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St. John Villa Named Best in the World!

Jenn Manes 1 Comment
Villa Cin Cin was just named the best vacation rental in the world!

Earlier this week, I told you how Trunk Bay was named the best beach in the world… in the world! Well today I would like to let you know that one of our amazing vacation rentals here on St. John was also just named the best in the world! This is an incredible honor, folks!

Villa Cin Cin is an ultra-luxurious villa that’s perched atop Ditleff Point on St. John’s south shore. This stunning vacation rental property has unparalleled views of the Virgin Islands National Park, an array of nearby islands and bays, as well as the sparkling turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. I have seen a lot of vacation rentals over the past decade here on St. John, and Cin Cin (pronounced “chin,” Italian for “cheers”) is one that truly takes my breath away. And the people over at Vrbo clearly agree, as they just named it the Vacation Home of the Year.

Villa Cin Cin was selected from more than 2 million properties available worldwide on Vrbo. It was selected due to its stellar star ratings, rave guest reviews, incredible spaces inside and out, and because of its exceptional guest experiences.

“Hospitality means everything to us,” owner Christine Fano told Vrbo. “Our family has a delicious welcome dinner prepared for guests on their arrival day so they can relax, go to the beach, play in the pool, and enjoy the jacuzzi at sunset without worrying about dinner.”

Villa Cin Cin is a custom-built estate which boasts more than 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space. The home has five identical king en suite bedrooms, ensuring that everyone gets the best room in the house. Each bedroom has a private veranda and balcony with expansive sunrise and sunset views.

Villa Cin Cin is located in a private, gated community.
It is perched high atop Ditleff Point.
The home boasts expansive views of the Virgin Islands National Park and Caribbean Sea.
Villa Cin Cin has five identical king en suites.
Each bedroom has a private balcony and veranda.

Villa Cin Cin features a large Great Room with a gourmet kitchen and three, nine-foot luxuriously plush, family-friendly sofas. There is also a large game room inside the home that has an indoor/outdoor bar with a roof-top deck and 270-degree views.

Gourmet kitchen
Great Room
Game Room

One of my favorite features at Villa Cin Cin is its outdoor space, including its large, heated pool that is covered in sun all day. I don’t know about you, but I would love to float here all day while taking in the beautiful Caribbean views.

Overlooking Rendezvous Bay
Picture yourself here…
Infinity-edge pool
Private hot tub

Pretty incredible, isn’t it?

Villa Cin Cin is located less than 10 minutes from Cruz Bay. It’s a promise location that’s close enough to the fun, but far enough away to feel completely quiet. Ditleff Point even features a small, sandy beach that is accessible by a nearby beach path.

Want to see more of this exquisite villa? Check out this quick video below:

Villa Cin Cin can accommodate up to 20 guests, making it perfect for large gatherings, family reunions, weddings and more. Weekly rates start at $18,900. Please visit www.villacincin.com to learn more.

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Check This Out! An Affordable Way to Get to Lime Out!

Jenn Manes 1 Comment
The Fly Out to Lime Out shuttle leaves out of Coral Bay.

Hello everyone, and happy Wednesday! One of the top questions I receive here at the blog is, “How do I get to Lime Out?” For those of you who are unfamiliar with Lime Out, it’s the world’s only floating taco bar and it’s located right here in St. John!

Lime Out is located out in Coral Bay, which means you need to take a boat to get there. Today I’d like to tell you all about an affordable way to visit this super fun establishment – the Fly Out to Lime Out shuttle.

Our friends over at Flyaway Charters are shuttling folks out to Lime Out for just $30 per person. No reservations are needed, and you can spend as little or as much time out there, although Flyaway Charters recommends at least two hours. The shuttle operates Sunday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The last ride out is at 3 p.m.

The Fly Out to Lime Out shuttle can take up to six guests at a time. If you have more than six in your group, no worries! They will drop off the first group, and then they’ll swing back around and grab the rest. One great things about this shuttle is that you will always have a seat in the water, as Flyaway Charters has its own float that it can attach to Lime Out if need be.

