Info on Maho Bay... Quick decision time!!!!

Hello Jon,

I think you are right on that working there is a good way to take a look see on island living.

No grocery store immediately accessable but Maho has a little store and I think Maho people get a discount when shopping there. You can shop in Coral Bay or Cruz Bay for 'real' shopping.

Yes its legit.

I don't know how easy it would be to get another job because of scheduling. Transportation might be an issue also, particular if you were getting an evening shift at your side job.

From the things I have read it seems like a good deal. There is one recent Maho story in our Moving/Living in the VI story section. If you haven't read it yet, here is the link: https://www.vimovingcenter.com/what_to_expect/movingstory31.php

Definately share your experiences when you have gone through the program!! All the best. 🙂

--Islander

Years ago - sorry to say - when we worked at Maho it was easy to get into town for shopping. Someone always had a car and would take a group or you can hop a jitney. Working elsewhere is a big problem due to the remote location. Without a car getting home late at night is problematic.

Maho is an incredible experience in island living.

Best of luck.
Pamela

Thank you so much!

I decided i cant pass it up!!

Please keep us posted on your Maho adventure...my hubby and I were accepted for August but had to turn it down-couldn't get things together as quickly as they needed. We are making plans to go there next year, so keep us updated on the program. Thanks

I was in the work program last year. Loved it! Word of caution, you need to be financially able to go. Nothing is reasonable on St. John including food. The restaurant at Maho is great but expensive even with your discount and the cost adds up quickly. Your work time averages 4 hours per day. It is actually at least 6 hours a day with two days off. Without your own transportation, finding other work won't be feasible. Most taxi's/shuttles won't make the drive to Maho because of the rough road getting there. If you think you may need another job to afford going, you can't afford going. No offense, but it put us in the hole and we thought we had planned and saved well for the trip. Just something to consider from someone who's been there.

Also, something that took getting used to, cold showers on a pull chain. We were there in June and it was hot enough that when you got out of the shower you were sweating again. But the cold water was still hard to take. Plus you only get water when you're holding the chain. Takes a while to get the hang of it. Also you will be surprised by ALL the stairs. If you are not in good shape now, you will be when you leave. I say all this to prepare you, not to discourage you. We had a great time, but when they tell you physical work in extreme heat & humidity, they mean it. Also, they will ask you to leave if you are late multiple times, don't show up, etc. They really depend on the 4 hour workers to prepare for the upcoming season and keep things going. Good Luck and have a great time!

Jon,
When did you apply and when did you find out you got accepted? I was planning a trip in June to look for a place and job. I was looking for a reasonable place to stay and found maho's website. I saw the work program an it sounded perfect. I applied on the 24th of March and haven't heard back from them. I also saw they were looking for a cook. I'm a chef and figured I had a good chance getting in. I wish I had known about the program sooner. I hope I didn't apply to late. Cheers, Mark

Hi
I will be there in 55 days , and cant wait . I have been there but not to work.
Someone referred to the day being 6 hours not 4 , why is that ?
I think it would be a really great way to explore the idea of moving there.
If you can rent a jeep to really be free for a day or so only $55 a day .(24) hours.
As for ways to save money , bring things to help out : cereas, snack bars, crystal light, salt pepper, mayo mustard, you get the idea. I plan to bring my own coffee with mini coffee maker. and some canned goods all in a suitcase .

Good luck to all !

The difference between a 4 and 6 hour program depends on whether you end up working every day. The program requires that you work 28 hours a week, which when averaged over 7 days ends up being 4 hours. Most people usually end up working 5 days a week and having off two, which means that they end up working about 6 hours a day.
Bill

I applied in late February and haven't heard back yet. I'm not sure how they make decisions on who to accept, whether it is first come first serve or if it is based on experience. Hopefully they will be contacting some more people soon.
As for the cook positions, those are full time paying positions that they are hiring for and you will need to apply separately for those if you interested. They have been listed on the website for a while now so they might or may not be filled.
Bill

Yolanda-

I saw that you are going to be at Maho in about 2 months, congrats! I am going to be starting August 15th, so sounds like I will be starting just as you are finishing up. You might want to look over the info packet that they sent along with the acceptance email as I think that explains how most work about 6 hours a day with 2 days off.

I have never been to St. John or the USVI so I'm really excited about the experience. It would be great to hear more about Maho since you have been there to visit. Also, I'm hoping to not break the bank on the trip as well so it would be interesting to hear what you plan on bringing, etc. It would be awesome if you could let us know how things go your first few weeks!

