St John VI, Virgin Islands is a Pristine Ecotourism Destination

To view more pictures of St. John and the US Virgin Islands, visit the CDIslands^® Photo Gallery.

WEATHER: The weather is Caribbean perfection; barely six degrees variance between winter and summer, and the easterly trade winds and low humidity make St. John a year-round vacation paradise.

THINGS TO DO: Water sports include scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, fishing and sailing. Other activities include horseback riding, hiking, tours of the sugar mill plantation ruins, etc. There's even a miniature golf course on the island. When you've had enough beach, sun and sea for the day, you can visit Cruz Bay's charming boutiques, bars and restaurants.

GETTING THERE: You will be flying into Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas. Taxis are lined up just outside of the baggage claim area. Most of the taxis are vans that can carry 6-12 people. Ask to be taken to Red Hook (allow 30 minutes to get your bags and 45 minutes to an hour to get to Red Hook). The taxis are regulated and the fare is $15 per person, $11.00 for 2 or more passengers and $2 for each piece of luggage. At Red Hook, take the Ferry to Cruz Bay, St. John (20 minutes). The ferry runs from 6:30 am until midnight, and costs $7 per person and $2 per bag. When it’s time to get on the ferry the attendant will take your bags and stow them for the trip.

DON’T FORGET TO BRING: Driver’s license, passport or birth certificate/photo ID (if you want to take a trip over to the British side you MUST have a passport, but US citizens only need a photo id to get into the USVI), health insurance card in case of emergency, scuba certification card, frequent flyer card, credit card(s) and ATM (debit) card. If you don’t have an ATM card, bring some travelers checks or your checkbook, as some businesses will only take cash or checks. Bring your cell phone, most of them work on the island. Also bring prescription medications, bathing suit, hat, walking shoes, flip flops, sunscreen, bug spray and sunglasses. A light wetsuit is recommended for diving (if you don’t have one no problem, you can rent one from the dive shop). During winter months, you might want to bring a long sleeve shirt or light sweater for nighttime. A rain poncho or umbrella may also come in handy. Dress at all of the restaurants is "resort casual"; i.e. shorts and polo shirt, t-shirts, Hawaiian shirts, etc. are fine. Long pants, jacket or ties are not required except at a couple of the most fancy, expensive restaurants.

OVERNIGHTING ON ST THOMAS: If you spend the night on St. Thomas (required sometimes when your plane arrives too late to catch the last ferry to St. John, or leaves too early to catch the first ferry to Red Hook), there are several good hotels including a Holiday Inn in downtown Charlotte Amalie if you want to dine/shop/stroll. If you have to catch an early flight, the Best Western Caribe Beach Resort is 5 minutes from the airport.

TRANSPORTATION: Taxis are very reasonable, rates are regulated, so prices to/from most locations are the same no matter what taxi you take. Here is a link to the taxi rates: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/sj/sjtaxi.shtml. Driving is on the left (cars are American made) and 4-wheel drive is a must. If you are comfortable with that, then we recommend renting a car, it gives you more flexibility. Cars rent for around $400-$500/week, depending on the size car you need. Visit http://www.stjohnusvi.com/rentals.html for a list of St. John rental agencies. U.S.V.I. law requires front seat passengers to wear seat belts and children under 5 years old are required to be in a child-restraint car seat (children 3 to 5 years old may wear a regular seat belt if they are in a rear seat). Car seats are available from your rental car agency, you can order one when you reserve your car.

LEAVING ST JOHN: The ferry runs hourly from 6 am to 11 pm from Cruz Bay to Red Hook. Allow about 20 minutes to get to Red Hook, an hour for the taxi to the airport and another hour to get through the ticket line and customs. That means the earliest flight you can possibly make is 8:30 if everything runs smoothly, which we know doesn’t happen very often. So, since they want you there 2 hours early, you should plan on taking a 9:30 flight at the earliest. The later in the day it gets, the longer it takes to get through security and customs, so get there early.

LOCAL CUSTOMS –Wear your bathing suit at the beach, but cover up when you leave, it is against the law to wear bathing suits in town. In the West Indian culture it is customary to say “Good Morning,” “Good Afternoon,” and “Good Evening” before anything else! West Indians take pride in this tradition and are appreciative when visitors make the effort to understand the ways of the islands. And, a smile goes a long way! St. John is two-thirds national park, so be aware of park rules. Please respect the coral reefs, touching, standing on or kicking the coral will cause it to die. Take only photos and leave only footprints. Enjoy your vacation!

Caribbean Vacation Rental Villa "Inn Love", St. John, USVI