St Thomas

Introducing St Thomas

Most visitors arrive to the USVIs via St Thomas, and the place knows how to strike a first impression. Jungly cliffs poke high in the sky, red-hipped roofs blossom over the hills, and all around the turquoise, yacht-dotted sea laps. Unfortunately, once you disembark from your plane or boat, you’ll find you’re sharing this scene with 20, 000 tourists who’ve just piled off the seven cruise ships docked in the harbor.

Years ago, St Thomas made a bargain with the devil: provide us with a good and steady source of income and we’ll give you our innocence and our environment. And so it became the darling of the cruise-ship industry and its two million passengers. In 2007 St Thomas ranked last in the ‘world’s most beautiful islands’ survey by National Geographic, which called it ‘totally spoiled’ and ‘one big ugly jewelry store.’

That’s true…to an extent. Most of the mob-fest happens in Charlotte. Visitors who make the effort to move deeper into the 30-sq-mile island will find opportunities for surfing, kayaking through mangrove swamps and getting face-to-face with sea turtles.

Last updated: Feb 25, 2011