U.S. Virgin Islands
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands (Attended
the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix as an exchange student
during Fall Semester 2003)
Highlights:
- Buck Island National Park. This island is very beautiful! Snorkeling
the reef is awesome and the beach is gorgeous.
- Point Udall, the Easternmost point of the United States. From
this point, there is a hiking trail that leads to Isaac's Bay, one
of my favorite beaches.
- Sandy Point. This is where the last scene of the movie "The
Shawshank Redemption" was filmed. It is a turtle conservation
and it is open only at certain times.
- Cane Bay, home of "The Wall" (an underwater cliff that
drops about 1000 feet). I went SCUBA diving along "The Wall"
at a depth of 95 feet. At night, Cane Bay is also home of the Full
Moon Party, where you can relax at the beach or inside the bar,
and listen to some wonderful Reggae bands.
- Frederiksted Pier. It was really fun jumping off this pier and
into the water.
- Sunset Cruise, courtesy of Big Beard's Adventure Tours. This was
an awesome sail on catamaran. The crew was really nice. They served
free Rum Punch. Watching the sunset was unbelievable.
St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
(Day trip, my last day in the USVI before coming back to California)
Highlights:
- This island is VERY gorgeous. It was my absolute favorite island
on this trip. 2/3 of the island is a National Park.
- I rented a car from St. Thomas, USVI, then took it on a car ferry,
which sailed 3 miles to St. John. Upon arrival, I drove all over
the island.
- Trunk Bay is such a gorgeous beach. The water was very clear and
blue. The snorkeling was incredible.
- Annaberg Sugar Plantation Ruins. This place holds the remains
of a historical sugar plantation. The view of the British Virgin
Islands from this location is awesome.
Some notes about the U.S. Virgin Islands:
- It was a great experience living in St. Croix and attending the
University of the Virgin Islands. I learned so much about the culture
and embraced it. I met so many people and made many friends, whom
I still keep in touch with.
- Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. The peak months
are September and October.
- Even though the USVI is a territory, you still need a passport
when you go back to the States.
- If you rent a car, DRIVE ON THE LEFT SIDE AND ALWAYS KEEP LEFT!
It's easy to catch on because most of the roads are 2 lanes and
the cars are like the States, where the driver is on the left side.
Also, when someone honks their horn at you (usually twice) at an
intersection, it means they will give you the right-of-way.
- Driving in St. Croix is the easiest because the land is mostly
flat. St. Thomas and St. John has a lot of hills and curves.
- In St. Croix, the locals are very friendly and it is expected
to greet everyone with a Good Morning or a Good Afternoon. At night,
"Good Night" is used as a greeting, instead of "Good
Evening".
- The people in St. Thomas are less friendly than St. Croix, probably
because there are more tourists and a lot of cruise ships coming
in.
- If you take a car to the hiking trails that leads to Isaac's Bay
or Jack's Bay, park your car at the beginning of the trail, take
ALL your belongings, and leave the doors UNLOCKED. This prevents
burglars from breaking into your car and destroying it. My friend
Kris' sister made the mistake of locking the doors, and when she
came ack, a window was broken.
- If possible, bring a guy with you when you go hiking. Many of
the locals would warn you that it is unsafe for girls to hike by
themselves.
Photos of Buck Island, St. Croix, US Virgin Island:
- Buck
Island, St. Croix, US Virgin Island
e-mail Anjanette
Ablis
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