Where
is the Pink House?
Pink House is a private vacation
residence located on the eastern corner of White Bay on the island of Jost
Van Dyke (JVD) in the British Virgin Islands ("BVI's"). It is about 6 miles
north of St. Thomas, 5 miles northwest of Tortola and 60 miles east of
Puerto Rico. Although Jost van Dyke is British (and you'll need a passport
or your birth certificate plus ID), the local currency is the US Dollar.
The local time in the BVIs is Atlantic Standard time, the same as US Eastern
Standard time in the summer and one hour ahead in the winter
How
do I get to Pink House?
There are a number of options:
Fly to Beef Island, Tortola, BVI
Take a 30-minute taxi ride to "West End" and the ferry When or Paradise
Express to Great Harbour, JVD.
Fly to St. Thomas, USVI Take a 30-minute
taxi ride to "Red Hook" and the Inter-Island ferry to Great Harbour, JVD.
Fly to St. Thomas and taxi to Red
Hook, then either arrange a private taxi (www.watertaxi-vi.com ) or rent a boat* for transportation
over to Pink House that can be used throughout your stay.
Transportation information can be
found on sites such as www.bviwelcome.com.
The ferry schedule to get to and from JVD as well as other islands can
be found here.
*Although there is no dock on White
Bay, there is a mooring buoy and you may anchor.
Tell
me about Pink House:
Pink House is a three-bedroom beach
house, just 22 steps from one of the most beautiful white sand beaches
in the world (voted by Conde Nast). On the main level there are two bedrooms,
each with private baths, a large covered veranda, kitchen, and living room.
The lower level consists of another room, large outdoor patio, an outside
shower and laundry.
The kitchen is equipped with a refrigerator,
gas range/oven, microwave, coffee maker and the usual kitchen equipment
and utensils. Linens, towels and pillows are provided. There is a propane
grill, CD player, phone and small library. Upon arrival you may find some
groceries, staples, beverages, paper goods, etc, BUT… DO NOT count on this
- be sure to bring the groceries and supplies you will need during your
visit. The electrical outlets at the house are standard American 2-3 prong.
Is
there anyone on Jost Van Dyke who can help me?
Absolutely! Lenny Dawson is our
property manager and can help you with virtually any detail. His phone
number is 284.543.5168. Lenny will be your on-island
contact; he can orient you and answer any questions you may have. Be sure
to call Lenny a week or two before your trip to confirm your arrival time.
What
is there to do during our visit?
WOW! If quiet days on the beach,
reading, swimming, snorkeling, taking long walks, writing, painting, watching
the sunset, or anything else that comes to mind isn't enough, here are
a few ideas:
-
Take an ATV, bike or hike around JVD (the road is a circle,
about 6 miles long and very rugged - be sure to take water and wear comfortable
shoes - some or all of it makes a great jogging expedition). BVI Adventure can help with your rental needs for ATVs, bikes, and much more.
-
Walk or swim to the Soggy Dollar for
lunch or afternoon cocktails - there is always good company and new friends
to be made!
-
Walk down the beach to Ivan's beach
bar.
-
Walk or taxi over to Great Harbour.
Check the www.limin-times.com
website for local bands and venues.
-
Go boating/sailing, fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, rent a dinghy and much more. We recommend contacting Colin at Jost Van Dyke Scuba who can help you with all of your water sports .
-
Visit the Bubbly Pool on the eastern
end of JVD - walk, taxi, water taxi, or rent a Jeep to get there.
-
Pack a lunch and have Gregory 284.495.9401,
Steve 284.495.9847 or Wendell 284.495.0013 take you to one of the nearby
deserted islands for the day
-
Take a ferry to St. John, USVI or Tortola,
BVI for a day of shopping and sightseeing
As you can see, there is plenty to do
if you just can't stand sitting still! Chances are after a couple days
you will wonder where the days have gone - just simply enjoying your time
on White Bay! Further information about activities in the area is included
in Pamela Acheson's book, The Best of the British Virgin Islands [3rd
Edition].
What
about groceries?
There are a number of ways to provision
the house for your stay. (While you can purchase many everyday items on
Jost, there are no large supermarkets.)
-
Bring groceries from home. We use banana
boxes from our local grocery store or an extra suitcase to pack groceries,
then bring them along as checked baggage. Frozen foods travel well.
-
Shop on the way from the airport to
the ferry. On both St. Thomas and Tortola there are grocery stores which
will probably meet your needs. Cost-U-Less, Marina Market, and Kmart are
on St. Thomas and Rite Way is on Tortola. Your taxi driver will wait for
you while you are shopping for an extra fee- just be sure to watch your
time for the last ferry. Rite Way's website is www.rtwbvi.com.
-
Order online from Bobby's www.bobbysmarketplace.com
or www.amplehamper.com
located
on Tortola. If you make arrangements prior to your arrival, they will coordinate
delivery of your order directly to the house, through Lenny.
What
should I bring with me?
Your passport or Birth Certificate
(original and please check the State Department site of your country for
exit/entry to BVI) with another form of photo ID. Also be sure to bring
all the groceries, staples, and supplies you will need to be comfortable,
plus:
-
Tons of sunscreen. You are in the tropics
- even those of us lacking fair complexions burn rather quickly.
-
Insect repellent. We especially like
to burn the green coils which are available almost anywhere.
-
Pharmacy items including peroxide, bandages
and antibacterial cream.
-
Snorkel gear. There may be some in the
house, but they may not be the proper size.
-
Your own music. We have our own favorites
- nothing beats a little George Winston and a gin/tonic at sunset, Frank
Sinatra with a candlelit dinner, or some Winton Marsallis with lunch!
Pack very lightly…you may never put
on more than a bathing suit and sarong or shorts and a T-shirt.
What
about first aid?
There is a full time nurse on JVD,
and hospitals on both Tortola and St. Thomas. In event of a medical emergency
contact the clinic or the police (495.9345) on JVD.
How
can I be reached, how do I make phone calls?
The phone number at the house is
284.495.9441. To call long distance, dial "111" then use a credit card.
Calls to the United States will be international calls. The local phone
company (Cable & Wireless) site is www.candw.vg.
Most cellular companies offer service - check with your provider to be
sure. Lenny's phone number to use in the event of an emergency is 284.543.5168.
What
about nightlife?
There is always a something going
on. Foxy's will have a band several nights a week, there is the Monday
night all-you-can-eat lobster feast at Harris' on Little Harbour, Ivan's
Stress-Free bar typically has a BBQ Thursday's nights on White Bay, or
just ask around. Check www.limin-times.com
for current entertainment information. .
Are
there any good web sites I should check out?
Does
it rain in the BVI's?
The monthly climatology for the
area can be found at this link: Weather.com |