 Facts at a Glance
Area: 135 sq miles (350 sq km)
Population: 118,500 (St Croix 60,000; St Thomas 54,000; St John 4,500)
Capital city: Charlotte Amalie on St Thomas
People: African descent (75%), US mainland expats (13%), Puerto Rican (5%), Danish, French
Language: English, plus some Creole, Spanish and French
Religion: Baptist (42%), Catholic (42%), Episcopalian (17%)
Government: Unincorporated territory of the US
Governor: Roy Schneider
 Environment
The US Virgin Islands play join the dots 1100 miles (1770km) southeast of Miami in the balmy waters where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea. Most of the 50 or so islands, cays and jutting rocks which make up the territory are clustered around St Thomas (30 sq miles/245 sq km) and St John (20 sq miles/50 sq km), which lap it up 75 miles (120km) east of Puerto Rico and just southwest of the British Virgin Islands. Sts Thomas and John are a cosy conch-shell call apart, separated only by the 2 mile (3km) wide Pillsbury Sound. Their distant big bro, St Croix, is plopped firmly in the Caribbean Sea 45 miles (72km) south and measures a whopping 80 sq miles (205 sq km).
The Virgin Islands' landscape includes dense subtropical forests (such as in the hills of St John), arid stretches dominated by succulents and coastal mangrove swamps. Indigenous trees include kapok, whose silky seedpod fiber was used as stuffing in pillows and lifejackets; calabash and the teylerpalm, whose delicate fronds make good brooms and were once used to construct fish traps. Madagascan flame trees brighten the vista along with bougainvillea, jasmine and frangipani.
The most common animals are rats, mongoose, donkeys and lizards. Mongoose were introduced to eat up the pesky rats but given that rats snoop by night and that mongoose are strict 9 to 5-ers, the plan failed. Unfortunately mongoose have developed a taste for the eggs laid by endangered leatherback, hawksbill and green turtles. The cheekiest bird of the islands is the bananaquit, a yellow-breasted sugar addict that thinks nothing of swooping your breakfast table for a hypoglycemic hit. Other birds include hummingbirds, herons, egrets and hawks.
Temperature is never an issue when planning a trip to the US Virgin Islands, since daily highs year round are between 70-80°F (22-27°C), trade winds keep humidity low and Caribbean currents keep waters warm. Rainfall is unlikely to dampen a visit, with the wettest months, September through November, averaging only about five days of rain each. The islands are prone to hurricanes, which can hit anytime between July and October, so keep an eye on weather reports if you're visiting during these months.
 History
The earliest settlements in the Virgin Islands date back to about 1500BC though there's evidence of human habitation going back another thousand years. Three known groups of Indians predated European arrival: the Ciboneys, the Arawaks and the Caribs. The latter had only secured the islands a few decades before Columbus arrived in 1493 and disrupted them.
Columbus, perhaps feeling the lack of female company shipboard, called the islands Las Vírgenes in a somewhat obscure reference to St Ursula and her 11,000 virgins. The next 150 years were typified by unsuccessful attempts by the English, French, Spanish and the Knights of Malta to establish permanent settlements on the islands, punctuated by the naughty activities of pirates and buccaneers. In 1672, the Danish West India Company firmly established its presence on St Thomas, and in 1694 on St John. In 1733 the company purchased St Croix from the French, united all three islands under Danish rule and transformed the islands, then known as the Danish West Indies, into one of the major sugar producers in the region.
The sugar industry was entirely dependant on slavery and the largest slave auctions in the world took place in Charlotte Amalie on St Thomas. In 1797, 25,500 slaves worked on the islands out of a total population of 30,000. After emancipation in 1848, higher labor costs combined with drought, hurricane and an increase in beet sugar supplies from US and European growers to bring about the decline of the Danish West Indies.
The US first recognized the strategic importance of the islands' fortresses and deep-water harbors during the American Civil War, but the senate failed to approve a US$7.5 million purchase of St Thomas and St John from Denmark. At the outbreak of WWI, when the islands became critical to US control of the Caribbean basin and the Panama Canal, the purchase was finally consummated for US$25 million in gold, the highest price the US had ever paid for land.
