The US Virgin Islands are a dependent of the United States a territory that includes 3 large volcanic islands: Sainte Croix, Saint Thomas and Saint John (and dozens of small ones) located in the Caribbean Sea. Although they were discovered in 1493 by Columbus, they were a major stronghold of pirates.
In 1672, the Virgin Islands were divided into British and Danish. In 1917, the Danish part was bought by the United States for 25 million dollars! Evergreen subtropical forests grow on the islands. During my Royal Caribbean cruise, I was the first to visit the beautiful island of St. Thomas.
photo: thrillist.com
The main occupation of the local population is serving tourists, who have come here on average from 1.8 to 2 million every year since the 1980s. The famous Magens Bay is also located here. It is one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world — according to National Geographic. The capital is very intimate and modest. What I liked most was the omnipresent nature of the play, no one is in a hurry. The real pearl of the city of Charlotte Amalie is Kongens Gade King street with amazing greenery and flowers.
CARIBBEAN POOL: ST. THOMAS MAGENS BAY — THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACH IN THE WORLD!
White, kilometer-long sandy beach The Bay of Magens is one of the most beautiful in the world. Known as one of the top 10 beaches in the Caribbean. Protected by the Petersburg Peninsula. The water here is calm, the giant coconut palms provide plenty of shade, and our vacation is almost perfect.
photo: istockphotos.com
We can get to the beaches by taxi which costs $10 from the port, $8 from downtown Charlotte Amalie. There is a large parking lot on site. Beach admission $5 per person, $2 per car, cash only. I will tell you that I was very lucky to visit St. Thomas. This is one of the most popular stops for all cruise ships departing from Florida.
During high season it can get really crowded. It happens that 4 huge ships enter the port, where each of them carries at least 2000 passengers. During my trip around the island, my passenger ship was the only one that docked at the port. It's hard to imagine what happens on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world when several thousand ship passengers visit it in one day. I liked the north end of the beach for my vacation. It was a hit! Peace and quiet, relaxation.
photo: platinumluxuryauctions.com
Most people prefer to sunbathe next to a large beach bar and restaurant. It's worth joining with a beer from $4.50 or a tropical cocktail from $7.5, a bottle of water $3. You can pay by card, no Wi-Fi. The snack bar serves pizza (whole or sliced), grilled items (burgers, hot dogs, etc.), sandwiches and salads (packed), and snacks such as chips and sodas. The food was actually better than I expected.
Sun loungers are available for $7 per day and beach chairs are $5 per day (each option requires a refundable $5 deposit). Mask, fins and snorkel gear can be rented for $15 (plus $35 refundable deposit). On the beach you will find (free) three toilets and showers.
CARIBBEAN: CHARLOTTE AMALIE — CAPITAL OF THE US VIRGIN ISLANDS
photo: worldatlas.com
Island capital , Charlotte Amalie, was named after the wife of King Christian V of Denmark. The street names are in two languages - English and Danish, and the houses here are built of Scandinavian red brick. Once settled here by the Spanish, English or Danes, it is now an earthly paradise dominated mostly by Americans. This exotic destination has been ranked by National Geographic as one of the world's best sailing, diving and fishing destinations.
The capital, St. Thomas, also attracts tourists with a large number of duty-free shops. Called the largest shopping center in this part of the world. Main Street (Dronningens Gade) is an endless line of exclusive shops. The air-conditioned interiors of ancient buildings tempt with modern electronics, perfumes, and Cuban cigars. Alcohol and clothes from famous fashion designers. The shops are combined into a labyrinth of shopping arcades with restaurants and bars. Gold and diamond boutiques are the most popular items.
St. Thomas is also one of the most convenient natural deep sea ports in the Caribbean. Interestingly, car traffic in this US territory is on the left. The island today belongs to the United States, but less than 100 years ago it was Danish territory. Denmark, like all other European countries in the 18th century, drove to the left. Changes to driving on the right were made in Denmark in 1793, but the overseas colony remained with the old traffic rule.
