Jost Van Dyke ~ The Barefoot Island

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Jost Van Dyke ~ have you heard of it?  Known as the Barefoot Island and the Friendly Island.  This tiny island is located in the Caribbean, is part of the British Virgin Islands and only 4 miles off of Tortola’s west end.

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This is where you want to come when you need to get away from it all, hide away for a few days and simply relax while leaving the rest of the world behind.  The best way to get to the island is fly into either Tortola or St. Thomas and then hop aboard a ferry or boat charter.

There are a few small hotels and guest houses on the island.  Most visitors come aboard yachts and bareboat charters. 

The island is pure heaven for scuba divers and snorkel fans.  The waters are crystal clear, bright turquoise with an abundance of marine life and species of exotic fish.  For scuba divers there are reefs and wrecks to explore.

Sandy Cay is an uninhabited islet with perfect white sand beaches and it sits just off of Jost.  This little islet is a great place to hang out, snorkel and dive, especially if you have it completely to yourself.

On Diamond Cay you can explore a small National Park and a bird sanctuary.

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If you want to experience something totally unique, make the trek to the “Bubbly Pool”, a natural jacuzzi.  Located on the rugged north end, this rock formation funnels waves through a very narrow passage into this natural pool.  The best time to visit is during high tide.

The Little Harbor area has 3 restaurants and all of them serve beautifully prepared lobster dishes.

The Great Harbor has 5 restaurants and bars.  You can also see the government building, a church, school, library, a small grocery store, bakery, ice house and a few small boutiques.

Food and Drink

Jost Van Dyke is famous for its lobster, said to be the best in the Caribbean.  Other dishes you will find are West Indian Roti, which is a type of sandwich made with a flat bread, flying fish sandwiches, grilled fresh fish and BBQ.

There are a couple of bars and eateries not to miss are, Soggy Dollar Bar ~ this cool beach bar got its name from the boater’s that would arrive, anchor out and swim to the shore with money in their pockets, thus the name Soggy Dollar.  Their signature drink that was born here in the 1970’s is the “Painkiller”.  Made with dark rum, cream of coconut, pineapple, OJ, and topped with freshly grated Grenadine nutmeg.  Wondering the measurements?  You will never get them, the recipe is completely secret.  A recipe they will share is for their Carrot~Ginger Soup.  Check back this week for the recipe.

Foxy’s bar grew from a temporary drink stand to the best known beach bar in the Caribbean.  Known for two house drinks the Sly Fox and Dread Fox, both are made with Foxy’s own rum.  They have also opened their own microbrewery, give the beer a try.  It is made with the freshest Caribbean waters and served at a cold 36 degrees.

Club Paradise, famous for its Conch Stew and BBQ ribs.

Want to visit Jost Van Dyke even for a day?  The Tere Moana visits the island and offers snorkel and scuba trips with time to explore the island.  There are some great cruises that will take you to the smaller, less populated islands where you can immerse into the culture and leave the big crowds behind.

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