St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix - the three islands known to many as the US Virgin Islands, and the reason millions of travellers head to the Caribbean every year. The laid-back lifestyle of the islands and crystal blue waters keep travellers booking flights to the US Virgin Islands every year.
Travellers booking St. Thomas holidays will find it's not only the most visited island, but also the most overdeveloped of the islands. St. Thomas boasts some of the best beaches, resorts and dining and there is no shortage of things to do in this Caribbean island hotspot. In contrast, St. John is the smallest of the US Virgin Islands and is a protected landmass – more than 60 per cent of the land is controlled by the US National Park Service. St. Croix is the largest of the US Virgin Islands and while it’s not as serene as St. John, it’s more relaxed than St. Thomas. Tourists booking flights to the US Virgin Islands should hop over to St. Croix for its stimulating nightlife – the introduction of gambling to the island has brought more tourists, and more money, to the economy.
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The islands are hot and humid throughout the year, with most rain falling between August and October. The busiest tourist season is from December to May, during the northern hemisphere winter, and outside of these months rooms are cheaper and the islands less crowded. Between April and August the waters are calmer and underwater visibility is best for diving and snorkeling.
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Peak Season:
November through May is peak season. A couple of the events taking place during this time are the carnival on St Thomas and the Crucian Christmas festival - look out for the mocko jumbies, the colourfully-dressed dancers on stilts - on St Croix (mid-December/early-January).
Off Season:
Takes in our summer (up to the end of October). One very special event taking place during off-season is July 4, which is well celebrated on the islands.
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There are airports on St Thomas (Cyril E King Airport, the most popular gateway to the islands) and St Croix (Henry E Rohlsen International Airport), but not on St John.
Airlines flying between St. Thomas and St. Croix include Air St. Thomas; Air Sunshine; American Eagle; Bohlke International Airways; Leeward Island Air Transport (LIAT) and Seaborne Airlines. Helicopter service is also available.
Once on the islands, there are several car-rental options with major companies. Remember, drive on the left.
The Virgin Islands Fast Ferry sails between St Thomas and St. Croix. Love City Car Ferries, Inc., a car ferry company, sails from St Thomas to St John.
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- St Croix is the largest island and has two main towns, Christiansted and Frederiksted. Tourist attractions here include Buck Island Reef, which is renowned for its swimming, scuba diving and snorkelling. Estate Mount Washington Plantation, although in ruins, is the best-preserved sugar plantation on the island. Admission is free.
- Charlotte Amalie, capital of St Thomas, is the Caribbean’s busiest port, welcoming about 1.5 million cruise ship visitors per year. St Thomas has some beautiful beaches to bask on including Bluebeard's Beach (for windsurfing), Coki Beach (for scuba diving and snorkelling) and Magens Bay, rated one of the world’s most beautiful beaches by National Geographic magazine. Columbus Landing Beach is where Christopher Columbus landed in 1493. The Whim Plantation and museum chronicles what life was like on a sugar plantation. The Cruzan Rum Distillery dates from 1760 and is open daily for tours. Emancipation Gardens is where many official ceremonies take place. The gardens honour the emancipation of slaves in 1848 by Governor Peter von Scholten, 15 years before the US.
- The 99 Steps (although there are really 103) extend from Government Hill to Lille Tarne Gade (Little Tower Street in Danish). They are one of several step streets that the Danes built to negotiate the town’s terrain. At the top of the steps, are yet more steps that stretch to Blackbeard’s Castle.
- Blackbeard's Castle sits on Government Hill, overlooking Charlotte Amelie. It was originally known as Skytsborg and is said to be the Virgin Islands’ oldest structure. Legend has it that bands of pirates lived here in the 18th century. The most famous resident is believed to be Edward Teach, Blackbeard.
- St John is the smallest island (72,500 sq km / 28 sq mi) and two-thirds of it is the Virgin Islands National Park. Hiking and snorkelling are popular pastimes.
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Entry requirements are the same as for the United States of America. There is no immigration control for visitors arriving from mainland USA. Visitors entering the country under the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) must have a machine-readable passport (MRP) that has a bar code on the photo page. From 26 October 2006 eligible travellers under the VWP must include biometrics in their machine-readable passports if they wish to enter the country without a visa, containing unique personal data such as fingerprints or iris details. All new passports issued on or after 26 October 2005 must contain a digital photo image in order to travel visa-free. Due to new security measures, all visitors to the USA will have a photograph and two fingerprints taken by an inkless scanner on arrival, including those travelling visa-free under the Visa Waiver Programme.
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UK passport holders require a valid passport for travel to the USA. Under the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP), most British citizens do not require a visa for holiday, transit or business purposes providing their passports are machine-readable, the stay does not exceed 90 days and a return or onward ticket is held. Note:Holders of UK passports with the endorsement British Subject, British Protected Person, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Overseas Citizen or British National (Overseas) Citizen do require a visa.
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