Author: Jenn Manes

Hello everyone, and happy Monday! It’s been a bit since I’ve posted an island update, so here we are!

Let’s start with the good news. Rates for the majority of our accommodations here on St. John recently dropped. How great is that?! Most vacation homes and condos drop their prices in mid-April, so it is now a little less expensive to stay on island.

Island Getaways, for example, lowered its rates between 20 and 30 percent for its “Summer Season” which continues through December 15th. Caribbean Villas also dropped its rates to “Off Season” prices, and that will continue through December 15th as well. Caribbean Villas also is also offering an additional 10 to 15 percent off its already-reduced off season rates for more than 20 properties. This additional discount applies to last-minute trips only. Villa Bonita is offering 20 percent off May 6th through 14th, and Mystical Mermaid is offering discounted rates through June 5th. Click here to get links to all of these businesses, plus others that are offering discounted rates. 

Now on to the not-so-amazing news. That darn sargassum has started to affect some of St. John’s more popular beaches. But there is no need to worry, this should not continue. Normally our winds blow east to west, so the sargassum passes either north or south of us, and it doesn’t typically hit the more popular spots like Trunk Bay, Maho, etc. Well we had a strange westerly wind over the weekend, which blew the sargassum into some places where we normally do not see it. It came into Trunk, Francis and Salt Pond yesterday, for example. I updated this on my new Sargassum Weekly Update page. Check it out at www.explorestj.com/sargassum. But again, this is not expected to continue, so it is nothing to stress over.

Now back to the positive news. 🙂 The island is starting to green up again! We have had some rain showers here and there over the past few weeks. It’s not enough to ruin any vacations or beach days, but just enough to green up the island. I am seeing buds and new leaves all over the place. I even saw the first flamboyant flowers of the year bloom over in Chocolate Hole. In a few more days or perhaps a week, the whole island should be green again.

The rain seems to have passed too, and the rest of the week looks beautiful and sunny! Want to see for yourself? You can always check out my webcam page at www.explorestj.com/webcams.

And lastly, I have a few open spots this week for island tours. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a repeat guest, I promise I can show you something new. Together we can see beautiful sights and beaches, explore centuries-old plantations or maybe snorkel with a turtle or two. We can even stop at a tiki bar near the beach. Explore STJ is rated Excellent on TripAdvisor, and I am super proud of that. Please check out www.explorestj.com/tour or email me at jenn@explorestj.com for more info.

Have a great day everyone!

Explore STJ would like to introduce & thank our newest advertiser Island Getaways. Island Getaways has been creating unforgettable vacations here on island since 1996. They have beachfront and water view villas that range in size from two to six bedrooms.

Please click here to learn more about Island Getaways and to get more details on their vacation rentals.

Last month I told you how Pirate’s Cove opened out in Coral Bay. Pirate’s Cove is a new retail shop that also sells beach items, including snorkel gear, Neso tents and more. Well today I’d like to let you all know that their grand opening celebration starts tomorrow, and you’re all invited to attend!

Pirate’s Cove Grand Opening celebration coincides with the 25th anniversary of Flyaway Charters. Both Flyaway and Pirate’s Cove are owned by Colin and Leah Hanson. The celebration starts tomorrow and continues through April 30th.

You can drop by the store all week to enter to win a $100 gift certificate that can be used either at Pirate’s Cove or toward a US or BVI charter on Flyaway Charters. Author Margie Smith Holt will be stopping by the shop tomorrow at 3 p.m. to sign her latest book, “Not on Any Map”. Author Valeries Sims will be in the shop on April 30th at 3 p.m. to sign her latest book, “Vintage Norman Island.” Ten percent of book sales this week will be donated to the KATS program. KATS stands for kids and the sea. The program teaches children basic water skills. It offers a sailing program for children as well.

As part of their Grand Opening celebration, Leah and Colin will also be raffling off a half-day US charter to benefit the KATS program.

Pirate’s Cove is located on Centerline Road in Coral Bay, just before Skinny Legs if you’re traveling from Cruz Bay. Centerline Road is Route 10 on the map. Click here to learn more about Pirate’s Cove. 

Looking to take a St. John island tour?

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj

St. John has more than 20 miles of hiking trails throughout the Virgin Islands National Park. You can hike a short tenth of a mile trail to a windmill at Peace Hill, or you can hike more than two miles down a steep hill (and then back up again!) to visit the island’s petroglyphs at Reef Bay. Our hiking trails lead to beautiful beaches, historical sites and other interesting places. Some are short. Some are long. Some are easy. And some are a bit more difficult.

I’ve hiked almost every trail on this island, and I enjoy sharing details, including pics and directions, with all of you. The following are links to information on some of my favorite hikes here on St. John.

The Hike to Honeymoon Beach – Click here to read our post about the hike to Honeymoon Beach via the Lind Point trail.

The Hike to Ram Head – Click here to read our post about the hike to Ram Head.

The Hike to Murphy House – Click here to our post about the hike to Murphy Great House. 

The Hike to America Hill – Click here to read out post about the hike to America Hill.

If there is a hike that you would like to know more about, please email me at jenn@explorestj.com. I’ll go out and hike it, and will post information for all of you.

If you’d like to bookmark this information, you can do so at www.explorestj.com/hiking

For those of you who are interested in hiking Reef Bay, the Virgin Islands National Park offers a guided hike every Monday and Tuesday. That’s the place where you can see the petroglyphs. There are also remains of a sugar plantation at the base of Reef Bay, and they are in very good condition. The guided hike costs $75. Click here for more information and to purchase a ticket for this guided hike. 

And lastly, if you would like to see more of St. John, please consider taking an island tour with me. You can learn more at www.explorestj.com/tour. Explore STJ is rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor. Click here to read my reviews. And feel free to email me at jenn@explorestj.com for more information.

Thank you so much for reading Explore STJ!