Cheryl - good for you!!! I understand that there is a new restaurant out in Cane Bay where the Cane Bay Beach Bar used to be - it's called EaT and early reports are very favorable. I wouldn't miss Salud Bistro - very innovative cuisine, or a shopping trip to Sonya's for a St. Croix hook. If you want a delicious dinner delilvered to your villa, call Chef Jill at Cafe Fresco. Here's a great new resource for info about what's happening on STX - The Lime: http://www.stcroixlime.com/ restayrants, live entertainment, etc.

Have a wonderful time, enjoy that beautiful Amonoka and the great views - can't wait to see your report when you return. Watch for sailing school in the evening - little white sailboats heading out of the yacht club in the late afternoon to go through their paces - very entertaining watching from your pool deck. Here's one of the "silver" views you will be enjoying from your lanai as day turns into evening:

You might want to try a Tan Tan tour. Wave Phillips has a group of jeeps that take people to the places on the island regular cars can't get to. All along the scenic route-- just beautiful. They also take you down to the tide pools.

Sounds like you picked a great place to stay--- enjoy the trip!

Paula

Hi Cheryl,
I would check out Gecko's land & sea tour. Take a hike down to the tide pools. The trial is located just before the guard gate at Carambola Resort.
You wanted to know about local crafts, I would go visit the Whim Plantation gift shop. There is alot of local art work there. For example, wooden pens and bottle stoppers made from local wood, beautiful quilting, paintings and jewelry.
There is a guy named Sam that sells beautiful jewelry made out of glass. He sometimes sets up on the boardwalk. Check out his stuff.
Have Fun!

Hello Cheryl,

Another vote for Tan-tan tours; cool tour and it takes you to off the beaten path spots like the tide pools.

For Buck Island - the half day is nice but you don't get much time on the beach - which is beautiful. If you want more time then do the full day.

Catch the crab races - lots of fun. Usually at Fort Christian Brew Pub on Mondays, late afternoon.

Catch some live music; various restaurants usually have music on Friday nights and weekends.

Another store to check out for some neat locally made jewelry is IB Designs (in Christiansted). Whelan, the owner, makes some cool pieces. Several art galleries in Christiansted too. Stop by the music store called Riddims and pick up some steel pan or reggae by local musicians.

Have fun.

--Islander

Will do to all!
Thanks for your reply.
3 day to go!

Thanks again Margy for ALL your help.
I know I got to be a bit of a pest there when searching for THE spot to stay for the duration of our trip. I'm SURE it will all be perfect!
I will post a trip report (maybe not as detailed as you can be) once we return & the photos are all back from the developer.
Cheryl

Cheryl - you weren't a pest, not at all. You were just trying to get the most from your vacation and thinking about splitting time between two villas and considering a lot of options. We have thought about that, too, but this past April, after packing up stuff from Island Time to move over to D'Estasi, I think I was cured from considering a mid-stay move - at least for a while. There are so many beautiful properties, it's hard to decide on just one, though. I think that once you get up to Amonoka and walk through the front door and get a glimpse of that Buck Island view that you can see from the front door out past the pool deck you will be able to "exhale" and know that you have made a great choice!

Could you do me a favor while you are there? I have heard that someone is reopening the spot where Lori's Deli used to be located (at the bottom of Meggie Hill - this is the road you take up to Amonoka's driveway) - could you let me know what's happening there? And, there are supposed to be new owners at Smokie's gas station and roti stand and mini mart (!) - this will be located to the west of Amonoka so you will pass it on your way to C'Sted on 82 (East End Road) - it is right next to Chicken Charlie's Road House. I would like to know what's cooking there - pardon the pun - especially whether or not they are going to expand the mini-mart section. That would be good to know.

Here's my Google map that kind of starts at the airprot and Centerline car rental:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=113638029455792826337.00046ca81088ef0f6db10&ll=17.737508,-64.729262&spn=0.224977,0.33989&t=h&z=12

This is an even better Google satellite mat that a frequent visitor put together. Reggie really had a great map and now he has added the villas from my map so you can acclimate yourself from your villa and find tons more stuff:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=103963589286278152128.000473d7c2661aaf2551f&t=h&z=12

If Inderia or Ann is your villa greeter, please say hello from Margy! Have a wonderful time - can't wait to see your pix!

- Margy

Margy,
It would be my pleasure to do this for you.
Thanks for everything!
I will post a trip report asap.
Cheryl