The US Virgin Islands remained under the jurisdiction of the US Navy for the next 14 years, when the US Department of the Interior assumed responsibility for them. Home rule was granted in 1970 and today the islands are an unincorporated territory under the US flag. In the 1950s and 1960s, the popularization of air travel and the US embargo against Cuba brought an influx of tourists to the islands, significantly altering the basis of their economy. Tourism remains the most dominant feature of the islands, and development of infrastructure continues. Despite their prominence in Caribbean tourist brochures, the islands only seem to come to international attention when a hurricane wreaks havoc, as it did in 1995.
 Economic Profile
GDP: US$1.9 billion
GDP per head: US$16,000
Inflation: 2%
Major industries: Tourism, oil refining
Major trading partners: USA, Puerto Rico
 Culture
The US Virgin Islands have a hybrid heritage. There's no trace of the original Indian population; the islands' inhabitants are mostly descended from slaves or from slave owners. The European legacy comes predominantly from the Danes, who owned the islands for over 250 years, plus traces from English and Dutch plantation owners. A French presence stems from the French Huguenots, who came to escape Catholic France in the mid-1800s or arrived when the French owned St Croix. The former have contributed to a community of people referred to as Frenchies who live, predictably, in Frenchtown, just west of Charlotte Amalie. Recent arrivals include a number of American and European expats and a handful of emigrants from nearby Puerto Rico. Today the dominant culture overlaying all these is distinctly American, the result of 80 years of US strategic and commercial interest in the islands.
English is the main language on all the islands but it has Creole influences, which means you can say 'mon' with impunity. Puerto Rican immigrants speak Spanish, while some of the Frenchies still speak French. A lot of islanders of African descent retain a strong belief in the spirit world: ghosts (jumbis) often get blamed for bad things and credited for good things on the islands. Jumbi stories were an important part of slave culture, used not only as spine-tingling entertainment on moonlit nights but also as cautionary tales for children. The inspirational tales of Bru Nansi, a wily spidery man who prevailed in adverse circumstances, were transported to the Caribbean from West Africa. Storytelling traditions persist today though often in more structured settings such as community halls and festival gatherings.
Virgin Islanders are suckers for a beat. Local fungi bands play scratch instruments such as gourds and washboards and sing songs that often comment on local social and political issues. The music of the moment is 'mix,' a rollicking blend of calypso, reggae and hip-hop which you'll hear blaring from cruising cars. Steel drum bands are enjoying something of a revival at the moment - it's a rare festival that doesn't have one on the program. The islands' European heritage is evident in quadrille dances which pop up with a witty French emphasis on St Croix and a sedate Prussian flavor on St Thomas.
The grandaddy of the Impressionists, Camille Pissarro, was born on St Thomas in 1830. Though he spent most of his life in Paris he's still thought of fondly as a native son. The Dronningens Gade house where he was born is open to the public but paying a visit is a vibe thing - there isn't much to see. These days the epicenter of Virgin Islands art is the Tillet Gardens Arts Center, a complex of studios, classrooms and galleries in a lovely setting northeast of Charlotte Amalie. There's also an active community of woodcarvers on St Croix working in mahogany and other rainforest timber.
Politeness goes a long way in the Virgin Islands. Islanders say good morning, afternoon and night as though it was a tic - you'll do well to do the same. As if to compensate for increased crime the vast majority of residents are overwhelmingly helpful and friendly, especially once you get away from the understandably jaded folk in the shopping centers.
 Events
The US Virgin Islands' cultural hotch potch means that St Patrick's Day is celebrated with as much verve as a blues festival, and no matter what is being celebrated, the costumes are going to be colorful, there's bound to be a calypso beat in there somewhere and it's hardly a party unless someone's on stilts.
