US Virgin Islands Vacation Guide

Introduction

The islands are situated 64km (40 miles) east of Puerto Rico and comprise some 50 islands covered with lush tropical vegetation and fringed by iridescent shores. St Thomas is long and narrow, rising abruptly to a ridge with an excellent deep-water harbour. St John is covered partly in bay forests. St Croix consists of 215 sq km (83 sq miles) of rolling ex-plantation land. St Croix is the largest of the US Virgin Islands. Christiansted is one of the two major towns showing early-Danish influence. Fort Christiansværn (dating from 1774) and the Old Custom House are among its historic sites. St Thomas is the second-largest and the most cosmopolitan of this chain of islands. Like St Croix, it has many associations with the Danes and retains much Danish influence. The main town, Charlotte Amalie, is the group’s capital. Cobblestone alleys with numerous boutiques lead down to the waterfront. St John is the most ‘unspoilt’ of the islands. It has no airport, and two-thirds of the island’s deep valleys and most of its shoreline have been set aside as a National Park. Island specialities include fresh fish and lobster. Steel bands, folk singing, calypso and limbo dancing are popular.

Full country name: US Virgin Islands
Area: 135 sq km
Population: 119,827
Capital City: Charlotte Amalie
People: African descent (75%), US mainland expats (13%), Puerto Rican (5%), Danish, French
Language: English, Spanish; Castilian, French
Religion: Baptist (42%), Catholic (34%), Episcopalian (17%)
Government: unincorporated territory of the US
Time Zone: GMT/UTC -3 (Atlantic Standard Time)
Dialling Code: 1340
Electricity: 110V ,60Hz
Currency: US Dollar (US$)

We constantly update vacation deals and flights + hotel packages for US Virgin Islands and the Caribbean. You can also check out some of the best hotels and resorts in US Virgin Islands with exciting attractions like golf, casino, scuba diving and other water sports. Popular hotels & resorts in US Virgin Islands are Best Western Emerald Beach Resort and Secret Harbour Beach and Villas.

No visas are required for citizens of the US and Canada, though you'll have to prove citizenship by way of a birth certificate, voter's registration card or valid passport. Most other nationalities don't need a visa either (although it is always wise to check with your embassy beforehand), but will need a passport for a stay of less than 90 days. Proof of onward transportation is required upon entry.
More Information About Visa Requirements

There are international airports on both St Thomas and St Croix. From the US, American Airlines, Delta and US Airways have direct flights from several US destinations. Oftentimes these flights land in St Thomas first, then go on to St Croix. Most flights from Europe connect via Miami or San Juan in Puerto Rico. American Eagle, Seaborne Airlines, Cape Air and Air Sunshine offer services between the US and British Virgin Islands. St Thomas' Cyril E King Airport is located on the southern coast, 5km (3mi) west of Charlotte Amalie. Henry E Rohlsen Airport is on the southern shore of St Croix 11km (7mi) southwest of Christiansted. Buses and taxis ferry new arrivals to the islands' towns and resorts.

A weekend ferry does the dash between St John's Cruz Bay and St Thomas' Charlotte Amalie and Fajardo in Puerto Rico. Tons of cruise ships dock in the US Virgin Islands, most at Charlotte Amalie, one of the Caribbean's most popular cruise destinations. Plenty of ships also call at Frederiksted on St Croix, disgorging hundreds of cruise shippers who head straight for the shops.

The best way to travel between the islands is by boat. Frequent ferries depart from Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook on St Thomas for the short jaunt to St John. There are also dozens of yacht charter companies providing visitors with the opportunity to sail from island to island at their own pace. To travel between St Thomas and St Croix. You can also take a seaplane (several times a day, 20 minutes). Renting a car or jeep is a good way to get around the islands, though finding a parking space in Charlotte Amalie can be troublesome.

The peak tourist season is December to May, but this has more to do with the weather in North America and Europe than it does with the reliably balmy Virgin Islands' weather. It's therefore best to visit outside this period, when you can expect room rates to be two thirds of those charged during the busier months. An additional draw is that the calmer weather between April and August tends to keep the waters clearer for diving.

Carnival on St Thomas is a crazy week full of masquerades, drumming, dancing, feasting and mocko jumbies (costumed stiltwalkers). Unlike other Carnivals in the Caribbean, which precede Lent, St Thomas' takes place after Easter, usually in late April.

St Thomas has some of the best white-sand beaches in the Caribbean, notably at popular Magens Bay, an oversized scallop of sand and palm trees that shows up on lists of the top ten beaches of the world. If you're looking for enough space to throw a frisbee around, consider quieter Limetree Beach on the southern side of the island. On St Croix, try Shoy Beach near Christiansted or catch a boat to Buck Island, a couple of miles off the northeastern coast. On St John, beautiful Cruz Bay winds its way around to Honeymoon Beach, a favorite with photographers looking for an exotic backdrop, and Jumbie Bay, where being nude is quite acceptable.

There's only one real surfing spot in the islands and that's Hull Bay, just west of Magens Bay on St Thomas. Windsurfers have a wider choice with particularly good winds along St John's northern coast and on the eastern coast of St Thomas. As marinas on the adjacent British Virgin Islands have become more crowded, sailing has been getting a decent go around the US Virgin Islands. If you want to cruise the islands, there are boats for hire at marinas at Red Hook on St Thomas, Christiansted on St Croix, and Cruz Bay on St John. Deep sea fishing enthusiasts can tackle up for some hefty marlin, tuna and kingfish.

There are 18-hole golf courses on St Croix, at Buccaneer Hotel. A 9-hole course is located at the Reef. St Thomas has an excellent 18-hole course at Mahogany Run. There are many tennis courts available on St Croix and St Thomas and a few on St John. Horse riding is available in Frederiksted and Christiansted on St Croix.

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