Is Virgin Gorda the place for me? I want extremely calm waters (very,very few waves) to relax in on my honeymoon. I want to stay @ the Nail Bay Resort in Virgin Gorda sometime late April 2006. I probably would be flying into Beef Island from San Juan. I've only found one ferry that travels from Beef island... the North Sound Express. Does anyone have prices? Even this years prices will be fine. I'm trying to make a honeymoon budget. Also, i'll need to know estimated prices for jeep rentals. What rental shop has the best jeeps for your money? What shops have jeeps that might break down while i'm using it? What shops keep thier jeeps clean? What restuarants have the least "homey" atmosphere but don't cost a fortune? What shops are most ethnic? aka"non-touristy"? What beaches are off limits to people not staying @ that beach's resort? Any & all info &tips are gratefully needed.
Thanks from Florida,usa

MEG,

I am not an expert on the British Virgin Islands but here are a few resources if you have not found them yet:

http://www.b-v-i.com/beef.htm

North Sound Express (NSX):
http://www.beyc.com/about_directions.asp
Ferry transfers are $25 per person each way.
NSX Scheduled Departures from Tortola Airport:
8:15 AM, 11:15 AM, 1:45 PM, 4:15 PM, 6:00 PM, 8:00 PM

http://www.bvitravel.com/ferries/


http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresu ... ection=tra

Boat & Ferry Services

Inter-Island Boat Services (PHONE: 284/495-4166).

Jost Van Dyke Ferry Service (PHONE: 284/494-2997).

Native Son (PHONE: 284/495-4617).

New Horizon Ferry Service (PHONE: 284/495-9278).

North Sound Express (PHONE: 284/495-2138).

Nubian Princess (PHONE: 284/495-4999).

Peter Island Ferry (PHONE: 284/495-2000).

Smith's Ferry (PHONE: 284/495-4495).

Speedy's Ferries (PHONE: 284/495-5240).


http://virgin-gorda.caribbeanway.com/airport.asp

http://www.cruisecritic.com/ports/newport.cfm?ID=4
Ferries:
Bitter End Ferry (284) 494-2746, www.beyc.com: Runs between Gun Creek and the Bitter End Yacht Club hourly on the half-hour. Free of charge. Takes less than 30 minutes.

North Sound Express (284) 495-2138: Runs between Spanish Town and the Bitter End Yacht Club. Reservations required. Call for rates and schedules. Allow one and a half hours for passage.

Saba Rock Resort Ferry Service (284) 495-7711: Runs between Gun Creek and Saba Rock. Will also pick up at Bitter End. Free of charge.

Speedy's Ferry Service runs frequent ferries between Road Town and Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda. Depending on the vessel and weather allow between an hour and an hour and a half for passage. (284) 495-5240/495-5235, www.speedysbvi.com, speedysbvi@surfbvi.com.

Meg, I stayed at Little Dix Bay in Virgin Gorda, but it's very, very expensive, but I do have some info. I went a few years ago, so I don't remember car rental prices, but I don't remember anything costing outrageous prices.

If you can access the beach at Little Dix Bay, I'm not sure if you can drive in or park outside and walk in, the beach has excellent snorkeling. The food prices are very high, so don't count it in as a place to eat. I had a meal plan there, so I didn't eat anywhere else that I can recommend.

Little Dix Bay offered free boat shuttles to coves where you couldn't reach by foot or car, but all the bays I went to were calm. I think the only thing that would churn them up is if there was a storm. I found the water everywhere to be very calm and also at The Baths. The Baths is a beach with huge round boulders on it. The boulders are the attraction, but otherwise, it's just another nice beach.

I forget if it's Bitter End Yacht Club Resort that's at the end of the island, but a resort at the end of the island has small boat rentals, like Boston Whalers with small engines. You actually would have to sit in front to keep the front down, but it's great. The prices for the boat were reasonable at that time, so they may still be and if they are, take one out. It's a must. You can motor that baby to a small unihabited island for snorkeling and perhaps some naked swimming if you wanted privacy on empty beaches. Also, off the shore of the Bitter End Yacht Club is a place called Saba Rock. It's this rock that's has a bar on it. It's fantastic. You can dock your dinghy (Boston Whaler) there and order a great tropical drink and enjoy it on their outside seating. You can see all the small fish hiding under the short dock of the bar. I watched a pelican land on my motor and hang out. I was so much fun. I don't know if there is any place like it.

You'll have the huge yacht people waving to you as they realize you can't afford their yacht, but still are out there boating and enjoying the same pleasures as them. The boat just has a motor that you adjust to turn, no steering wheel, but it's easy to use, just use caution when going to another island to avoid the rocks that may be close to shore. You can easily drag the boat on shore to snorkel, and perhaps bring lunch with you.

If I can answer any questions, e-mail me at lipstickhiker@yahoo.com. I love Virgin Gorda. It's my favorite place, because it's quiet and the water is calm. I don't swim, but with snorkel gear, I can be bouyant because one or two pushes with the flippers will keep you afloat, so please try it. You won't drown. The snorkeling is great there. It would be a shame to not try it or do it in a not as good place and realize you missed a great opportunity when you were at Virgin Gorda. You can even go vertical and stay afloat with a few paddles of the fins. Take it from a non swimmer and try it.

Oh yeah, the ferries. I stayed at St. Thomas once and took a few ferries, one to Tortola and then on to Mosquito Island where I stayed. I don't know if there is more than one ferry system, but it was loud!!!

Little Dix Bay picks you up with their own huge yacht/catamaran from I think it was Beef Island, so I didn't take the ferry to Virgin Gorda. The ferries I took were pretty small.

I would e-mail Nail Bay Resort and ask them the questions you have in mind as they would be best at answering your questions. I've never heard of that one, it must be a newer place or they had a name change. There are no big resorts there, just small resorts.

Meg, did you see this info at the Nail Bay Resort site for how they pick you up from Beef Island:

Arriving At Nail Bay: We meet all our guests either at Virgin Gorda Ferry Dock or at the Airport and escort them to the property. The charge is $15 for 2 persons and $3 for each additional person (one-way). To do this we need to know your flight schedule and arrival time so please let us know your travel plans ahead of time.

Also, I see rooms are $99 and suites that are a full apt are $135. The extra $35 can be warranted if you cook a lot of your own meals and just keep it simple since who wants to do big cooking when you are vacationing. I think the rooms may even have access to grills. You can see if you can bring a cooler with meats and buy other small essentials there to keep the price down.

Nail Bay looks nice.

My wife and I just booked our 5th year anniversary at Nail Bay and asked if there's anyway possible someone from the resort can pick us up from the airport or ferry dock and they said "not at all". They said the only way we can get to the resort is by taxi or rent a jeep. Taxi is $25 to get to the resort. Not too bad i guess. We're staying at the so called honeymoon suite which is very expensive but very private too and right on the beach. The Sundowner. Nail Bay does look like the best choice for us. You should definately check it out.

Absolutely! BVI's Virgin Gorda is absolutely gorgeous, extremely relaxed and the Baths there are unreal. Just hope you don't get swamped with touristos when you're there...but even with, you'll have a magical time!

our spot in Nail Bay at Virgin Gorda was one of the best vacations we've ever gone on! We couldn't have asked for more. Steps to a pristine beach, awesome for snorkeling.. saw many sea creatures with a short swim from the shore. Snorkeled numerous times every day we were there. Didn't even leave our place at Nail Bay because it in itself was perfect.

har har