Canvas cottages capture serenity in Virgin Islands
08:48 PM CDT on Thursday, March 27, 2008
ST. JOHN, U.S. Virgin Islands – Driving rain hammered the stiff fabric roof of our little tent cottage. It wasn't just other sounds the rain blocked. With each splat, we felt more and more removed from the outside world's noisy overload of malls, traffic, fast-food chains and screaming billboards.
It was night, and the only light came from the moon and stars. We lay still, listening to the raindrops' beat, happy to know that a place like this exists.
A place that turns rainwater into bath water.
A place that uses the sun to heat that water.
A place that transforms recycled material into art, right before your eyes.
We had heard about Maho Bay Camps from environmentally minded friends, and for five days last spring, we experienced the buzz. Since 1976, eco-tourism promoter Stanley Selengut has drawn travelers to his haven, letting them absorb the natural beauty, then return home leaving truly nothing behind, not even footprints.
In 2005, National Geographic Adventure magazine named Maho Bay one of the 10 best places to stay in the U.S. National Park System, calling it "somewhere between a luxury resort and the Swiss Family Robinson's digs." Two-thirds of St. John is within Virgin Islands National Park, protected from widespread development.
The resort, which attracts about 20,000 visitors a year, is constructed from recycled building materials.
Maho's cottages are connected by elevated wooden walkways that help prevent erosion by protecting low-level vegetation. All cottages have small decks, most of them overlooking the Caribbean Sea. We slept in comfortable beds, but bathroom and showers were shared, and, after dark, we needed a flashlight to find them.
As rustic as the setup was, our L-shaped cottage with the magnificent view didn't seem like roughing it. Every day started with freshly brewed coffee. We brought a shower bag that hung outside to rinse away brine after we snorkeled.
The tent cottage came with a large ice chest (ice an extra charge), a propane camp stove and cooking utensils. We ate most of our meals on the deck. (We brought $100 worth of groceries from St. Thomas, but there are stores on the island, though they're expensive.) Bed and bathroom linens also are provided, fresh daily if you fetch them.
At Maho, we felt a kinship with other visitors who also were committed to enjoying the island's beauty without sapping its resources. We found out we didn't miss the maids or turn-down service. Or air conditioning. Or windows.
We were protected from bugs by screens, and if we wanted privacy, there were canvas flaps. They weren't needed much because the cottages are arranged in a jagged line. No one sees into your cottage from theirs.
Our one luxury was a scuba trip, but we saw just as much while snorkeling. In the shallows of Salt Pond Bay, we swam alongside a hawksbill turtle for half an hour.
Maho Bay isn't for people looking to shop, club-hop or dine at fancy restaurants. That's not to say, though, that there's nothing to do.
In the morning, you can hike to the hilltop pagoda for yoga classes or a massage. Also offered are art classes, guided hikes and snorkel and diving trips. In the evening, an artist in residence at the glass-blowing studio gives a demonstration; the molten glass is from recycled bottles.
We were content that the biggest tasks of the day were snorkeling and making something good to eat. We looked forward to each sunset and found ourselves sleeping and waking with the sun. We kept our cellphones charged, but we used them mostly as clocks.
We had rented a car and ferried it to the camp, but after a day we realized we didn't need it. We could have used taxis or car services.
On the ferry back to St. Thomas, the ticket taker said, "You leaving St. John? What a shame."
We agreed. What a shame.
The Pittsburgh Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. Ted McLaren and Lara Cerri are St. Petersburg Times photographers.
The camp
Maho Bay Camps is an ecotourist resort on the north side of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It has 114 basic tent cottages and 12 studios, many with beautiful views of the Caribbean Sea. Toilets and showers are in separate buildings. Restaurant is on site. Rates: $80 to $155 per night, April to December; $135 to $240 per night, other months. Contact: 1-800-392-9004; www.maho.org.
Getting there
St. John has no airport. Travelers normally fly into St. Thomas and take a ferry (about $25 round trip). Taxis are available to Maho Bay.
What to take
In addition to sandals and shorts, pack toiletries, flashlight, sunscreen and bug spray. Linens and cooking equipment are provided. Snorkel and beach equipment may be rented.