St. Thomas USVI Archives - Caribbean Articles

July 18, 2022July 18, 2022

Best Things to Do in the US Virgin Islands

Part one: St. Thomas

Beach and green hills — Magens Bay Beach

Summer is finally here. And we can all agree the last few years have been tough on everyone. So it’s time to take a little break and relax from the stressful and chaotic everyday life. The only problem is deciding where to go. Picking a destination can be overwhelming. And to add to that, you also need to plan some fun activities while you are there. Well, look no further. The US Virgin Islands are one of the most popular vacation spots in the world. Every year more and more tourists choose it as their destination. In this article, you will find out why people like it so much and what are some of the best things to do in the US Virgin Islands.

About the islands

The US Virgin Islands are a group of islands located in the Caribbean. They are an organized, unincorporated United States territory. Their territory consists of three major islands (St. John, St. Croix, and St. Thomas) and 50 smaller islands and cays. English is their official language. The weather tends to be fantastic and warm throughout the whole year. Beaches are beautiful, sandy and white with crystal blue waters. The islands are infused with rich history and culture that attracts people from all over the world. A convenient thing for American tourists is that they don’t need passports to travel to these islands. They are a perfect place for a family trip, romantic getaway, or even going on your own and taking a break from everyone. And according to experts at Best Movers NYC, in recent years, more and more people have chosen to relocate there, permanently.

Planning activities beforehand is key

Now that you have chosen a destination, you have another equally important task – planning fun activities to do while there. Planning these types of things can be a little tricky, depending on who you are going with. Not everyone is going to be into the same things. You are going to do one type of thing on vacation with friends and another on vacation with your family or friends. The best thing to do is to prepare and make a list so that you are ready when you get to your destination. We are going to help you with that by making a list of the best things to do in the US Virgin Islands.

This article is part one of a trilogy and focuses on Saint Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Part two is on Saint Croix, and part three on St. John, US Virgin Islands.

PART ONE:
St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands

Coral World Ocean Park
Jeep tours
Flyboarding at Lindbergh Bay
Boating to neighboring islands
Catamaran sail & snorkel – swim with turtles
Jetski tours
Scuba with family
Tree Limin’ extreme zipline
Food fair

Coral World Ocean Park

For all lovers of sea life, there is no better place to visit than Coral World Ocean Park. It offers incredible experiences such as: Sea lion swimming, dolphin trek, shark encounter, SNUBA and a dolphin moment.

Jeep Tours

If you want to see the best of the island in one day the best suggestion is a private guided jeep tour. You can visit both islands, St. Thomas and St. John (by taking your jeep on a ferry to St. John), in one day, and get to see the best of two completely different Caribbean islands. And if you want to see selective sites, beaches or attractions, your tours could be customized on the same day as the trip to fit your vacation dreams.

People sitting on roof of jeep Wrangler in US Virgin Islands. — Jeep Tours

Flyboarding at Lindbergh Bay

This is an activity not only for adrenaline junkies, but anyone who wants to experience what it’s like to be Iron Man – for thirty minutes or more. This is a very exciting water sport and if you like going on a Jetski you’d very much love this activity too. We all want to fly! And this is as close we get to living out that fantasy. The beach close to the airport offers many water sports, but flyboarding at Lindbergh Bay is the most exciting of them all.

A man flyboarding high up in the air — Flyboarding is offered at Lindbergh Bay

Boating to neighboring islands

Saint Thomas is a boating mecca in the Caribbean with so many types of boats and tours to choose from. A fun option is to charter a boat with captain and go island hopping between the US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands, and snorkel at the most secluded Caribbean coves. Remember to respect our marine life and not to touch the coral nor the star fish. A very popular island to request on your tour is Jost van Dyke where you’ll meet loads of like-minded island explores. Don’t forget your shades, hat and reef-friendly sun screen.

Catamaran Sail & Snorkel – swim with turtles

If swimming with turtles is on your bucket list then we have a surprise for you. St. Thomas offers catamaran sail & snorkel tours where you’ll definitely swim with turtles. Imagine boarding a top of the range catamaran with family and friends and sail to the appropriately named Turtle Cove. It is part of the uninhabited Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge and you can swim and snorkel among friendly fish and turtles. Well, this is not a crazy dream, but a possibility, if you visit Saint Thomas, US Virgin Islands.

