Jost Van Dyke Beach Day (TT65)

[eeyorefanuk]

Hi
Just wondering if anyone was able to book this the day you got on board?
Thanks

 

[Intr3pid]

Last time we checked on board (this March), there was a waiting list of 35 guests. We DIY'd it.

 

[eeyorefanuk]

Oh my

How easy is it to do on your own?

We are in port about ten hours

 

[daisyx3]

At what point does this sell out? We will be gold then.

 

[Intr3pid]

Jost Van Dyke (JVD) is an island, just like Tortola, within the BVI group. There is a public ferry that plies between the two.

Here is a short version of how to do it yourself. We did it for the five of us.

Step 1: In Tortola, Fantasy will likely dock in Road Town (the port), but the ferry runs from Tortola's West End - about 30 minutes away by car. So, as a first step, you will have to get from Road Town to West End. A taxi will cost $24 per person roundtrip. We actually rented an SUV from Avis in Road Town (right at the pier), drove to West End, parked for free, and drove back after JVD to tour the rest of Tortola. Came out cheaper anyways for the five of us.

Step 2: The JVD ferry runs throughout the day, but take the earliest you can. The ferry ride - about 20 minutes each way - is very pretty. You will get to see the BVI in all its hilly and beach-y glory. The cost is $30 per person roundtrip. And here is the time table: https://newhorizonferry.com/ferry-schedules/.

Step 3: Once at JVD, you will want to get to White Bay - where the beach and the Soggy Dollar Bar are. Make sure to have your ride make a brief stop on top of the hill for that perfect shot before descending down into the bay. The taxi should cost $10 per person roundtrip. In our case, the "captain" of the ferry had his van parked right at the JVD pier (Great Harbor) and offered to take us to White Bay and back. Little surprise we gobbled up his offer - his ferry couldn't leave until he returned with us on board!

The one down side is that you will have to take the 2pm ferry back. The one after (at 5pm) will not return to Tortola in time for your all-aboard time. That will still give you a solid 3 to 4 hours at the beach, which is probably all you will get with the excursion too.

A more expensive alternative - with more time at the beach - would be to hire a water taxi. The last-minute quotes we got were starting at $1,100 roundtrip for five.