Day Trippin’ to Peter Island
Not many of us can splurge for a $3500 per night villa staffed with a butler and private chef, but you can do the next best thing and live like royalty for a day on luxurious Peter Island.
This private island playground for the rich and sometimes famous is a popular stop on the sailing circuit, and it’s just a leisurely boat ride away from St. John. You won’t find any cars or crowds here. In fact, only 300 of the island’s 1,800 acres have been developed. Fortunately, Peter Island’s world-class restaurants and beaches are open to day visitors, so let’s go!
Let’s start with a visit to the Peter Island Resort. The 10,000 square foot spa is a destination all of its own with a beachside Jacuzzi and tranquility garden. With options such a thermal sand massage, a cooling mint footbath and a private Swiss shower for two, you may not want to leave.
Lunch at Deadman’s Beach Bar & Grill is always a treat, known for its delectable Caribbean cuisine and wood-fired pizza at surprisingly affordable prices. If you prefer to keep your toes in the sand, just lift a flag for beachside service. Handcrafted cocktails from Drake’s Channel Lounge are equally impressive. Peter Island takes it’s food and drink seriously folks, the chef previously cooked for the British Royal family!
The island has five beaches with stunning views of Sir Francis Drake’s passage. Deadman’s Beach, a mile-long crescent of pure white sand, was named after Blackbeard’s pirates marooned on neighboring Dead Chest Island. Complimentary lounge chairs and cabanas for visitors are available at Little Deadman’s Beach, located at the end of the bay. Hidden away at the end of Little Deadman’s is tiny, secluded Honeymoon Beach, perfect for a romantic setting or when you just want a brief respite from civilization.
The best way to cool off is to snorkel the island’s optimal reef off White Bay Beach (not to be confused with one sharing the same name on Jost Van Dyke). Here, you can have a picnic delivered to your own private tiki hut. Lastly, Big Reef Bay and Beach is located on the windward side. A trail that runs along the shore is particularly inviting.
As if you’re not already impressed, perhaps the most charming attribute of Peter Island is that its owner is committed to preserving the undeveloped acreage, and installed the British Virgin Island’s first windmill generators minimize the island’s carbon footprint.
Next time you come to St. John, hire one of our many charter captains to introduce you to the elegant oasis of Peter Island which can be yours for the day.
