New to Caribbean
Jun 20th, 2005, 06:10 PM
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New to Caribbean
Hi, Fodorians.
I have NEVER traveled outside the continental U.S. and am planning on expanding my horizons this September with my boyfriend. We are both avid snorkelers, and after reading thousands of post, think that St. John's, Virgin Islands is a place we definitely need to experience.
I do have a few questions and if anyone would be kind enough to answer any or all of them, I will be forever grateful.
1.) Caneel Bay Resort or the Westin? Proximity to a nice snorkeling spot is the most important to us. We also like the amenities that a resort offers, so we've narrowed our lodging down to these two.
2.) If Caneel Bay or the Westin, which room should we stay in?
Again, proximity to the beach is key.
3.) Where are the best places to eat? We're not very big breakfast eaters, but we LOVE a good dinner. Expensive doesn't always mean better, but we don't mind spending a bit if the food and service are good.
4.) Any other tips or advice for us? We really welcome all comments.
Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.
I have NEVER traveled outside the continental U.S. and am planning on expanding my horizons this September with my boyfriend. We are both avid snorkelers, and after reading thousands of post, think that St. John's, Virgin Islands is a place we definitely need to experience.
I do have a few questions and if anyone would be kind enough to answer any or all of them, I will be forever grateful.
1.) Caneel Bay Resort or the Westin? Proximity to a nice snorkeling spot is the most important to us. We also like the amenities that a resort offers, so we've narrowed our lodging down to these two.
2.) If Caneel Bay or the Westin, which room should we stay in?
Again, proximity to the beach is key.
3.) Where are the best places to eat? We're not very big breakfast eaters, but we LOVE a good dinner. Expensive doesn't always mean better, but we don't mind spending a bit if the food and service are good.
4.) Any other tips or advice for us? We really welcome all comments.
Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.
Jun 20th, 2005, 06:37 PM
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Starbucks:
We recently returned from our first trip to St John..My husband and I both love snorkeling also.I would recommend Caneel Resort over the Westin.We enjoyed and saw more at Caneel beach than any of the others that are nearby.We saw a turtle,starfish,stingray and a ton of fish.Also Trunk Bay on a non cruise ship day is nice..they have a snorkeling trail underwater that was interesting.
Did not go to the beach at the Westin but have heard that it is nothing special.
Caneel..in my opinion..is closer to the better snorkeling than the Westin.Make sure to go to Waterlemon Cay,Leinster bay,Little Lameshur bay for snorkeling.We had our kids with us and those places require a short hike to get to so we did not get to them..but I have heard that those are some of the best snorkeling spots.
Restaurants..we ate at Ronnie's pizza which had good pizza,Sun Dog Cafe in Mongoose junction shopping center has good food also,Pastry Gardens at the Mini Golf place has great food.We also went to the Lime Inn but did not care for it.
Places that were recommended to me but we never tried were: Miss Lucy's for lunch,Fishtrap,Skinny Legs,Joe's BBQ,Asolare for the romantic view,and Chateau Bordeaux.We rented a villa and cooked there alot at night with the kids.
It is a beautiful island and I hope to go back oneday after I travel to other islands in the Caribbean and Pacific.Have a nice trip!
We recently returned from our first trip to St John..My husband and I both love snorkeling also.I would recommend Caneel Resort over the Westin.We enjoyed and saw more at Caneel beach than any of the others that are nearby.We saw a turtle,starfish,stingray and a ton of fish.Also Trunk Bay on a non cruise ship day is nice..they have a snorkeling trail underwater that was interesting.
Did not go to the beach at the Westin but have heard that it is nothing special.
Caneel..in my opinion..is closer to the better snorkeling than the Westin.Make sure to go to Waterlemon Cay,Leinster bay,Little Lameshur bay for snorkeling.We had our kids with us and those places require a short hike to get to so we did not get to them..but I have heard that those are some of the best snorkeling spots.
Restaurants..we ate at Ronnie's pizza which had good pizza,Sun Dog Cafe in Mongoose junction shopping center has good food also,Pastry Gardens at the Mini Golf place has great food.We also went to the Lime Inn but did not care for it.
Places that were recommended to me but we never tried were: Miss Lucy's for lunch,Fishtrap,Skinny Legs,Joe's BBQ,Asolare for the romantic view,and Chateau Bordeaux.We rented a villa and cooked there alot at night with the kids.
It is a beautiful island and I hope to go back oneday after I travel to other islands in the Caribbean and Pacific.Have a nice trip!
Jun 21st, 2005, 04:47 AM
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Starbucks_Addict
Have never stayed at the Westin or Caneel. If Caneel fits in your budget, the grounds alone would be worth it to me. There is a huge, if not overwhelming, selection of villas on St. John for the same costs.
St. John is a small island with many excellent snorkeling locations that are easily accessed from the road. Where ever you stay you will not be far from a good snorkel location. There’s even two guide books to point the way.
For tips and advise I’d recommend searching the archives on Fodor’s and USVI On-line. St. John is well represented on both of these sites.
One other caution, be aware that September is statistically one of the higher months for hurricanes in the Caribbean. I would consider travel insurance for September.
Enjoy St. John. You’ve chosen a great island for your first venture.
Have never stayed at the Westin or Caneel. If Caneel fits in your budget, the grounds alone would be worth it to me. There is a huge, if not overwhelming, selection of villas on St. John for the same costs.
St. John is a small island with many excellent snorkeling locations that are easily accessed from the road. Where ever you stay you will not be far from a good snorkel location. There’s even two guide books to point the way.
For tips and advise I’d recommend searching the archives on Fodor’s and USVI On-line. St. John is well represented on both of these sites.
One other caution, be aware that September is statistically one of the higher months for hurricanes in the Caribbean. I would consider travel insurance for September.
Enjoy St. John. You’ve chosen a great island for your first venture.
Jun 21st, 2005, 08:43 AM
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Thank you so much christiegr and RobertoB for your comments.
Christie...I checked out your pictures and they were adorable. They made me even more excited about my upcoming trip.
Roberto...I do realize that September is right in the middle of hurricane season (was in Panama City last September when Frances came in). The reason for taking the risk is because I have a scheduled Fall Break from my job as a teacher and wanted to take full advantage of it. Thank you for your concern, though, and I will DEFINTELY get the insurance.
I welcome your comments as to what books, websites, travel agencies, etc. will be helpful for my first visit to St. John. The more information, the better.
Christie...I checked out your pictures and they were adorable. They made me even more excited about my upcoming trip.
Roberto...I do realize that September is right in the middle of hurricane season (was in Panama City last September when Frances came in). The reason for taking the risk is because I have a scheduled Fall Break from my job as a teacher and wanted to take full advantage of it. Thank you for your concern, though, and I will DEFINTELY get the insurance.
I welcome your comments as to what books, websites, travel agencies, etc. will be helpful for my first visit to St. John. The more information, the better.
Jun 21st, 2005, 03:56 PM
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Feet, Fins and Four Wheel drive by Pam Gaffin and St John Off the Beaten Path are some books that you could look into. I have F,F, and 4WD and it is pretty informative. Also check out bookitvi.com for excursions. There are a ton of websites to research. There is also a great website for Jost Van Dyke. I just did a search for Jost Van Dyke and found it. I mention this in case you would want to day trip to the BVI's.
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