Destination St. Thomas
St. Thomas, with its secluded coves and cays in the warm Caribbean waters, glistening white sandy beaches and near-perfect climate year-round is "America's Paradise," and certainly one of the most popular islands in the Caribbean. Here you can sail, swim or snorkel to your heart's content or find the softest, whitest spot on the island, nestle in and dream away.
The friendly inhabitants of St. Thomas will welcome you proudly to their lovely island; an exotic tropical Eden lush with vibrant natural wonders and filled with an ever-changing colorful landscape. Its emerald hills offer a spectacular view of the shimmering waterfront and the sparkling blue waters of the Caribbean. Its capital city, Charlotte Amalie, is rich in history with many fascinating places to explore. You can leisurely stroll along the narrow, winding roads and browse through ancient Danish warehouses, once used to store trading goods but now converted into chic shops and unique boutiques.
St. Thomas's glistening beaches colorfully combine with the surrounding Caribbean waters to make this idyllic island an ideal destination for fun-in-the-sun adventures and outdoor recreational pursuits. As the second-largest of the three main islands and roughly 70 cays that comprise the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Thomas is by far the most cosmopolitan of the islands. St. Thomas has long been associated with the Danish, as is evident in its architecture, culture and history. And although fabulous shopping and notable attractions can be found here, the allure of the island lies in its limitless activities for enjoying lazy days and twinkling nights under sun-drenched skies and star-studded nights.
So while you're in St. Thomas - whether it's a foursome on the fairways, some souvenir shopping in charming Charlotte Amalie or a toes-in-the-sand stroll along the beautiful beaches - there's always something to discover and somewhere to explore. And when the sun sets, as it always does slowly in the Caribbean tropics, the island comes alive again with music and nightclubs and nightcaps, and yet another walk along the beaches, this time under bright starlit skies and a gentle breeze whispering good night.
Virgin Islands Geography
The Virgin Islands are located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. They extend from west to east about 60 miles, at the top of the arc of Caribbean islands. They are 40 to 50 miles east of Puerto Rico. The arc of Caribbean islands begins off the coast of Florida and extends all the way to South America and includes hundreds of islands and cays.
The Virgin Islands consist of two groups of islands, the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) and the British Virgin Islands (BVI). The USVI consist of 4 larger islands and some 50 smaller islets and cays. The total area of the USVI is 133 square miles. The British Virgin Islands are made up of 4 larger islands and 32 smaller islands. The total area of the BVI is 59 square miles. The British Virgin Islands lie to the north east of the United States Virgin Islands and is closest to St. John.
The Virgin Islands are the easternmost extension of the Greater Antilles. The islands are the peaks of submerged mountains that rise from the ocean floor. Most of the islands rise only to a few hundred feet above sea level. The highest point is Mount Sage on Tortola in the BVI, which is 1,710 feet high.
The USVI includes four larger islands; St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John and Water Island. The geography of the islands consists of seaside cliffs, mountains with lush forest, tiny streams, arid lands and beautiful white sand beaches. Each island has its own unique physical characteristics.
St. Thomas is known for having one long ridge of hills running east and west through the center of the island with smaller ridges branching off from the center. St. Thomas, thirteen miles long by four miles wide, encompasses a little over 31 square miles. The highest point is Crown Mountain at 1,556 feet. St. Thomas has a beautiful natural harbor and many protected bays. There are relatively no flat areas on St. Thomas. St. Thomas History