USVI-On-Line

Ok...so we've done the st john thing 8 times AND LOVE IT....been to Jost and LOVE IT...so we thought of adding 2 or 3 nights to our next trip to do Anegada....

1. we will have our kids ages 6 and 8 by then
2. we would love a beachfront cottage with tv (for the kids)
3. AC would be great but not a must

and help with the ferry thing from STT to BVI....then From BVI to STT/STJ

We would then stay a week on our beloved STJ

any helpful insight, hints or places to stay?

Suggest you post this on the TTOL forum, you'll get great advice there on your Anegada questions.

will do...thx....to me..it's a logistical nightmare!

Truthfully it wouldn't be worth it to me. I've been there once and wasn't that impressed but our weather wasn't ideal either so that may make a difference. I'm happy to just be on STJ.

I've got to agree with Diana2 on this one. We spent just 1 day at Anegada and that was plenty for us. Nice enough but not St. John.

We had read a lot about Anegada on the TTOL forum. Most of the people there absolutely love it. I have to say we thought it was ok for a day trip but didn't care for it very much. We were going to stay there, then I got uncomfortable with the idea so we decided to visit it for the day when we went to Virgin Gorda. It was an easy day trip from VG on the ferry. We rented a car and drove around exploring the island and snorkeled one of the beaches. The ferry ride up there was fabulous passing by little islands on the way and the water was beautiful. The Anegada beaches are pretty, the snorkeling was fair, hated the restaurant where we ate lunch. We were so glad we decided not to stay there for 5 days. I would pick St John or Virgin Gorda over Anegada for sure. Depending on what you like to do, you may enjoy it.

OMG... please check out STX.....,more than friendy, conds cottages, and beach condos. w/rest & bar on site (3bed, 3 bath) for very reasonable cost(w/kid-sitter on site).

you guys are probably right.... And the more I research it...the more it seems impossible. We love love love st john....and return each and every year. I thought this might be a nice way to explore another island without having to commit to it. Thinking 2 or 3 nights would be fun...and then spend a week on our beloved rock!

Maybe someday.....

We spent a day on Anegada and are planning to spend 2-3 nights in the future, but combined with a week on Virgin Gorda, not St. John.

For a brief time, there was a ferry from STJ to Anegada, but it was infrequent and inconsistent.

If you do want to try something different, try Virgin Gorda. Less of a logistical nightmare to/from St. John. Check out Guavaberry Springs resort. Reasonable lodging walking distance to Spring Bay.

We did Anegada last November, for two nights. Travelling from STT in the afternoon, it required an overnight in Roadtown.

I wouldn't recommend it with children (small or large), as the only activities there would be limin', snorkeling if the seas permit, and eating huge lobster.

If you want to catch up on your reading, this is the place. Otherwise, two nights max.

Still, I'm glad we went.

Iluvstjohn wrote:Ok...so we've done the st john thing 8 times AND LOVE IT....been to Jost and LOVE IT...so we thought of adding 2 or 3 nights to our next trip to do Anegada....

1. we will have our kids ages 6 and 8 by then
2. we would love a beachfront cottage with tv (for the kids)
3. AC would be great but not a must

and help with the ferry thing from STT to BVI....then From BVI to STT/STJ

We would then stay a week on our beloved STJ

any helpful insight, hints or places to stay?

Iluvstjohn – don’t give up on it that easily. Anegada is great for a day trip from Virgin Gorda or a couple days but agree don’t think we could do a week there. Beautiful, wild beaches and fun beach bars and the friendliest people you’ll ever find, but not much in terms of amenities, plus we missed the land views the other islands give you.

Having done a couple days there a few yrs ago, I can see why the Anegada regulars on TTOL say things like its not about what we saw or what we did, it’s who we saw/who we caught up with again. Anegada actually might not be a good match for some St. John-iacs, especially villa meisters who live for the view and dig the villa gravity thing, unless you are the type that can swing both ways in terms of “roughing it” or who really love spending all day on the beach (assuming your kids can roll with this).

Please make sure you plug in “Anegada” into the “Search” function right under the blue bar near the top of this page for other interesting threads and perspectives and photos re this topic. My old trip reports are there that detail the logistical problems we had getting there, but we are glad we went (best lobster ever). Also, Chrisn’s trip report details their fantastic day trip there from VG.

As to your questions, not sure if any of the places to stay in Anegada have TV – that’s a question for the TTOL forum. I think the rooms at Neptunes Treasure had window AC units.

The TTOL forum is very sailing-centric, although they have come to tolerate us landlubbers much more in recent yrs. Used to be if you asked a where to stay on Virgin Gorda question you got 3 replies, but if you asked which whatchamacallit knot to use on the mailsail, it got 19 replies.

The extra ferry time is something to consider depending on where in BVIs you go, although there are certainly worse ways to travel. It does take some doing to figure out the logistics and the logistics can dictate how the trip unfolds because ferries only run to Anegada certain days of the week and probably best done with an overnight in Tortola (Marias in Roadtown is a good option walking distance to the ferry).

The best BVI ferry information is here in the drop down box in the middle of the page.
http://www.bestofbvi.com/info/info_bviferry.htm

One way to minimize the effort involved is to travel “one way” as much as possible i.e. fly into STT, do STJ first, ferry direct to VG or Tortola, ferry to Anegada, then ferry back to Tortola and fly from Beef Island back to San Juan, or, take a charter flight from Anegada back to SJU (of course this may be done in reverse order). I don’t think flying into or out of VG is an option right now as the airport may still be closed for upgrade.

But, know thyself - if just thinking about this kind of extra trip planning makes you dizzy or groan, OR, if you are the type who would enjoy making the puzzle work. Trip planning like this keeps my brain busy on long winter nights, or while stuck in traffic or in a boring meeting.

I can't help with Anegada... haven't been yet, but I love jmq's advice!! I love the planning!!

jmq's quote...
"But, know thyself - if just thinking about this kind of extra trip planning makes you dizzy or groan, OR, if you are the type who would enjoy making the puzzle work. Trip planning like this keeps my brain busy on long winter nights, or while stuck in traffic or in a boring meeting."

If you want to easily access Anegada!!!!! --- fly into STT - have Ace Flight Center -[ 776-4141 Cleo Hodge ] - fly you to Anegada and pick you up after your vacation. Absolutely not the place for STJ Villa Aficionado Critics - but for anyone who loves deserted white sand beaches, fresh lobster, excellent diving,snorkeling and fishing, all fit into a slow lazy day with hardly a sound at night -- it is the Only Virgin Island that exists for Sun - Sea - Sand - and Simplicity.

We had every intention of visiting Anegada during our Virgin Gorda trip but the weather did not cooperate. In 2009, I found at least two local charter services that flew down from either Tortola or VG and the cost wasn't that bad.

We will get there one day. Along the lines of what others mentioned, I think it is one of those love it or hate it type of locations.

There was a fasinating thread on TTOL recently about a lunch going wrong. Some posters had a baskets full of excuses for the island's quirks, others were less forgiving. It was interesting reading and gave me the sense that a trip to Anegada would very much require overlooking A LOT of oddities.