Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
7
Coral Bay
Claimed by the Danes in the 1600s and used to unload Danish ships, the bay
still contains a crumbling stone pier. This was also the site of the first plantation
on St. John, which was established in 1717 and abandoned long ago; it predates
the far-better-developed facilities of Cruz Bay. You can also follow the posted
signs to see the remains of Fort Berg, which stationed the soldiers that sup-
pressed the 1733 slave revolt. Today, Coral Bay shelters a closely knit commu-
nity of yachting enthusiasts, who moor and live on their yachts between
excursions to other parts of the Caribbean.
Ringing the bay's perimeter is a widely spaced handful of restaurants and bars. One
of these is called:
8
Shipwreck Landing
This is an ideal place to drop in for a meal or a tropical drink (p. 127). You can
sit amid palms and tropical plants on a veranda overlooking the sea.
After your break, continue driving south along Coral Bay, perhaps stopping in
at another of the two or three shops and bars beside the road.
Backtrack north along Coral Bay to a point near the Emmaus Moravian
Church, which you'll see in the distance. At the cluster of restaurant signs, turn
left onto Route 10 West (Centerline Rd.), which has high-altitude views in all
directions as you follow it back toward Cruz Bay. (An alternate, but much
steeper, way is King Hill Rd., which merges later with Rte. 10 W.)
4
Within 7 or 8 miles, Route 10 merges with Route 104 (Gift Hill Rd.) just after the
island's only hospital, the St. John Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Clinic.
Take Route 104 and begin one of the steepest descents of your driving tour. (Use
low gear
whenever possible, and honk around the many blind curves.) When the land
levels off, you'll see, on your left, the entrance to the most imaginative pieces of mod-
ern architecture on the island, the postmodern:
9
Westin St. John Resort & Villas
If you're a gardening or architecture enthusiast, stop in for a look at a hotel
whose inspirations include ancient Mesopotamia, colonial Denmark, and the
coast of California. What makes all of this even more impressive is that it was
built only a few years ago on what, at the time, was unusable swampland.
From here, your return to Cruz Bay entails only a short drive along Route 104,
through a slightly urbanized periphery of private homes.
SHOPPING
Compared to St. Thomas, St. John's shopping isn't much, but what's here is interest-
ing. The boutiques and shops of Cruz Bay are individualized and quite special. Most
of the shops are clustered at
Mongoose Junction
(North Shore Rd., Cruz Bay), in
a woodsy area beside the roadway, about a 5-minute walk from the ferry dock.
Before you leave the island, you'll want to visit the recently expanded
Wharfside
Village
(
&
340/693-8210;
www.wharfsidevillage.com), just a few steps from the
ferry departure point. This complex of courtyards, alleys, and shady patios is a mish-
mash of boutiques, along with some restaurants, fast-food joints, and bars.
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