To be honest, I haven’t traveled that much throughout The Caribbean. It was so accessible when I still lived in The States, but coming in from anywhere in Africa can be a real challenge. So when the opportunity to visit the British Virgin Islands with Autograph Hotels came up I pounced on the opportunity, but the cherry on top for me would be getting to share the experience with my sisters (who I don’t get to see very often).
It had been about a year since the devastation of Hurricane Irma, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Is it safe to go? Had the island recovered? Would there still be anything for me to see? I immediately realized how silly those questions were, the moment I arrived. To get there, I traveled from Dakar > New York City > San Juan > Tortola over 2 days on various flights before finally arriving to the island by boat. Though the journey was exhausting, it was well worth it to arrive to such a stunning slice of paradise. What I immediately noticed upon touch down was the SOUL and spirit of the everyone I met - the good vibes were infectious. From immigration to check in at Scrub Island, everyone seemed to be in a stellar mood and eager to welcome me into their home.
Once my sisters finally arrived, we spent the next 3 days just catching up, bonding, and celebrating life. We happened to be there during one of my sister’s birthday, so we made a whole fun weekend of it. Even though we weren’t very lucky with the sun, we decided to bring our own shine by wearing yellow the entire time - ha! Of all the activities we did, my favorite was hands down, A Day with Dive BVI where we sailed from Scrub Island to explore the famous Baths, had lunch at the “Top of the Baths” restaurant and bar (bring cash if you would like to visit), and did a sunset Cruise on Marina.
Here are some photos of my highlights from the trip…
Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest of Autograph Collection at Scrub Island for my trip - though all opinions, photography, and words remain my own.
Photos by yours truly, Eplleseed, and Loko Mustapha
I mean, how often do you get to visit paradise in absolute luxury?!