Peter Island or BEYC?
 

Hi All,

I'm planning a honeymoon and we're going to BVI. We've already decided to spend the first four/five days at the Sugar Mill to keep expenses down. We have a choice for the next four days between Peter Island and BEYC. Peter Island will be about 800 dollars more expensive over four days. Any recommendations?

Here are our priorities: snorkelling, good food, active lifestyle. Even though it's our honeymoon, we don't mind children and we like a bit of the hustle and bustle.

Thanks for any help you can give!

Apart from the fact they are both only accessible by boat BEYC and PI are two very different resorts. They are not in the same class - sort of like comparing apples and oranges. Regardless of which resort you choose you will have to venture "off resort" for good to excellent snorkeling.

PI is much more upscale with comfortably appointed rooms, a very friendly staff and the beaches will give you a feeling of being more secluded. The food is much better at PI. This resort caters to couples (think newlyweds and nearly-deads) but on occasion you will find one or two families. This resort is perfect for those seeking a quiet restful spot to enjoy the tropics.

BEYC, on the other hand, will be more crowded (young and middle aged couples, families - especially those with teenagers) but may suit your active lifestyle since you will have access to a whole fleet of sailboats and other watercraft and plenty of watersports. The beach there is rather small and the rooms are somewhat "spartan". This resort is geared toward those who feel they must have "something to do". Hope this helps.

Thanks for your reply Sunnyboy. Where is the excellent snorkelling you refer to? Can you access it with the fleet of boats that BEYC has to offer? Thanks again for your help!

In light of the two options you are considering, perhaps you want to add Biras Creek to the list. The food will be better than that available at BEYC, although not as good as PI; there is a lot to do, including free snorkeling trips virtually daily and ones for a fee that are more extensive, as well as lots of hiking and other boating options (hobie cats, Boston Whalers, etc. for you to use. I wouldn't consider either PI or Biras to have any hustle and bustle, BEYC has lots of activity due to all the boat people docking to buy supplies, go to the pub, etc. -- it is an active marina environment, with lots of people around who are not staying at the property.

There are plenty of excellent places to snorkel in and around the BVI's. From BEYC, one of the closest places for excellent snorkeling is the reef off Necker Island. I believe you can use the BEYC boats to get there. The staff will "check you out" in a boat that you can handle and tell you where you can and cannot go - a lot will depend on your level of expertise. Other places such as the caves at Norman Island, the Indians, the reefs off the Dog Islands, Mountain Point, Mahoe Bay, Spring Bay and at least fifty more locations are usually visited by the many tour operators (both resorts will offer trips) which because of distances require a power boat (which sites are visited depends on which resort you are staying at).