Island Dreaming... zap me to ANEGADA!

Still fantasizing about those Belizean lobsters?  What about a lobster bash on Anegada?

There are only about 200 residents on this minute BVI (British Virgin Island) outpost, but no shortage of entertainment!

Let's start with lobsters...

The crustaceans are snagged right out of the pots which hang under the docks at southwestern "harbor".   

From pot to grill  to shoreside table, your feast will electrify ALL the senses... Buttery shellfish, sandy toes, an umbrella of powdered-sugared stars overhead, and a bay illuminated with the soft cabin lights of sailboats rocking "on the hook" in the gentle waves.

Check out Anegada Reef Hotel for details.

Interested in birding?

The salt ponds of Anagada are well-loved by Roseate Flamingos... And those "flamingo groupie" humans who stalk them!   

Other wading birds -- herons and egrets -- are numerous, too!

A cool "front row seat" to watch these creatures is from Sue's kayak tour.  She's a local guru of Anegada reefs, wildlife, and natural history. 


Then what about a pub crawl?

From the Cow Wreck Beach bar (literally, cow bones washed up onshore and now celebrities wash up at this most unlikely outpost and carve their names into the bar poles)  

To the Whistling Pine  (try the "Pine tea")...to Neptunes right on the waterfront... to Flash of Beauty...

Finally to Loblolly Bay's Big Bamboo for a rum teaser under the sea grapes! 

You are now officially at the end of the road! 

And what about those turtles?
Anagada's on a Green mission for the Green turtles!  Proud to be the most critical green turtle nesting site in the entire BVI, Anegada is also home to many hawksbill turtles. 
If turtles are your niche, check out the Sea Turtle Recovery Project! 


So how do you get to all this sunburnt splendor?  (because, in this island of mangroves and dune grass, believe me....shade is hard to come by)
Located on the outskirts of the BVI cluster, this small island is tiny (only 10 miles long by 2 miles wide)

 

Low-lying (the highest spot is only 28' above sea level, which explains its name:  Anegada, or Drowned Land)

And untouched.  in fact-- are you ready?-- anagoda is reached only by boat or small plane!  So prepare for an adventure! 

I got there via sailboat flotilla (the charter guides over at the Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda escort bareboaters  twice a week... All of which means nothing to you landlubbers, right!)


So how do most people get to Anegada?    Day trips!


The Spirit of Anegada is a 44' gaff-rigged schooner that sails out of Little Dix Bay Resort (a resort on Virgin Gorda):  full days ($95 including brunch), half-days ($65), or  sunset cruises ($50). They sail to Anegada and make snorkeling stops along the way (equipments on board).


Or the M/V Sea Lion, a 45' catamaran, which takes Tuesday and Friday trips to Anegada for a day of snorkeling, beachcombing, and a local lobster lunch on the beach.

And you can always hop a quick flight- $160 for 2 from Virgin Gorda- a decent value even if the flight is only 10 minutes long!

The bottom line....

For those who want to get close to the elemental aspects of life, Anegada, the sunken island, is a most enchanting place with miles and miles of sandy beaches and total immersion into primeval seclusion

Island Dreaming... Zap me to BELIZE!

 

Hurry up to slow down on Caye Caulker!

If Jamaica is all about big resorts, Belize's Caye Caulker is all about sandy lanes, barefoot bars, and chillin' out!

AND.... it's only a 7-hour flight, 12-minute shuttle, and $10 water taxi away!

Your days will take through the sand-only village, hanging with locals

scooting around
by bike or golf cart...

Or by boat to little beach bars 

and cool marine reserves

Or even out spearfishing for lobster!

Too chill to spearfish?  Meet Maurice, a CIA-trained chef who chose island Caulker over urban Chicago, and whose grilled lobster, served alongside cold Belikin on his picnic table, will hit the spot!

About the fanciest place you'll find is a small "dive" Dive Motel:

But there are a few lovely small guesthouses, like the Lazy Iguana, also!

Had enough reef and relaxation?  Go Off-Caye for a day in the Jungle...Manatee Watching, Cave Tubing, Jungle Canopy Zip Line...all just a scenic boat ride from the caye to the mainland. 

The unique thing about this Belize jewel is that -- with car-free, unpaved island trails and a community too laid-back for any place but an island --  you'll be able to stash your shoes and live barefoot for days!

Island Dreaming... Zap me to JAMAICA!

Leave snowy NJ and be on the island beach by 9:30 that same morning! Jamaica calls!

Nestled on the western edge of the Caribbean, you get the sunshine-y days without the long and costly travel deal, and this island-- packing wild bobsledding alongside lazy beach days-- is very tempting! If you like Jerk Fish, forget it -- you must go now!

The recipe for this Island Quickie is:

*One direct flight on Air Jamaica (around $400) to Montego Bay on Jamaica's northern shore

*A 10-minute hop over to the lovely Half Moon Bay Resort... your home on Jamaica for 3 lush days!

You're there! Ready for your first rum punch yet?

Half Moon Bay, named after the crescent slip of sand which envelops it, starts with simple beachside bungalows for 2,










and goes up to large Villas, complete with staff and private pools, which house up to 4 couples as a group.

Private terrace for outdoor feasts!

There are even Spa suites, exquisite luxury for a special romantic weekend or much-needed treat for yourself!

thats a massage table, right in your room!

And all of these choices come with simply impeccable service! The bellhops (one particularly charming gent had been there for over 40 years!) knew my name by the 2nd morning! The bartend welcomed patrons to his waterfront counter and offered them their favorite drink!

Half Moon Bay is posh without being pretentious, and excels in making each guest -- old timers and newcomers alike -- feel treasured.

Fun, fountained pools and a complete dive shop, plus a full-service golf course, complete your entertainment

Right there on property, there's an award-winning Spa with treatment rooms in unique, over-the-water spa bungalows! Just you, the table, towel, and masseuse, with shutters open to the wind and waves.

The Seagrape Terrace

Great meals await, from the al fresco terrace shaded by fragrant almond trees and overlooking the surf, to the storied Sugar Mill Restaurant, an historic structure on the island hillside surrounded by lush gardens, staffed by culinary wizards, and overseen by Soloman, a longtime fixture at Half Moon who'll ensure an elegant dining memory for you.

And if you want to get out and run around the island -- go straight to Ocho Rios, or 8 Rivers.

You can challenge yourself to a wild bobsled ride, or a zip line tour through the jungle canopy!

That's me on the zipline!

While you're out and about, stop at the iconic Scotchies for Jerk! You can choose between chicken, fish, or pork, and don't miss local favorites like breadfruit and yams-- and, of course, a cold Red Stripe, the pride of Jamaica!

Ting is also a local's favorite-- of the non-alcoholic variety!

Will I be safe on Jamaica, you wonder?

Absolutely!

You can easily rent a car and drive yourself to these attractions (bobsledding is only about 1 hour from Montego Bay on the new highway) as well as more far flung beaches like Negril on the western shore (home to a famous Margaritaville). With typical smart precautions (it is recommended to drive in daylight hours and circumvent the capital Kingston), you are safe to self-drive the island.

But if you'd rather have the ease of a guide, check out Island Routes! http://www.islandroutes.com/tours/jamaica.cfm?event=ehTours.dspIndex&cid=5

Jamaica is a sure-fire cure to the snowy winter blues. Itching to go? Let me help:

Melanie at 609 923 0304