Two snorkelers and a sea turtle — Swimming with turtles at Buck Island in St. Thomas

Jetski tours

If you respect this fast, personal water craft and ride far from swimmers and other boaters you can have the most memorable fun ever. Lindbergh beach is a swimming beach, but only a few hundred yards deeper you have the open Caribbean Sea where you can freestyle as much as you desire. Jetskis can be rented at Lindbergh Bay or you can book a tour to explore historic Charlotte Amalie Bay. Explore historic Charlotte Amalie Bay and cruise around Water Island and stop over at the stunning Honey Moon Beach. These jetski tours are very family-friendly and safe.

A girl on a Jetski in Lindbergh Bay — Jetski Tours

Scuba dive with family

St. Thomas is surrounded by world famous dive sites, and scuba diving is a fun filled family-friendly activity. Everyone can learn this underwater breathing skill, and experience what’s invisible above the water surface. The underwater world is mesmerizingly different, filled with funny looking sea plant structures and fish as inquisitive as the diver. Don’t miss out on this explorative water sport, all you need is a little determination and a good scuba diving instructor.

Tree Limin’ Extreme Zipline

St. Thomas offers much more than water-sports. The island sports hiking trails and exciting activities not for the faint of heart, like zip-lining. If you do not get easily scared and enjoy seeing the beautiful island nature from up high, this is the thing for you. Zipping above the trees gives one a breathtaking view of St. Thomas Island and even a glimpse of the British Virgin Islands in the distance.

Man ziplining through the forest — This zipline is not for the faint of heart

Food Fair

Caribbean cuisine is world-famous, and there is no better way to experience it than visiting the Caribbean food fair. Depending on where you are staying, you can see food fairs on all three US Virgin Islands. In recent years many people have chosen to move to the islands in search of a new exciting life. But it can be a bit of a culture shock. So if you plan to leave New York, for example, moving abroad to the islands, this beautiful event, full of incredible local food, drinks, and arts and crafts, is the best way to start and bridge that culture gap.

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May 12, 2020May 19, 2020

Chat with Rebel Outdoor Piano Man in St. Thomas, USVI, during Covid-19.

Freddie Rabuse. www.facebook.com/freddierabuse

I’m sure you’ve seen them on Facebook and Instagram during this worldwide lockdown – almost every musician, famous or not, has taken to posting in-home concerts online. Hence, it’s refreshing to see someone doing live outdoor concerts on the back of a pick-up truck! Freddie Rabuse, the well-known Piano Man from St. Thomas, USVI, is doing just that and making some listeners and his own pocket very happy.

Well, why not be a bit of a rebel and make some sweet noise outside? He’s not breaking any rules. He’s social distancing plus getting some healthy Vitamin D. He is also bringing the power and charm of live music to the people. It’s a win-win situation!

Sure, a Caribbean musician’s life during a pandemic can be challenging. But according to Freddie, who always is full of fun and jokes, the pros outweigh the cons. It’s still a lifestyle like none other.

While living on an island, you must never forget that life’s speed is always measured at the island’s pace. And it’s actually really simple in Caribbean climes: stay indoors when it’s hot and go outside when it’s cool. For an island musician, or any musician anywhere, that translates to practicing during the day and performing at night. With the pandemic in the mix, Freddie the maverick, however, has now taken to playing outdoors during the day and resting at night because most venues are closed, even night curfews are in place.

In times like these, people have to make do, make some dough by drawing on any skill the outside world might deem buyable. Freddie is originally from New York and that is where he learned to play the piano. In fact, he has been making a living like this for a few decades now, having travelled the world for it – from St. Tropez to Norway to New York City to St. Thomas. He also has a strong talent for ball sports – he still plays a mean game of basket ball and tennis. Being multi-talented sure helps to keep the pot cooking in the kitchen, meaning he teaches these sports on the island when the opportunity arises.

I asked Freddie some questions, since he is not so busy at the moment, like everyone else in the world practicing social distancing, really.

