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I recently got engaged and am planning a destination wedding. My fiancee and I went to a wedding in St Martin and LOVED it and have been back there again since. We have talked about doing our wedding St Martin, but we really don't want to copy our friends too much.
We are considering staying in a large villa in St Thomas with the wedding party and having the actual ceremony in St John. I am wondering what anyone who has been to these three islands thinks about this. We loved Orient Beach in St Martin and are looking for something similar that's laid back with chairs to rent and different restaurants to get food and drinks from. We love having a waiter come and take our drink orders while we bask in the sun.
We are in our late twenties and most of our guests will be too so we are looking for an island with a somewhat younger crowd, but we will also have parents and grandparents so it needs to have things to do other than just drinking on the beach (Although most of us would be happy with just that! ) Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Orient Beach is beautiful but clothing optional. You do realize that's not available in the VI?
There is a nude beach in St. Thomas
We are not so much interested in the nude factor but more concerned with a beach with great views and great bars/restaurants to be waited on by. Does St Thomas or St John offer beaches like this or is it more laid back and stuffy as some people have told me?
St. John is not the kind of place where you raise your flag and someone comes running with a drink for you. It's more of a pack your lunch and drinks a hike to the beach to snorkel type of place. The best beaches (expect those at Caneel Resort) or National Park beaches so you won't find beach bars like the ones that you find on St. Martin or Tortola. It's nothing like St. Martin. It's quiet. No casios or night life for that matter. It's an island to enjoy the beauty of the beaches above and below the water. If you need someone to bring you drinks while you sit on your rented chair then St. John isn't for you.
There are some people who go to Little Magens & occasionally Lindqvist & nude sunbathe but it's illegal.
You will not find beaches with multiple restaurants and bars on St Thomas and St John. Most of the beaches are either public and have few amenities (Magens is the only one that has chairs, restaurant/bar and beach waitrons) or have a hotel on them with perhaps one restaurant/bar and maybe beach waitrons. On St John, most of the beaches are in the National Park and have no beach bars. Not sure if the Westin has beach service. I am guessing, as you are talking about staying in a villa, that you are looking for day use beaches? Mostly you would need to be a hotel guest, although some hotel beaches welcome outsiders.
What does "laid back and stuffy mean?" St Martin is a much busier destination than St Thomas and St John, but I think we try harder to conserve our beach resources. St Thomas is not the Cancun of the eastern Caribbean, if that is what you mean.
I'm getting the impression that St Thomas does not have a variety of beach bars and night life that we are looking for. Does anyone have any suggestions for an island that would be more appropriate for us? We will be looking into Tortola thanks for the advice.
Don't expect night life on Tortola but you will find beach bars. You can also day trip over to Jost Van Dyke which is basically only beach bars. I'm thinking that you're probably more of a Cancun or Jamaica type of traveler. I'm also confused about what you mean by "laid back and stuffy".
Thanks for all the info. We are not really looking for too much nightlife, but it would be nice to be able to find some bars that are open late. What we're mostly interested in is daytime activities. Tortola looks really nice. Has anyone been married here recently and could share their experience?
Barbados has great nightlife!
If u love st.marten, Have u been over to anguilla by ferry from there?? Gorgeous & fabulous Beaches with beach bars & loungers. We will be there this may again in a villa staying near shoal bat east beach IMO the most gorgeous one!! check out anguillaguide.com for info. The ferry ride is about 20 min. from st.marten which we also have stayed at. Good Luck ps. st.john is still our fave island with anguilla a close second! (Have traveled all over the carib.)...........
Dare I suggest Aruba?
Don't worry about copying you friends. There is a reason you liked St. Martin-it had what you wanted. The islands you are trying to fit into your preferences are not such good fits. None of them will have the restaurant/bar, beach/service, quantity/quality level as St. Martin. Tortola, St. John will be way too quiet. St. Thomas has some of what you want, but not nearly the quantity/quality of St. Martin.
Anguilla is spectacular but way smaller, and beach service will be limited mostly to the customers at the various resorts. Anguilla is generally considered pretty pricey. If you feel the need to be different and money is not an issue, consider St. Barts-like Anguilla terrific beaches, and even better restaurants many right on the beach(Anguilla has better bars though).
were are the nude beaches on st. thomas?
where is little magens?
where?
On the right side of Magens Bay....you have to walk out along the rocks along the right side. You can barely see it from Magens Bay....look to the right and you'll see a small beach out there.
I hear that it is frequented by gay guys and by straight people who don't mind that it is frequented by gay guys. But, in no way does it have a wild reputation. It is supposed to be very conservative.....no hanky panky....no voyeurism......very quiet. If you're looking for a nekkid party, you'll be uncomfortable a LM. I hear that it is frequented by a repeat group of people - residents - not visitors.
And, nudism is illegal in the VI, so be prepared to be ticketed and fined....especially visitors who break the laws.
ok thanks
