 |
Camping under the Stars in Paradise |
|
|
HOME
|
by Kathleen Ganster
Maho Bay Camps is a unique way to visit St. John Island. And while it is a step above most camping, it is still, nonetheless, camping and a great way to truly experience island living. St. John Island is the smallest U.S. owned Virgin Island. Only 9 miles long, it is approximately two miles from its sister island, St. Thomas. Due to its small size and mountainous terrain, St. John doesn't have a landing strip - you have to fly into St. Thomas and take a 20-minute ferry ride into Cruz Bay, the largest city on St. John. The Maho Bay Camps are about a 25-minute ride from Cruz Bay.
The cottages are actually tents built on 16-foot square platforms that sit up off the ground in order to protect the animals and plants on the ground. The tents are situated on the hillside, among the trees. One employee resident calls it Swiss Family Robinson living. Board walks and steps connect all of the tents, the registration and activity desk areas, the store, Laundromat, dining pavilion and bathhouses. For Internet junkies, the Cyber Café keeps you hooked up.
Don't expect any fancy kitchen appliances here - cooking is done on a two-burner propane camping stove, propane provided. There is also a cooler and you can purchase ice at the store. Food can also be purchased at the store, although it is quite expensive compared to prices in the U.S. A food storage bin helps keep your food away from the bugs and you must carry your drinking and cooking water from one of the few drinking water sites at the campground. The bedroom houses two twin beds and you can open the couch to sleep two (or three small people). There is also an extra mattress that can be put on the floor if you aren't concerned about a stray lizard walking across you. You can also eat at the Pavilion Restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner. The prices are competitive with other restaurants and the food quite good. It is casual, like the rest of the camps. Like most campgrounds, Maho has have communal bathhouses. There are only four bathhouses, which is something you may want to consider if you have small children or a weak bladder. There are luke-warm (definitely not hot) showers in each bathhouse although you are asked not to shower between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in order to conserve water.
The tents are far more economical than the fancy resorts on the island. During off-season, May 1st - December 14th the tents are $70 a night double occupancy. Children under the age of 16 can stay free with their parents from May 1st to November 15th - a bargain for families. During the winter season rates, December 15 to April 30, rates are $105 per night, double occupancy. Rates are higher during holidays and February. There is plenty to do at Maho Bay and on the island. At the camp itself, the beach provides hours of entertainment for swimmers and snorkelers. You can walk to Maho Bay on a short, hilly trail, which has excellent swimming and snorkeling for children of all ages. Even the littlest can see several varieties of fish and sea life while still being able to stand in the water - perfect for non-swimmers as well. While you can rent snorkeling equipment at the Beach Hut in Maho Bay, you may want to invest in your own so you can snorkel any time. Little Maho Bay and Francis Bay are easily accessible - Little Maho is down the 118 stairs and Francis Bay a short walk. During our recent visit we saw several types of fish, stingray, an octopus, see urchins and crabs all in this area. You can also rent sail boats, sea kayaks, rafts, life jackets, and scuba gear for the little more adventurous trips. We rented a two person kayak and visited a deserted island, Whistling Cay, about 30 minutes out. The snorkeling was excellent, although in deeper and rougher waters than back closer to the camp.
There is exceptional snorkeling in this bay where we were able to swim next to sea turtles. What great fun. The resident barracuda scared me until we learned they don't bother you. If you swim out to Waterlemon Cay (not a swim for beginners) you can also spot starfish. Cinnamon Bay, a 1 1/2mile walk in the other direction has more ruins, and an interesting nature walk. While the beach had some of the whitest sand that we had ever seen and incredible turquoise water, the water was very rough and snorkeling nearly impossible the day we were there. Other hikes include the Reef Bay Trail where you can see the only petroglyphs on the island (you need to take one of the taxis to the beginning of the trail) and end up at the bay. The water is very warm and again, a good place to snorkel. For those unwilling to give up all the luxuries of home, Selengut has also built studio apartments that sit in six buildings higher on the hillside, above the tents. While the walk to all the activities is a bit further, the accommodations are much fancier. There are bedroom studios and living room studios. Each has a kitchenette with a microwave and other kitchen appliances and a private bathroom. Selengut has also expanded to other tent cottages, the Concordia Eco-Tents, and the Estate Concordia Studios on the East End of the island. These camps are directly on an unwooded hillside. Although there is a pool there, the other activities - such as swimming and snorkeling require more walking. They were a bit too desolate for my tastes. Additionally, you really need to rent a car if you stay there.
Writer and sometimes daredevil Kathleen Ganster lives in Pennsylvania. Her email is kganster@fyi.net For more information about Maho Bay Camps, Inc. contact 1-800-392-9004, or visit http://www.maho.org.
|
When
most people think of traveling to one of the Virgin Islands, all
that's on your mind and in your dreams are quiet sandy beaches.
Right? What about camping out? 
It
is a quiet island with no stoplights and speed limits of 25 miles
per hour. Approximately two-thirds of the island is part of the
Virgin Islands National Park. In 1956, Laurence Rockefeller donated
the land to the Federal Government to create the park. Later,
in 1962, over 5,600 acres of underwater acreage was added to the
park. Maho Bay Camp was created by Stanley Selengut, a Manhattan
businessman in the mid 1970s. Local rumor has it that Selengut
wanted to build a resort on the island but all of his land bordered
the park. The National Park Service threatened to block Selengut's
plans for a resort, so he came up with his "eco-friendly" camp,
which must have met the approval of park officials. Selengut started
with 18 tent-cottages and now has 114. 
It
is important to note there are lots and lots of steps to climb.
As my partner Branson said, "If you see a step, take it." Since
there isn't any room service or attendants, you must carry your
own luggage that can be a long haul and lots of steps - reason
to pack light. A flashlight is a must for night walking on the
boardwalks and steps, as there are no outdoor lights. And it gets
dark early in the Caribbean, usually around 7 p.m. during our
visit. The tent cottages are roomy and can comfortably sleep four.
The entrance if off the little living room area which is adjacent
to the kitchen/dining area. 
The
tents have porches for relaxing and many have views of the beautiful
bay area. It is wonderful to sit and watch the hermit crabs crawl
up the hillside searching for food or the huge iguanas bathing
in the sun, right off the balconies. It is also restful listening
to the waves at night or the sound of the tree frogs singing.
Be prepared to wake up at sunrise because you experience it every
morning and what a view it is. In the tents, you feel like you
are actually living in the woods. The humidity and heat can be
heavy though and you only have the small electric fans in the
tents to keep you cool. The bugs can also be fierce, especially
the little no-see um's - little bugs that live up to their names.
Bug spray seems to keep most at bay. 
Hikers
can also keep busy. The National Park has over 20 hiking trails,
many within walking distance of Maho Bay. The Annaburg Ruins are
a mile walk. Annaburg was a sugar and cotton plantation that dates
back to the early 1700s. The windmill and other buildings still
stand and the Park Service has cultural demonstrations. Over the
hill from Annaburg is Waterlemon Bay, about a 1-˝ mile walk from
Maho.