Keep in mind that, in some cases, the islands have several departure points (ports), which you can read about further down this page: Santo Tomás to San Juan, Santo Tomás to Tortola, Santo Tomás to Santa Cruz, Tortola to Santo Tomás, Tortola to Virgen Gorda, Tortola to Jost van Dyke, Santo Tomás to Jost van Dyke, Santo Tomás to Jost van Dyke, Santo Tomás to Jost van Dyke. St. Thomas is the busiest of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI). There you'll find shops, great restaurants, wonderful resorts, beautiful beaches, and much more.
Charlotte Amalie is the capital of the USVI and it's the shopping mecca of the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean. Thomas offers you great attractions, shopping and great opportunities for water sports. Visit a comprehensive guide to St. Thomas activities for information on renting sailing boats and motor boats. Water Island is the most recent addition to the United States Virgin Islands.
There are no luxurious hotels or restaurants on Water Island, only quiet roads and beautiful landscapes. One of the most beautiful beaches in the USVI is Honeymoon Beach, located on Water Island. Visit a complete guide to Water Island. John is home to the Virgin Islands National Park; quiet beaches, ruins of sugar plantations, hiking trails and shops await you. The island is definitely worth a visit.
The atmosphere on St. John (locals call it Love City) is relaxed and the island hasn't been ruined by major development. Visit St. John Activities for information on sailing trips and motor boat rentals. Croix, at 82 square miles, is the largest of the United States Virgin Islands.
The two main cities, Christiansted and Frederiksted, are picturesque and historic. The rolling hills, the rainforest and the beautiful sea are some of the natural treasures that await you. The only casino resort in the USVI is located in St. Croix. It's also home to the only underwater national monument in the USVI: Buck Island.
Croix: The British Virgin Islands are made up of about 50 islands and islets. The four largest islands are Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada. Tortola is the largest island with an area of 21 square miles. The other larger islands are Anegada (15 square miles), Virgin Gorda (8 square miles) and Jost Van Dyke (3 square miles). The smaller islands include Great Tobago, Peter, Cooper, Norman, Guana, Beef, Great Thatch, and Marina Cay. The beaches are beautiful and the water is inviting.
The British Virgin Islands are among the most beautiful cruise areas in the world. Visit St. John Activities for information on sailboat and motor boat rentals that offer trips to the British Virgin Islands. St. Thomas (USVI) is the entry point for most people to the Virgin Islands.
You can also take ferries from St. Thomas to St. Croix and Tortola but they tend to be more expensive than ferries from St. Thomas to other islands in USVI or BVI. And unlike Hawaii, these islands are very close to each other so it often only takes 20-30 minutes by ferry between neighboring islands.
This makes it relatively easy to jump between several different islands in a single trip. A short ferry ride from St. Thomas will take you to Water Island - it's the destination of choice for “expert” travelers who want to experience the beauty of the Virgin Islands without all the chaos. A large part of the north coast of Water Island is preserved as part of USVI National Park so its beaches are pristine and downright magical - but it also means there aren't many services so you'll have to drive every day and pack/unpack everything you want to take with you. There's quite a lot of building going on in St. John in some places (Cruz Bay is its center) but it's not too crowded with tourists - I think it has just enough amenities (beach bars, restaurants, nice boutiques etc.) while still feeling like an unknown environment. St Croix has a historic district with boat trips bars and restaurants - Christiansted is its largest city and economic center - while Frederiksted has many sites attractions and tours that depart from there. Magens Bay is postcard image of USVI - its mile-long stretch of white sand lined with sea grapes and coconut trees provides a natural canopy while turquoise waters wash its shoreline - surrounded mostly by lush green hills Magens Bay still feels like a natural getaway despite its popularity with cruise passengers and visitors. If you want access some of most remote areas of Virgin Islands National Park I recommend staying close Coral Bay - you'll be within easy reach of some San Juan's best attractions such as secluded beaches like Salt Pond Beach epic hiking trails like Rams Head or picturesque paddling routes through Hurricane Hole. The most impressive sugar mill in USVI can be found in St John - if you select just one trail to hike during your stay there seriously consider Reef Bay Trail - it will take you through ruins of old sugar plantations as well as through lush rainforest before ending at stunning beach. The Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge is a 2-mile stretch of protected shoreline and one of busiest nesting sites in world for leatherback turtles - because this shelter open sparingly all year round so be sure check before you go - your starting point for refuge Frederiksted second largest city in St Croix.
