Once a pirate’s safe haven and part of the Danish West Indies, St. Thomas flourished as a rich producer of sugar, cotton, and indigo.
Today, St. Thomas of the US Virgin Islands still flourishes as a popular tourist and cruise ship destination, and is populated by people from all over the Caribbean.
People flock to the island to experience its beautiful white beaches, fabulous duty-free shopping, excellent resorts, and fine dining. The rich history and natural beauty of St. Thomas offer enticing attractions, including historic Danish fortifications, botanical gardens, and one of the oldest Jewish synagogues in the Western Hemisphere. The famous 99 Steps staircase street were built from ballast bricks from tall ships, and leads to a residential area and Blackbeard’s Castle above the town of Charlotte Amalie.
Visitors to St. Thomas can partake of any number of watersports, including chartering small boats, parasailing, windsurfing, kayaking, jet skiing, Scuba, and more. Windsurfing is gaining in popularity, and gear is available at many beachfront hotels. Some of the most popular windsurfing beaches include Renaissance Beach, Vessup Beach, Bluebeards Beach at Ritz Carlton and Sapphire Beach.
Several scheduled carriers serve passengers flying into St. Thomas? Cyril E. King Airport.
Departure Tax
US$5 included in airline ticket price
Perpetual summer°that is St. Thomas, with little variation between seasons June, July and August tend to be the hottest with temperatures in the mid 80s and December through February cooler with temperatures in the high 70s. The sun is always warm; the breezes usually steady. Inland and higher altitudes can bring cooler, chillier days and nights, particularly in winter.
Area code: 340. Calls from coin pay phones between the U.S. Virgin Islands are 25 cents every 5 minutes. Direct international dialing is available to many nations.
Currency: US Dollar
Meals
- Low-end: US $5-10
- Middle: US $10-25
- High: US $25-35
- Gourmet: US $35+
Lodging
- Low-end: US $50-90
- Middle: US $90-200
- High: US $200-300
- Deluxe: US $300+
Passport & Visa
U.S. and Canadian citizens require proof of citizenship. All other travelers must meet typical U.S. entry requirements.
St. Thomas operates on a 110V/60Hz cycle electric current.
- Hepatitis A: Recommended for all visitors.
- Hepatitis B: Recommended for those who may make intimate contact with local residents, especially for stays longer than 6 months.
- Routine Immunizations: All visitors should have up-to-date tetanus-diphtheria, measles-mumps-rubella, polio, and varicella immunizations.
Official language: English. Spanish and French Creole also spoken.
Common sense is always the rule in this relatively safe island. Valuables should be kept in a hotel safe and not left in plain view. Locals and tourists alike wear jewelry without fear.
Standard time zone: UTC/GMT -4 hours
An 8% tax is automatically added to all hotel rooms, plus a 10% service fee to most hotels. Similar to the US, dining and other services are tipped at 15?20% depending on service received. Some dining and lodging establishments add a service charge automatically, and most restaurants include the tip for parties over six people.
