Another year draws to a close and I’ll bet I am not the only one saying “my goodness – where has 2018 gone?”

‘Tis the season to be jolly – the season for planning a fun-in-the-sun Christmas holiday in the British Virgin Islands! This is your chance to swap snow, onesies and slippers for sun, flip-flops and swimsuits. Too often, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season takes its toll. During the month of December, time gets away, stress runs high, and energy levels dip. To escape all of this, consider a Christmas on island time in the beautiful BVI.

Walking in a White Sand Wonderland

Not many places can boast beautiful weather throughout the holiday season, but the BVI most definitely can. This time of year, the temperatures are just right, and the sun shines effortlessly. Ocean breezes, warm afternoons, and balmy evenings – the kind of weather we only wish for, reigns supreme during the month of December all the way into the new year!

This time of year brings not only gorgeous weather, but also the clearest waters for a Christmas morning dive that’s nothing short of breath-taking, especially at The Indians and the Caves at Norman Island and for those not interested in diving, there are many other ways to appreciate the abundantly clear waters during the month of December – snorkelling, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding conditions at the world-famous Baths, never cease to amaze.

A New Year’s Party in Paradise

Ring in the New Year with the biggest, most renowned beach celebration in the world – Old Year’s Night at Foxy’s Tamarind Bar & Restaurant. Guests that attend this annual beach bash in Great Harbour are guaranteed a great time complete with live local music, delicious food, and a Caribbean style countdown. Sailors arriving by boat are advised to anchor early for the turn-of-year festivities.

Obviously too late for this year but….perhaps you would like to consider booking the BVI for next year. You will be guaranteed a Christmas and New Year to remember!

Call me early in 2019 and I will be delighted to assist in arranging this for you.

The Sugar Mill Hotel on Tortola opened its doors again in October 2018.  If it is possible – the hotel is better than ever.  The rooms have been completely re-modelled, the pool looks stunning with the Apple Cabanas surrounding it offering complete relaxation, Tramonti, the new beach restaurant, is open for business and serving dinner on selected evenings, as well as lunch and in the Sugar Mill restaurant, the food is as delicious as ever.  The All Inclusive package at the Sugar Mill is probably the best I have seen anywhere, with so many quality ingredients!

Guana Island has been open for a few months and is even more special than before.  With only 16 rooms and 3 villas, you can be sure of excellent service and first class cuisine.  The chef on Guana will cater to your every dietary requirement.  Guana also has its own orchard so the bananas that you eat and the coconut water you drink are likely to have been picked that morning.  Guana Island truly is a one-off upscale Caribbean retreat.

Sebastian’s on the Beach at Little Apple Bay on Tortola has had a complete makeover and looks fabulous!  Absolutely everything has been renewed and you can watch the surfers between October and March riding the waves and having loads of fun.  Sebastian’s has been welcoming guests back since July.

A brand new hotel at Cane Garden Bay on Tortola is nearing completion and should open it’s doors in January.  The owner is Quito Rymer and the name of the hotel is Quito’s Inn.  It’s in a stunning location only steps from the white sand beach.  Watch this space for more information!

You will be pleased to hear that Guavaberry Spring Bay on Virgin Gorda is back!  Tina and her team have been diligently working for months restoring and rebuilding and the fruits of their labour have well and truly paid off!  The property looks amazing and the beach is of course…..to die for!

Sailing in the BVI is second to none and the British Virgin Islands offers probably the best sailing in the world as you are always in sight of land.  If you don’t sail, we can arrange a skipper for you, or you can spend a week on one of our charter-by-the-cabin catamarans.  Most of the beach bars are brand new, offering great food, and drinks to cool you down.

We have dozens of beautiful villas and apartments, some on the beach and some on the hillside offering spectacular views all over the BVI.

Come, visit the beautiful BVI and enjoy paradise….it can’t get any better than this…..

