St. John US Virgin Islands
Caribbean Vacation with Beaches, Diving, Ecotours, Camping & Hiking
St. John
St. John, the least developed of the US Virgin Islands, offers many activities and accommodations for visitors taking a Caribbean vacation. In addition to hotels, accommodation options include luxury villa rentals or more rustic camping. Possible activities include hiking tours, ecotours, snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, fishing, and of course relaxing on the beach. St. John caters to visitors wanting a quiet Virgin Islands vacation and outdoor activities rather than clubs and nightlife. However St. Thomas with its many tourist amenities is only four miles away by ferry.
Virgin Islands National Park
About 2/3 of St. John's 20 square miles is protected by the Virgin Islands National Park. In addition over 10,000 acres are protected by the undersea portions of the park. The park makes St John a haven for those wanting outdoor activities in their Caribbean vacation. The park offers both dry land and underwater ecotour activities.
The park offers camping, fishing with handheld rods, hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, and bird watching. Or simply relax on one of the white sand beaches. Popular points in the park are Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bay, the Cinnamon Bay Plantation ruins, and the Annaberg Plantation.
Dry Land Ecotour Activities
The Virgin Islands National Park has 22 hiking trails. Take a nature hike. Go bird watching. Hike on your own or join a guided hiking tour. The park service offers 3 mile hiking tours of Reef Bay. This tour include tropical forests, mysterious petroglyphs, and ruins of a historic sugar mill. If the petroglyphs, which are prehistoric rock carvings, interest you, visit the archeological research lab at Cinnamon Bay.
Underwater Ecotour Activities
Much of the park is underwater. The snorkeling and scuba diving is excellent. Trunk Bay has a 225 yard self guided underwater snorkeling trail. Experience the beauty of tropical coral reefs and other undersea life. Remember however that the undersea park is protected. Do not destroy its scenic beauty.
The water around St. John is generally very clear with visibility ranging from 60 to 100 feet. Summer and fall are the best seasons for diving. For safety on deep dives there is a decompression chamber on nearby St. Thomas.
Virgin Islands Sailing
A short ferry ride away in St. Thomas, charter boats are available for touring nearby small islands and sailing. Visit secluded islands or sign up for a sailing school and learn to sail. Virgin Islands sailing offers the option of exploring the many uninhabited small islands with lovely secluded beaches.
If you want a quiet secluded Caribbean vacation, consider St. John in the US Virgin Islands. St. John offers quiet Caribbean beaches and hiking trails in a protected national park setting.
Further Reading
Peffer, R., Lonely Planet Virgin Islands, Lonely Planet, 2001.
Buck Island Reef National Monument