Ready to check it out? All you have to do is wander into Pirate’s Cove in Coral Bay, and they will set you up. Pirate’s Cove is a fun little retail and rental shop that’s located directly across the street from Skinny Legs. It’s also owned by our friends at Flyaway Charters, and it’s just a few minute walk from the dinghy dock where the shuttle picks up and drops off.

Ok, so now that you have discovered this new, affordable way to visit Lime Out, you are probably thinking, “Ok, but how do I actually get to Coral Bay?” The most affordable way is to take the Vitran bus. The bus leaves Cruz Bay numerous times a day and drops off right at Pirate’s Cove. And even better? The bus costs just $1, according to Vitran’s website.

Pirate’s Cove is located on Centerline Road (Route 10) in Coral Bay.

Click here to see the full St. John Vitran bus schedule.

Another option is to hire a private taxi driver. You can see a full list of taxi drivers at www.explorestj.com/taxis. This is a pricier option, but may be an easier one.

Have I mentioned how quiet the island is? This is a great time for a visit! Go ahead and start planning your next vacay, and be sure to add the Fly Out to Lime Out shuttle to your must-do list! Looking for more info on the shuttle? Click here to visit Flyaway Charters’ website. 

Want to learn more about St. John? Looking to take an island tour?

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour See the island of St. John with a resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

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Trunk Bay Named Best Beach in the World!

Jenn Manes 1 Comment
Trunk Bay, April 2024

I’ve been saying this for years, folks. Trunk Bay is simply one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Well the people over at Banana Boat clearly agree with me, because they just named Trunk Bay the best beach in the world!

Banana Boat, a company that offers reef-friendly, but not reef-safe sunscreen, released its annual list of the World’s Best Beaches today, and Trunk Bay topped the list! Trunk Bay beat out stunning locales like Grace Bay (Turks and Caicos) and Seven Mile Beach (Cayman Islands), as well as spots in Seychelles, French Polynesia and Australia among others.

Here’s what they had to say about Trunk Bay:

Trunk Bay is the quintessential Caribbean paradise. Visitors praise the incredibly soft sand and the crystal-clear, pool-like waters, but what truly distinguishes Trunk Bay from other Caribbean destinations is its setting within the stunning Virgin Islands National Park. The protected status of the area ensures the absence of loud commercial activity and large buildings, allowing instead for lush greenery and local wildlife to flourish as a natural backdrop. Additionally, its sheltered location protects it from the Caribbean tradewinds, resulting in calm waters that are perfect for swimming. Named after the Leatherback turtle—locally known as “trunks”—which is native to the area, Trunk Bay also features a vibrant reef that attracts snorkelers eager to swim among schools of colorful fish and experience the unique underwater snorkeling trail.

Trunk Bay is the only beach in St. John that has an entry fee. It costs $5 per person to entry, and they only accept credit cards. Trunk Bay has showers, restrooms, lunch offerings, a full bar with happy hour in the morning, and a rental hut that has chairs, snorkel gear and life belts.

Looking to spend the day at Trunk Bay? Click here to read a recent story I wrote that details all of its offerings. You can also click here to read all about Trunk Bay’s food and beverage offerings.

Click here to see what other beaches made the top 50. 

That’s all I have for today, folks! Stay tuned for information tomorrow on an easier way to visit Lime Out, our floating taco bar!

Want to learn more about St. John? Looking to take an island tour?

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour See the island of St. John with a resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj

New Cool Lunch Option in Cruz Bay

Jenn Manes 0 Comments

There’s a cool new place to eat lunch in Cruz Bay! And even better, it’s affordable!

Our friends over at Cafe Roma started serving lunch last week. I stopped by last Friday, and it was delish! For those of you who are unfamiliar with Cafe Roma, it’s an Italian restaurant that’s located in Cruz Bay just one block away from the ferry dock.

Cafe Roma’s lunch is pretty simple – pizza, salad and sandwiches. They serve cheese and pepperoni pizza by the slice, three different salads and several subs. The most expensive item on the menu is only $15. This is a steal for St. John, folks!

