St. Thomas, one of the three United States Virign Islands, along with St. Croix and St. John, St. Thomas is one of the most beautiful island destinations in the world, dressed with powdery beaches and sun-drenched weather. St. Thomas is located in the Lesser Antilles, 1,600 miles south, south east of New York City; 1,100 east, southeast of Miami; 70 miles of San Juan. St. Thomas and its nearby neighbor St. John, lay between the Atlantic and the Caribbean.
St. Thomas offers the
natural beauty of the islands with a sophisticated and
cosmopolitan atmosphere. Charlotte Amalie, the capital of the
U.S. Virgins, is one of the most breathtaking harbors in the
world and the most visited port in the Caribbean. Exquisite
dining, spectacular nightlife, and the finest duty-free shopping
in the world are abundant in Charlotte Amalie. Its reputation as
the shopping capital of the Caribbean draws hundreds of
thousands of visitors annually from throughout the Caribbean
region and the world.
A mountainous island with shimmering
bays, powdery white beaches, flowing green hills, and a near
perfect climate year round make this destination one of the most
desirable in the world.
The second largest of the United
States Virgin Islands, St. Thomas spans 32 square miles of
tropical beauty. The island is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on
the North site and the Caribbean Sea on the South. Its highest
peaks rise to 1,550 ft. above sea level, providing breathtaking
views from almost every direction.
St. Thomas
is the liveliest island of the three U.S. Virgins, and, perhaps,
the liveliest in the Caribbean, with attractions including
everything from sightseeing and shopping to sailing, swimming,
snorkeling, diving, windsurfing, and kayaking. Or, simply find
your favorite sandy spot and relax.
Drakes Seat above
Magens Bay is an excellent spot for panoramic and photographic
vistas of this beautiful bay and the surrounding islands. Local
lore has it that Sir Francis Drake used this for his lookout.
Mountain Top offers the best north side and down-island view
from one of St. Thomas' mountain peaks. There you will find
shops, a restaurant, and a viewing deck.
Black Beard's
Castle, originally known as "Skytsborg," is a historic landmark.
Its tower is considered the "oldest extant historical structure
in the Virgin Islands." Pirates reportedly once called this area
home. Blue Beard's Castle, according to local lure, was a home
of a 19th century pirate.
Government House, the center
of official life in St. Thomas since it was built in the
mid-1860's, is famous for the 99 steps from Government Hill to
Lille Tarne Gade (Danish for Little Tower Street) is well known.
Most streets in town retain the Danish "Gade" name pronounced
"Ga-da".
Emancipation Garden is a charming park at east
end of Main Street, commemorating the freeing of slaves in 1848.
The two statues link the island's heritage: a bust of Danish
King Christian and a scaled down replica of the American Liberty
Bell.
Fort Christian is the oldest standing structure on
St. Thomas that was built between the years 1666 and 1680 with
additions in 1874. It served as the center of the first Danish
settlement and the fort survived fires and hurricanes that
devastated much of the town of Charlotte Amalie in the 18th and
19th centuries.
SIZE
St. Thomas - 32 Square Miles
St. John - 19
Square Miles
St. Croix - 84 Square Miles
POPULATION
St. Thomas
has 52,000 residents
John has 4,300 residents
St. Croix has 54,000 residents
LANGUAGE
There are
many West Indian dialects which you may hear,
most of them are predominantly English based.
There are people from all over the Caribbean
living here so If you don't understand what has
been said to you, politely ask for the person to
repeat what they have said. Preface all
questions and requests with a greeting first.
Customarily, "Good Morning" or "Good Day" will
get you prompt service and many smiles.
CURRENCY &
CREDIT CARDS
The currency of
the US Virgin Islands is the US Dollar. Major
credit cards are accepted in almost all - but
not all - establishments. Ask before you make a
purchase or order food. ATM machines are located
in banks and at other commercial locations.
There is a free-standing ATM machine on the West
Indian Company Cruise Ship Dock next to the
Welcome Center.
BANKS
The following banks operate in the US Virgin
Islands:
Banco Popular
First Bank Virgin
Islands
Scotiabank
TAXATION
There is no sales tax in the Virgin Islands.
Residents pay income tax to the USVI government.
There are no state income taxes. See
Customs & Immigration for customs
information.
MAIL
The US Virgin Islands are a territory of the
United States and therefore use the same postal
system and US mail rates. You can mail an
unlimited amount of locally purchased gifts back
to the states. These will not count in your
total USVI Duty-Free allowance.
DRESS
We are more than just a beach destination and
bathing suits worn elsewhere, especially in the
downtown areas, tends to offend the local
residents. So, please, wear proper attire (no
bare midriffs or chests) in town and public
areas away from the beach.
PHONES
The Virgin Island area code is 340. There are
public phones throughout the commercial areas.
You can make calls just as you would in the
United States using credit cards or by calling
collect. There is an AT&T Calling Center located
in Havensight, across from the cruise ship dock
on route 30.
CELLPHONES
Your cell phone may work here as well. AT&T,
Sprint and Innovative Wireless all have local
service and will allow you to make calls based
on your rate plan. Roaming may or may not incur
additional charges. Check with your provider for
specific rates and coverage.
MEDICAL
For 24 hour medical care call Red Hook Family
Practice at 775-2303 (St. Thomas office) or
776-6789 (St. John office) or call Doctors on
Duty 776-7966. St. Thomas Hospital phone number
is 776-8311.
ISLAND
CREATURES
The mongoose take
care of our snakes, the scorpions sting but
aren't poisonous. If you are prone to allergies
you may have similar reactions to various insect
bites and stings.
Information provided by www.VirginIslandsthisweek.com
St. Thomas has over 40 major beaches along its sun-drenched coasts. There are strands with crystal blue water and swaying coconut trees where a beach bum can enjoy a lazy-lazy day. For more active beach goers there are sandy coves with activities like windsurfing and kayaking.
Some shores are rugged and rocky offering beauty, solitude and the opportunity to daydream about castaway fantasies. And there are widely popular bay-like beaches with amenities such as restaurants, rest rooms, chair rentals and complete water sports centers offering a variety of rental equipment .
DID
YOU KNOW THAT... Many couples are opting to save the
money (not to mention the stress and hard work) of a big
wedding at home by escaping to a Caribbean island for a
combination wedding/honeymoon. Upon their return, they can
share the event by showing the video and photographs at an
informal reception.
All the islands are beautiful and, on some, weddings have
become a major promotional tool. So why should you choose
St. Thomas above others?
St. Thomas, one of the three United States Virign Islands, along with St. Croix and St. John, St. Thomas is one of the most beautiful island destinations in the world, dressed with powdery beaches and sun-drenched weather. St. Thomas is located in the Lesser Antilles, 1,600 miles south, south east of New York City; 1,100 east, southeast of Miami; 70 miles of San Juan. St. Thomas and its nearby neighbor St. John, lay between the Atlantic and the Caribbean.
moreOur Port
St. Thomas has two cruise ports - - The West India Company Dock (almost universally referred to as Havensight) and Crown Bay. Both are located on the south side of the island not far from Charlotte Amalie.
Generally, the ships of Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, and Royal Caribbean (except Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas) dock at Havensight. Cunard, Princess, Holland America and Oasis and Allure typically dock at Crown Bay. This can change depending on the number of ships in port. Deeper draft ships such as Queen Mary 2, Oasis and Allure are required to dock at Crown Bay.