Jost Van Dyke or Brewers Bay?

[curlimommy]

I need some advice/help planning for our Tortola time. We are only there for a half day 7am-2pm and I really would like to do an excursion on our own. I'm a bit nervous about missing the ship and the time frames here.

 

I'm thinking Brewers Bay is the easier of the two options. Can we get there and back in plenty of time to make the ship? I think I read it takes about 20 minutes to drive there by taxi?

 

Any advice from people who have done this with a short time frame like this?

[Pyrate13]

Depending on how quickly you get off the ship you could probably just make the 8:00 ferry to Jost and then catch the 12:00 ferry back, but it sure doesn't give you much time over there and I can tell you from experience, don't count on the ferry leaving at 12 to be on time, lunch you know.

 

Brewer's would be the better option considering your time frame.

[CaribbeanBound]

Whenever we venture off-island, we want a full day. Partly because it's so darn expensive and partly because we want as much time as possible.

 

Brewers Bay is a good choice on Tortola. Taxi service here is on a "per person" basis. Brewers Bay costs $6.00 per person each way for parties of 4 or more. (For the curious, it's also $6.00 per person to beautiful Cane Garden Bay, heavily populated with cruise passengers). What a way to end our cruise! There were less than a dozen folks at Brewers Bay when we arrived at 9am and about 50 when we left at 1pm. This is a spectacularly beautiful bay with awesome snorkeling to the left of the bay. We saw a number our variety of fish including Tarpon (about 4 feet in length), box fish, trigger fish, loads of colorful parrot fish, thousands of interesting little reef dwellers and various coral formations. It was impressive to see large schools of fish descend across the reef devouring whatever morsels they enjoy and moving on to the next like locusts in a field. If you aren't into snorkeling, lay back and watch the dozen or so pelicans plunge into the ocean for fish all day long. They would dive within a couple feet of a snorkeler --- neither bothering the other. Beach chairs can be rented for $5 (loungers) or $3 (chairs) but we didn't see any umbrellas. There is plenty of shade on the left side of the beach (snorkeling side) in front of Nicole's Bar. Nicole's Bar offers mixed drinks and a collection of $3 bottled beer as well as a grill ($6 for a cheeseburger or $8 for shrimp and fries).

 

More: http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/caribbean-secrets.html

[clrn911]

which is more beautiful--cane garden bay or jost van dyke's white bay? we're in our 40's, & are in port from 7-1. thanks.

[nabby]

I admit to being very biased toward White Bay (and all of JVD). However, since you are there a relatively short time, I would suggest staying on Tortola. Cane Garden Bay is beautiful, there are just more people there.

 

Warning: Once you visit the BVI you will want to come back :D

Save your trip to Jost for another visit when you have more time.

[bnsilly]

I agree..Jost if you have time...(which you don't without being rushed)...

I would stay on Tortola and enjoy your day. I would pick Cane Garden over Brewer's... Cane Garden will be more crowded though..

[clrn911]

thanks! i heard there might be some good snorkeling on brewer's bay, maybe we'll go for a bit there to snorkel then head to cane garden bay. is brewer's bay desolate? i've gone to some beaches in the caribbean that were & we could've ran into trouble ;) i'd love to see that beautiful white bay in j.v.d. someday. thanks again.

[Aquaholic101]

We will be in Tortolla 9:30 - 7 PM and have decided on the baths. Is it possible to take the ferry back and then hit brewers for some snorkeling? or will we be rushing it. Would you instead opt for Cane Garden and hit the Bomba Shack