St Thomas Travel Guide
St Thomas is the second largest and most sophisticated of the Virgin Islands, serving as an extremely popular port for cruise ships. There's a strong Danish influence, especially evident in the main town and capital of Charlotte Amalie.
Being the most accessible of the islands also means it's the most heavily developed, with visitors from around the world attracted by the town's reputation as an international shopping and cruise hub.
But it's also beautiful, with numerous headlands, coves, and forested hills providing stunning vistas over the Caribbean. St Thomas also has some of the best white-sand beaches in the region: Magens Bay Beach is acclaimed as one of the finest in the world, and the sparkling waters and coral reef of Coki Bay are superb for snorkelling. Fabulous panoramas can be viewed from Drake's Seat, a high point in the centre of the island from where Sir Francis Drake used to watch for enemy ships.
Combining natural beauty with first-rate amenities, St Thomas offers numerous activities on and off the water, fine international cuisine and a variety of accommodation including luxury hotels and villas.
Things to do in St Thomas
St Thomas is a Caribbean tourist magnet, fully equipped to provide all sorts of entertainment for holidaymakers. There are excellent snorkelling and scuba diving sites, quality greens for golf enthusiasts and atop-class sport fishing operators, as well as luxurious yachting companies.
Naturally, the beaches of St Thomas are a big drawcard for travellers, with favourites including Lindquist Beach, Honeymoon Beach, Secret Harbour, Bluebeard's Beach and Magens Bay.
Charlotte Amalie promises epic shopping sprees and great restaurants. The nearby resort town of Red Hook serves as a smaller version of Charlotte, providing fun eateries and retail therapy. It's also the jumping off point to other Caribbean islands and nearby upmarket beach resorts.
The educational Coral World Ocean Park provides a unique look at the goings-on of Caribbean marine life and is well worth a visit, especially for those travelling to the US Virgin Islands with kids. Another must on St Thomas is a trip up to Paradise Point on the St Thomas Skyride, which offers spectacular views over paradise below.
Charlotte Amalie
Charlotte Amalie, named in honour of the wife of King Christian V, is the Danish-flavoured capital of the US Virgin Islands, a busy port and important merchant centre since the 18th century. The beautiful harbour is ringed with whitewashed houses and painted villas, their red roofs a splash of colour against the green hillside. Cobbled, Danish-signposted streets and alleyways lead down to the waterfront lined with shops, boutiques and colonial architecture.
The old Danish merchant warehouses form a world-famous shopping district, selling imported goods from around the globe. The harbour is usually filled with cruise ships, ferries, yachts and fishing vessels, and is one of the most visited ports in the Caribbean, creating a tourist hub that is vibrant and multinational, but often overcrowded.
For those weary of duty-free shopping, Charlotte Amalie offers numerous other attractions, as well as elegant restaurants and an exciting nightlife. Blackbeard's Castle on top of Government Hill offers superb views over the harbour, and is said to have been the lookout tower for the legendary pirate, Captain Blackbeard.
The red brick Fort Christian is the oldest standing building on the island, where Danish soldiers stood guard against pirates and invaders. The fort has served as a jail, church, government house and community hall in its long history and today houses the Virgin Islands Museum.
St Thomas Skyride
The best way to appreciate the stunning beauty of Charlotte Amalie and the St Thomas Harbour is from above. The idea for the tramway, which carries visitors over Flag Hill to Paradise Point, 700 feet (213m) up, began in the 1980s, when two ambitious businessmen bought more than 30 acres of Flag Hill from the Queen of Denmark.
After a few setbacks, including Hurricane Hugo, the tramway opened in 1994 and has been a favourite tourist activity ever since. If visitors are fortunate enough to catch one of the last trams of the day, they will witness a magical vista of twinkling lights against the soft Caribbean twilight.
At the top, there is a collection of unique shops as well as a casual restaurant perfect for watching sunsets while sipping a cocktail and listening to a local band. Paradise Point has been voted the best live entertainment venue and the best tourist attraction multiple times.
Coral World
Coral World Ocean Park is arguably the island of St Thomas' premier tourist attraction and has been enormously popular for years with visitors of all ages. The marine park is built on two levels: an over-water floor with interesting exhibitions, a touch pool, restaurants, and a gift shop; and an underwater observatory where visitors can gape at exotic marine life in its natural surrounds.
Coral World also boasts Sea Trek technology - that is, 'helmet diving technology' - allowing you to walk along the ocean floor for up to half an hour with no need for an oxygen tank or a snorkel. This technology was successfully used to stage the island's first-ever underwater wedding, which took place at Coral World in January 2001.
US Virgin Islands travel info
Electricity
120 volts, 60Hz. Two-flat-pin plugs are standard.
Language
English is the official language. Spanish, Creole and some French are also spoken.