Shoot me an email if you want, hopefully we can stay in touch and compare experiences. I am also considering a permanent move if opportunities arise following my time at Maho Bay.

Is anyone else out there planning on heading to Maho for the work program? Or any further experiences to share? Any additional information would be great. For Bill - I don't know how they make decisions on who to accept, I applied in January and listed my extensive experience in visitor/tourist services as well at YMCA summer camp.

T.J.

I applied in Feb. also but apllied for any position, kitchen jobs may be a bit harder to get, since i think some cooks can possible work another job in town.

Thanks former maho worker for your insight. I should have enough money for my time there, but do you have any other tips for a cheap stay?

Any other suggestions are great!

I Will be down the end of April until June 13th, are any others going to be @ Maho then?

TJ
Your are right , sorry I should have referred to that , It has been a while since I was accepted and really was so excited.

As for ways to save money:
This is just my op>
Bring things like all your condiments, sugar, cream, coffee,etc.
Shampoo and things like that.
Medicines or first aide kit you never know you might get a headache in paradise.

canned chicken and ham
snack bars or crackers

you can cook in the tent w/ propane so I plan on bringing a small skillet for eggs and simple things

You can buy fruits and vegs , milk, eggs and thoses things from Starfish Market in Cruzbay.

I have some friends there so it will be somewhat easier for me since they can come and get me to run errands. And I am sure I will offer rides to anyone and vise versa.
Plan on renting a jeep for a few days while you are off, its really awesome to drive there , go to coral Bay, Salt Pond,
Rams Head.
Also there is a Subway in CruzBay and few cafes with good prices for lunch or dinner. You can get a fish sandwich for 10$ at Woodys

My plan is to eat fruits and cereals coffee for breakfast
Lunch -sandwiches fruit and water ,
Dinner -out with friends or up at the resturant with co workers.

Iam a very frugel spender and dont like to spend alot on going out to eat and when its every day wow that could get terrible.

I will be there June 14th to July 16th
I wanted to be there for Carnival & Fourth of July.
also take the Westin Timeshare tour
You get lunch plus use of property for the day and a gift voucher for the shops or to rent a jeep for 75$ . who knows you may just but one.
Also you can go over on the feryy to Kmart and the stores in StThomas to buy some foods and things . not really sure of the prices but it sure to be a little less. but then you pay $6 for ferry and maybe your taxi both ways so it may not be feasable unless you are going anyway .
There are ways to cut corners. You will see them as the time passes.
Have fun and I will most certainly write my reviews of Maho and StJohn. but I already know that I will be very happy there.
So good luck to all and hope to meet anyone who goes when I do.

Hi, thought I would update on things to bring. It varies for everyone, depending on what you're creature comforts are. You won't need much in the way of condiments, unless that is really important to you. Most of that you can get at the resturant. We mailed ourselves (priority mail - they now have a flat rate box for $7.70) some food items that we thought might be hard to find or expensive. You really will be surprised by how expensive the grocery store is. We ate a lot of black beans and rice or pasta (most reasonable) and PBJ's were great too. You will want to eat at the restuarant (at least some) as that is where many of the 4 hour workers socialize, make plans for after work, etc. My husband and I would share one meal (it comes with a salad) and it really was enough for us. They provide pots, pans, plates, cups and utinsels, etc. in your tent. Definitely bring your own shampoo, soap, toothpaste, SUNBLOCK (can't say that enough, you can get burned faster than you think).

You won't need half the clothes you think you will. I would bring work clothing and one or two nice casual shirts (for a guy) a fun skirt or sundress (for the ladies). Good tennis shoes and flip flops or teva type sandals. No heels or dress shoes, people will look at you funny! Everyone is very casual and lives in swimsuits, shorts and a tshirt. A good water bottle will payoff more than you know, good sunglasses (the kind that block 100% uva and uvb rays), a hat and beach towel. A couple of bandanas or hand towels is great, since you will be sweating quite a bit. They're not kidding when they say its hot & humid! A waterproof disposable camera is great to take to the beach and not have to worry about.

If you like to read, bring a couple of paperback books, they have an area where you can leave yours when finished and pick up another that someone else left. A small first aid kit with some meds is a great idea. (don't forget to include a little something for stomach problems that may arise).

