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To: Virgin Islands Now Readers
We have visited St. Thomas V.I. three times, last year we stayed for a month and have enjoyed every visit. We have found your website to be very helpful and intresting to read. All the many questions and concerns that potenical vistors post are valid concerns. We have some valuable advice to share with your readers.
After spending a month in 2004 and driving over 1,400 miles on St. Thomas we can not say enought postive things about our experinces. The warm, beautful weather is to die for and the beaches are fantastic.The islanders were very pleasent and made our stay very enjoyable. Crime is not a proublem as long as you use good common sence and stay out of back streets at night time. The islanders are very friendly and want you to enjoy your visit. Do not go there and be an ugly American, treat everyone the way you want treated and you will be fine.
We visited every beach on the island avaiable and visited all the tourest attractions. We enjoyed many beautful sunsets on the beachs, especially after all the people from the cruise lines leave the beaches and returned to their boats around 3:00PM. If you take a boat ride over to Virgin Gorda, BI enjoy the view but very carful because they can have riptides. If you get into trouble there there is no one to call on for professional rescrue help. Unfortunitly we learned that from personal experance.
We found a sailboat with a mature local female captain that has a beautyful , custom made and well manitained 40 footer, she is reasonably priced and serves great island meal and drinks. Her and her husband use to own one of the local marina's, I wish we could remember her name and the name of her sailboat, she is child friendly - do not miss this very special experiance. Ask the locals and I'm sure the can tell you how to contact her.
We had many fine resturant meals, especially on the waterfront. Do not miss visiting riding up the cable car to Pardise Point (several times during your stay )for the most incredable Island view and drinks. Wednesday nights is a local special happy hours night. Bolongo Bay Beach Club, Room With A View, Herue Resturant, Dockside Pub, Tickles Dockside Pub, Bonnie's By The Sea, Hard Rock Cafe, Molly Malones Irish, Greenhouse Resturant all had great food, service and drinks.
We spent our share of money shopping, because jewery is a real bargan (40 to 60% off) if you know how to negoate. Do not buy at the first jewlery store that you visit. We went back four times and found Signture Jewelers at Royal Dane Mall at 27 Main Street to have the best values and make sure you talk only to Mutka Advani. While shopping there make sure to have the bartender (We forget his name but he was from La Jolla, Ca) at the mall make you one or two of his great drinks.
If you are going to stay on the island for any lenth of time make sure you join Price Smart and shop Cost U less, Pueblo and K-mart to save money on food and supplies. Almo car rental had the best monthly rate. We found USAir to have the best rates. Sprint PCS has geat reception on most of the island. Gas in the marina area had the best prices.
Now we could use your help.
We are intrested in returning next winter and renting a condo or villa in the marina area for Febuary & March 2005. We were told that owners of units in Sercert Harbor and other complex's in the area do rent on a monthy basis. We are looking to pay $1,000+ per month. If anyone know of any to rent please let us know.
TVirgin Islands Now, thank you again for the great service you porvide.
Neil,
Nice to hear such positive things about our island. Thank you. Would the boat you are describing be the Independence with Patty Stoeken?
Pamela.
Pamela,
Thank you for the info.
We can not say enought good things about the way handled our three year old grandson who had never been on any boat befor.
If we can find another nice place to rent this year we will contacting Patty again.
Neil,
Was the boat trip in the BVI? (Virgin Gorda?)
Linda,
The sailboat rides that we enjoyed so much was near St. Thomas on several small islands where we did one full day and one half day sail. Her sailboat had a lot of TLC given to it and if I remeber correctly she said it had just been remolded.
The Captain was a very nice person and she truly wanted to do what every it took to make your day enjoyable. We sailed, snorkeled, swam in beautyful warm water and we saw eel, turtle and lots of beautful coral. The meal she prepared very delious and refreshing.
VIRGIN GORDA
Yes, we also went on the local tour boat to Virgin Gorda of which we had done the same the year before. Unfortunly this time the women captain of that craft had bilge pump proublems and was so pre-occupied with heh pump she never told the passagners of her craft that day was not safe to go in swimming at Virgin Gorda BVI. I almost drown there and we learned the hard way that the is no proffional rescue services, Coast Guard or equiement avaiable in the area. Thank GOD for "Danny " a young man from Las Vegas was on the rocks that day and he alone craulled down amost the large boulders and risk his own life to rescue me. I feel very licky to be alive.
Hello Neil,
Thank you for your comments about our site and message board and thank you for sharing your vacation thoughts and experiences with us.
You might try contacting a villa agency like
http://www.mclaughlinanderson.com and seeing if they could assist you with finding a 2 month condo rental. February-March are part of high season so I imagine this is going to affect both price and availability. You can also try Antilles Properties they have condos at different resorts. You can also try individual owners lke http://www.condodelmar.com/ which has a condo at Sapphire Beach.
Good Luck.
--Islander
