plan on buying much there. There isn't much else on the island though!