Virgin
Islands The Best Beaches
Many Caribbean islands have only rocky beaches or
beaches made of black volcanic sand (which heats up fast in the noonday sun), but those in
the Virgin Islands are known their fine white sand. Best of all, every beach in the Virgin
Islands is free (except for Magens Bay in St. Thomas) and open to the public, although in
some cases, you'll have to walk across the grounds of a resort (or arrive by private boat)
to reach them.
Magens Bay Beach (St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands): This
1/2-mile loop of pebble-free sand and remarkably calm waters is by far the most popular
and picturesque beach in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Two peninsulas protect the shore from
erosion and strong waves, making Magens an ideal spot for swimming. Expect a lively crowd
here in the high season.
Sapphire Beach (St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands): This
beach is one of the finest on St. Thomas and a favorite with windsurfers. Come here for
some of St. Thomas's best shore snorkeling and diving (off Pettyklip Point). And, don't
worry about equipment--water sports concessions abound here. Take a moment to enjoy the
panoramic view of St. John and other islands.
Trunk Bay (St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands): This beach,
which is protected by the U.S. National Park Service, is a favorite with cruise-ship
passengers. It's famous for its underwater snorkeling trail. Trunk Bay is consistently
ranked among the top 10 Caribbean beaches, most recently by CondEacute; Nast Traveler.
Caneel Bay (St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands): Site of a
famous resort, Caneel Bay is a string of seven beaches, stretching around Durloe Point to
Hawksnest Caneel. Rosewood Hotels, which operates Caneel Bay Resort, admits day guests.
Sandy Point (St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands): The biggest
beach in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Sandy Point lies in the southwestern part of St. Croix,
directly to the west of Alexander Hamilton Airport. Its waters are shallow and calm.
Because the beach is a protected reserve and a nesting spot for endangered sea turtles,
it's only open to the public on weekends from 9am to 5pm.
Cane Garden Bay (Tortola, British Virgin Islands): Cane
Garden Bay is the most popular beach in the British Virgin Islands and a close rival to
Magens Bay for scenic beauty. Its translucent waters and sugar-white sands are reason
enough to visit Tortola; it's also the closest beach to the capital at Road Town.
The Best Dive Sites
The Wreck of the HMS Rhone (off Salt Island,
British Virgin Islands): The Rhone wreck is the premier dive site not only in the
Virgin Islands but also in the entire Caribbean. This royal mail steamer, which went down
in 1867, was featured in the murky film The Deep.
Cow and Calf Rocks (St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands): This
site off the southeast end of St. Thomas (about a 45-minute boat ride from Charlotte
Amalie) is the island's best diving spot. It's also a good bet for snorkeling. You'll
discover a network of coral tunnels riddled with caves, reefs, and ancient boulders
encrusted with coral.
Buck Island (off St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands): This is
one of the major diving meccas in the Caribbean, with an underwater visibility of some 100
feet. There are enough labyrinths and grottoes for the most experienced divers, plus
massive gardens of fiery coral inhabited by black sea urchins, barracudas, stingrays, and
other creatures.
Frederiksted Pier (St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands):
Conventional wisdom has designated this pier, located in an old ramshackle town at the
west end of St. Croix, the most interesting pier dive in the Caribbean. The original pier
was virtually destroyed by Hurricane Hugo in 1989, but a new one opened in 1993. Plunge
into a world of exotic creatures, including sponges, banded shrimp, plume worms, and sea
horses.
Chikuzen (Tortola, British Virgin Islands): Although its
not the Rhone , this 270-foot steel-hulled refrigerator ship, which sank off the
island's east end in 1981, is one of the British Virgin Islands' most fascinating dive
sites. The hull--still intact under about 80 feet of water--is now home to a vast array of
tropical fish, including yellowtail, barracuda, black-tip sharks, octopus, and drum fish.
Alice in Wonderland (Ginger Island, British Virgin
Islands): This brilliant coral wall, offshore of a tiny island, slopes from 40 feet to a
sandy bottom at 100 feet. Divers often refer to the site as "a fantasy" because
of its monstrous overhangs, vibrant colors, gigantic mushroom-shaped corals, and wide
variety of sea creatures--everything from conch and garden eels to longnose butterfly
fish.
