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Visitor
Activities
Golf
The golfing hub of the Virgin Islands is the challenging
Carambola Golf Course (tel. 340-778-5638) in St.
Croix. Also on St. Croix is the excellent course
at The Buccaneer (tel. 340-773-2100) just outside
Christiansted. The highlight on St. Thomas is
the Mahogany Run (tel. 800-253-7103 or 340-777-6006),
designed by George and Tom Fazio. There aren't
any courses on St. John.
Horseback Riding
English, Western, and bareback riding are available
on all three islands. St. Croix offers guided
rides along its west end. Donkey rides are available
in the Virgin Islands National Park on St. John.
 Hiking
Explore the beauty of these islands on a guided
hike. Led by experienced herbalists and naturalists,
hikers will discover indigenous plants, flowers,
herbs, and wildlife. Popular hiking destinations
include Reef Bay on St. John and Estate Mount
Washington on St. Croix.
Biking
Bike tours are a fun way to explore the scenery
of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Guided tours are available
on St. Croix, and on Water Island off the coast
of St. Thomas. Many tours include historical and
ecological lessons. Full-day and half-day bike
rentals are also available for those who want
to explore the island on their own.
Tennis
Tennis is a popular pastime on the islands. Many
of the resorts provide tennis privileges for their
guests. Public courts are available on all three
islands as well.
Bird Watching
Bird watching is popular in the Virgin Islands
National Park on St. John, and in the west end
forest and the Sandy Point Wildlife Refuge on
St. Croix.
Snorkeling
Buck Island Reef National Monument, located off
of St. Croix, is an excellent snorkeling location
and one of only two underwater national monuments
in the United States. Virgin Islands National
Park on St. John also offers snorkeling along
its coastline. St. Thomas visitors can take advantage
of a guided kayak and snorkeling tour through
the St. Thomas Marine Sanctuary or Magens Bay.
Diving
St. Thomas offers plenty of shallow reef sites
teeming with colorful tropicals and tons of soft
corals. Sites such as Cow and Calf Rocks provide
caves, caverns and swimthroughs, while Sail Rock
has fast current thrills and the chance to see
large critters.
Diving St. John is quite similar to St. Thomas.
Lots of dives with extended bottom times. Check
out the Major General Rogers, a Coast Guard tender
ship, intentionally sunk in just 65' of water
as an artificial reef. You will be amazed at the
swarms of schooling fish and large barracuda patrol
the wreck on a regular basis.
What so different about diving St. Croix? Walls!
Sites such as Cane Bay Drop-Off provide walls
starting in as little as 40'. Along the crest
of the walls, hard and soft corals are found in
abundance. St. Croix also offers a great selection
of wreck and shallow reef dives.
Windsurfing
The consistent trade winds and calm waters provide
ideal conditions for windsurfing. Many major hotels
and resorts offer on-site rentals and personalized
instruction. Experienced windsurfers will enjoy
crossing Pillsbury Sound, which stretches from
the shores of St. John to St. Thomas.
 Fishing
In the last 25 years or so, more than 20 sport
fishing world records have been set from the Virgin
Islands, mostly for the mega blue marlin. Other
abundant fish in these waters are bonito, tuna,
wahoo, sailfish, and skipjack. Sport fishing charters,
led by experienced local captains, abound in the
islands; both half-day and full-day trips are
available. But you needn't go out to sea to fish.
On St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix, the U.S.
government publishes lists of legal shoreline
fishing spots (contact local tourist offices for
more information). Closer inshore, you'll find
kingfish, mackerel, bonefish, tarpon, amberjack,
grouper, and snappers.
On St. Thomas, many men line fish from the rocky
shore along Mandahl Beach, which is also a popular
spot for family picnics. The shore here is not
the best place for swimming, because the water
drops off dramatically and the surf tends to be
rough. On St. John, at the Virgin Islands National
Park, the park waters are open to fishermen with
hand-held rods. No fishing license is required
for shoreline fishing, and government pamphlets
available at tourist offices list some 100 good
spots. Call tel. 340-775-6762 for more information.
 Other
Watersports
Parasailing combines hot air ballooning, hang
gliding, and parachuting into one beautiful ride.
Snuba, a combination of snorkeling and scuba diving,
is popular on St. John. Submarine and glass-bottom
boat rides are available on St. Thomas. Sea kayaking
is a unique way to explore the shorelines and
estuaries of the islands.
Dining
The beauty of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix
has attracted a cadre of professionally trained
chefs who know how to prepare fresh fish and local
fruits. You can dine on everything from terrific,
cheap local dishes such as goat water (a spicy
stew) and fungi (cornmeal and okra) to imports
such as hot pastrami sandwiches and raspberries
in crème fraîche. Fresh local seafood
is plentiful and always good; wahoo, mahimahi,
and conch are popular.
In large hotels you'll pay prices similar to those
in New York City or Paris. Fancy restaurants may
have a token chicken or pasta dish under $20,
but otherwise, main courses are pricey. You can,
however, find good inexpensive Caribbean restaurants.
To snack on some local fare, order a johnnycake
(a deep-fried dough round made of cornmeal and
white flour) or a thick slice of dumb bread (a
dense round loaf often cut into triangles and
filled with cheddar cheese) from any of the mobile
food vans parked all over the island.
Dining is informal. Few restaurants require a
jacket and tie. Still, at dinner in the snazzier
places, shorts and T-shirts are inappropriate;
men would do well to wear slacks and a shirt with
buttons. Dress codes rarely require women to wear
skirts, but you'll never go wrong with something
flowing.
Shopping
Shop for local handicrafts (clothing, art, jewelry
-- some with gemstones), liquor (especially rum),
calypso and steel-band recordings, leather goods
and pottery created by local artisans. St. Thomas
has excellent duty-free shopping (jewelry, gemstones,
cameras, watches, perfumes, crystal, linens, designer
clothes, liquor). The duty-free limit for U.S.
citizens returning from the U.S. Virgin Islands
is US$1,200 per person, but just because something
is duty-free doesn't mean it's cheaper than in
your hometown: Know your prices before buying.
U.S. citizens are also allowed to take home six
fifths of liquor duty-free, more than from other
places around the Caribbean. However, one bottle
must be distilled in the islands (Southern Comfort
and Cruzan rum qualify). Shopkeepers will package
the six bottles for you.
Though St. Thomas has the largest variety of duty-free
shopping, many of the stores also have branches
on St. Croix. On St. John, Mongoose Junction is
the best-established shopping center.
Shops in the downtown areas are usually closed
on Sundays, unless a cruise ship is in port. Shops
at the larger hotels are usually open on Sundays.
Look for bargains on perfume, liquor, cameras,
china, porcelain, crystal, imported clothing,
leather goods, watches, jewelry, and gold, as
well as crafts made by local artisans. Many of
these items can be bought for 40 percent less
than in the United States; liquor and cigarettes
are often 60 percent less.
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