Quite Vacation
 

Wife and I are looking for a quite spot for a vacation. Would like uncrowded beaches to sunbath. No children. Is nude sunbathing allowed? Any resort suggestions would be appreciated.

I think you mean a 'quiet' vacation. I go to the British Virgin Islands for exactly that reason. Been 5 times. Very low key. Typical to have 100 yds of beach all to yourself. Fabulous views from just about anywhere. Locals are low key, but proper. NO nude sunbathing. It would be seen as offensive. Air fares are reasonable since BVI is much closer to the US than a lot of the Caribbean, but not so close as to be crowded. USVI (St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix) are VERY crowded. Feel free to e-mail me if I can respond to particular questions on resorts. I used to do travel writing and have been to many of the BVI resorts, know a few managers there, etc. <BR>

Joel, can you recommend a medium priced hotel with a great beach in Virgin Gorda? Email me if you wish. Thanks.

Cheri, assuming you want to stay under $200/night here are some choices that are nice, imo, each very different from the others. In no particular order: <BR>1. Guavaberry Spring Bay: this place has a nice location at the western shore of the southern tip of VG. Nice area, nice views, nice quarters, quiet bay, serene atmosphere. <BR>2. Leverick Bay: very different from Guavaberry, LB is virtually on the side of a cliff above a "happening" beach and watering hole. LB sits in a sort of mini-neighborhood where the road to the rest of VG ends in the sea. It's on North Sound (sometimes called Gorda Sound) and has beautiful views. A more bustle than Guavaberry as it sits over a small port, so more water traffic coming/going from all around the sound; access to lots of beaches, and the faster tempo of the Sound. The cottages are maybe 70-100 feet above the water on a hill. Neat place. You can rent a car right at the bottom of the hill and drive to the nearby National Park. <BR>3. Olde Yard Inn: a great combination of just about everything you look for in a resort at a good price. <BR>Cheri, in my experience the people of the BVI aren't in the business of over-charging or providing poor service. I don't say that about every part of the world I've visited. Each of these places has a website, is so located that you would get a decent breeze which I consider a big plus, has a good reputation, etc. I've never stayed at any of the three as I personally prefer Tortola, but I've seen them and have heard positive stuff. Try BVIWELCOME.COM or do a search on the names of these places to find their websites. It shouldn't be difficult. If the prices are higher than I'm guessing, then I apologize, but would also be very surprised. If you have other questions please e-mail me direct to my address. Bon voyage

Also look into St. Barts, Anguilla, St. Kitts and Nevis, Guadeloupe.

Was on Tortola in February 99 and loved it. Very peaceful & relaxing. Best place to stay is Frenchmens Cay. Private beach,pool,not crowded and they offer package deals that include meals and a car!! Go for it.

Ditto, Donna.

My wife and I have been all over the BVI. And the USVI, for that matter. Value wise, in the mid-range resort category, Frenchman's is the best. But even if you go to the top dollar spots such as Little Dix, Peter Island, etc., you can't get the view and location that Frenchman's has. It's right there facing up the whole length of the Sir Francis Drake Channel with a 24/7 breeze that is delightful, and a super view of most of the islands across from Tortola. <BR>I especially liked being close to the ferry so that we could scoot over to St. Thomas or St. John. <BR>Can't say enough about it!