Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(
&
800/253-7103
or 340/777-6006; www.mahoganyrungolf.com). There aren't any
courses on St. John or the British Virgin Islands.
HIKING
The best islands for hiking are
Tortola
and
St. John.
In Tortola, the
best hiking is through Sage Mountain National Park, spread across 37 hectares (91
acres) of luxuriant flora and fauna. On St. John, the most intriguing hike is the
Annaberg Historic Trail, which takes you by former plantation sites. Most of St.
John is itself a National Park, so there are dozens of opportunities for hiking.
St.
Croix
also has good hiking in its “Rain Forest” area.
Buck Island,
off the coast of
St. Croix, is beloved by snorkelers and scuba divers but also fascinating to hike.
You can easily explore the island in a day, as it is only half a mile wide and a mile
long. While hiking in the Virgin Islands, you'll encounter many birds and flow-
ers—but no poisonous snakes. Be sure to look for the trumpet-shaped Ginger
Thomas, the U.S. Virgin Islands' official flower.
To reach some of the most remote but scenic places on St. Croix, take a hiking trip
with
Ay Ay Eco Tours & Hikes
(
&
340/772-4079
), which offers a variety of hik-
ing trips ranging from 3 hour-tours to half-day tours. Tours vary based on the hikers'
ability and stamina. A half-day tour, lasting about 4 to 5 hours, may take hikers to
explore northeast St. Croix, with its forest glades, secluded coastline, and panoramic
vistas; this tour costs $80 per person.
HORSEBACK RIDING
Equestrians should head for St. Croix.
Paul and Jill's
Equestrian Stables
(
&
340/772-2880;
www.paulandjills.com), at Sprat Hall
Plantation, are the best stables not only in the Virgin Islands but also in all the Carib-
bean. The outfit is known for the quality of both its horses and its riding trails. Neo-
phytes and experts are welcome.
SAILING & YACHTING
The Virgin Islands are a sailor's paradise, offering crys-
tal-clear turquoise waters, secluded coves and inlets, and protected harbors for
anchoring.
For details on chartering your own boat, see the box on p. 46. Most visitors, how-
ever, are content with
day sails,
which are easy to organize, especially at the harbors
in St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda. Regardless of where you decide to cruise,
you really shouldn't leave the islands without spending at least 1 day on the water,
even if you have to load up on Dramamine or snap on your acupressure wristbands
before you go.
The most popular cruising area around the Virgin Islands is the deep and incredibly
scenic
Sir Francis Drake Channel,
which runs from St. John to Virgin Gorda's
North Sound. The channel is surrounded by mountainous islands, and boasts crisp
breezes year-round. In heavy weather, the network of tiny islands shelters yachties
from the brute force of the open sea. The waters surrounding St. Croix to the south
are also appealing, especially near Buck Island.
Outside the channel, the Virgin Islands archipelago contains reefy areas that sepa-
rate many of the islands from their neighbors. To navigate these areas, you need to
use a depth chart (available from charter companies or any marine supply outlet) and
have some local knowledge.
Tip:
Locals and temporarily shore-bound sailors willingly
offer free advice, often enough to last a couple of drinks, at almost any dockside
watering hole.
For more than a quarter of a century,
The Yachtsman's Guide to the Virgin Islands
has
been the classic cruising guide to this area (it's updated periodically). The detailed,
240-page text is supplemented by 22 sketch charts, more than 100 photographs and
2
44