We stopped in on Friday and had two slices of pizza, a caesar salad and the roast beef special. It came out quickly, tasted great, and it was only like $30-something dollars! (Sorry I can’t remember the exact price – lol.)

Pizza and a salad
Roast beef special

Cafe Roma has plenty of seating, and it’s even air conditioned. That’s great news for these super hot days we’ve been having lately.

Lots of comfortable seating
Full bar

Cafe Roma is serving lunch Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Happy hour runs from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday too. During that time, you can get a slice of pizza and a Bud or Bud Light for only $6! This is available until they run out.

Cafe Roma is open for dinner Sundays through Fridays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Want to see exactly where Cafe Roma is located? Click here to check out Explore STJ’s searchable restaurant map at www.explorestj.com/restaurantmap.

Tag: lunch in Cruz Bay

Want to learn more about St. John? Looking to take an island tour?

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour See the island of St. John with a resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj

Check Out the Views!

Jenn Manes 0 Comments
The St. John Spice webcam

Hello everyone, and happy Friday! After several days of some pretty thick Saharan dust, the skies are finally clear again! I thought this would be a great time to remind you about all of the webcams that we have here on St. John.

Want to see who is coming and going from the ferry dock? You can!

Want to see the drinks flowing over at the Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke? You can!

Want to check out the sunset at the Windmill Bar or the stunning daytime views? You can!

The Windmill Bar webcam

Want to see who’s bellying up to the bar at The Beach Bar? You can!

Want to see what the Sir Francis Channel looks like today or perhaps Coral Bay harbor? You can!

Explore STJ has more than 20 live streaming webcams that are positioned around the island and over in the British Virgin Islands. Waste some time on this Friday, and check them all out! You can see them 24/7 at www.explorestj.com/webcams.

Not sure what Saharan Dust is? Click here to read a previous article I wrote about it. 

Have a great day everyone!

Webcam Link –> www.explorestj.com/webcams

Want to learn more about St. John? Looking to take an island tour?

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour See the island of St. John with a resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj

City Nature Challenge Happening this Weekend

Jenn Manes 0 Comments
(Pre-construction pic)

If you love plants and animals as much as me, there is a cool event happening this weekend that you can participate in. The City Nature Challenge is an international event that asks people around the world to find and document wildlife in their own cities. The Virgin Islands National Park is participating in the event, so if you are lucky enough to be on St. John tomorrow through Monday, you can join the fun. Not on St. John? No problem! Numerous cities around the country are participating too!

The City Nature Challenge asks participants to do three things:

  1. Find wildlife. It can be any plant, animal or other evidence of life found in your city.
  2. Take a picture or record a sound. Be sure to note the location of the plant or animal.
  3. Share your observations through the iNaturalist app (or your city’s chosen platform). We are using i-Naturalist down here in the Virgin Islands. Tip: If it’s planted or taken care of by people, it is not wild. Mark those captive or cultivated.

Participants are asked to take pictures from April 26th through April 29th. All images will be identified from April 30th through May 5th. The results will be announced on May 6th.

The City Nature Challenge began in 2016 as a competition between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Here is what they had to say about this year’s event:

“There is nature all around us! Knowing what species are in our city and where they are helps us study and protect them, but the ONLY way to do that is by all of us – scientists, land managers, and the community – working together to find and document the nature in our area.

“By participating in the City Nature Challenge, not only do you learn more about your local nature, but you can also make your city a better place – for you and other species!”

Staff from the Virgin Islands National park will be available at Cinnamon Bay from 7 a.m. to noon Friday through Monday to introduce guests to the i-Naturalist app and to provide information about the event. Guided bird walks, plant identification walks, and seashore walks will be offered daily, as well as a moth program on Saturday night. Click here to see that schedule.

Click here to learn more about the City Nature Challenge.

Click here for a full list of participating cities. 

Want to learn more about St. John? Looking to take an island tour?

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour See the island of St. John with a resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj