Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tached cookhouse. And don't miss the gift shop filled with Ca-
ribbean cookbooks, perfumes, and crafts.
St. Croix's southern city,
Frederiksted,
lies just a few miles
from the former plantation house. A stop for many cruise ships
(a new dock was constructed here in 1994 to replace damage
done by Hurricane Hugo), the town is a smaller version of
Christiansted with a red, rather than yellow, fortress guarding
the waterfront. Shopping includes duty-free boutiques featur-
ing china and crystal, and a vendor's market for inexpensive T-
shirts and jewelry.
St. Croix's best treasures, however, are not the man-made ones
but the natural areas found at opposite ends of the island. From
Frederiksted, take
Rt. 76
(also called
Mahogany Road
), north
for a trip to the rain forest. The small rain forest has thick vege-
tation where the sunlight is filtered through mahogany, yellow
cedar, and Tibet trees. This forest is also home of LEAP, the
Life and Environmental Arts Project,
where skilled arti-
sans craft everything from sculptures to spoons from the hard-
woods found in the rain forest. Another romantic way to enjoy
the rain forest is on horseback.
Paul and Jill's Equestrian
Stables,
340-772-2880 or 772-2627, offers rides through this
lush area.
Just off the coast of the far northeast side of the island lies St.
Croix's other natural treasure:
Buck Island.
Several outfitters
take snorkelers on half- and full-day-trips to this island to swim
along the
Buck Island Reef National Monument.
Here, in
about 12 feet of water, snorkelers follow a marked trail for a
self-guided tour of this undersea world. Several companies offer
tours to this site, including
Big Beard's Adventure Tours,
340-773-2628, is
a very friendly group of operators who have a store in down-
town Christiansted near the Old Scalehouse.
340-773-4482.
Mile Mark Watersports,
Shopping
Shopping in St. Croix means a trip to
Christiansted
or
Frederiksted.
Until recently, most shopping took place in
Christiansted, the larger of the two communities, but as the
cruise ship business has grown, Frederiksted is offering more
duty-free shops aimed at those who have only a few hours to
shop.
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