Fifty islands make up the USVI
About fifty islands make up the USVI but only St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix are the three most prominent ones. These three islands, discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493, have distinct personalities. This is one of the top Things about Virgin Islands You Should Know and you remember them this way:
- Cultural St. Croix is recognized for its historic villages (particularly Christiansted and Frederiksted), shops, and pastel-colored houses. TRY: Touring the 12-acre Estate Whim Museum, the only sugar plantation museum in the Virgin Islands ($10, stcroixlandmarks.com), which includes 18th-century slave quarters, a sugar factory, and a windmill.
- Natural St. John is a nearly-completely protected United States national park, consisting of two-thirds of green hills and an underwater reserve, as well as the beautiful beaches of Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bay, and Maho Bay. TRY: Packing a lunch and heading out on the Reef Bay Hike, a three-mile downhill hike through tropical rainforest, sugar mill ruins, and ancient petroglyphs. The hike, transportation to the trailhead, and a boat ride back to the Visitors Center are all included in the $30 cost (nps.gov).
- Cosmopolitan St. Thomas is famed for its shopping and restaurants, on the other hand. TRY: Relaxing on the well-kept white sands at Magens Bay, which has been dubbed one of the world's most beautiful beaches and is staffed with Red Cross-certified lifeguards and snack and drink bars ($4).
