ST. CROIX - Virgin Islands - page 169

'Rain Forest,'” later in this chapter. Buck Island (see the section “A Side Trip to Buck
Island,” later in this chapter), just off St. Croix, also has nature trails.
The St. Croix Environmental Association, Arawak Building, Suite 3, Gallows
Bay ( & 340/773-1989; www.stxenvironmental.org), has regularly scheduled infor-
mative hikes to more remote sections of the island, costing $10 per person.
HORSEBACK RIDING Paul and Jill's Equestrian Stables, 2 Sprat Hall
Estate, Route 58 ( & 340/772-2880; www.paulandjills.com), the largest equestrian
stable in the Virgin Islands, is known throughout the Caribbean for its horses. It's set
on the sprawling grounds of the island's oldest plantation great house. The operators
lead scenic trail rides through the forests, along the beach, and past ruins of aban-
doned 18th-century plantations and sugar mills, to the tops of the hills of St. Croix's
western end. Beginners and experienced riders alike are welcome. A 1 1 ⁄ 2 -hour trail
ride costs $90. Tours usually depart daily in winter at 10:30am and 3pm, and in the
off season at 4pm, with slight variations according to demand. Reserve at least a day
in advance.
KAYAKING The beauty of St. Croix is best seen from a kayak. Try the tour offered
by Caribbean Adventure Tours ( & 800/532-3483 or 340/778-1522; www.stcroix
kayak.com). You use stable, sit-on-top ocean kayaks, enabling you to traverse the
tranquil waters of Salt River, of Columbus landfall fame, and enjoy the park's ecology
and wildlife. You also explore secluded mangrove estuaries. The highlight of the
excursion is a dip for snorkeling on a pristine beach and paddling to where Christo-
pher Columbus and his crew came ashore some 500 years ago. The tour, lasting 3
hours, costs $45 per person and includes water and a light snack.
SAFARI TOURS St. Croix Safari Tours ( & 340/773-6700; www.gotostcroix.
com/safaritours) offers a tour in a 25-passenger open-air bus run by a hip tour guide
who knows all about the botany, cuisine, and history of the island. Tours crisscross
the island with stops at plantation houses, historic Frederiksted, and the Salt River
landfall of Columbus, and a drive through the rainforest, with a stop for lunch. There
are lots of photo ops. The cost of the tour is $55 per person, including admission fees
to the botanical garden, rum factory, and museum.
SNORKELING & SCUBA DIVING Sponge life, black coral (the finest in
the West Indies), and steep drop-offs near the shoreline make St. Croix a snorkeling
and diving paradise. The island is home to the largest living reef in the Caribbean,
including the fabled north-shore wall that begins in 25 to 30 feet of water and drops
to 13,200 feet, sometimes straight down. See “Beaches,” above, for information on
good snorkeling beaches. The St. Croix Water Sports Center ( & 340/773-7060;
www.caribbeandays.com) rents snorkeling equipment for $20 a day, if your hotel
doesn't supply it.
Buck Island is a major scuba-diving site, with a visibility of some 100 feet.
It also has an underwater snorkeling trail. Practically all outfitters on St. Croix offer
scuba and snorkeling tours to Buck Island. For more information on the island, see
the section “A Side Trip to Buck Island,” later in this chapter.
Other favorite dive sites include the historic Salt River Canyon (northwest of
Christiansted at Salt River Bay), for advanced divers. Submerged canyon walls are
covered with purple tube sponges, deepwater gorgonians, and black coral saplings.
You'll see schools of yellowtail snapper, turtles, and spotted eagle rays. We also like
the gorgeous coral gardens of Scotch Banks (north of Christiansted) and Eagle Ray

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