St Thomas In A Day 2023

DUTY FREE SHOPPING

Few visitors to the U.S. Virgin Islands return home without doing a little shopping.

Who can resist the best duty-free shopping in the Caribbean? With an allowance of $1,600 — double that of other Caribbean islands — U.S. residents, including children, can enjoy the shopping experience without thought of duty or taxes.

Members of a family residing in one household and traveling together may make a joint declaration. For example, a couple traveling with two children may bring articles free of duty valued up to $6,400.

You may send gifts to friends and relatives (excluding tobacco and alcohol), but no more than one package per day to the same address — up to $100 in value. These items need not be declared.

Perfume, jewelry, tobacco (you can take up to 5 cartons of cigarettes), cameras, china and electronics are available for 30-60 percent o U.S. mainland prices. If you’d like to take advantage of our great prices on liquor, take back up to five (1 liter) bottles, as long as one is made in the Virgin Islands.

Crown Bay Center

This shopping area, located on the Crown Bay cruise ship dock, features internationally renowned duty-free shops as well as vendors of local arts and crafts. You will find many of the same stores as you will find downtown. Relax for a bite and sip a drink. Convenient to dine, shop and easily take your treasures back to your ship!

Shopping & Dining

Red H k

On the East End of St. Thomas is another welcoming place to eat, drink, shop and play. Red Hook and the American Yacht Harbor boast an array of restaurants, bars and shops and are located right next to the ferry terminal where you can catch a ferry to St. John.

See More Dining & shopping Districts on page 16

Shopping & Dining

DIST RIC TS

St. Thomas is a shopper’s dream with our duty-free offerings and friendly, welcoming merchants.

We also have eateries all over the island offering dishes for just about any taste. So explore, taste and find that perfect memento to commemorate your U.S. Virgin Islands visit!

Downtown Charl te Amalie

Perhaps one of the most famous shopping districts in the Caribbean, Main Street is lined with duty-free stores. You’ll find plenty of expert jewelers as promised, but you can also find liquor, perfume, fashion, local art and home décor, and souvenirs galore. Be sure to venture down our side streets and historic alleys that have more stores and boutiques plus quaint restaurants and bars. Old warehouses, built from bricks carried across the Atlantic on colonial trading ships, line the alleys of this historic shopping district.

Havensight Ma

Located right on the WICO Cruise Ship dock, Havensight Mall is a convenient, less-crowded way to shop for your duty-free purchases. All the major retailers have well-stocked stores with the same merchandise and prices as downtown. Plus there are stores here you can’t find downtown. There are also a variety of restaurants and bars to grab a bite or drink and popular attractions across the street.

MALL AREA: St. Thomas has long been the place to shop in the Caribbean. Our friendly merchants have stores filled with beautiful items ranging from jewelry, fashion and cosmetics to art, home décor, souvenirs and more. You can shop with confidence at the stores advertised in this booklet. So be sure to visit one or more of our major shopping districts

BEST THINGS TO DO

If you are visiting St. Thomas on a cruise ship, staying on St. John, passing through to the British Virgin Islands, coming in by boat for a few days or here on business, then your leisure time on the island may be limited to one day or less of play and exploration. But rest assured there are plenty of things to do here in a single day. In addition to our world-class shopping and beautiful beaches, here are some other ways to experience and enjoy St. Thomas.

Coral World

Coral World is one of the Caribbean’s most enduring and popular experiences. This is the place to get up close and personal with the beauty and magic of Caribbean marine life. From the Undersea Observatory, you can view coral reef life without getting wet. Or take the plunge and do Sea Trek, a guided helmet dive where you walk on an undersea trail and breathe through the helmet. You can also feed a stingray or rainbow lorikeets or get up close and personal with lovable South American sea lions and bottlenose dolphins. Or enter the fascinating world of turtles in the company of knowledgeable marine staff or dive in with Snuba. You can also lunch and shop! For more information, visit Coral World’s Facebook page or website at www.coralworldvi.com.

MountainTop

At an impressive height of 1,500 feet above sea level, Mountain Top offers a spectacular panoramic view of both the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, a total of 20 islands in all. In fact, National Geographic once rated this view of Magens Bay as one of the 10 best views in the world. It features a huge shopping area for browsing and a bar that is home of the world- famous banana daiquiri. Truly breathtaking!

