Getting away from it all

The island hideaway features natural beauty and a bargain price.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CRUZ BAY, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS -- Part of a growing ecotourism trend, Maho Bay Camps on undeveloped St. John offers the type of vacation that might have lured Thoreau away from Walden Pond.
This no-frills resort makes it easy to adhere to the venerable Yankee philosopher's advice that we simplify our lives.
Maho proudly offers none of the amenities we think we can't live without, such as television, hot water and air conditioning.
According to its environmentalist founder Stanley Selengut, the camp aims to be "a place to rest the soul and restore the spirit, and find out how little we need in life to be truly happy and comfortable."
At Maho, that list can be pared to a swimsuit and a mocha smoothie sipped beach-side.
You won't need a lot of money, either. At $75 a night, the camp is easy on the bank account.
The resort is located on the mountainous island's beach-strewn north coast, where virtually every vista offers inspiration for a postcard.
Nonintrusive lodgings
Maho Bay Camps consists of 114 "tent-cottages" that cling to a steep, lush hillside that cascades down to the bay itself.
The huts are arranged in a way that leaves the tropical greenery largely undisturbed. Aloes, Spanish bayonets, frangipanis and fragrant, night-blooming jasmines thrive.
Anole and gecko lizards, and the occasional iguana, roam freely. The tiny geckos even inhabit the cottages. Don't be alarmed, though, Maho staff will tell you. Geckos are voracious bug eaters.
Each of the wood-frame cabins is built on an elevated 16-by-16-foot platform, which includes a small outdoor deck.
Translucent plasticlike material substitutes for solid walls. Instead of windows, the units have screens to let in air and the view.
Given the manner in which the tent-cottages are suspended above the ground, the sensation while inside and looking out is of being a guest in Tarzan's treetop retreat.
Nearly three miles of boardwalks and steps link the huts, so be ready to walk and to climb stairs, lots of them.
There are electric outlets and a fan in the cottages but no running water. Cooking is done on a two-burner camp stove. Ice is used for cooling.
Bath houses
The cottages have no bathrooms. Showering and toilet needs are served by bath houses, which have no hot water.
A blast from one of the camp's cistern-fed shower heads can leave you gasping. But after a couple of days, you get used to it and begin to imagine yourself as a bush-hardened aborigine.
The bath houses also are equipped with those aggravating spring-loaded faucets to save water.
This conservation policy extends to other activities at Maho.
A pottery kiln is fueled with dismantled wood pallets. The glass-blowing studio uses discarded bottles as its raw material.
Demonstrations and classes are offered by pottery and glass artisans.
A help-yourself shelf provides free beach, food and camping items left behind by previous guests.
While not your typical Caribbean resort, Maho offers the essentials.
The staff is helpful and friendly. There's a general store. A small but scenic white-sand beach lies adjacent to the camping area. A larger beach is about a 10-minute walk away.
Snorkeling and beach gear can be rented. Moored off the camp's shore are sailing and motor vessels that offer chartered trips, including one to stunning Virgin Gorda, part of the nearby British Virgin Islands.
Maho has its own restaurant, which serves good fare, although it's not included in the room price.
The dining and meeting pavilion provides spectacular views of the bay and colorful Caribbean sunsets.
Excursions for snorkeling and exploring the island are available through the camp at an additional charge.
Other activities
Nearly two-thirds of St. John is a national park, which means several scenic trails are carved into the island's hillsides and shoreline. Two of the paths are within walking distance of Maho.
Ruins of Dutch sugar plantations dot the island and offer haunting glimpses into its slave past.
There are opportunities for shopping, night life and a good meal in Cruz Bay, the island's largest town, which is so tiny the streets have no names.
Getting around on St. John is simple by taxi or rental car.
Hitchhiking is an accepted practice. But sticking out your thumb is considered rude. Just point with your index finger in the direction you're heading.
A vacation on laid-back St. John and particularly one at unpretentious Maho Bay Camps won't drain your wallet, but it could change your life by teaching you that you really don't need that much to have fun.
Thoreau would have approved.