US Virgin Islands

 

St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John are sister islands, but each has its own special character. St. Thomas, the quintessential cruise port, is the bustling busy bee of the trio. In addition to its natural charms, St. Thomas is also a duty-free shopping mecca. St. Croix, 40 miles south, is an island on the move. Its history of agriculture has left sugar mills and plantations to visit, and there is an ever-increasing number of heritage trails to follow. St. John is the natural one: Two-thirds of the island is a national park.
 
Capital:            Charlotte Amalie / CruzBay / Christianstad .

Currency:         US Dollar

Population:      115,000.

Area:                137 square miles (355 sq km)

Languages:      English.

Economy:         Tourism,
 
Religions:        Anglican and other Protestant churches.
 
Government:    US Territory
 
Telephone Codes:       - 1 – 340
 
Airport Departure Tax:   US$3.00.
 
Passport/Visa Requirements:   Australian passport holders do not need a visa.

Health Certificates:      None required. Contact health authorities for latest information.

Shopping Hours:          Shops are open 9am-5pm every day except Sunday but will open at other times
 when cruise ships arrive.
 
Banking Hours:            Monday-Thursday, 9am-2.30pm, and Friday, 9am-2pm and 3.30-5pm.
 
Time Zone:      14 hours behind Sydney (EST).No Daylight Saving Time is observed.
 
Electricity:        110 and 220 volts.
 
Weather
Subtropical. Year-round average daytime temperature is about 78F/26C with easterly trade winds to help keep things comfortable. Seasonal temperatures fluctuate less than 10F/6C. The widest temperature change occurs with elevation (for every incline of 300 feet/98meters, there's about a 10F/.6C drop in temperature.) Day-to-night temperatures can drop approximately 10F/6C. Average annual rainfall is only 50 inches/1,270 millimeters and occurs in late spring and late summer.
 
Transport:  
Taxi:
Cars use the left side of the road.
All taxi drivers should carry a rate card with approved fares set by the Taxi Commission. Taxis have no meters and charge (somewhat expensively) by zone. Round-trip fares are doubled; there is a charge for baggage and waiting time. Don't get in a vehicle that doesn't have TP on the license plate and a dome light above it because, without those, it's not an authorized taxi.
 
Ferries:
Ferries run from Red Hook, St. Thomas, to CruzBay, St. John, every hour. The round-trip is US$6 and takes about 20 minutes.
Some ferries carry cars; however, check with your rental car company before considering this option. Some won't allow their vehicles to be transported to St. John.
Visitors who want to make the 40-mile/64-kilometer trip to St. Croix can take the twice-daily hydrofoil ferry service from Charlotte Amalie to Christiansted, which takes a little over an hour each way. There is also a seaplane shuttle between the two cities that runs nine times daily.
 
Life in St Thomas centres around the harbour in the capital, Charlotte Amalie, where cruise ships, yachts and motor boats dock in armadas. As visitors arrive, they are confronted by warehouses full of goodies – and the regular American duty-free allowance is thoughtfully doubled for USVI purchases.
Charlotte Amalie, with its palm trees, red roofs, steep alleys and Danish warehouses, is extremely pretty. It was here that the infamous pirate Blackbeard found refuge.
There are two other populated islands in USVI, St Croix and St John, as well as 50 smaller islands and reefs. After a chequered history, USVI was bought by the United States from Denmark as a naval base in 1917. The islands are now a self-governing territory of the United States.
Congress created the Virgin IslandsNational Park in 1956, attracting more interest in the islands as a tourist centre. The islands are rugged and hilly, with the exception of St Croix. They are notable for superb bathing beaches and fishing and high quality hotels and restaurants.
St Croix, the largest, has massive stone forts, Danish and Victorian buildings, historic plantations and BuckIslandReefNational Monument. This is an 880-acre (3.6 sq km) nature reserve with an underwater snorkellers’ trail and an incredible diversity of marine life.
St John is mostly forested and tranquil and is protected from over-development. It is a particular favourite with campers, who enjoy its small-island charm and secluded beaches.
All the islands have windsurfing, snorkelling, scuba diving and deep sea fishing on offer. Two of the golf courses are among the top 18 in the Caribbean. There are countless tennis courts and mountains biking and Hiking are growing in popularity.