Carnival on St Thomas is a crazy week full of masquerades, drumming, dancing, feasting and mocko jumbies (costumed stiltwalkers). Unlike other Carnivals in the Caribbean, which precede Lent, St Thomas' takes place after Easter, usually in late April. St John extends American Independence Day on 4 July into a week's worth of fireworks and vigorous celebration right after its own Carnival in the last week of June.
St Croix' two-week Crucian Christmas Festival from Christmas through early January offers yet more feasting, drinking and parading. And if one Christmas isn't enough, get back for Christmas in July when Santa dances on the streets of Charlotte Amalie with the tallest elves you've ever seen. Bull and Bread Day celebrates the efforts of sugar plantation slaves to attain better conditions. It's held every 1 November on St Croix. Transfer Day (31 March) commemorates the 1917 handover of the islands from Denmark to the US.
The St Thomas Yacht Club's International Regatta cuts up the waters every April. The yacht club is also hosting a challenge to the America's Cup in 2000. On a not quite so grand scale are the Hermit Crab Races in Christiansted on St Croix every Monday afternoon. Also worth looking out for are 'scrambles,' tournaments ranging from golf to cake baking where the emphasis is on participation rather than excellence.
Public Holidays
1 January - New Year's Day
Third Monday in January - Martin Luther King Jr Day
Third Monday in February - Presidents' Day
Late March or April - Easter
Last Monday in May - Memorial Day
3 July - Emancipation Day
4 July - Independence Day
First Monday in September - Labor Day
Second Monday in October - Columbus Day, Virgin Islands Friendship Day
1 November - Liberty Day (St Croix)
11 November - Veterans' Day
Fourth Thursday in November - Thanksgiving
25 December - Christmas Day
26 December - Boxing Day
 Facts for the Traveler
Visas: No visas are required for citizens of the US and Canada, though you'll have to prove citizenship by way of a birth certificate, voter's registration card or valid passport. Most other nationalities don't need a visa either, but will need a passport for a stay of less than 90 days. Proof of onward transportation is required upon entry.
Health risks: Sunburn
Time: Eastern Time (GMT/UTC minus 4 hours)
Electricity: 110-120V, 60Hz
Weights & measures: Imperial (see the conversion table)
Telephone: From North America, dial 1 + 340 + the seven-digit local number. Elsewhere, dial your country's international direct dialing prefix + 1 + 340 + the seven-digit local number.
 Money & Costs
Currency: US dollar (US$)
Relative costs:
Budget meal: US$5-10
Moderate restaurant meal: US$10-30
Top-end restaurant meal: US$30 and upwards
Budget room: US$50-90
Moderate hotel: US$90-200
Top-end hotel: US$200 and upwards
The US Virgin Islands haven't made tourism their number one industry for nothing. While a lot of money is made from the docking fees paid by cruise ships, you too will have to pay for placing yourself in such idyllic surroundings. Things are expensive here and it is best to be prepared to accept that.
Traveling in style can top US$300 a day. Staying in a moderate hotel and eating in modest restaurants will cost around US$150 a day. Budget travelers can squeeze by on around US$75 a day, but will have to come up with some creative ways to do so. Bunking in with a few buddies in a St John camping ground is a good way to keep costs down. Coming in the off season will reduce room prices by half, and has the added bonus of less crowded beaches and restaurants.
Travelers' checks and major credit cards are widely accepted and there are plenty of change bureaus if you need to exchange other currencies. Hotels add a local room tax of 8% and a 10-15% service charge. Restaurant servers will either include a 10-15% service charge with the check or expect a comparable tip.
The peak tourist season is between December and April, but this has more to do with the weather in North America and Europe than it does with the reliably balmy Virgin Islands' weather. It's therefore best to visit outside this period, when you can expect room rates to be almost half those charged during the busier months. An additional draw is that the calmer weather between April and August tends to keep the waters clearer for diving.