Drake’s Se

One of the island’s best viewpoints, Drake’s Seat also affords a panoramic picture of Magens Bay and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands strung out to the east. A popular stop on round-the-island tours, this place can get crowded. If you visit in the late afternoon, the light is especially entrancing. Legend has it that British privateer Sir Francis Drake, commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I, is said to have used this spot to spy on enemy ships of the Spanish Fleet passing through what is now called Drake’s Passage.

WalkThanks to our beautiful new promenade along the local waterfront, it is a beautiful stroll from Havensight to Downtown Charlotte Amalie, where history abounds. Or take a cab from Crown Bay or your hotel to downtown and walk the waterfront. It’s a great way to get a bit of exercise and see the beauty of our island for a few hours.

Ta e of theTropics

It goes without saying that the various restaurants on St. Thomas are in a “best” category all by themselves. We recommend that you venture out to experience the wide variety of cuisines. From local kallaloo, pates, rotis and fresh sh and seafood to burgers, pizza and wings, the variety is impressive. Havensight, Yacht Haven Grande, Crown Bay, Red Hook and Downtown all have wonderful dining options for a meal or a snack.

Safari DrivingTours

A guided tour is a great option to see as much of the island as possible in a morning or afternoon. At both cruise docks you can nd open-air safari taxis. Some offer point-to-point drop off around the island while others offer driving tours that show some of St. Thomas’ best views while sharing about out island culture and history. Local guides would love to show you the many facets of “The Rock” as they shuttle you around. Plus on some tours you can combine sightseeing, shopping and a beach stop. Hop aboard!

LOCAL BEACHES

COKI BEACH

– Located on Coki Point right before Coral World Ocean Park, this white sand beach with crystal clear water offers excellent snorkeling and diving. Beachside restaurants serve picnic fare including burgers, sandwiches and some local dishes. There is a dive shop, jet ski rental and several vendors renting snorkel gear, beach chairs and floats.

MAGENS BAY BEACH

This beautiful onemile stretch of beach is St. Thomas’ most famous beach and is a public park. The water is usually very calm in this heart-shaped protected bay. Picnic tables located all along the beach and there is plenty of space to stroll around.

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See More LocaL beaches on page 26

LOCAL BEACHES

SAPPHIRE BEACH

here are great for snorkeling, windsurfing, jet skiing and more. There’s a little beach bar on site too. The beach is located on the east end of St. Thomas at Sapphire Beach Resort.

SMITH BAY PARK (previously lIndQUIsT BeaCH)

One of St. Thomas’ most virginal and pristine beaches, Smith Bay Park is on the east end of the island. The water is crystal-clear and typically calm. The left side of the beach is great for snorkeling. Owned by the Virgin Islands government, it is well-maintained and kept clean. There are a few picnic tables, but get there early!

All beaches in the Virgin Islands are open to the public. Some have dressing facilities and showers.

LO C AL HISTORY

a BOUT TH e

VIRGIN I S LAND S

The U.S. Virgins Islands – St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix – and the British Virgin Islands (to the north and east) are among the most beautiful geographical areas in the world, blessed with powdery beaches and sundrenched weather. But our islands are also rich in history.

The islands lie in the path of soft trade winds blowing directly from Portugal, which perhaps accounts for the fact that “Santa Cruz” was among the first islands to be sighted by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage westward. He then sailed northeast, passing St. Thomas, St. John and Tortola and called them collectively “Las Virgenes.”

In the centuries after, this area was once one of the top pirate lairs in the Caribbean, making us rich in pirate stories and lore.

After Columbus’ visit, the islands went back to sleep for more than 150 years. They woke to find the flag of Denmark planted on St. Thomas, the French Tricolor on St. Croix and the Union Jack flying over Tortola (where it still flies). The Arawak Indian population had disappeared. Denmark later claimed St. John, bought St. Croix and built the Danish West Indies into thriving sugar cane and trading islands.

Slaves were imported early to work the growing number of sugar plantations. The islands were also used as a base for reshipment of slaves to other areas. After

slavery in 1848, planters began to abandon their estates and the population and economy dwindled.

Threatened by German expansion during World War I, the U.S. bought the Danish West Indies (now the American Virgin Islands) on March 31, 1917. Even then the islands were expensive real estate – almost $300 an acre.

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