Monday, March 1, 2010

Virgin Islands-Free Local Travel Guides

Free Travel Guides-Ask locals    FROM A VIRGIN ISLAND LOCAL TRAVEL GUIDE


From a local virgin island travel guide..Hello...I can hear the gentle
surf on Trunk Bay Beach Virgin Islands and I feel the gentle winds
through the palm trees on this typical caribbean winter day on the
Virgin Islands..as I lay on my blanket lunching on left over
lobster..with a cheap bottle of rum and a bottle of orange juice..the
sand is divine and the view second to none..the night before I went to a
local beach bar and listened to a cool local jazz band..Tomorrow I will
board a ferry to the British Virgin Islands..Virgin Gorda..and spend the
day exploring the magnificent boulders and beaches at the "Baths"...I'll
return to St. John and nestle into my quaint condo..I rented at a
bargain price with a great view and plan my next day's trip in my rented
jeep to one of the many local beaches and attractions..It's fun to
travel like a local..Yes, I've traveled the Virgin Islands for
twenty-five years ...and I practiced law and lived there in
2007/2008...And traveled like a local....If you are planning a trip to
the Virgin Islands..get with me and let me help guide your
trip..whatever your plans..a luxury resort, a quaint condo with a view
or a chartered sailboat. Travel ask a local ..I'll be glad to be your
local Virgin Islands travel guide and make your trip one of the best you
ever had..Have a great day and may God bless..Smooth sailing....
                                                                                                                                                    


 Virgin Islands Travel Guide :

SOCIAL GRACES ON THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.....From a local travel guide..If
you travel the Virgin Islands.. one important tip..It is very important
to always approach an island local with a friendly "Good Morning" or "
Good Afternoon". I cannot over emphasize this local courtesy. It's an
insult to the locals if you forget to do this. The locals expect this
and may not even recognize you if you forget to do this simple
introduction .. The locals are great people, but remember that we are
just visitors and  guest to the local's
islands...                                                                                                                                              

TRAVEL ON THE VIRGIN ISLAND..... Assuming you want to explore the
islands of the virgin islands like a local, and if you go there you
honestly need to spend some time going to the many beautiful beaches,
quaint restaurants on the beach, historic sites, etc and spend time just
enjoying the island experience. So if you are going to explore you have
several travel choices. You can rent a car/jeep (a car is fine), take
the local taxi services, or take the little known local shuttle, the
"Safari". If I stay over a week, I will usually rent a car at least a
couple of days. It will cost $50- $65 a day. Rent from a local mom and
pop shop. Their cars are fine, they deliver, they are cheaper and they
will negotiate. You can rent a local taxi, it's not cheap. For two
people to travel from one end of the island to the other it will cost
$20-one way. If you stay in close proximity to the major east/west
highways on St Thomas , you can take the local shuttle, the "Safari".
It's a reliable open air shuttle bus the locals use and cost just one
dollar to go from one end of the island to the other. A new bus arrives
at many sites along the route about every ten minutes. It's safe,
interesting and amazingly fast and you can say I traveled like a local..
      

ST THOMAS, ST CROIX, ST JOHN OR WATER ISLAND... If you are planning a
trip to the Virgin Islands you need to decide which island to establish
as your local base..Having spent considerable time on all three islands,
I can say with experience that each island has its own personality. St
Thomas has duty free shopping,with the best shops in the world to buy
jewels, electronics, liquor, clothes, etc...St John..What island in the
world has an undisturbed national park covering two-thirds of the
island. St Croix has everything the other two offer plus great golf
courses..And depending on what type of island experience you are looking
for each has something different to offer and a local travel guide can
help...WATER ISLAND...You will notice I mentioned Water Island...It is a
lovely small island that only locals know much about..I have vacationed
there and it is a private oasis just a short boat ride from St Thomas.
It has a couple of quaint tropical beaches and its almost like having an
island to yourself.. There are no luxury resorts, but a number of luxury
private homes and a few guest houses. It is close but very private, as
you can only get there on a small ferry.. Water Island is a great
escape for a celebrity wanting privacy, private but still close to
everything the other islands have to offer.....     

LUXURY HOTEL/RESORT, CONDO, PRIVATE HOME OR GUEST HOUSE..        
Many accommodations on the Virgin Islands are available for any travel plan.
All three of the main islands have five star resorts, pricey but with
all the amenities.  There are small modest hotels with most amenities
and much cheaper. There are guest houses with few amenities, but very
nice and very reasonable in price. Local workers on the islands often
rent a room in a guest house on a long term basis. Many people,
especially a large group of people, rent a luxury condo or a private
home. If you want extreme privacy rent a condo or home, and explore,
shop and go to the beach in your rented jeep. I enjoy renting a condo
or private home, and save a considerable amount over the cost a five
star resort and plan on cooking in my private kitchen and relaxing in a
very nice condo with a great view... and you can rent a jeep and go to a
different beach every day of your trip..

VIRGIN ISLAND BEACHES....All the islands have beautiful tropical beaches
and I will only address a few, as there are many. St Thomas has the
famous and lovely Magens Bay. If you do not have a rental car the taxi
fair to Magens Bay from most locations can be expensive, but it is a
lovely beach with a nice beach bar/cafe. The locals find their way to
Lindberg Beach a short distant from the airport and it has two nice
beach cafes connected to two modest hotels. The surf is gentle and you
can get there by riding the Safari..If you enjoy snorkeling and spending
a lot of time on the beach. I recommend St John..Even the locals on St
Thomas go to St John on the weekends. St John has many wonderful beaches
within the national park. The most notable being Trunk Bay, with its
snorkeling trail. (Actually, the best snorkeling on Trunk Bay is at the
far western end of the beach next to shore). If you go to Trunk Bay go
early before the cruise ships arrive and enjoy the beach by yourself.
Once crowded by the cruisers pack up and head back to town and set up on
the locals favorite local beach, Hawks Nest..Bring you own cooler to
Hawks Nest, as there are no concessions, but it is beautiful, close to
Cruz Bay and much more private..Just east of Hawks Nest is a small
beach, Oppienhimer Beach, where you will find the best snorkeling on the
island in shallow waters off shore..If you drop me an email I will pass
on the name and location of a small cay where the snorkeling is
unbelievable and it also has a small sandy beach..You will probably be
the only one on this small cay...Again, any beach is a good choice and I
have only named a few..Just follow a local and you can't go wrong.
...........

BUT REMEMBER...Locals can offer advice that will make your trip the best you
ever had.....so find a local travel guide..and have the best vacation you ever had.




For free travel advice from local go to  Free travel Guides-Ask locals http://www.travelaskthelocals.yolasite.com