 Attractions
St Thomas
This spiky lizard-shaped island has a rambunctious past peppered with the exploits of men named after their facial hair. You'd think the stomping ground of Blackbeard and the mythical Bluebeard would be the last place to turn into the quintessential American beach suburb, but a fine port is a fine port whether you're unloading booty, slaves or cruise ship passengers. St Thomas is overly developed and fixated on shopping but it's also strikingly pretty, thanks to a spine of hills whose forested ridges form headlands separating bays and coves filled with turquoise-blue water. There are more than forty beaches fringing the island, and snorkeling and dive spots galore.
Charlotte Amalie (named after the wife of King Christian V in 1691), the capital of the Virgin Islands, has long been a busy port. Today you'd call the town 'lively and bustling' if you were feeling polite, 'congested and harassing' if you'd just had 40 spruikers tell you what lovely watches they have. True enough, the center of town is swamped by cruise ship passengers and duty-free shops, but it does wear its Danish heritage with style. The neat, pastel-painted warehouses, the ochre-colored fort and the dual Danish-English street signs combine to keep it clear that this ain't no mall. The colorful melange of tropical foliage, red-roofed houses and the rich blue bay are best seen from Blackbeard's Castle, atop Government Hill.
The town's top ranking historic attraction is Fort Christian, a modest red affair which looks barely fit to defend a string of sausages. The building dates to the 1670s when it served as a combined defense post, government house, church and community hall. When the threat of invasion dissipated, the fort became a jail and, since 1987, a museum with displays on the region's natural heritage (including medicinal plants and birdlife) and art.
Part of the island's inglorious past is still standing in Market Square at the other end of Charlotte Amalie. Today the covered plaza is the local food market but it was once the Caribbean's busiest trading post for slaves. Nearby, the Beracha Veshalom Vegimulth Hasidim Synagogue was built by Sephardic Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition; it's now the oldest continually operating synagogue under the US flag.
The island's other attractions include the Virgin Islands panorama at Drake's Seat, a high point in the center of the island from which Sir Francis himself is said to have watched naval engagements. Any self-respecting beach connoisseur should stake out a patch of Magens Bay on the central north coast. Those craving peace and privacy are better off heading to the nearby uninhabited islets of Hassel Island (not hassling at all) and Great St James.
Mountain Top, at the peak of St Peter Mtn is higher than Drake's Seat though the surrounding forest means the view is better from lower down. Nevertheless, this is a tranquil spot in between tour buses when you can get a seat at the pleasant bar behind the carpark. Locals claim the banana daiquiri was invented here in an idle moment - boy, does this watering hole have a lot to answer for.
Through the 1800s St John was goopy with sugar and rum, and merchant ships clogged Coral and Cruz Bay. But by the 1950s, when American financier Laurence Rockefeller sailed by, things were mighty quiet. Rocky fell in love with Johnny's perfect white beaches and spectacular views, and did what any of us would do: he purchased half the island, built a secluded resort and campground on the site of an old sugar plantation and donated the remaining 5000 acres (2000ha) to the government. Today, two-thirds of St John is preserved by the Virgin Islands National Park.
Largely due to the national park, St John remains tranquil and covered by dense forest. Park rangers with encyclopedic knowledge of the local flora and fauna (which includes mongoose and feral donkeys) lead guided hikes into the interior, and there are twenty-odd trails to explore under your own steam. One of the best hikes is the Bordeaux Mountain Trail, which leads to the 1277ft (383m) summit of the island's highest peak. Two other ridge peaks, Camelberg and Mamey, offer strenuous hikes and rewarding views, while the walk to the Annaberg Plantation takes in the partly restored ruins of an 18th century plantation house and sugar mill. The national park also encompasses the surrounding waters and reefs, so you'll find excellent snorkeling and marine life, especially at the popular snorkeling trail off beautiful Trunk Bay, and at Reef Bay, Honeymoon Beach and Salt Pond Bay.
Development on St John has been restricted to modest Cruz Bay, where the restaurants and bars are concentrated, and shy and retiring Coral Bay, a mere slip of a thing. Ferries connect Cruz Bay with Red Hook and Charlotte Amalie on St Thomas; a weekend ferry zips all the way to Fajardo, Puerto Rico.
