St John and St Thomas

[j_c_a]

Mike_S you beat me to it about the downtown ferry. I actually much prefer taking that one over Red Hook if I can catch it in time. After the long flight down, that last thing I want to do is sit in a stuffy cab/van travelling to Red Hook to catch the ferry there. Even if it take slightly longer (and I'm not sure it does) I'd still rather be sitting on the top deck of a ferry taking in the sun and checking out the beautiful water.

I've been to St. John/St. Thomas about a dozen times (actually got married on Hawk's Nest beach). Stayed on St. Thomas the first trip and St. John every trip thereafter.

St. John = quite, laid back, relax mon it's island time, no nightlife at all
St. Thomas = more touristy, shopping, bigger, more "resorts"

Really depends on what you like in a vacation.

 

[mike_s]

.

St. John = quite, laid back, relax mon it's island time, no nightlife at all
St. Thomas = more touristy, shopping, bigger, more "resorts"

Really depends on what you like in a vacation.

My next trip down there I simply plan to use St Thomas only as an airport stopping point. I will hop on the ferry to Tortola from there. might stay the night in St Thomas if we get in really late, etc or to let the wife get in a day of shopping since it's a duty free port and there are no taxes on anything.

 

[Rwhiting]

I agree with everyone else - stay on St. John, and go to St. Thomas if you feel the need for night life, shopping etc. I didn't see many responses about the kayaking - this too is better from St. John. Lots of beautiful places to kayak, and don't forget Jost Van Dyke - just across the channel from St. John - great kayaking! I fell in love with scuba diving on St. John. I've since been to many places that have more spectacular diving, but none that is a better choice for a combination of topside natural beauty, gorgeous beaches and at least good, if not great, diving.

 

[fookisan]

Thanks for all the advice - Very Helpful!

Dan T

 

[RickSp]

If you want something more relaxed consider Maho Bay Camps on St. John. (I much prefer St. John to St. Thomas.) They have both kayaking and scuba diving, as well as snorkeling, sailing and windsurfing from their activities center just off their beach. Our last trip there we only snorkled but saw several hawksbill turtles and lots of fish. Did some great kayaking and sailing as well. Maho is low key and absolutely gorgeous.

http://www.maho.org

Rick

 

[j_c_a]

hehe, I love staying at Gallow's Point. Unit #3 if you can get it. It has the most incredible sunsets. It's also nice 'cause it's about 50 yards from Cruz Bay. I never rent a vehicle when I'm there.

http://www.gallowspointresort.com/virtual_plan.shtml

 

[CSD1129]

Def Dive with Chris Sawyer! I was in ST.THomas for my birthday in november. Never made it over to St.John. Loved St.Thomas, people are friendly, diving is great, island is beautiful. I'd move to the USVIs in a heartbeat.

DO NOT miss a night dive! Especially if you go with chris sawyer. We did a night dive on the coast guard wreck general rogers. It was fabulous.

Have fun,
Christine

 

[zboss]

Thanks for all the feedback.

Too bad there is nothing more direct from the airport in St. Thomas. When you were on route to St. John, did you stay a night in St. Thomas or just go straight from the airport to the ferry and onto your final destination of St. John?



Dan T

it's only a 5 minute cab ride to the ferry and a 30 to 40 minute ride to St. John.

 

[zboss]

If you want a more direct route.
You can actually get the ferry from downtown Charlotte Amalie, but it's a longer ferry ride and cost more. I think it's an hour or 1.5 hour ferry ride. as oppsed to a short one from Red Hook.

Since Ferry boats are slower than taxi's and the boat has to circle around part of the island, most people just take a taxi to Red Hook ($15 bucks or so, maybe more) and then catch the ferry there. It's quicker this way.

it can take an hour to get to red hook from the airport by taxi... the ride to st. john on the ferry from the terminal is only about 45 minutes.

 

[Seuss]

I saw a lot of posts recommending the Chris Sawyer Dive Center on St. Thomas, and I have to agree with them. If you want more information, their web site is located at http://www.sawyerdive.vi/ The dive shop has been voted "Best in the Virgin Islands" by the people that live in the Virgin Islands for the last three or four years. If you do nothing else, be sure to take a dive trip to the Wreck of the RMS Rhone. It is considered the best wreck dive in the Carribean and one of the best wreck dives in the world. A few other great dives sites in the area include Arches and Tunnels, Cow Rock, and Caravel Rock (not for beginners).

Right now, it takes around an hour to get from the airport (on the west end of the island) to Red Hook (on the east end of the island), but we are still "in season". In another month or so, it will only take about thirty minutes on a good day. You can also pick up a ferry to St. John from waterfront (downtown) which is only about ten or fifteen minutes (if that) from the airport. The ferry from waterfront costs a bit more and takes almost twice as long.

The dive shops on the east end of St. Thomas will visit the same dive sites that the shops on St. John visit. People always seem to think that if they dive from St. John, they will get to visit different sites, but this tends not to be so.