I just got back from a great and productive trip to the Caribbean. The Caribbean in general is a fairly large area and I’m sure you might be wondering just what are all these islands about and which ones to go to and how do you get there and so on. With that said, I thought I would tell you how I bit off this challenge, how I planned the trip and a little bit of history and places, you should make sure to visit if you go there.

I’ve already told you a little about St. Thomas which is one island that makes up the U.S. Virgin Islands. The other two that are easy to island hop to are St. John and St. Croix. Between the three islands there is a rich history, lots of sightseeing, great diving, and wonderful duty free shopping.

This combo of these three islands is a doable and great trip to make. Delta has direct flights to St. Thomas and it’s good place to base out of if you wish to island hop. You can get to the other two islands by ferry or seaplane and it ranges in time from 15 to 40 minutes ( I don’t recommend taking the ferry to St. Croix as I hear it is a real stomach turner. The sea plane is a much better way to go.)

Here’s a bit of background about this region.

A Brief History of the U.S. Virgin Islands
The US Virgin islands may seem like a prosperous group of islands today, but it took a lot of vigorous effort to get them there. From ancient Indian tribes to pirates, from calm plantation life to bustling activity of a free port, this destination has a rich and varied history.

For centuries, the Virgin Islands were strictly Indian Territory. Small bands of peaceful Tainos (or Arawaks), Ciboney and warrior Caribs (they weren’t so nice!) dotted the islands. Of course, that all changed in 1493, with the arrival of Christopher Columbus at Salt River on St. Croix. He laid claim to the islands for Spain and named them Las Islas Virgenes. This had a swift and irreversible impact on the Indian cultures, which were quickly routed.

The early Spanish colony was a brawling den of traders and freebooters. By the mid-to late 1600’s, Dutch and English settlers were firmly established on St. Croix and after numerous attempts, St. Thomas and St. John flew the Danish flag under the management of the West India Company. Constant pirating and governments that were no better than the pirates, gave the islands a reputation for debauchery and danger. Arrgghh!

In fact, the town of Charlotte Amalie, named after the Dutch queen, was commonly known as Tap Haus, or Beer Hall. The deep-water harbor made this port a popular trading post and remains the root of the island’s economy.

Agriculture became the mainstay on St. Croix and St. John where cotton and sugar were the main crops. St. Croix has a more gentle terrain and was ruled by the Spanish, Dutch, Knights of Malta, and the French, who ended up selling it back to the Danish in 1733, uniting the Virgins islands, where St. Croix and St. John remained important agricultural centers and St. Thomas became the hub of commerce and slave trade.

But, nature and technology contributed to a decline in prosperity during the 1800’s, where droughts, hurricanes, fires and a tidal wave combined with fierce agricultural competition, a brief British occupation, and the abolition of slavery, brought both trade and agriculture to its knees.

All three islands were declared free in the early 1800’s in hopes of bolstering the economy, and by 1820, St. Thomas once again held a dominant position as a center of trade and became an important provisioning center for several steamship lines. This too was short lived, as the new steamship technology allowed Europe to import directly from the producers, throwing the Virgin Islands into obscurity once more, until the end World War I.

The U.S. purchased the islands for $25 million in gold from Denmark in 1917 because of it’s strategic location in the defense of the Panama Canal. In 1952 they were named an unincorporated territory, and during this time is when the shift to tourism began.

St. John
A twenty-minute ferry ride from St. Thomas out of Red Hook Harbor takes you to the island of St. John. Most of St. John is lush hills and sandy beaches preserved as the Virgin Islands National Park. Cruz Bay is the heart of St. John, aptly nicknamed the Love City. Immediately off the ferry, you can catch a taxi, bus, or safari van. Right across from this landing you will find a park that is the focal point of Cruz Bay where there is often arts and craft fairs and bands playing.

There are lots of shops to the right at Wharfside village and the Galleria Beach shops. Around the corner is Raintree Court and the Lemon Tree Mall. Continue north and you’ll hit the Lumberyard with more than 30 shops and restaurants, and a little further down the road there is Mongoose Junction and Gallows point that offer more boutiques and galleries.

You can find such shops as the Grand Gallery shops, Big Planet and Little Planet, Into the Blue, Iguana, the Turquoise Turtle, Savannah’s Boutique at Low Key Sports and the Fabric Mill.

Big Planet and Little planet are two great stores filled with all your surf brands for adults and kids. At all the stores you will find lines such as Olukai shoes, Naot, Dakine, kikoy, Ebb and Flow tee shirts, Sugar Apple designs, Exist, and Jams. There’s tons of jewelry, pirate books, and souvenirs of all kinds. If the beach is where you want to park it, you have such beautiful choices as Hawksnet, Cinnamon Bay, Maho Bay, Francis Bay or Great Cruz Bay. All are excellent for snorkeling, or just hanging out.

This island is awesome. There are two main hotels there, Caneel bay and a Westin, but now lot’s of people and families are opting to rent one the many villas and houses that are new and very affordable.

St. Croix
Columbus visited this island in 1493. Its rocky shores and sandy beaches are bookended by tropical rainforest that gives way to rolling grasslands. Seven different flags have flown here and there is a great mix of African, European, American, and Caribbean culture as a result.

Christiansted was once the capital of the Virgin Islands and is the heart of St. Croix. You’ll find the Apothecary Hall, the Danish Customs House, and the steeple Building which are all in use today. You’ll also find Fort Christiansted which protected the harbors for 260 years. With new sidewalks, and tree-lined streets it’s easy to amble around and shop. You’ll run into such great stores as St. Croix Scuba, Hotheads, Purple Papaya, and Adventure Tours.

If Christiansted is the heart, then Frederiksted is the soul. At the western end of the island, you’ll find this little town that was founded in 1751. Its long harbor used to be where the cruise ships pulled in (they are currently not going to St. Croix), and of course great shopping on Strand street where you will find stores like Tropical Girl.

The summer is consider low season for the Virgin Islands, and I found it a great time to visit. You will get better rates at the hotels, and there isn’t the throng of people that the cruise ships bring in during the high season, so the streets are nicer and restaurants easier to get into. The American dollar is accepted everywhere and everyone speaks English on all of the islands. Except for having to drive on the left side of the road (keep left as they say and there are signs everywhere), you’ll find it familiar enough and comfortable to visit and have a great time.


Gallows Point, St. John (Hence all the tombstones)

St. John

Cruz Bay on St. John

Local

Mongoose Juntion Shopping Center.

Little Planet

Big Planet

Pretlow Magette with twins in Little Planet