St. Thomas Virgin Islands

By Lynne Sullivan

"All of the usual guidebook information is compacted into a pocket size, user friendly reference including places to go, what to see, what to do, and where to stay. Enhanced with historical 'infobits', maps, information and advice, this is the ideal and r

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hunter Publishing
• Release date: Jan 11, 2010
• ISBN: 9781588438966

Book preview

St. Thomas Virgin Islands

Lynne Sullivan

HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC,

www.hunterpublishing.com

Ulysses Travel Publications

4176 Saint-Denis, Montréal, Québec

Canada H2W 2M5

514-843-9882, ext. 2232; fax [phone]

Windsor Books

The Boundary, Wheatley Road, Garsington

Oxford, OX44 9EJ England

01865-361122; fax [phone]

© Lynne M. Sullivan

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher. Brief extracts to be included in reviews or articles are permitted.

This guide focuses on recreational activities. As all such activities contain elements of risk, the publisher, author, affiliated individuals and companies disclaim any responsibility for any injury, harm, or illness that may occur to anyone through, or by use of, the information in this book. Every effort was made to insure the accuracy of information in this book, but the publisher and author do not assume, and hereby disclaim, liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors, omissions, misleading information or potential travel problems caused by this guide, even if such errors or omissions are a result of negligence, accident or any other cause.

Maps by Kim André & Lissa K. Dailey unless noted otherwise

© Hunter Publishing, Inc.

About the Author

Lynne Sullivan is passionate about Caribbean islands. As the author of a dozen best-selling travel guides to islands throughout the eastern Caribbean, she spends much of her time hopping from one place to another scouting out a variety of activities, attractions, shops, accommodations and restaurants. Her goal is to steer independent vacationers on any size budget to the best each island has to offer.

When she's not in the Caribbean, she keeps readers posted with regular updates and new information on her website, www.caribbeanguide2.com.

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The Islands

A Dozen Reasons to Visit

Tips on Using This Book

A Historical Timeline

The Islands At A Glance

Location

USVI

BVI

Climate

Wildlife

Birdlife

Plants

Coral Reefs

When to Go

Island Celebrations

Travel Documents

Passports & Paperwork

Customs & Duty-Free

Allowances

Getting There

AIRLINE CONTACT INFORMATION

INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES

REGIONAL AIRLINES

Island Hopping

Getting Around

By Car

Island Driving Signals

By Taxi

By Bus

Accommodations

Dining

Money Matters

Time

Taxes

The US Virgin Islands

St. Thomas

Overview

Getting There

By Air

By Seaplane & Fast Ferry

By Cruise Ship

Getting Around

By Car

By Taxi

By Bus

By Ferry

Touring the Island

Guided Tours

Self-Guided Tours

Hassel Island

Charlotte Amalie to Red Hook

Red Hook to Magens Bay

Above Magens Bay

Adventures on Water

Best Beaches

Submarine Tour

Scuba Diving & Snorkeling

Dive Operators

Snuba

Boating & Sailing

Day-Cruise Operators

Boat Charters

Fishing

Eco-Tours

Surfing & Windsurfing

Parasailing

Adventures on Foot

Hiking

Tennis

Golf

Adventures in the Air

Flightseeing

Shopping

Charlotte Amalie

Jewelry, Arts & Crafts

Fun Stuff

Antiques

Eyewear

Intimate Apparel

Fashion

Fun Clothes

Perfume

Linens

Music

Havensight Mall

Around the Island

Red Hook

Unusual Artwork Off the Beaten Track

Where to Stay

Rental Agencies

Charlotte Amalie & Vicinity

East End

Where to Eat

Charlotte Amalie

Frenchtown

Red Hook

Around the Island

Nightlife

Island Facts & Numbers

Water Island

Sightseeing

Adventures on Water

Beaches

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

The Islands

The United States and United Kingdom share an extraordinary mix of islands sprinkled along the northern curve of the Lesser Antilles just east of Puerto Rico. Known collectively as The Virgin Islands, they offer some of the world's most beautiful scenery and idyllic weather. The major islands are amazingly diverse, and each has a well-defined personality, while the 100 or so minor islands (most uninhabited and no larger than prominent rocks) provide privacy and space for anyone who cares to seek it (and can afford it).

