Discovery:
I met a young man associated with Peter Island in the late 1990’s while I was on a business trip. He described Peter Island as a sort of “Shangri La”. We had vacationed at several other Caribbean islands similarly described. My wife was willing to try yet another “Shangri La”. We booked our first vacation to Peter Island in February 2006. That first trip to Peter Island did not fail to impress. We returned to Peter Island every year until Hurricane Irma struck in 2017.
Getting There:
A seasoned traveler would not find Peter Island an easy destination because it usually take two planes and a boat before you arrive at the property. The island is located in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), directly east of St Thomas and St Johns of the US Virgin Islands. The resort is well worth the effort, many times over.
Check the Boxes:
Our choice of vacation resorts tend to be the smaller, less crowded ones. Excellent dining and personal service are a must. We also like to enjoy hiking and biking trails. We hiked and biked the many trails on Peter Island. Indigenous tropical flora was found everywhere due to the island is being predominantly undeveloped. The beaches face the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Sir Francis Drake Channel. Our two favorite beaches are Honeymoon Beach and White Bay Beach. The island’s biggest beach is Deadman’s Bay, a mile long crescent beach. Lounging under palm trees with a beach bar and and restaurant nearby cannot be beat. We enjoyed really good snorkeling at White Bay Beach. Hobie Cat sailing and paddle boarding were put to the test at Deadman’s Beach. I cracked a rib showing off my sailing skills and was “forced” to consume more rum drinks.
Update:
Peter Island Resort and Spa recently announced that it “aims to reopen the main sections of its 52 hotel rooms and villas by during 2023”. We were in the British Virgin Islands for week during 2o22 and the visuals do not support the resort’s optimism. There is still quite a bit of devastation. There is no sign of any significant renovations even though other resorts have opened in the BVI.