St Croix (you can say it 'St Croy') is less developed than rowdy St Thomas, so it's a good place to change down a gear, find isolated beaches and bend the elbow with locals not engaged in the tourist industry. The island, the largest in the Virgin Islands, is composed of forested hills and fertile lowlands and is surrounded by coral reefs. At its commercial height St Croix had about 100 sugar plantations, and decaying plantation houses and the stone towers of their windmills still litter the landscape today.
Once the capital of the entire Danish colony, pastel-painted Christiansted has been accused of being the prettiest town in the Caribbean. Clustered around the atmospheric harbor are the clean lines of old Danish warehouses, a customs house, government buildings and a church. Some of the town's oldest buildings are constructed from distinctive Danish bricks which were carried to the Caribbean as ballast. Fort Christiansted, at the eastern end of town, has great views of the harbor and settlement from its cannon-studded ramparts. It was built in 1749 and protected the town from pirates and unruly slaves until 1878 when it was converted to a police station. Also in Christiansted is a flash aquarium notable for the fact that it rotates its fishy residents every few months to keep them perky.
Most of St Croix's excellent diving is to be found along its northern coast. The best hikes are to found in the hilly, forested northwestern corner of the island. The forest peters out in the southwest, turning into salt pans and mangrove. Sandy Point, in the extreme southwest is one of only two leatherback turtle nesting grounds in the Caribbean. If you want to celebrate the continued existence of these enormous creatures, the Cruzan Rum Distillery in nearby Frederiksted's gives guided tours and free tastings. Frederiksted is just as cute as Christiansted but the town is largely given over to the duty free frenzy and it dies when there aren't captive cruiseshipping shoppers.
 Off the Beaten Track
Buck Island
Two miles (3km) off St Croix's northeastern shore, uninhabited Buck Island is one of the best excursions in the Virgin Islands. The whole island (tiny though it is) and the surrounding reef has been declared a nature reserve meaning you only have to share it with other folk who can be bothered to grab a boat and a picnic in Christiansted. The islet's attractions include an excellent beach, fantastic elkhorn coral and an underwater snorkeling trail that introduces you to the area's copious marine life.
Coki Bay
This gorgeous spot is by no means deserted but it's only fair that such beauty gets shared around. Tucked away snugly on the northeastern coast of St Thomas, the water here is sparkling, the sandy beach is dazzling and the fish are so friendly they'll eat from your hand. The snorkeling is great, but it's just as rewarding to grab a fruit shake from Tommy, the best fruit shake man in the land, and let your deck chair do all the work.
A short toddle away is the crowded but educational Coral World, an 80,000 gallon aquarium which lets you get eye level with sharks, eels, stingrays and fish without getting so much as your little pinky wet.
In the early 19th century, when St Croix was one of the region's richest sugar producers, Whim Estate was one of its grandest operations. Today the neo-classical great house, its outbuildings and grounds comprise an evocative museum giving an insight into lives of the plantation owners and the slaves who lived and worked on the property. The main house is notable for its unusual curved walls and the waterless ventilation moat that rings it. Whim is on St Croix a short drive southeast of Frederiksted. Classical musical concerts are periodically held in the grounds.
Just 10 minutes east of Whim is the immaculately presented St George Village Botanical Garden. Over 1500 species of plantlife weave and wend around old plantation buildings, workshops and a dinky wedding bower. A walking tour pamphlet helps you find your way around.
 Activities
St Thomas has some of the best white-sand beaches in the Caribbean, notably at popular Magens Bay, an oversized scallop of sand and palm trees that shows up on lists of the top-ten beaches of the world. If you're looking for enough space to throw a frisbee around, consider quieter Limetree Beach on the southern side of the island. On St Croix, try Shoy Beach near Christiansted or catch a boat to Buck Island, a couple of miles off the northeastern coast. On St John, beautiful Cruz Bay winds its way around to Honeymoon Beach, a favorite with photographers looking for an exotic backdrop, and Jumbie Bay, where being nude is quite acceptable.
