Things to do in Jost Van Dyke

Best time to visit Jost Van Dyke

• a note or something on   ✦ an occasion worth the trip

• December to April

  Dry, sunny, high season; New Year's Eve is the island's biggest week

• May and June

  Warm, calmer, good value

• July and August

  Hot; hurricane season begins, watch forecasts

• September and October

  Quietest; some bars and ferries on reduced schedules

• November

  The island wakes back up; good value before the holidays

What's on

• New Year's Eve at Foxy's 31 December

  The island's legendary party; book accommodation a year ahead

• Foxy's Wooden Boat Regatta May

  Traditional wooden boat racing at Great Harbour

Best things to do in Jost Van Dyke

• White Bay

  Free

  The famous beach: white sand lined with beach bars; calmest mornings and late afternoons.

• Soggy Dollar Bar

  $

  Birthplace of the Painkiller; hammocks, frozen drinks, and the island's busiest afternoon.

• Ivan's Stress Free Bar

  $

  The local legend's bar: bushwackers, BBQ, and a slower pace than Soggy Dollar.

• Foxy's

  $

  The Great Harbour institution: conch fritters, rum drinks, live music, famous New Year's Eve.

• Foxy's Taboo

  $

  East-end sibling at Diamond Cay; lunch stop after the Bubbly Pool hike.

• Bubbly Pool

  Free

  Natural rock pool where the surf foams in at high tide; time it for a rising tide.

• Great Harbour

  Free

  The main settlement: restaurants and bars around the harbour, best in the evening.

• Sandy Cay

  Free

  Tiny uninhabited island with a nature trail; reached by boat, bring water.

Best restaurants in Jost Van Dyke

• Gertrude's Beach Bar

  $

  Beloved beach bar known for rotis and Painkillers; inexpensive and friendly.

• Sidney's Peace and Love

  $$

  Barbecue and Caribbean plates at Little Harbour; reservations required.

• Alice's Restaurant

  $$

  Sit-down beach club restaurant on White Bay, away from the bar crowds.

• Hendo's Hideout

  $$

  Quieter beach bar and grill on White Bay; good for a long shaded lunch.

• Coco Loco

  $$

  Beach bar on White Bay for tacos and frozen drinks; casual and fun.

• Ali Baba's

  $$

  Great Harbour restaurant and bar for dinner with a harbour view.

Outdoor things to do in Jost Van Dyke

• Sandy Spit

  Free

  Postcard tiny sand island east of Jost Van Dyke; 30 minutes is plenty.

• Majohnny Hill

  Free

  The island's high point trail from Great Harbour with channel views; go early.

• Diamond Cay

  Free

  East-end trailhead for the Bubbly Pool hike with channel views.

Best hotels in Jost Van Dyke

• Sandcastle Hotel

  $$$

  Six cottages joined to the Soggy Dollar Bar, right on White Bay.

• White Bay Villas & Seaside Cottages

  $$$

  Hillside villas and cottages above White Bay with kitchens; good for groups.

• Ivan's Stress Free Bar & White Bay Campground

  $

  Cabins and campsites right on the beach; the island's cheapest beds.

• The Hideout

  $$$$

  Seven private villas on the sand, each with a plunge pool; the luxury option.

• Sandy Ground Estates

  $$$

  Oversized villas on the east end above a beach; good for groups wanting space.

Is Jost Van Dyke expensive? What a day costs

A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room

What to book ahead

• Sandy Cay: a few days ahead
• Sandy Spit: a few days ahead
• Sidney's Peace and Love: a few days ahead
• Sandcastle Hotel: weeks ahead
• White Bay Villas & Seaside Cottages: weeks ahead
• Ivan's Stress Free Bar & White Bay Campground: weeks ahead
• The Hideout: weeks ahead
• Sandy Ground Estates: weeks ahead

• New Year's Eve week accommodation: book a year ahead
• Sidney's Peace and Love: reservations required
• Low-season ferries (September/October): confirm return times

Is Jost Van Dyke safe?

• Very safe; risks are sun, sea, and rum: swim within your ability and wear reef-safe sunscreen
• Do not swim out to the reef line alone
• Emergency number is 911

Jost Van Dyke travel tips: tourist traps to skip

• White Bay at 1pm with five day boats in is crowded; 9am or 5pm is a different beach
• The Painkiller is strong; pace yourself in the sun
• Some bars close for a few weeks in September/October; check before a low-season trip

Getting around Jost Van Dyke: public transport and more

• Walk between White Bay and Great Harbour (20-30 minutes over the hill) or take a taxi
• Ferries connect Great Harbour to Tortola and St Thomas; schedules thin out in low season
• No car rental; taxis and water taxis cover the island
• Day boats to Sandy Cay and Sandy Spit leave from Great Harbour; book the day before

Who Jost Van Dyke suits

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