I can't think of anytime I've ever seen anyone begging in either the U.S. or British Virgin Islands. Not to say it couldn't happen, but my impression is that it certainly isn't typical, much less intrusive.

Regan

P.S. Wait a minute, come to think of it I have seen children begging at the airport on St. Thomas - my own two kids (and wife!) begging me not to make them go home... ; )

Yes there are begging by bums, but never by children. It is not as widespread as to make you depressed during the vacation

I lived there for years and never saw children begging for things. There are a few bums that frequent the street, but they are harmless and most people knew them by name if you had been there long enough.

Tell your wife to stop worrying.

thanks Regan, i'm gonna use that airport story on her : )

thanks DL and ExResident
harmless, known bums we've grown up with, so i think i can translate that for her - are they mainly in Charlotte Amalie or are they also near the resort areas?

oh, the other thing that intimidated her was the aggressive vendors when we went to jamaica, yelling at her to come buy something while i was hiking up dunns river falls alone because she was pregnant.
tell me the shop keepers aren't like that in Charlotte Amalie - i'm so looking forward to that excursion (and i think she is too, secretly)

You will find the "street people" around the major shopping areas - Long Bay, K Mart, etc. looking for handouts mainly from the locals. There are a few downtown in Charlotte Amalie. As for the vendors there, there are "barkers" - people who agressively invite you into the stores but it's harmless fun. They will not grab or get in your face, etc.

Pamela is right, the street people are more common in the less tourist oriented shopping areas, and even there I've never felt the least bit threatened or even irritated, Times Square in New York City is way worse. My standard operating procedure with the shop barkers ("Free gift just for coming inside!" , "Cold beer while you shop!") and taxi drivers ("Back to the boat?") is to just smile and say "no, thanks" and keep walking. I've never been pursued, or even asked twice by the same person.

I guess my best point of reference may be this: as travel agents, we take a lot of first-timers to the islands, and I've never had a single complaint from a guest about feeling intimidated or even just bugged by the barkers or street people. It's been a complete non-issue.

I've stayed at Sapphire Beach in May 04 and never encountered any begging. Very quiet hotel, beautiful private beach and no people loitering. You may get a few people who are not guests because they've come from the cruise ship that docked that day but when I went there was only 2 cruise ships that came and maybe about 30 of us on the beach.

Thanks so much for your input Ana,
I'd love to year more about the hotel if you could, especially since you were just there.

How were the rooms? The pictures certainly look great but I read comments on this message board that they are a bit run down, but the comments were maybe 2 years old or so. I'd be looking at a beachfront villa, for 2 adults and 3 kids.

I would imagine with a fairly sparse population on the beach, the water "toys" the hotel makes available for the guest were usually available?

How's the pool? Also read old comments complaining about the pool but it seems they may have replaced it since then.

And the 2 restaurants? I've read rave reviews to complaints about the price and size of the childrens portion. Are they friendly and clean?

Did you make use of the marina while you were there? I found an ad for Horizons II power boat exursion to BVI, departing from there - it looked like a lot of fun with The Baths included and seemed convienent.

Alex,
We've taken the Horizons II excursion several times with guests and all said it was a high point of their trip. (Also note, while Horizons is based out of Sapphire, they will pick you up pretty much anywhere, so you don't have to be staying at Sapphire to go.) Well worth a day and the dollars.

Thanks again Regan.
I defineately want to make it to The Baths and other BV Islands and was thinking Horizons II or Nauti Nymph out of Red Hook (with a rent-a-captain) - any advice/comments on Nauti Nymph?
Are you familiar with Sapphire Beach Resort & Marina?

Hi, Alex,
New Horizons II and Nauti Nymph are both great companies with super crews. There is also another one called Awesome Power Boat Rentals that I hear great things about. If you want to go with a larger group look into Limnos at Compass Point Marina.
I am probably biased here but for sheer lounging, views and water I think Sapphire is one of the prettiest beaches around and if you get on the ground floor in the buildings A or B you are right on the beach - you can grill on the patio, etc. C building opens out onto the beach bar and pool area while D building is on the marina edge. I haven't been in the rooms for while but they have always been pleasant and the maintenance and service staff are quite friendly. The restuarant is over priced but most of the suites have kitchenettes and you are very close to red hook for some good food.

Thanks Pamela,
great info! out of curiousity, how are you baised towards sapphire?
are you saying the ground floor rooms come with grills ?! how about the villas above?
how far to red hook and the car barge/ferry to st john's - walking distance?
any personal favorites in the way of restaurants in red hook?

I worked there years ago and have always had a soft spot for the people there. And I love the beach, the bars and pool. The ground floor rooms don't all have grills but you can pick up a little hibachi or something like that. No grilling on balconies above the first floor. The villas above are more like a mainland apartment complex and not on the water. Yes walking distance to red hook but no to the walking path. There are no shoulders, cars are whizzing by but you can walk to the top of the hill and catch a $1 bus to Red Hook. Restuarants abound from casual like Burrito Bay and Grateful Deli to touristy Molly Malones, expensive and quiet XO and of course the ever popular Duffy's Love Shack. There is something for everyone in Red Hook.

it does look beautiful.
you can't step right out on to the beach from the the villas above, but they do look out on to the beach and water, right? ( i don't think we can fit in the ground level suite with 5 people)