Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
few seem large and dotted with buildings, but most are tiny
and uninhabited. Until the 1990's there were only three in-
habited US islands - St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John. A
fourth was added in 1992 when Water Island became part of
the territory. In St. Thomas' harbor, it has lovely beaches
and bicycle paths, but no accommodations. The population
of the territory has grown rapidly in the last few years as
emigrants from nearby islands have relocated here. Char-
tered yachts and sailing ships anchor at the uninhabited is-
lands and cays to enjoy the pristine coral reefs and beaches.
The Virgin Islands are year-round attractions. The lures of
any Caribbean vacation, sun and sea are here in abundance.
The Caribbean's largest yacht charter operators are based
here and there are over 100 dive sites in the area. Snor-
keling, deep-sea fishing, water-skiing and windsurfing are
easily accessible. There are golf courses, tennis courts, rid-
ing stables and hiking trails. These are characteristics that
the islands share, but there are differences between them as
well. Each has its own beat, each offers a distinct holiday
and each has a devoted coterie. We have tried to capture that
special flavor for you as we begin each island chapter - but
we offer a thumbnail sketch below so you can match the is-
land's personality to your own.
Wherever you bed down, you are not limited to just one is-
land. You can move from one to the others quickly and inex-
pensively. We'll expand on this below as well.
St. Thomas.
The second island in both size and population
is nonetheless the hub of the territory. It is the liveliest of the
three, with scores of resort hotels, first-rate restaurants and
the best duty-free shops in the Caribbean.
Charlotte
Amalie
, the capital, is built around a stunning harbor. The
harbor played a big role in the island's development and con-
tinues to do so today. It is not unusual to see four cruise ships
at anchor on any given day. The drawback to that is traffic
jams into and out of town daily. The rest of the island is less
crowded, but it does have several commercial centers. There
is a golf course.