St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix (the three main US Virgins) are more like disparate kin than siblings. Only two miles of water separate St. Thomas and St. John, and visitors often ferry between the strikingly handsome pair. St. Thomas is the cosmopolitan capitalist, St. John the rugged environmentalist.

Many visitors say that St. Croix, 40 miles to the south, is a combination of the best of St. Thomas and St. John. But I believe the island marches to the beat of a different drummer, flaunting its Danish past flamboyantly and asserting  its originality. Of the three, it's the least American, the most Caribbean in atmosphere.

Among the sparsely developed British Virgins, Tortola is the largest and most populated island. Visitors are drawn to its green mountains, sheltered bays, and easygoing lifestyle, but few are content to stay put for long. Most hop about by ferry or speed boat to The Baths on Virgin Gorda, the coral-sand beaches on Anegada, Foxy's famous bar on Jost Van Dyke, the caves on Norman Island and the sea turtle playgrounds on Peter Island.

If you can't decide which island to call home base, charter a live-aboard boat, so you can change location on a whim. While it's tiresome to clear Customs each time you cross the international boundary that zigzags invisibly between St. John and Tortola, you'll enjoy the freedom of visiting two countries and countless islands in one vacation.

Of course, you may prefer to pick one island and explore it thoroughly at a leisurely pace. All of the major islands offer enough creature comforts and diversions to keep travelers content for at least a week, and each one offers fabulous sun, sea and sand.

A Dozen Reasons to Visit

Duty-free shopping.

Endless powder-soft sand and a marked underwater snorkel trail on Buck Island, St. Croix.

Hiking trails on Sage Mountain, Tortola and in the national park on St. John.

Picnics on deserted islands.

Snorkeling among the massive boulders at The Baths on Virgin Gorda.

Romantic dining at award-winning waterfront restaurants.

Outstanding scuba diving among coral reefs and ancient shipwrecks.

Ruined and restored sugar plantations to explore.

Sunrise at Point Udall on St. Croix, the easternmost spot in the United States.

Sailing through the Sir Francis Drake Channel.

Lively nightlife in Cruz Bay on St. John.

The five-foot rock iguanas and the flamingo colonies on remote Anegada.

Tips on Using This Book

General Caribbean travel information and facts that apply to all the Virgin Islands is covered at the front of this convenient, take-along guide.

Specific information about each of the islands follows in separate sections.

If you plan to visit only one or two of the islands, rip out just the relevant sections from this book, place them inside a zip-lock bag and tuck them into your carry-on bag. Leave the unneeded pages at home.

Most attractions, hotels and restaurants have websites, which we list in the contact details. Use them to gather additional information or make reservations.

Prices change seasonally in the Caribbean, so use our figures as a guide to recent high-season charges for double accommodations. Expect to pay less during low season.

Check Island Facts & Numbers sections for important information that will be helpful both during the trip-planning stage and once you arrive on the island.

A Historical Timeline

710 BC: Earliest archeological evidence of nomadic tribesmen, probably from South America, inhabiting some of the Virgin Islands.

100 AD: Taino/Arawak Indians live peacefully in villages, cultivate the land and hold religious celebrations on many of the Virgin Islands.

1300: Hostile tribes of Carib Indians migrate from South America, establish settlements and raid Arawak villages for food and brides. These rival tribes live in separate communities on many islands for more than a century.

1493: Christopher Columbus and his crew sail into Salt River Bay on St. Croix and find the island inhabited by Carib Indians. The explorers sail north, through a cluster of islands that they