Journalists visit BVI on fam tour

If there’s one place on earth other than St. Vincent and the Grenadines that deserves to be called paradise, that place is the British Virgin Islands.

It is known as “Nature’s Little Secrets” Some say, “It is the land that time forgot.” I’ll say you’ll have to see it to believe it.

Courtesy of the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board and Caribbean Star, on Wednesday, May 17, I left St.Vincent and the Grenadines for the BVI to participate in a Regional Media Familiarization Tour where I got the opportunity to visit a section of its “jewels” – Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, and Peter Island. These islands are just a part of the 60-island chain that makes up the BVI nestled in the northern section of the Caribbean.{{more}}

For five days, taking advantage of an opportunity that is seldom afforded journalists, I toured the islands and examined the state’s tourism product, and now I am sharing my view with the rest of the world.

For visitors who want to escape the rigors of everyday life and enjoy a vacation connecting with nature, head to the BVI. On all of its isles, as far as the eye can see, there are lush green hills that stretch to the beaches where the ocean bathes the shores with its tranquil waters, creating an ambience of peace that soothes the mind, body and spirit.

For visitors who want a destination for the perfect wedding and honeymoon, what better place to escape and celebrate such special occasions than the BVI where romance can be explored in its entirety. There are several lovely white sand beaches with scores of restaurants like Little Dix Bay Resort and Fort Burt-NECI with fun loving people.

For lovers and friends who need to be pampered, The Spa at Peter Island is one of the places that I’ll recommend to meet all your needs, be it a therapeutic massage, a facial, manicures or pedicures.

In the BVI the hotels’ staff know the meaning of service. From Long Bay Beach Resort & Villas, Tortola, where I spent two nights, to the Bitter End Yacht Club & Resort on Virgin Gorda, and on a smaller scale the Coconut Point Vacation Apartment, the services provided by their staff are exceptional. The chief priority of these resorts is the total comfort of their customers, and their staff goes out of their reach to guarantee this.

The service providers’ top 10 promises are: Smile (Greet All You Meet), Speak First-Speak Last, Know Your Job, Know Your BVI, Use the Customer’s Name, A Customer’s Concern Is Your Concern, Follow Up On Everything, Telephone Courtesy Matters, Take Pride In Your Appearance and Treat Co-workers As You Would A Customer.

Additionally, in the BVI one can go swimming with dolphins, an activity that had me mesmerized because of the love that these creatures displayed towards my colleagues. Alternatively, one can take an excursion to the Baths and relish the wonders of nature as you explore the beautiful caves that are there.

The BVI inspires a feeling of mystery and awe. The beauty of this country for several days had me mesmerized as I lost track of time.

One aspect of my tour that I will remember for a long time was my visit to the lovely isle of Jost Van Dyke where the journalists drawn from Puerto Rico in the North to Grenada in the south enjoyed Foxy’s entertainment, one of the BVI’s famous characters. I will also remember my adventurous dirt track motorcycle ride. I’m no cyclist yet I had a great time knowing that I would not fall from the four-wheel motorbike.

Like me, you can take a vacation to the BVI, and I am sure your trip will be an event of a lifetime, a trip that is worth your money and your time.