Ok folks, I know many of you dream of this… Who wants to own a business in paradise? A a St. John charter boat just listed for sale, and I have all of the details.
Bonus Time Charters is looking for a new owner. The asking price: $295,000. Here are the details straight from its MLS listing:
Have you dreamed of owning a Charter Boat Business in the Caribbean? How about a beautiful 29-foot World Cat power cat. All the hard work is done, website, booking portal, payment portal, USCG certificate and BVI permit makes this is a perfect business to purchase, especially if you have ever considered being a boat captain! Bonus Time comes with a BVI certificate for up to 10 passengers, plus crew. Bring your friends and family out when they visit and/or continue to charter it for income. This is a perfect boat for the USVI and BVI trips. Escape the rat race and become an island local. You only live once. Enjoy the journey.
Bonus Time is listed with Seaglass Properties for $295,000.
Cruz Bay Tuesday morning. (I really wish they’d move these power lines.)
Hello everyone, and happy Tuesday. My parents and their high school friends are currently visiting, so I have been busy playing tour guide to them for the past week. Their friends have never been to the island, so I have been helping them with basic things like taxis, ferries, restaurants and the like. It got me thinking that there are so many helpful things to know about St. John, and most of them can be found right here on this website. So today, I am going to do a quick rundown of things to know when planning a St. John vacation.
How to Get Here & Getting Home
Looking for information about our airport and the logistics of traveling to and from St. John? You can find all of the information at www.explorestj.com/gettinghere. This post includes information on the people ferries and car barges too, including schedules.
Everyone hates leaving, but it’s a reality for nearly everyone. Leaving the airport is a four-step process for those of you who opt to check bags. We have a post that walks you through the process when you leave, including Customs, Pre-Check and more. You can find that information at www.explorestj.com/2023/01/30/going-home-navigating-the-st-thomas-airport.
Want to know about the food and drink situation at the airport? We’ve got you covered. You can find details on this at www.explorestj.com/2022/11/03/airport-food-st-thomas-airport. (There have been one or two new spots that have popped up since that was originally posted in November.)
The Taxis
The majority of our taxis are open air safari trucks like seen in this picture.
The taxis follow a fee schedule, which is set by the Taxi Commission. Taxis are cash only, so please bring small bills if you plan on using the taxis. There are always taxis waiting at the main ferry dock in Cruz Bay. There are also taxis regularly parked at the Westin Resort for their guests. You can find the most current taxi rates at www.explorestj.com/taxi-rates.
Want to know exactly where each restaurant is located? You can see them all on our searchable restaurant map. That can be found at www.explorestj.com/restaurantmap.
Where are the Grocery Stores, Gas Stations, Pharmacy, Public Restrooms & More
Sometimes we need to know the simple things when on vacation. Our Logistics Map is also searchable. It includes the following information:
St. John has more than 20 miles of hiking trails. I’ve posted about some of my favorites ones. You can find that information, including directions, pictures and videos at www.explorestj.com/hiking.
What Do Some of the Beaches Look Like
Trunk Bay
Admittedly, I need to add more information to the page. But if you’d like to see some of our beaches here on St. John, please check out www.explorestj.com/beaches.
What’s the Latest on the Sargassum
I know that the media has been talking a lot about the sargassum seaweed that’s out in the Atlantic Ocean. We’re seeing some of that here, but it’s not enough to ruin anyone’s vacation. You can read my weekly (and sometimes daily) updates on sargassum on St. John at www.explorestj.com/sargassum.
What are Some Helpful Items to Bring to St. John (or on any beach vacation)
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.
Image credit: Bonvi Hospitality Group
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.
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/tourFull & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.
Isla Vista is available as a vacation rental through Bonvi Hospitality Group.
Hello everyone, and happy Friday. Today I’d like to tell you about two friends of mine who launched an amazing new villa rental and travel concierge business. From romantic getaways to family vacations, they’ve got you covered. They will also assist you with all of your travel arrangements from the moment you land on St. Thomas through your stay here on St. John, including boat charters, private chefs, restaurant reservations and more.
Bonvi Hospitality Group is the latest venture of Dan Boudreau and Megan Perrault. You may recognize Dan’s name, as he was the owner of Castaway’s, which sold back in 2015. He’s also a managing partner at Tropical Properties. Dan and Megan are the parents to three-year-old Hudson.
Dan, Hudson & Megan Boudreau
Dan and Megan launched Bonvi in January, although they swear that Hudson truly runs the show. 🙂 The pair has been managing villas since 2013, so launching their own business simply made sense. Bonvi is short for Bon Vivant, Dan told me, which means a sociable person who has cultivated and refined tastes especially with respect to food and drink. Bonvi manages and/or books more than 10 luxury properties, including:
Isla Vista
Isla Vista is adjacent to the Virgin Islands National Park. It has five bedrooms with views high above Cruz Bay.
And as I previously mentioned, Bonvi offers full travel concierge services for all of their guests. They will help you with transportation from the airport to your villa, with private chef services if you prefer to eat in, and they can even book boat trips for you or even an island tour with me! (Shameless plug, I know lol)
Ready to start searching for your next vacation rental? You can learn more about these vacation rentals and see what other villas are available at www.BonviHopsitalityGroup.com.
Do you own a vacation rental on St. John? Would you like information regarding the management of your villa? Feel free to email Dan and Megan at info@bonvihospitalitygroup.com for more information.