Hot Off the Press…

I just received this major announcement from Val Rhymer, owner of Myett’s in Cane Garden Bay, Tortola. She has formed a partnership with the owners of Pusser’s to open a new Pusser’s Restaurant and Company Store at Myett’s Hotel.

Pusser’s at Myett’s

The new restaurant to be called, Pusser’s at Myett’s, will replace the current Myett’s Restaurant. It’s due to open around the end of November.

A Combined Menu

The menu will feature the best of Myett’s and Pusser’s selections offering a diverse combination of the best and most popular dishes from the two kitchens. A Pusser’s Rum Bar will also be opened on the beach. The Rum Bar will not only serve the obligatory Painkillers but a wide selection of frozen drinks and popular tropical cocktails.

The newly refurbished Myett’s Hotel re-opens in November and is quickly filling up for the season.

The good and positive news from the BVI just gets better and better!

Don’t miss out – call me to book your holiday to the beautiful British Virgin Islands and sample your own Painkiller!

From the pen of Alexander Britell and Guy Britton…..

A little more than a year ago, the leisure boats and charter yachts pulled away from Jost Van Dyke on an afternoon not unlike this one, sipping their last painkillers, their last Firewater, savoring their last conch fritters for what would be a very long goodbye.

“Adios to Jost,” wrote the Virgin Islands’ most famous musical ambassador, Kenny Chesney, in “It’s That Time of Day,” singing years ago of the late afternoon departure ritual on White Bay.

But this was not a goodbye.

Because now, after months of struggle, grief, rebuild and recovery, Jost Van Dyke is back again.

The hills are green, the turquoise shimmering, the trees rising. The white of White Bay is just as blindingly bright.

And, yes, the dollars are soggy again.

Thursday marks one year since the savage storm bent the British Virgin Islands, but this chain of infinitely strong islands did not break.  Read more here and please read right to the end – it’s a wonderful story so full of positivity and determination.

I would just like to quash the myth that there is not a lot to do in the BVI except lie on the beautiful beaches and swim in the turqouise waters.  In fact, there is a lot to do and this is only a small example of what you can do in the British Virgin Islands.

For the active water sports people, there is a wide choice of activities such as kite-boarding, kayaking, snorkelling, diving, snuba, stand up paddle-boarding, windsurfing and surfing (yes surfing between October and April, small boat sailing on a variety of dinghies and Hobie-cats, fly-boarding to give you that adrenaline rush or just a relaxing day sail on a catamaran or monohull with lunch included.

If you are a confirmed land-lubber you can hike up Sage Mountain on Tortola, visit the Botanical Gardens, take the “Original Virgin Canopy Tour” which is similar to a zipline but safer and much quieter affording spectacular views over Road Town, take an island tour of Tortola or Virgin Gorda, hike to the top of Gorda Peak or simply relax on one of the many beautiful and stunning white sand beaches.

The BVI is welcoming back the tourists and would love to see YOU!

Call me to book your next holiday to the British Virgin Islands.

I just wanted to share this with you from the owner of Bitter End Yacht Club.  Things are moving and Bitter End will be back!  Read on….

A Message from the BEYC Crew!

Greetings from the Bitter End team. We hope you’re all having a great summer on, in and off the water, wherever you may be. It soon will be a year since Hurricane Irma scored her direct hit on North Sound, with her sister, Maria, visiting a handful of days later.  As most of you know, their unladylike behavior left virtually every structure at Bitter End smashed beyond repair and wrecked most of BEYC’s large and small boats.

As I write this from Bitter End, we’re in the midst of Phase 2 of the clean-up project, which is focused on dismantling structures and disposing of debris. There are 60+ workers on property, supported by heavy equipment and dump trucks. We have acquired a low-emissions, environmentally-friendly incinerator to dispose of organic debris, mostly wood; and we will remove other debris for appropriate offsite disposal.

There’s no doubt that it’s a daunting task to clear our 64 acres of an estimated 3,000 tons of debris from the nearly 70 shattered buildings; to prepare the property for new construction; and to get Bitter End back up and running. But, for us, it’s a very special and exciting opportunity that the entire team is tackling with enthusiasm and optimism. We are working with our architect, Matthew Falkiner of Simplemente Madera, to make sure “BEYC 2.0” will reflect its 50-year legacy of laid back fun and that it will personify the welcoming and friendly energy, vibe, spirit and respect for the natural environment that always has been Bitter End’s lifeblood.

We’re focused on having our mooring field, marina and harbour-front operations, including food, beverage and retail, in full swing by spring, 2019. By then, we will be on our way to building out the rest of Bitter End’s Village center as well as planning and mobilizing for follow-up phases across our 64 acres and along our mile of shoreline. Each day’s progress brings us closer to welcoming you ashore at Bitter End once more.

Bitter End 2.0 will continue its commitment to the Virgin Gorda community, which remains very much in need of support.  Aided by the generosity that our guests and friends have shown over the past year we have been able to:

–Respond, within 48 hours of Hurricane Irma’s passage, to the acute needs of Virgin Gordians for emergency evacuations, food, water, medical and other critical supplies. This only was possible through the kindness and generosity of friends in Puerto Rico and North Sound.
–Bring timely and sustained post-hurricane emergency financial assistance directly to Bitter End’s 170+ employees.
–Sponsor a Holiday Party featuring Santa and toys for the local Virgin Gorda Community.
–Continue our support of “VISAR” (Virgin Islands Search and Rescue).
–Contribute meaningfully to the BVI Tech Ed Project, which through a grant in partnership with other BVI hospitality industry participants, has facilitated donation of 650 Chromebooks to the Ministry of Education & Culture of the British Virgin Islands; and has resulted in a follow-on grant for additional Chromebooks that will ensure that BVI high school students in private and parochial schools have access to this technology as well.
–Conduct, along with Sunchaser Scuba, World Oceans Day shoreline and seabed clean-up in North Sound.
–Sponsor the non-profit Saira Hospitality School’s training initiatives for Virgin Gorda and other BVI residents.

Your support and generosity continue to be instrumental in making possible these and future initiatives to assist our community. Fundraising and support for the community will remain a key feature as we ramp up BEYC 2.0. We continue to be amazed by the Bitter End community’s inexhaustible compassion and the persistent energy, strength, support and generosity that reinforces our resolve every day to turn this challenge into the exciting opportunity of bending on new sails and continuing with the remarkable voyage that has been and will continue to be Bitter End.

So please stay tuned! During the runup to BEYC 2.0, please help us at #BringBackBitterEnd by getting out your favorite Bitter End gear, wearing it and using it on the water this summer. Then share the fun with us on Facebook and check for updates there on Bitter End’s resurgence, including some exciting new things that we’ll share with you very soon.

Thanks to every one of our treasured Bitter End friends for your incredible support and your devotion to Bitter End and the BVI over its 50-year history and especially during the past tough ten months.

The BVI are making great strides forward in lots of avenues – feet are NOT being dragged!   Think about this island paradise for your next holiday and call BVI Holidays today.

Bitter End will be back!

It’s beautiful, it’s quirky, it’s historic, it’s scenic and … it reopened on the 1^st of August.

Guana Island is one of the leading hotels in the BVI and they welcomed their first guests since the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma, on the 1^st August.

This private island getaway, home to 18 suites and 4 villas, is renowned for its natural beauty, its commitment to local and organic sourcing and its pristine beaches.

Guana, has completed a significant restoration project that included refreshing all 18 suites; cleaning and restoring the landscaping, including its famous organic orchard; adding a new water filtration system and running all of its vital infrastructure below ground.  It has been a huge project.

The orchard on Guana Island has also added three new greenhouses (including removable roofs) and even 100 new chickens who supply eggs to the Guana kitchen.

For the walkers amongst you, Guana has 12 miles of hiking trails – some can be quite challenging – An ascent of Sugarloaf Mountain’s 806-foot summit will be rewarded with a stunning view of the surrounding British Virgin Islands, or…..you can just relax on the beach with a cocktail and a good book.

If you would like to spend some time on beautiful Guana Island, call BVI Holidays – we would love to arrange this for you.

Your hammock awaits….

Anegada (meaning drowned island) is the northernmost island in the British Virgin Islands and about a 5 hour sail from Beef Island where the airport is.  It lies approximately 15 miles north of Virgin Gorda and is the only inhabited island in the BVI formed from coral and limestone rather than being of volcanic origin.  It is also the second largest BV Island but only has a population of around 300.

Unlike the other islands in the BVI, Anegada is flat and low with it’s highest point being about 28 feet.

Anegada has miles of stunning white sand beaches and the 18-mile long Horseshoe Reef, the largest barrier coral reef in the Caribbean, and the fourth largest on earth.  The reef makes navigation to Anegada difficult and has caused hundreds of shipwrecks over the years. The sailing companies in the BVI ban sailors from taking their yachts to Anegada in case they run aground on the reef unless of course the skipper is very highly qualified.

Fishing is a substantial business on Anegada, with local fishermen providing the majority of the fresh fish and lobster catch for the rest of the British Virgin Islands, hence the famous “Anegada Lobster” offered on almost every lunch and dinner menu.  Its miles of south shore flats has a large population of Bonefish making Anegada a popular destination for fly fishing.  You do need a permit, but these are easy to obtain.

The Anegada Beach Club is located on one of the stunning beaches and has recently added brand new Beachfront Palapas Retreats which are truly amazing.  Great kite-surfing here too!

If you prefer to do your own thing and have a small villa, look no further – the Big Bamboo Cottages on beautiful Loblolly Beach are definitely the place to be and……right next door to the Big Bamboo Beach Bar and Restaurant, if you don’t fancy cooking.

The snorkelling off the Anegada beaches is second to none and you might even be lucky enough to see this little fellow or one of his brothers or sisters.

Two or three centres can be arranged to include Anegada and any of the other British Virgin Islands.  Call me to discuss and book your next holiday!

SNUBA (Surface Nexus Underwater Breathing Apparatus) is an amazing underwater adventure which is perfect for couples, families, children and seniors. Learning to SNUBA in the BVI is easy and does not require any Scuba diving certification or previous experience; if you can breathe, look and kick your legs then you can SNUBA. It is also a terrific way for certified divers to introduce non-certified partners and family members to the beauty of the underwater world in the British Virgin Islands, many of whom then go on to become certified divers.

SNUBA allows you to explore a three-dimensional world you cannot experience while snorkelling. Swim side by side with turtles and fish along the brightly coloured coral reef. Breathe through a simple to use regulator while your air supply floats on a comforting support raft at the surface.

Enjoy SNUBA at any depth – 2 feet, 10 feet or 20 feet. SNUBA is experienced at your own level of comfort and your BVI SNUBA guide will be with you throughout your entire tour.

One of the greatest features of SNUBA is that guests do NOT have a tank strapped to their back.  SNUBA guests breathe though a standard regulator system and mouthpiece. Air is delivered through a positively buoyant (floating) 20 foot air-line that is connected to the compressed air tanks in the SNUBA raft on the surface. The air-line allows guests to dive to whatever depth they feel most comfortable, up to a maximum depth of 20 feet. You can “power snorkel” at the surface or go down to 2 feet, 5 feet, 10 feet or to the max at 20 feet.

Guests are also trained how to use the air-line for a “hand-over-hand” controlled ascent and descent as well as using it to maintain their vertical control over fragile coral in the British Virgin Islands.

You can learn to SNUBA in the BVI in 3 easy steps……

1.  Participate in a 15 minute safety briefing and learn all about using the SNUBA equipment and what to expect during your guided experience
2. Get geared up for your BVI SNUBA experience with your mask, fins and weight belt.
3. Swim, breathe and explore the amazing underwater world of the British Virgin Islands at your comfort level guided by a highly skilled and trained SNUBA professional.