What is it like to run a business on a Caribbean island? I enjoy being self-employed in the Virgin Islands. With my entertainment skills I usually have a good choice of venues to work at.

How are you coping during the Covid-19 crisis? I’m able to do a few things for money – keyboard rental, piano lessons online and in person, tennis lessons, online mini concerts. This brings in much less than when I’m normally performing, but it’s something. No governmental assistance has come in but that window is still open. Health-wise, I’ve respected the social distancing mandate but I have been out, getting exercise. It’s good for the immune system.

What is the first thing you will do to spark interest in your business when the crisis is over? When the crisis is over, hopefully I’ll be reinstated at the restaurants I worked at.

Check out Freddie’s special touch on keyboards and his off-the-cuff jokes, here and there, on www.facebook.com/freddierabuse. Also, on YouTube just search: “Freddie Rabuse pickup”. Once one hears his skills, one realizes it takes many years of practice and a special talent to do what he does. This must be celebrated in an age where Guitar Hero and Wii deceive kids into thinking they can play a musical instrument when they actually can’t. You can donate to his virtual tip jar at:

VENMO: Venmo.com/Freddie-Rabuse

PAYPAL: PayPal.me/freddierabuse

Next time you’re in St Thomas, check out Freddie Rabuse and his music by staying up to date on his movements via Facebook. Or you can just embark on a trip to a beautiful Caribbean island right now by following him, as he virtually transports you to a beautiful ocean-side bristling in the background.

Electric Cars Gaining Energy in the V.I.

When St. Thomian Adrien Austin founded Drive Green VI six years ago, he dreamed of igniting a revolution in how Virgin Islanders drove – or what they drove – and in a bid to accelerate the process, he put electric cars at the forefront of his venture.

“Nowhere in the world does a car depreciate or break down as fast as in the Virgin Islands,” said Austin. “The goal was to bring in a few new kinds of technology, do my own R&D out of my own pocket, figure out what works, try and push this technology, see what the market is receptive to.”

Since then, electric cars, vehicles that run purely on batteries as opposed to internal combustion engines, have multiplied on the roads of St. Thomas as demand continues to rise, driven by expensive per-gallon cost of gas in the territory and an increasing awareness of climate change pushing residents to pursue a neutral carbon footprint. Austin’s company has so far sold roughly 50 electric cars, and he estimates St. Thomas has about 150 in total.

But it was a bumpy road to normalizing the use of electric cars on island. About five years ago, Austin brought down five Wheegos, another type of electric car, and one Nissan Leaf. He wanted to explore how these vehicles would fare on the island’s terrains, find out if they had enough power-to-weight ratio to maneuver the hilly, tortuous roads, and identify which cars performed better than others. Austin said.

Read full article on St. John Tradewinds

July 29, 2018July 29, 2018

A Revolution to Save the Caribbean’s Coral Reefs

The Nature Conservancy is launching a revolution to save our coral reefs throughout the Caribbean and beyond. Joining forces with the world’s best scientists, we are developing and deploying groundbreaking techniques to grow new corals and bring dying reefs back to life.

Learn more about how we’re fighting to save these unique and essential ecosystems before our oceans are irreversibly damaged. The Year of the Reef! Keep up with The Nature Conservancy’s latest efforts to protect nature and preserve life on Twitter (twitter) and Facebook (facebook) Text NATURE to 97779 to join The Nature Conservancy on text.

To sign-up for nature e-news visit: support.nature.org

September 21, 2017September 21, 2017

We Survived – St. Thomas USVI

Joel Kling, manager of the Emerald Beach Resort in St. Thomas says:
“We survived! 125MPH gust wind
From 10:30p until 4:30am really felt like everything was going to cave in.
Non stop torrential rain besides the still very stormy weather and after 9 hours we are still at sustained wind 70MPH. Crazy

We never slept. The island is getting 15-20″ of rain. I’m not sure how many will be able to live trough this.
It’s been an experience with two massive hurricanes back to back. Now Puerto Rico is getting the worst of the storm.

I’m praying for all of us.
Climate change is not a hoax!
Love.”