If I think of anything else that was a big help to us, I'll be sure to add it. You'll have a great time!

oh, Kmart food prices are pretty good (on St.Thomas). Its also good if you loose or break something you need. When you take the ferry to Red Hook, don't get a taxi there. Walk out of the parking lot and wait (on the side of the road) for the $1 shuttle to TuTu Mall (where kmart is). It can fill up quickly, but for $1 its worth the wait. Just make sure you ask if its the $1 shuttle.

Former maho worker and Yolanda-

Thanks for all of the great advice and insight! From what it sounds like you both really love St. John and the maho program sounds great. It also sounds like as long as one is prepared that things are going to cost quite a bit, and has planned accordingly, they will really enjoy their time.

I'm curious about mailing a package of food down before my stay, sounds like this worked pretty well for you former worker? At least for small things and snacks. I don't think I'm quite as concerned about condiments as Yolanda! 🙂 J/K

Interesting advice about taking the Westin tour to cash in on the goodies and check out the property, I might have to check that out. What other things would you guys reccommend? I won't have my own transportation (except maybe renting a jeep a day or two). Is there some cool stuff to check out in the National Park and around Maho that shouldn't be missed? How about visiting the BVI and checking out St. Thomas on time off? Or anything else on St. John that you would highly reccommend? I'm 23 and just finished up school at Colorado State, and I'm really hoping to meet some fun, relaxed, open-minded people during my stay at Maho as I try to figure out what to do next in life.

Any other reccommendations or advice is always welcome! I can't wait to get down to the islands.

T.J.

One last questions I forgot. Does anyone know if the arrival times for the workers at Maho Bay are staggered? or do they have all of the 4 hour workers arrive at the same time (i.e. June 15-July 15, July 15-August 15)? Just curious on how easy it is to meet people, etc.

Thanks,
T.J.

You will have no problem meeting people. Generally the workers arrive the first or middle of the month. They will have a brief orientation for you on your first couple of days. There are a lot of singles that go and everyone we came in contact with is super nice. Be willing to introduce yourself and people will absolutely do the same. We are still in contact with many of the people we met last year and have even made trips to visit them. You should have no problem meeting people. The staff may not be as outgoing, only because they know you'll be gone in a month, not because they aren't friendly.

Things not to miss. You have easy access to Little and Big Maho Bay for great swimming and snorkeling. There is also a bay right next to Little Maho (forgot the name) that is great for seeing turtles. They have a watersports shack at the beach where you can rent snorkel stuff, floats, chairs and snacks & drinks. You can also check out the kayaks and windsurfers. A lot of the workers paid to do the scuba program and they all loved the experience. The night snorkeling they offer is also great.

You can also hike a lot of trails around Maho just walking. There are some ruins really close by too. It's surprising but it is pretty safe to hitchhike on St. John. Just make sure your driver is sober (don't ask). Most times its easier to get picked up if you're a girl or have one with you. Also Fret and Hamilton have shuttles that are very resonable. Hamilton makes regular snorkeling trips to other parts of the island and trips for dinner and dancing at different spots. The whole time we were there we didn't rent a car and did just fine. If you are more independent and like to do things on your own time, then you may want to look at renting. Most of the 4 hour workers don't rent cars, so if you do, you'll probably be very popular!

Trunk Bay is what a lot of tourists hear about and it is great, but can be very crowded. Waterlemon is great as well as is Salt Pond Bay (where the sister property Concordia is). There are many others. If you'll look at the board infront of the store people will write what sea life they saw that day and where. Also check in with the Activities Booth at all the different trails (from the National Parks) and activities offered. There are plenty to keep you busy. Also Ram Head Trail (also at Salt Pond Bay) is great.

If you can help it, I would not miss a trip to Virgin Gorda, BVI. There are several ways to get there (ferries, private charter, etc., find out at activities when you get there). You will need a passport to go to any of the British Virgin Islands. That was a trip that was so worth it! You'll also hear about Foxy's and the full moon parties.

We went to St. Thomas twice to run errands. We didn't hit any of the beaches there, but did go shopping on the waterfront the day before we left and had a great time. There are some neat shops and most is duty (tax) free. Word of advice if you buy alcohol to bring back (in the 6 pack boxes you'll see everywhere) DO NOT check it on the plane. We did and never saw it again.

If I remember correctly there is usually a group from a Colorado college that do a class trip at Maho. I think around 10 to 20 students and teachers that come in June.

If you have any other questions, please post them, I'm happy to help.

