Tips and Tales from the Virgin Islands

Fort Christian

6 Must Dos During the Yearlong Virgin Islands Centennial Celebration – Happy 100 VI!!

If visiting the Virgin Islands has been on your to-do list, this is definitely the year to do it. 2017 marks the one hundred year anniversary of the Virgin Islands transfer from Denmark to the United States. There are dozens of fantastic events scheduled throughout 2017 to celebrate our rich yet complex cultural heritage – […]

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Enkai Sushi

St. Thomas Side Street Secrets: Enkai Sushi, Bunker Hill Hotel & Other Great Finds

Faced with a few days off work and my son’s upcoming sixth birthday, my family and I decided to take a vacation. “Manhattan for a Broadway show,” I suggested. (I love New York.) “Too cold and too expensive,” my husband said. “Grandma’s, grandma’s,” cried my son, but with only four days off and a limited […]

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USVI Plastic Bag Ban

Change Isn’t Always Easy (Plastic Bag Ban in the Virgin Islands)

In August 2014, California was the first state to enforce the law that banned the use of plastic bags in retail stores. On January 1, 2017, the Virgin Islands, like many other states, will follow suit and enforce the law to ban plastic bags. For years, many have voiced their concerns about the hazardous effects […]

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St. John Underwater

How to Take Perfect Photos on St. John (Plus 5 Secret Spots for the Best Pix)

You made it! You’re on St. John! If you’re anything like me, you’ve been counting the minutes to touch down since you hit the confirm button for your flight. Now you’re here, its all about capturing moments, right? The Virgin Islands are surreal – unlike anywhere else on the planet. Capturing this beauty on camera […]

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Virgin Islands New Year & Christmas Are Lit!

Come year end, the VI is host to some of the best and most famous holiday parties in the world! Trade in your puffer coats for Carnival beads, and snow drifts for white sand beaches. This holiday (or next), take to the Virgin Islands streets to dance until dawn. Old Year’s Night Foxy’s Old Year’s […]

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The Hallelujah of the Reef Bay Trail

The Virgin Islands National Park celebrates its 60th birthday this year. In 1956, Laurance Rockefeller had the foresight to donate 7,259 acres of St. John land to the US government under the condition that the lands be protected from future development. Due to Rockefeller’s passion for wilderness conservation, 60% of St. John remains pristine. The […]

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12 Caribbean Recipes to Spice Up Your Thanksgiving

Expect a delightful twist on stateside traditions if you visit the US Virgin Islands for Thanksgiving. We watch football games, yes, but projected on hotel linens strung up between palm trees. Instead of wrestling over deep discounts at day-after sales, you’ll find many VI residents sailing in a regatta or sharing leftovers at a beach […]

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4 Easy Ways to Market Your Virgin Islands Business Online

Digital marketing is the most powerful advertising tool Virgin Islands businesses have. That’s because the tourism audience is a global one. If you are NOT among the 86% of American businesses with an internet presence, you are probably feeling the pressure to get online. Two Vacations Visitors to the Virgin Islands take two vacations. Tourists […]

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VI Weather – The Best Season to Visit the Virgin Islands

What is the best season to visit the Virgin Islands? The answers are as different as the people who travel here. To create the perfect Virgin Islands experience, it’s important to ask yourself some questions before you book your flight! What’s your type of weather? Do you love dreamy, drizzly days or cloudless skies? Are […]

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Caribbean Writers Meet The NaNoWriMo Challenge

Close to two thousand Caribbean writers have registered for the upcoming National Novel Writing Month 2016 (NaNoWriMo). Beginning November 1st, seasoned and green authors alike will dare to write 50,000 words in one short month. (That’s 1666 words per day.) Started in 1999, this personal challenge has grown from a handful of writers (21 the […]

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Ultimate VI Guide – Create a DIY Spa Vacation

A week of rejuvenation is within your grasp and in your budget. It takes a little more planning on the front end, but follow these easy steps and you can be a noodle of relaxation and tranquility for a fraction of the price of an all inclusive spa vacation. Your Personal Spa Vacation Imagine winning […]

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Zenning Out With Ramon Correa

As the sun began it’s descent, the colors radiated a golden hue and a zen vibe enveloped the space. The chaos of the busy town seemed distant from our 260 degree perch. The only intrusions were the distant sounds of church bells, a steel pan band practicing and the odd rooster. I asked this extraordinarily humble man about his life as a disciple of martial arts, a conscious excavator and his hopes for humanity and his Virgin Islands community. Our conversation seemed as limitless as the azure sky overhead.

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Tin Cans

What You Need To Know About Cell Phone Service in the VI

Do you know there’s a battle between cell towers in the Virgin Islands and the British are winning? Get great advice on how to avoid excessive cellular roaming charges while traveling in the Virgin Islands.

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King Exodus

I don’t think I’m a singer, I’m more of a chanter. Chanting is more spiritual to me. Not that singing isn’t. I feel like when you chant a song to The Most High, you chant up an invocation, you don’t really sing it. I bring words of positive messages and try to tap into someone’s train of thought. This is where I like to aim my frequency.

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Beer, the old stand by bevy

Smoking and Drinking in the VI

It’s a total sensory experience! This functioning distillery is a short walk from the beach and the cemetery. The distillery emerges out of old stone ruins and is surrounded by gnarled trees, vines and smoky fires. This rum shop is like something out of Pirate’s of the Caribbean movie and a must stop for rum tastings.

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10 Questions to Ask When Booking Accommodations in the Virgin Islands

We asked our accommodation experts what questions they would ask when booking their own accommodations in the Virgin Islands. Here’s what they said: 1. When was the property last renovated and what was updated? 2. Are there screens and…

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Villa Equinox

6 Steps to Booking Your Ultimate Vacation Rental

Accommodations typically represent the biggest expense of your VI vacation. To find your best VI vacation rental ever our local experts recommend following these 6 steps…

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Traveling With Pets to the Virgin Islands

If you have a pet that cannot travel under your seat as an “in cabin pet” and they are not an “emotional support animal” or Service Dog, they will need to travel in the cargo hold. YIKES!!! If this is your only option, then time of year, in particular the temperature is an important consideration.

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