Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Taxi vans
transport 8 to 12 passengers to multiple destinations on the island. It's
cheaper to take a van instead of a taxi if you're going between your hotel and the
airport. The cost for luggage ranges from $1 to $2 per bag. Call
&
340/774-7457
to order a taxi van.
BY BUS
Buses, called
Vitrans,
leave from street-side stops in the center of Charlotte Amalie,
fanning out east and west along all of the most important highways. They run
between 5:30am and 9pm daily, but waits can be very long and this is a difficult way
to get about. A ride within Charlotte Amalie is 75¢; a ride to anywhere else is $1. The
Fortuna buses are run by Vitrans and have no set schedule. A ride from Charlotte
Amalie to Brewers Bay or Lindbergh Beach is $6 to $8 per person. For schedule and
bus-stop information, call
&
340/774-5678
or www.vinow.com.
ON FOOT
Trust us: This is the
only
way to explore the heart of Charlotte Amalie. All the major
attractions and main stores are within easy walking distance. However, other island
attractions, like Coral World and Magens Bay, require you to take a bus or taxi.
3
ST. THOMAS
Charlotte Amalie (
&
340/
776-8311
).
Hot Lines
Call the
police
at
&
911
in case of emer-
gency. If you have or wit-
ness a boating mishap, call
the
U.S. Coast Guard Res-
cue
(
&
787/729-6800
),
which operates out of San
Juan, Puerto Rico. Scuba
divers should note the
number of a
decompres-
sion chamber
(
&
340/
776-8311
) at the Roy Sch-
neider Community Hospital
on St. Thomas.
Internet
The best cyber-
cafe is
Beans, Bytes, and
Websites
at the Royal Dane
Mall (
&
340/777-7089;
www.beansbytesandweb
sites.com), in the center of
Charlotte Amalie. It is open
Monday to Saturday 7am to
4pm, charging 15¢ a minute
with a $2 minimum. Not
only do you face a myriad
of options for your com-
puter needs, but you can
Banks
Several major U.S.
banks are represented on
St. Thomas, including
First-
Bank,
11A Curaçao Gade,
Charlotte Amalie (
&
340/
775-7777
). Most island
banks are open Monday to
Thursday 8:30am to 3pm,
and Friday 8:30am to 4pm.
The banks are your only
option if you need to
exchange currency. More
than 50 ATMs are available
on the island.
Bookstores
Dockside
Bookshop,
Havensight Mall,
Charlotte Amalie (
&
340/
774-4937
), where the
cruise ships dock, sells
books, cards, maps, and
board games.
Business Hours
Typical
business and store hours
are Monday to Friday 9am
to 5pm and Saturday 9am
to 1pm. Some shops open
Sunday for cruise-ship
arrivals. Bars are usually
open daily 11am to midnight
or 1am, although some hot
spots stay open later.
Dentists
The
Smile Cen-
ter
(
&
340/775-9110
) is a
member of the American
Dental Association and is
also linked with various
specialists. Call for informa-
tion or an appointment.
Doctors
Roy Lester Sch-
neider Hospital,
9048
Sugar Estate, Charlotte
Amalie (
&
340/776-8311;
www.rlshospital.org), pro-
vides services for locals and
visitors.
Drugstores
Go to
Drug
Farm,
2-4 Ninth St., Char-
lotte Amalie (
&
340/776-
7098
), or
Havensight
Pharmacy,
Havensight Mall,
Building 4, Charlotte Amalie
(
&
340/776-1235
).
Emergencies
For the
police, call
&
911;
ambu-
lance,
911;
fire,
921.
Hospitals
The
Roy Lester
Schneider Hospital
is at
9048 Sugar Estate,
54
