St. Croix US Virgin Islands

Caribbean Vacation with Beaches, Diving, & Rainforest Ecotours

Jan 7, 2008

A US Virgin Islands vacation on St. Croix offers history, snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, ecotours in a rainforest as well as beaches and some nightlife.

St. Croix

St. Croix, the largest of the US Virgin Islands, offers many activities and accommodations for visitors taking a Caribbean vacation. Beachfront accommodation options include comprehensive resorts, hotels, and condominium rentals. St. Croix offers three golf courses and numerous tennis courts. Other activities include historic tours, ecotours, rainforest hiking and horseback riding, snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, fishing, and of course relaxing on the beach.

Nightlife

St. Croix has some nightlife, but those whose primary interest is nightlife might prefer the more highly developed St. Thomas. There is a wide range of restaurants available. Restaurants and bars often offer live music and dancing. St. Croix does have the only casino in the USVI. In addition to gambling the casino offers musical shows.

Ecotours

St. Croix offers many opportunities for ecotourism including a small tropical rainforest and the Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve.

Columbus landed at the Salt River Bay in 1493. The river and ecological preserve is a popular site for ecotourism activities. Kayak tours are a popular way to experience this lush ecology and the USVI's largest remaining mangrove forest.

There is a small rainforest in the northwest portion of St. Croix. Take a guided horseback ride or hike to experience a tropical rainforest first hand.

St. Croix has two species of endangered sea turtles. Skip the club scene to go on a guided moonlight turtle watch.

History Tours

Having been discovered by Europeans over 500 years ago, St. Croix has much to offer in the way of history.

The Heritage Trail is a 72 mile driving tour with over 200 historical sites of interest. The map is free; ask at your hotel. Examples of historical sites include the Whim Plantation Museum, St. George Botanical Gardens, the Lawaetz Family Museum, and the Cruzan Rum Factory. Sugar plantations and rum production comprise major portions of the history of St. Croix. Rent a car, take the tour, and explore.

The historic district of Christiansted is preserved as a national park. Fort Christiansvaern is the historic Danish fort originally built to protect the colony against pirates. There are several other historical buildings nearby.

For the history buffs, Frederiksted offers Fort Frederik and Emancipation Park. Danish colony slaves were emancipated from this site in 1848.

Water Activities

St. Croix offers many lovely Caribbean beaches. Enjoy them, but don't forget the other possible water activities.

If snorkeling or scuba diving interest you, take an excursion to Buck Island's preserved coral reefs. The Wall is another major diving attraction. About 1/4 mile offshore, The Wall is an undersea cliff dropping thousands of feet.

Anyone who can swim can learn to snorkel. Scuba diving however requires some training. Those who are not certified divers can take a course and experience the lovely Caribbean waters around St. Croix.

Charter boats are available for fishing and sailing. Catch your own seafood or sign up for a sailing school and learn to sail. Experienced sailors can charter a sailing yacht without a crew. Novice sailors can include a crew. Virgin Islands sailing offers the option of exploring the many uninhabited small islands with lovely secluded beaches.

If you are planning a Caribbean vacation, consider St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. St. Croix offers history, ecotours, diving, fishing, and sailing as well as relaxing on the beach.