U.S. Virgin Islands Travel Tourism Information

Getting Around: Taxis and rental cars are available everywhere. In exploring St. Thomas, it's probably a good idea to take a taxi tour first to get a feel for the island. Road signs are almost nonexistent and traveling on your own can get confusing. In taking a taxi, make certain the vehicle has a TP on its license plate and a dome light above it. Otherwise it is not a licensed cab and things could get messy because the cabs are unmetered. Drivers are supposed to carry a rate card with fares approved by the Taxi Commission (340/776-8294).

Where to Stay: The U.S. Virgin Islands has more hotels per square inch of land than anywhere else in the Caribbean. The best hiking (and some would say the beast beaches) are on St. John. Both St. Thomas and St. Croix have interesting city tours and picturesque countryside. St. John alone has everything you come to the Virgin Islands for.

Camping: Three campgrounds available. See St. John section.

Health/Safety Warnings: You could suffer harm if you don't watch where you go after dark, especially in Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas, which has a crime rate rivaling some large American cities. Never leave anything unattended anywhere, especially on the beaches. Prowling land sharks are far more bothersome than the ones cruising in Caribbean waters.

Snakes & Other Venomous Creatures: No poisonous snakes. You may be fortunate enough to see a 3-to 4-foot-long marine iguana meandering along one of the beaches. Though fierce and prehistoric looking, marine iguanas are totally harmless.

Some plants do look attractive enough to make you want to touch but should be bypassed. One is the Christmasbush that resembles a form of holly. But festive this plant is not. It's in the same family as poison ivy, and if the spiny leaves scratch you, the irritating agent may not only cause blisters around the scratches, it may also be absorbed into the bloodstream and travel to other parts of the body where additional sores could erupt. Including places you don't want to think about. Christmasbush is common all over the VI, growing as a single plant, in clusters of plants or as a tree. It reaches 10 to 20 feet high. The spines are on the underside of the leaf.

For More Information:
www.usvi.net
www.usvitourism.vi

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