Maho Bay Camps

Maho Bay Camps gives new meaning to the word camping. These charming tent-cottages in the Virgin Islands National Park have gorgeous views, hiking trails, glorious beaches, a yoga pavilion & an art studio...peaceful eco-travel at its best!The studios are perched hillside and centrally located around the registration/administration center which also contains a small general store. The swimming pool, laundry and pay phones are also in this area.

Everything is connected by a wooden walkway and stairs system with directive markers placed along the railings. You're sleeping in a canvas and screen tent with rather basic amenities - a bed, a dining table and chairs, kitchenware, electric lamps, propane stove and ice cooler. You have to stroll down the boardwalk to take a shower and use the facilities. This camping resort was built as an environmentally-friendly place with lots of attention to preservation. The boardwalks protect the fragile hillsides from erosion, and the lush vegetation provides a backdrop for glorious views of crystal seas.

Maho Bay Camps has a small open-air restaurant that includes vegetarian meals on its otherwise conventional menu. The commissary provides mealtime basics at gee-whiz prizes. If you're the frugal sort, bring your own food in a fold-up suitcase. The nearest grocery stores with any supplies to speak of are in the main town of Cruz Bay, about eight miles and a half-hour ride away on the open-air shuttle bus. The shuttle goes to and from town several times a day, with the schedule dependent on the season. Lots of hiking, strolling and birding options are within walking distance.

It's the perfect place for hearty people who enjoy the snorkeling, windsurfing and kayaking available for a fee at the beach. Massage, yoga, National Park presentations, weddings, live music and other activities are available. The Art Gallery features handcrafted art pieces and high quality crafts in glass, clay ceramics and textiles made from recycled material created at our own workshops. Free "help-yourself" center where departing guests leave books, sunscreen, staples and other items is a convenient recycling center for newcomers.

114-tent cottages instead of being built on the ground, are raised on stilts and connected by a network of similarly raised boardwalks. Note: since the camp is built on a hillside, you're going to be going up and down tons of stairways!

Accommodation-wise, don't expect the comfort of a hotel room. However, if you come in expecting to be camping, you'll be pleasantly surprised. Translucent fabric on wood frames, screened windows and open air terraces take advantage of the cooling Virgin Islands trade winds. Each tent has a separate sleeping area. Bed linens, blankets, towels, cooking and eating utensils are provided along with a propane stove and ice cooler. Water for cooking is available from spigots scattered along the walkways. Bathrooms and showers are communal—and there's no hot water, so be warned! (Many quests have never found that much of a problem in the tropical heat.)

Located in the heart of V.I. National Park above a modest beach, off Route 20 (North Shore Road).From the STT airport, it is a taxi ride to the Charlotte Amalie waterfront ($7.00 for one passenger, $6.00 if more than one) or Red Hook ($13.00 for one passenger, $9.00 if more than one) (luggage is extra).