St. Thomas Vacations

St. Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea that is a district of the United States Virgin Islands. First impressions when nearing St. Thomas are quite high as travelers notice the jungles, dramatic cliffs, and yachts dotting the turquoise sea. Once you set foot off your boat or plane though, you will notice that you are not alone in St. Thomas. Unfortunately the island has become a wildly popular destination for cruise ships. Once the traveler gets away from the chaos, crowds, and jewelry shopping in Charlotte Amalie, you will have many opportunities for more peace, solitude, and activities.

Cost and Budgeting for St. Thomas
St. Thomas is not the place for the budget traveler or backpacker as hotel and food prices are quite high. Eating out at restaurants for all three meals can easily cost two people $75-$100/day, especially if drinks are included. Shopping at the grocery stores and preparing your own food can cut down on costs, but even food at the supermarket is quite a bit higher as most food has to come in from the mainland. You’ll be hardpressed to find accommodation on St. Thomas for much less than $100/night. After that, it’s up to you as prices just keep going up, some as high as $500/night for the most luxurious of accommodations.

Things to Do in St. Thomas
Beaches: Sapphire Beach is a resort that is open to the public. The beach is very nice, and you can rent a snorkel and check out the crystal clear water and coral around. There are also a couple of bars and a swimming pool. A live band often plays at night, and trying a BBC (Bailey’s, banana, coconut) is always a good idea. Coki Beach is where to go for snorkeling on St. Thomas. You typically have a visibility of over 100 feet, and it’s a great place for the kids to learn as it’s very calm. Touts are a hassle on your way to the beach, but once you reach it, they leave you alone. Plenty of food and fresh fruit smoothies are sold on Coki Beach. Secret Harbour is a private resort that also allows visitors. Chairs much be rented, and large iguanas will join you as they wander around the property. Brewer’s Bay has a beautiful small beach that is next to the university. This is place to go for the sunset.
Surfing: There aren’t many places to surf in St. Thomas, but Hull Bay offers surfboard rentals in the winter, and you won’t find any other place on the island where it’s offered.
Shopping: Charlotte Amalie is the place to go for shopping on the island and is referred to as the biggest shopping mecca in the Caribbean. There are dozens of stores downtown and malls that dot the island in other various locations like Havensight. Yacht Haven Grande, which is next to Havensight, has many restaurants and premium branded stores. Crown Bay is growing as a popular shopping destination as well.
Other Attractions: Coral World Ocean Park is one of the most popular attractions on St. Thomas. You can witness Caribbean marine life up close and in a stunning setting and witness life on a coral reef from the Undersea Observatory. Other attractions are shark petting and hand feeding a stingray. Coral World also offers a brand new dive operation, in addition to the Sea Lion Splash, Sea Trek Helmet Dive, Shark and Turtle Encounters, Nautilus Semi-Sub, and Parasailing.

St. Thomas Weather
The climate in St. Thomas is tropical with not much variation in temperature throughout the year. Average highs are in the mid to upper 80’s F (28-30C) throughout the year, and lows stay in the mid 70’s (22-24C) F year-round. There is usually a breeze throughout the year making it feel a bit cooler than it actually is. There is no rainy season, but expect to find more precipitation September through November, with hurricane season peaking in September.