High Tides..Good Vibes in USVI
#Teamtangy got the November travel in the books when we got some island time in St Thomas and St John, USVI.
Fun Facts
USVIs are unique because they are a part of the United States but not as commercialized as the mainland.
The USA purchased the islands from Denmark for $25 million.
USVI gives you all the Caribbean feels but you don’t need a passport. The island is run by locals, and they appreciate preserving the island by supporting local businesses.
St Thomas and St John are located east of Puerto Rico among the cluster of other islands.
St Thomas and St John have one of the best reefs and snorkeling spots to swim with turtles and fishes in the United States.
St Thomas and St John have just one All-Inclusive resort option, unlike other Caribbean islands.
St John and St Croix have a daily ferry service from St Thomas on which you can take your car.
Stay
St Thomas offers a variety of stay options along the beaches. The island is very small so living anywhere will not disappoint you. We stayed at the lovely Sapphire Beach Resort which had a picturesque beach and 2 great restaurants. The room was equipped with a basic kitchen and an out-of-the-world balcony view. The resort has 2 pools facing a beautiful marina from where we watched the sunrise every morning.
Mobility
Renting a car is a good idea for us since we like to explore at our own pace, but the island offers a taxi option as well which we saw a lot of people using it. We loved the freedom of going as we pleased. Gas was $4.05-$4.40 a gallon while we were there.
Food
Top recommendations for food
Beach hopping
The most amazing thing about St Thomas is that it will not disappoint you on any beach you go to. I was able to create a list of all the fabulous beaches where some of them have an entry fee while others are free. The list goes like this -
Linquidst beach –
Entry fee but most serene blue waters; no rocks and perfect shaded spots. Chairs available to rent. Snorkeling – 3/5
Secret Harbor Beach Resort
Free access to the beach; No chairs to rent since it’s a resort property; Clear water and awesome snorkeling. Million-dollar sunset views.
Sapphire Beach
Family-friendly, easy access, and good snorkeling. No entry fee; Incredible view, calm, beautiful, amenities available. Didn’t end up snorkeling here but I saw some patches that looked like they would be good. Just overall so relaxing!!
Magens Bay
Lovely Bay for watching the sunset and catching some waves. Entry fee and have picnic spots available.
Coki Beach
Best party beach, plenty of food options, killer drinks but the highlight was the most terrific snorkeling near the shore. Had amenities. Definitely more of a party scene, with lots of weed smoking, dirtier, and more crowded.
Discovering St John
Discovering US Virgin Islands comes with a twin-island package of discovering St John which has laidback serene calm beaches. St. John is the smallest of the 3 U.S. Virgin Islands, which are located in the Caribbean Sea. Reaching St john from St Thomas was fairly easy using the ferry service which allows you to take the car. It was pretty cool to pack cars bumper to bumper on a freight car ferry service that costs 50 USD. Taking the car to St John provides great flexibility to cover all the beaches since you don’t want to miss any spots. St John offers the best snorkeling spots that give you the loveliest beach experience
Honeymoon beach
Entry fee with beautiful scenic views to chill.
Maho Bay
#1 spot to catch turtles and stingrays
.
Cinnamon Bay
Loveliest Bay to catch the views of the beautiful ocean surrounded by islands. It has a very scenic install spot with a door prop and we made the most of it.
Trunk Bay
Entry fee but has a great surfer bay; Shacks to offer food and drinks to have a laid-back vibe. There are no words to describe it. So incredibly pristine and perfect. Wish I had stayed longer. Beach was much bigger in size. Amenities were available. Entry fee of $5/person
Food options at St John’s are:
- Greengos
- Sun Dog Café
The trip to US Virgin Islands was the best experience to the Caribbean islands and will remain one of most favorite travel destinations and can’t wait to be back here.
We went to a locally owned ice cream shop twice that was delicious. It’s in red hook, close to Señor Pizza called Sunny Days Ice Cream. It’s so delicious and the owners were super helpful and sweet.
Other attractions
some other beautiful sites in USVI is the
Fort Christian -
Built 1672-1680, early in the first successful colonial establishment on the island, the fort served as a critical point of defense. It was a US historic site from December 24, 1960 until February 5, 1975, when it was disbanded and ownership was transferred to the Virgin Islands, to be administered as a territorial park.
Paradise Point -
One of the best views of the Charlotte Amalie harbor, Water Island and Puerto Rico awaits you atop Paradise Point, an overlook that's coupled with an on-site restaurant and gift shop.
Havensight Mall -
Havensight is mostly known for its deepwater port West Indian Company Dock but is also known for its aerial tramway to Paradise Point on Flag Hill, the Havensight Mall, and much available ocean- and boat trips.
If you made it this far, then good for you! 🤣 I’m open to any questions that might be helpful to others to plan your awesome trip to USVI. Ask away!
Excursions
There are several companies which will provide a variety of excursions to fit your needs. The most famous ones are the all-day and half-day snorkeling tours. Another favorite would be the evening cruises.
For other adventure lovers, the best choices would be Parasailing, surfing, jet ski.
If you need any personal recommendations feel free to message 🙂
So vibrant and gorgeous place.. Being a beach lover, this would be the second one on my list to visit.. Every look is simply stunning..😍