Money
The official currency is the US Dollar (USD) divided into 100 cents. Most credit cards are accepted, including American Express, Diners Club, Mastercard, and Visa, and are useful for withdrawing cash at ATMs. Foreign exchange bureaux are available to exchange other currencies, but it is best to arrive with US Dollars as many banks and hotels will not exchange foreign currency.
Tipping
Tipping of 15 to 20 percent is customary for good service. Some hotels and restaurants automatically add a service charge and room tax.
Health
Only bottled water should be drunk outside the major towns, but other than that there are no significant health risks. Medical facilities are of a high standard but travel insurance is vital as medical care is very expensive.
Safety
The US Virgin Islands are generally safe for travellers and the vast majority of visits are trouble-free. But normal precautions against petty crime should be taken, especially in the back streets of towns during the night. Don't leave valuables lying on the beach when snorkelling or swimming.
Local customs
In the US Virgin Islands, politeness is important. Greet people before asking questions or requesting assistance. You may hear locals thanking jumbi (spirits) for good luck, or blaming them for misfortune.
Doing business
The economy in the US Virgin Islands revolves primarily around tourism, though petroleum refining takes place off St Croix. Like many other Caribbean countries, things are pretty relaxed and formal business attire is generally not considered necessary. The people are friendly, polite and shaking hands is common upon introductions for men and women. Business hours are typically 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday, with lunch breaks around 12pm.
Duty free
Travellers may transport 100 cigars or 200 cigarettes or 2kg smoking tobacco; and a US quart of alcohol.
Communications
The international country code for the US Virgin Islands is +1 340. The main mobile service providers on the islands are AT&T Mobility, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA.
Passport & Visa
Entry requirements are the same as for the United States of America. It is highly recommended that passports have at least six months validity remaining after your intended date of departure from your travel destination. There is no immigration control for visitors arriving from mainland USA. Visitors from countries that qualify for the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) must have a machine-readable passport (MRP) that has a bar code on the photo page. Eligible travellers under the VWP must include biometrics in their machine-readable passports if they wish to enter the country without a visa; this means that unique personal data, such as fingerprints or iris details, must be included in passports. All passports must contain a digital photo image in order to travel visa-free. Those travelling under the VWP must also register on the US government ESTA website three days before departure, which allows the US to screen visitors before travel. All visitors to the USA will have a photograph and two fingerprints taken by an inkless scanner on arrival, including those travelling visa-free under the Visa Waiver Programme. All travellers arriving or departing by air, land or sea between the USA and Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, Bermuda, and Central and South America are required to present a valid passport. Immigration officials often apply different rules to those stated by travel agents and official sources.
Entry requirements
A valid US passport is required. A visa is not required.
UK passport holders require a valid passport for travel to the US Virgin Islands. British Citizens require a passport valid for duration of stay. Passports with other endorsements must be valid for six months beyond period of intended stay. Under the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP), most British citizens do not require a visa for holiday, transit, or business purposes provided that their passports are machine-readable, the stay does not exceed 90 days, a return or onward ticket is held, and they check into the US government ESTA website prior to departure to register.
Canadians require a passport valid for duration of stay but a visa is not required. Visitors should hold tickets and documents required for return or onward destination.
Australian nationals require a passport valid for duration of stay but do not require a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days. Passports need to be machine-readable, a return or onward ticket is required, and Australians must check into the US government ESTA website prior to departure.
South Africans must hold a passport valid for duration of stay, and a visa is required. Visitors must have return or onward tickets and the necessary documents for further travel.
Irish nationals require a passport valid for duration of stay, but as Ireland qualifies for the US Visa Waiver Programme, visas are not required for tourists or business stays of up to 90 days. Visitors must have machine-readable passports, return or onward tickets, and they must register on the ESTA site before departure.
New Zealand nationals require a passport valid for duration of stay but do not need visas for stays of up to 90 days. New Zealanders require machine-readable passports and return or onward tickets, and must register on the US government ESTA website before departure.
Useful contacts
US Virgin Islands Tourist Office, St Thomas: +1 340 774 8784 or www.usvitourism.vi
Emergencies: 911Embassies / consulates in other countries
United States Embassy, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7499 9000.
United States Embassy, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 238 5335.
United States Embassy, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6214 5600.
United States Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 431 4000.
United States Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +354 (0)1 668 8777.
United States Embassy, Wellington, New Zealand: +64 (0)4 462 6000.
Embassies / consulates in US Virgin Islands
British Embassy, Washington DC, USA: +1 202 588 6500.
Canadian Embassy, Washington DC, USA: +1 202 682 1740.
Australian Embassy, Washington DC, USA: +1 202 797 3000.
South African Embassy, Washington DC, USA: +1 202 232 4400.
Irish Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 462 3939
New Zealand Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 328 4800.