St Thomas Island Vacations

This island, 60 miles east of Puerto Rico and under the American flag, is one of the homes to the Caribbean's largest commercial charter fleet, offering ferry rides, day sails, glass bottom boat and sunset cruises, deep sea fishing, crewed or bareboat power and sail boat charters.

St. Thomas, with some of the Caribbean's best beaches, is the Caribbean's major cruise port and king of all duty-free shopping destinations. Bargain hunters are spurred on by the sheer variety of merchandise.

Quiet can be found at dozens of luxury resorts and fine restaurants, some with Danish influence. Steep hillsides thick with flowers and bright red rooftops make Charlotte Amalie, the harborside capital, is a favorite of travel photographers.

See the view from the top of St. Peter Mountain (where great banana daiquiris are an added reward) or visit Drake's Seat with a panorama of 100 islands. Check the exciting underwater population at Coral World.

Imposing Fort Christian, housing the museum with a collection of Indian artifacts, dates back to the 17th century. And the St. Thomas Synagogue, built by Sephardic Jews in 1833, is stately and solemn.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
U.S. and Canadian citizens need proof of citizenship. Entry requirements for all others are the same as for entering the United States from any foreign destination.

CURRENCY:
U.S. Dollars. Credit cards and traveler's checks are generally accepted.

TAXES & SERVICE CHARGES:
Departure tax: $3.00 per person. Resort tax: 8%. Service charge: 10 15%. No sales tax.

COUNTRY PROFILE

GEOGRAPHY:
St. Thomas (32 sq mls) lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Highest points above sea level is St. Thomas Crown Mountain 1,556 ft.

CLIMATE:
Average daytime temperature 78 degrees F in winter and 82 degrees F in summer, low humidity. Approx sunrise 0530 0630. Approx sunset 1830 1900.

LANGUAGE:
English. Some Spanish and Creole.

DINING:
Restaurants available: Continental. Chinese. French. Scandinavian. Steak houses. Mexican/Tex-Mex. Mediterranean. Thai. Vegetarian. Italian. Gratuity is 15% is most restaurants.

NIGHTLIFE:
St. Thomas: Jazz, disco, calypso/reggae, Latin and rock 'n roll nightclubs. Karaoke. Cultural entertainment: Steel pan music, theatrical/musical arts.

SHOPPING:
Main street offers a myriad of shopping from fine jewelry to designer clothing. For more shopping, stroll along Back Street, the Waterfront and walkways. Head out of town to other shopping centers such as Havensight Mall, Tutu Park Mall and American Yacht Harbor in Red Hook.

SPORTS:
Tennis. World-renowned Robert Trent Jones 18-hole championship golf course. Trail rides. Snorkeling and Scuba Diving. Crew Charters. Over night charters. Sport fishing. Water sports - jet ski/wind surf/sun fish rentals. Parasailing. Kayaking. Spectator Horse Racing

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
(2002) October 1: Sir Francis Drake Yacht Race. October 8-9: Columbus Day Regatta. October 11 & 25: Harbor Night. November 1: D. Hamilton Jackson Day. November 8 & 22: Harbor Night. November 12: Grand Prix Yacht Race. November 24: An Elegant Evening in the Courtyard. December 6 & 20: Harbor Night. December 16: St. John All-Island Face Dress Christmas Party. TBD: Crucian Christmas Festival.

TRANSPORTATION:
Driving is on the left hand side of the road. Rentals available include: Cars. Jeeps. Motorcycles. Temporary license/permit requirements: A valid foreign license is good for 90 days. Local services include: government transportation (scheduled service) - "Vitran"; local taxi service; *daily inter-island air service (St. Croix - St. Thomas); daily ferry service between St. Thomas and St. John and between St. Thomas and British Virgin Islands. *There is no air service to St. John.

MARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS:
Literature for your customized wedding in the United States Virgin Islands can be sent to you free of charge. Simply contact the U.S. Virgin Islands office nearest you or call 800-372-USVI, for your "Getting married in the U.S. Virgin Islands" package. *For an application for a marriage license contact: Application Fee: US$25. Marriage License Fee: $25. **Marriage by a Judge of the Court: $200. St. John/St. Thomas: The Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands, P.O. Box 70, St. Thomas, USVI 00801. Attn: Administrator/Clerk of the Court. Tel: 340-774-7325. *There is an eight-day waiting period required upon receipt of the notarized application at the Territorial Court. However, the 8-day waiting period may be waived if the couple's documents are in order and prior arrangements have been made. **If you are being married in the Court by a Judge, there is a fee of $200 for the ceremony. Checks are not accepted.

What To Do & See

Mountain Top: This is the highest peak on the island, where the view from 1,500 feet above sea level frames the land and sea below you like a mariner's dreamscape. Sip a banana daiquiri and then hop to another lofty peak, Drake's Seat, where tales tell that Sir Francis Drake kept watch over his fleet and sought his enemy, the Spanish Armada. With vistas of more than 100 Virgin Islands, the panoramic view is especially striking and romantic at dusk.

Atlantis Submarine: Get set for the experience of a lifetime! On this journey through the natural undersea world of St Thomas, you'll explore the reefs and exotic marine life of Buck Island Wilderness Preserves at depths of up to 90 feet.

Coral World: This educational center is terrific fun for kids, allowing them to explore the wonders of coral reefs. Highlights include the 80,000 gallon reef tank, the predator tank, the touch tank, and the walk-through observatory.

Day Trip to St John & Trunk Bay: Visit the neighboring US Virgin Island that is two-thirds national park, and see what the world is like when nature takes care of itself. Drift to sleep on flawless beaches or follow a friendly mongoose along a woodland trail. Many of the trails end on a high plateau with gorgeous views of emerald cays, white sand beaches, and the aquamarine sea. Wind up with a picnic and snorkeling at Trunk Bay.

Scuba Dive and Snorkel: St Thomas won the nod for Best Beginner Diving, and Best Snorkeling in Scuba Diving magazine's Reader's Choice Awards. With over 40 dive sites (and another 50 on the way), your underwater options range from shallow patch reefs to deep walls. The island sits on the shallow Virgin Bank and some of the prettiest reefs are above 60 feet, riddled with tunnels and swim-throughs. Wreck and shore diving are popular here, and there are certification classes on the island, as well as a recompression chamber. Night dives are available on request.

Duty-Free Shopping: St Thomas isn't the biggest of the US Virgin Islands, but it has the biggest reputation as the shopping paradise of the Caribbean. Cruisers who spend lazy happy days browning in the sun suddenly go into something of a feeding frenzy in the St Thomas shops. US Customs encourage this excitement with the significantly higher allowance of re-entry duty-free goods bought in the USVI protectorate. With uniform prices throughout the island, you can just go to one store if you and be sure you're getting the best deal in town.

Paradise Point: This site on Flag Hill just outside the capital treats visitors to a stupendous view of Charlotte Amalie and the sea. A bar, restaurant, and gift shops give you reason to extend your stay beyond the time to take in the view. Take a tram to the peak, one of the best St Thomas spots for sunsets.

Bluebeard's Castle: On a hilltop east of downtown, this mighty stone tower has braved battles, hurricanes, and time, yet forges on undaunted. Legend tells that Bluebeard built it for his one and only true love, Mercedita, but in fact the fortress was built as a watchtower to supplement the defenses of Fort Christian.

Fort Christian: St Thomas' oldest standing structure was built in 1672 (though the clock tower was added in the 1800s), and is a US National Landmark. Over the centuries, it has been used as a jail, governor's residence, town hall, courthouse, and even served as a church.

Magen's Bay: It has been named one of the World's 10 Most Beautiful Beaches by many travel experts. Deeded to the island as a public park, this north shore, white-sand crescent is a great place for a day of unspoiled, sun-splashed fun, with covered picnic tables, showers, dressing rooms, a boutique, snack bar, snorkeling, and sailboat rentals.