The Best Snorkeling
A readers' poll by Scuba Diving magazine
confirmed what Virgin Islanders knew all along: The islands of St. Croix, St. John, and
St. Thomas are among the finest places to snorkel in the Caribbean. Here are some of the
best spots:
Coki Beach (St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands): On the north
shore of St. Thomas, Coki Beach offers superb year-round snorkeling. Especially enticing
are the coral ledges near Coral World's underwater tower.
Trunk Bay (St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands): The self-guided,
225-yard-long snorkeling trail here has large underwater signs that identify species of
coral and other marine life. Above water, the beach's freshwater showers, changing rooms,
equipment rentals, and lifeguards make snorkeling more convenient.
Leinster Bay (St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands): Easily
accessible Leinster Bay, on the northern shore of St. John, offers calm, clear, and
uncrowded waters teeming with sea life.
Haulover Bay (St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands): A favorite
with locals, this small bay is rougher than Leinster and is often deserted. The
snorkeling, however, is dramatic, with ledges, walls, nooks, and sandy areas set close
together.
Buck Island (off St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands): This tiny
island, whose land and offshore waters are classified as a national monument, lies 2 miles
off the north coast of St. Croix. More than 250 recorded species of fish swim through its
reef system. A variety of sponges, corals, and crustaceans also inhabit Buck Island, which
is strictly protected by the National Park Service.
Cane Bay (St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands): One of the
island's best diving and snorkeling sites is off this breezy, north-shore beach. On a good
day, you can swim out 150 yards to see the Cane Bay Wall, which drops dramatically off to
deep waters below. Multicolored fish, elkhorn, and brain coral flourish here.
The Best Golf Courses
Mahogany Run (St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin
Islands; tel. 800/253-7103 or 340/777-6006): This par-70, 6,022-yard course, one of
the most scenic in the Caribbean, has breathtaking views of the British Virgin Islands.
It's famous for its "Devil's Triangle," a tricky trio of holes (13, 14, and 15).
The Buccaneer (St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands; tel. 800/255-3881
or 340/773-2100): This 6,117-yard resort course has some spectacular vistas, especially
from its signature third hole, where the seascape stretches from Christiansted to Buck
Island.
Carambola (St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands; tel. 340/778-0747):
This par-72 course at Davis Bay, known for decades as Fountain Valley, was designed by
Robert Trent Jones Sr. It's one of the most challenging in the Caribbean. The
well-maintained holes are characterized by dangerous water hazards and ravines.
The Best Walks
The Annaberg Sugar Plantation Ruins Walk (St. John,
U.S. Virgin Islands): This paved walk is only 1/4 mile long, but it's a highlight of the
10,000-acre U.S. Virgin Islands National Park. The trail traverses the ruins of what was
once the most important sugarcane plantation on the island. Slaves' quarters, a windmill
tower, and ballast-brick buildings recapture a long-vanished era. Stunning views look
toward Tortola, Great Thatch Island, and Jost Van Dyke on the opposite side of Sir Francis
Drake Passage.
The Rain Forest Hike (St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands): At
the northwestern end of St. Croix lies the 15-acre "Rain Forest," which is thick
with magnificent plant life. The little-traveled four-wheel-drive roads through the area
provide great hiking paths.
Buck Island Walk (off St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands): A
circumnavigation of this island, which is reached by boat, takes about 2 hours and is
rated moderate. Since the island is ringed with white sandy beaches, feel free to take a
break for a refreshing swim. There's also a trail that points inland.
Sage Mountain National Park (Tortola, British Virgin
Islands): This 3- to-4-hour hike is one of the most dramatic in the British Virgins. It
goes from Brewer's Bay to the top of Mount Sage, the highest peak in the Virgin Islands at
1,780 feet. Along the way, you'll see intriguing ruins of old homes, not to mention the
beautiful flora and fauna of the park's primeval forest.
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