TJ... I'm from Ft. Collins, did Maho program in Oct and you'll LOVE it! Yes, CSU's construction management program goes there in June for work with sustainable housing, you may see some familiar faces from campus. I highly recommend Ivan's on Jost van Dyke for camping on your days off, $15 if you bring a tent, $40 or $50 for the RT ferry but if you think St. John is laid back...
Also you can get into town with the Maho "dock run", for free, 1st come, 1st serve, they usually leave early afternoon, ride in the back of the truck. I recommend the $1 bus to Salt Pond and the hike to Ram's Head (go CSU!), just make sure you're not stranded there, find out when the last bus heads back into Cruz Bay. Also the Reef Bay hike, take the $1 bus, have them drop you off at the trailhead. The hike down is easy, a nice swim at the bottom and the hike back up won't be much for someone from Colorado (except the humidity.), may have to wait for a bus back but I was OFTEN offered a ride, even without hitchhiking. Another option to get to Maho and combine a hike from Cruz Bay is the $1 bus up Centerline again and get off at the Cinnamon Bay trailhead, 35 min hike down to North Shore Road then 40 min to Maho. (As you can tell, I love to walk and with that color blue to look at!) Let me know if you are still in the Fort and would want to call or meet, I can give you more info. Good posts from former maho worker about the inner workings!

Hey everyone thanks for all of the great information! It really gives me a much better idea of what the experience at Maho will be like.

Cathy thats awesome you live in Ft. Collins! I'd love to get together some time and hear about your experiences. I'm not going to Maho until August but I'm already really excited.

I had noticed a post when I logged on today on the vacation message board about the staff not being friendly to the visitors, but it looks like about 5 other people completely disagreed. Anyway, I'm not too worried about it, I love helping people out in any way I can, and from what it sounds like most people are pretty cool, both the workers, visitors and folks who live on the island.

I'm seriously considering a permanent move down to the USVI and am hoping spending a month at Maho will give me an idea as to some of the facets of island life. I'm wondering how feasible it will be to do some searching for jobs and housing during time off from Maho (as I know it is somewhat isolated from Cruz Bay, etc.). Do you guys have any suggesstions on this? The thought of coming back to a Colorado or Iowa (where I grew up) winter is already depressing me!

Thanks again for all of the great info!

T.J.

Hi there i was hoping that someone that worked @ maho might have Jill's (in caramics) E-mail address. i lost it alone time ago.

I went through the program about a decade ago, and as of back then it was rather easy to search for other jobs. You normally have a couple full days off a week to do as you wish. You may also have some other time off on your working days to spend time searching. At the time I was in the housekeeping department and the normal hours were 7am-1pm, leaving most of the afternoon and evening free. The hours that you will have off depends largely on which department you are working in, the kitchen and registration staff is more likely to be working throughout the day.
This being said, searching for another job and actually taking one are different issues. It may take some work to find a job that will not conflict with your hours at Maho, some jobs that want a flexible schedule that the Maho program may not allow for.
Bill

Hey Old Timer,

Go to Maho.org and find the Maho Bay Clay Works section (I think under What's Happening). There is a contact email for Gail that also works for Jill.

I worked at maho a few summers ago and lived for 5 weeks on $300! I visited many other islands and rented dingies. What a great expierence! I did eat lots of rice and beans, top roman, and other things for cheap. A bottle of Rum is $3 so made most of my drinks my self and took andvante of Duffy's wednesday girls drink free. It is really easy to do it cheap and still expeirence a lot. People at maho were constanly renting boats and someone always had a car to get to town, we also hitched rides a lot. People are right it is hard to back late at night though. I do know people who bought cars for a couple hundred dollars, piece of craps though! Have fun you will love it and I always encourage friends to do it.

As far the 4 and 6 hours of work, they basicly let you make you hours depending on where you work. They give you an oportunity to have some days off so you can explore the islands. It is based on a 28 hour work week so if you work 6 hours you only have to work 5 days a week instead of 7.

Then the kitchen is another story, I worked as a dishwasher so this meant that I worked days with two split shifts and another morning shift then had 3 and half days off. This was great because it gave me lots of chances to go to other islands. While I was working there I visited Tortola, Virgin Gorda, and a few trips to St. Thomas (especialy to K-mart to stock up on stuff for cheep! There is local bus/taxi you can take straight there for a dollar.)

Have fun, the more time off the better. lots of great hikes around Maho, check out waterlemon for snorkeling)