There's good diving and snorkeling at Buck Island Reef off St Croix's northeastern coast. This protected nature reserve is surrounded by a coral reef, part of which is marked by an underwater snorkeling trail. There are dozens of other dive options off St Croix, including the Salt River Dropoff on the central northern coast. If you're staying on St Thomas, try Coki Point or the waters around the Cow and Calf, two rocks poking out of Jersey Bay. Snuba, a curious hybrid of snorkeling and diving, is the new thing on St John: the 'snuber' is attached to a raft of air through a long breathing tube - if you haven't got over having your umbilical cord slashed this may be just the therapy you need.
There's only one real surfing spot in the islands and that's Hull Bay, just west of Magens Bay on St Thomas. Windsurfers have a wider choice with particularly good winds along St John's northern coast and on the eastern coast of St Thomas. As marinas on the adjacent British Virgin Islands have become more crowded, sailing has been getting a decent go around the US Virgin Islands. If you want to cruise the islands, there are boats for hire at marinas at Red Hook on St Thomas, Christiansted on St Croix, and Cruz Bay on St John. Deep sea fishing enthusiasts can tackle up for some hefty marlin, tuna and kingfish.
The Virgin Islands National Park on St John has dozens of steep, rocky trails offering good hiking, including some which pass old sugar plantations and cross three different peaks. Bordeaux Mountain, at 1280ft (385m), is the highest. Various stables offer horseback riding through the islands' forests.
 Getting There & Away
There are international airports on both St Thomas and St Croix. From the US, American Airlines, Delta and US Airways have direct flights from several US destinations. Oftentimes these flights land in St Thomas first, then go on to St Croix. Most flights from Europe connect via Miami or San Juan in Puerto Rico. Virgin Islands Paradise Airways has services between the US and British Virgin Islands. The airport departure tax is US$3.
A weekend ferry does the dash between St John's Cruz Bay and St Thomas's Charlotte Amalie and Fajardo in Puerto Rico. Tons of cruise ships dock in the US Virgin Islands, most at Charlotte Amalie, one of the Caribbean's most popular cruise destinations. Plenty of ships also call at Frederiksted on St Croix, disgorging hundreds of cruise shippers who head straight for the shops.
 Getting Around
St Thomas' Cyril E. King Airport is located on the southern coast, 3 miles (5km) west of Charlotte Amalie. Alexander Hamilton Airport is on the southern shore of St Croix 7 miles (11km) southwest of Christiansted. Buses and taxis ferry new arrivals to the islands' towns and resorts.
The best way to travel between the islands is by boat. Frequent ferries depart from Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook on St Thomas for the short jaunt to St John. There are also dozens of yacht charter companies providing visitors with the opportunity to sail from island to island at their own pace. To travel between St Thomas and St Croix, there's a choice of seaplane (several times a day, 20 minutes) or hydrofoil (twice a day, 90 minutes and a movie.).
Hiring a car, jeep or scooter is a good way to get around the islands, though finding a parking space in Charlotte Amalie can be troublesome. Signage around the islands is usually restricted to route numbers - make sure your map includes these and remember to drive on the left. There are decent, if slow, bus services on St Thomas and St Croix, and a fledgling service on St John that runs between Cruz Bay and Salt Pond. Taxis are abundant on all islands. They charge a set rate, based on the destination and how many passengers are carried.
 Recommended Reading
- A Guide to the Birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands by Herbert Raffaele, Cindy House and John Wiessinger tells you what's flapping where.
- The Hebrew Congregation of St Thomas has published early Pissarro sketches in Camille Pissarro in the Caribbean 1850-55 available from the synagogue in Charlotte Amalie.
- Scott O'Dell's My Name Is Not Angelica is a historical novel which tells the tale of a slave girl caught up in an 18th century rebellion on St John.
- Isidor Paiewonsky, a St Thomas historian and poet, has compiled eyewitness accounts of Slavery in the Danish West Indies and Pirates in the Danish West Indies as well as Croucher by the Fire a slim volume of poetry.
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