the unique story behind the village of Long Look—the oldest free AfricanCaribbean village in the Virgin Islands—in a festive setting with live performances from local fungi bands, moko jumbies, local carolers and demonstrations of cultural traditions. Plus, The Pottery Garden—a pottery studio located in Josiah’s Bay—fires up guests with original handmade pieces of Virgin Islands art and an opportunity to watch the process. Visitors can take home a piece of the culture through the handmade pottery in numerous styles, or simply enjoy the peace along the grounds featuring a rare wood-fired kiln adorned with stone. Finished pieces are displayed in a charming display studio, and guests are welcome to watch the artist when in action.
VIRGIN GORDA A visit to St. Thomas Bay Beach now has a colorful way to stay in the shade, with new and vibrant bohios adding contrast to the picturesque aquamarine waters and giving guests a new way to relax and enjoy their beach day. Popular among all visitors, the St. Thomas Bay Beach also caters to sailors and boaters, with good anchoring conditions and amenities including a chandlery, dinghy dock, dive shop, fuel, garbage disposal, laundry, provisions, restaurant and water service. And those that “search for tomorrow on every shore” will surely appreciate the new Marina Village and Nova Restaurant by Oil Nut Bay, a luxury residential community on the North Sound of Virgin Gorda. Complete with an overwater lounge featuring hammocks floating
above the water and a pool perched over the edge, Nova has served up quite a buzz – and the Village offers everything from a coffee shop and market to a provisioning store, a boutique and even a library.
ANEGADA Anegada is more accessible than ever, with a new mid-day ferry making it possible for cruise guests with longer calls to discover offerings like the Conch Shell Mounds—where thousands of conch shells form a mountainlike formation and homage to Anegada’s history as one of the Caribbean’s most fertile conch grounds and home to the Arawak people thousands of years ago—and watersports with Tommy Gaunt at Anegada Beach Club. Visitors should also keep their eyes peeled for the endemic Anegada Rock Iguanas (Cyclura pinguis), which will also be more accessible through the destination’s Anegada Rock Iguana Head Start Facility. The National Parks Trust’s second rehabilitation project began in 1997 for the rapidly declining population facing threats of starvation, habitat loss and hunting by wild cats. To give juvenile iguanas a chance at survival, a Headstart Facility was constructed with assistance from scientists from the Iguana Specialist Group (ISG) and technical input from a consortium of zoos. In the first year, three juveniles were captured from high-risk areas in the wild and placed in the Facility, where they are fed daily and measured monthly to assess their progress. The long-term project goals include the release of captive iguanas into the wild, habitat restoration and protected area status. JOST VAN DYKE The gangway is also more open than ever to Jost Van Dyke, with numerous excursions now available for cruise guests from Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park to discover this island named after an early Dutch settler and former pirate – and ransacked with rugged scenery and colorful folklore. Small in stature—measuring just 12 square miles and home to less than 300 inhabitants—the smallest of the four main BVI islands is large on features and history, with pages filled by Arawak Indians, Caribs, Dutch, Africans and the British. The options are just as plentiful for food and fun, with numerous places to indulge in favored cuisine, such as barbecues, West Indian rotis, fish sandwiches, grilled fresh fish and lobster. Plus, Ocean’s Seven 2 recently opened to serve up an exclusive experience on White Bay, famous for Soggy Dollar Bar and home of the Painkiller. SECOND QUARTER 2019 | TRAVEL & CRUISE 49