Frenchtown: This very popular neighborhood is cherished for its easy-going harbor town ambience. Engage the local fishermen - who are mostly generational fisherman immigrated from St Barthélemy - in conversation and learn about their peaceful lives in an accent unique to their people. You can get a further feel for resident life by walking through the town's winding streets, dotted with tiny wooden houses that have been passed down over the generations. Wind up the day with a pint at the local bar by the sea.

Vessup Bay: Trailing along the end of Bluebeard's Road, near Red Hook, there is a gorgeous white-sand beach interspersed with pretty clusters of rocks, seagrape trees, cacti, and century plants. If you want to play on the waves, rent water-sports equipment at the end of the beach.

Dining

A cadre of professional chefs, especially those with a flair for fresh fish and local fruit dishes, have been attracted to St Thomas and its sister islands for the bounty that nature provides to their kitchens. Driving around the island, you'll see brightly colored fruit, strange-looking root vegetables, flourishing herbs, and foot-long spiny lobsters, all for sale at roadside markets. These are just a few of the local ingredients which make up the heart-and-soul of Caribbean cuisine - a melting pot stirred and flavored by many cultures throughout the ages. Count on terrific food on any budget, from cheap local dishes like a spicy stew called "goat water" to refreshing imported delights like raspberries in crème fraîche!

Gourmet: Hervé is the self-named restaurant of chef Hervé Chassin, whose long experience in St Thomas has earned him a reputation as master of local delicacies. Amid the warm glow of candlelight and tables scrupulously set with linen, silver, and crystal, you are treated to such gourmet creations as crispy conch fritters in a spicy-sweet mango chutney, or sesame-encrusted tuna, with an indescribably delicious raspberry cheesecake finale. Government Hill

Highly Recommended: Alexander's Café, overlooking Frenchtown harbor, is a favorite with island restaurateurs - a pretty darn good recommendation! Alexander is Austrian and his schnitzels are a house specialty that make a nice change from the usual menu fare. A cozy sports bar has 3 satellite TVs. Save room for the strudel! Frenchtown

Local Flair: Gladys' Café is a great place to go for "home-cooked" local specialties like conch in butter sauce, salt fish, and dumplings, all sprinkled with Gladys' welcoming smile. Keen diners will buy a bottle of her hot-sauce to take a bit of the flavor back home!Royal Dane Mall

Romantic: Café Lulu overlooks the island from Blackbeard's Castle, where the sweeping panoramic view of the harbor and the romantic ambience of its historic stone-walls transport you to another era. The cuisine is as sweeping as the view, taking its influence from Caribbean, Asian, and Mediterranean recipes. Blackbeard's Hill

Nightlife

Every night, St Thomas rings with the irresistible lilt of steel-pan bands, but there is lots more entertainment to be had. Rock bands, quiet cocktail lounges, piano bars, jazz players, disco, karaoke, and the unusual "broken-bottle" dancing. In addition to the clubs and bars, the island has some of the most impressive and thriving cultural entertainment venues in the Caribbean!

Turtle Rock Bar: It's known for its party scene, and the burgers have a fame of their own. Something is always going on, like steel-pan bands and karaoke. Red Hook

JoJo's: Dance to Top 40, salsa, and calypso. Oil candles illuminate the dark wood paneling and long oak bar at this upscale meet-and-mingle hangout. Frenchtown

Reichhold Center for the Arts: This state-of-the-art, open-air amphitheater hosts some of the best performing arts in the world, including ballet, song,and repertory theatre. Brewer's Bay

Pistarckle Theatre: Showcases an enchanting repertoire of works by such literary giants as Neil Simon and Oscar Wilde. Fanciful musicals and uproarious comedies are the preferred roster at this dinner (optional) theater. Marriott's Frenchman's Reef Resort

Agave Terrace and Eunice's Terrace: Two places for great steel-pan bands. Smith Bay

Piano Bars: Andiamo at the Martini Café in Frenchtown is the place to go for a fun piano bar, and on weekends you can also enjoy the tinkle of the "ivories" at L'Hotel Boynes on Blackbeard's Hill.