USVI-On-Line

We're staying on Chocolate Hole Road which is a side of the island we didn't explore last year. The daughter and I like to snorkel, and the husband likes to sit under the sea grapes and read or take pics. With that in mind, what beaches would you recommend? Thanks.

The beaches near Chocolate Hole Road are all rocky beaches, so if you husband likes to sit on the beach under a tree I would just head back over to the North Shore beaches. It's not far to get back over there, really.

We stayed over there in August and we went to the North Shore beaches every day. It wasn't a bad drive at all!

A nice little beach still (semi) open to the public is right there at Ditleff Point on the way to Fish bay past Rendezvous. Its a rock beach, but until they complete construction, you can drive pretty far down, and its a closer drive from where you'll be if you just need a quick fix.

We stayed on Hart Bay (second bay over from Chocolate)a couple of years ago during June and the surf and waves were really strong - couple with the previously mentioned rocks, not a good combo. It's a nice beach to take a walk around, but not the best for sitting and relaxing. I've heard the snorkeling is pretty interesting when the Bay is calm.

Gibney - hands down (for me any way). Nice beach, palm trees hang out over the water, nice swimming.

The snorkel between Chocolate Hole and Devers Bay (Southeast Point, left side) is great and rivals other deep water snorkels like Yawzi point.

Sit on the beach? Nah.

Cheers, RickG

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys.

Gibney sounds like good choice. It seems a favorite of many people on the forum.

RickG - Your suggestion sounds like our kind of snorkel. I'm sure the spouse can find something to do until we're through ogling our underwater friends.

It's comforting to know the drive to the NS beaches isn't bad, either. I started fretting about that after we booked our villa on Monday.

If you're a strong swimmer consider swimming around the point from Chocolate Hole to Devers Bay. I've done it with moderately strong swimmers. If you want to walk on Devers bring your water shoes - its a rubble beach. The closest exit point on Devers' beach (right below Island Time Villa) is sandy.

The last photo on the Island Time web page shows the point.

http://www.caribbeanvilla.com/islandtime/index.html

Cheers, RickG