2007年12月19日星期三

St Thomas Vacation Preparations

So you have finally made the decision to take a trip to the Caribbean. But what part of the Caribbean do you want to vacation in? There are so many islands to choose from and so little time. Well if you are nervous about traveling to the Caribbean then why not start with a trip to the US Virgin Islands.

The US Virgin Islands gives you the security of being part of the US but is located south in the Caribbean. There are three islands to choose from. The first island is St Thomas. St Thomas is a bustling island with business, restaurants, attractions, hotels, St Thomas Condos, and more. It is a vacation for those that like a little fun and excitement at night with top quality dining.

St Thomas receives a lot of tourism especially from cruise ships. Cruise ships bring in a lot of traffic. They average between two and seven cruise ships per day. Think of the traffic that seven cruise ships would bring in. If every cruise ship averages three thousand people you could potentially have twenty one thousand people being dumped off into downtown per day. That is half of the islands population.

Accommodations in St Thomas are grand. You can choose from renting St Thomas Villas, Hotels, Timeshares, and more. You have to make the decision what works for you. Personally renting your own St Thomas luxury villa seems like a great way to go if you can afford the extra cost. You would get your own private pool, hot tub and many other great amenities.

Another great island to potentially go to is St John. St John is a beautiful island and a totally different vacation from St Thomas. On St John life is slow, very slow. The only worries of the day are which breathtaking beach to go to in their preserved park. There is really no comparison between St John and St Thomas. St John is really a relaxing, grab a book and go and relax vacation. St Thomas can be like that but offers much more in terms of nightlife and excitement.

St John is very cultural and actually larger than St Thomas. There are a few good restaurants on the island but nothing like St Thomas. The beaches are far superior though, offering some of the most picturesque settings you will ever gaze upon. Some of the favorite beaches are Hawks Nest, Trunk and Cinnamon Bays.

Accommodations in St John are similar to St Thomas but are definitely more costly. You could expect to spend fifteen to twenty percent more to stay on St John. But you could also have the chance to see some big time celebrities because they love St John.

Once you have made your selection now you have to get to the island of your choice. Many flights go to the Virgin Islands but none go direct to St John. You will have to fly to St Thomas first and then take a ferry over to St John. That can be a big hassle as you have to lug your luggage off the airline and then schlep everything to a taxi and then off to the ferry. It is a long day for sure but well worth the trip to see beautiful St John.

Now get ready to pack. You will need a lot of sun tan lotion and sunscreen. Make sure to bring a lot of casual clothes. The locals do not dress up so dressing casually is the way to go. Men can wear shorts and Hawaiian type shirts and women can wear sun dresses. Even the most elegant restaurants only require that type of attire. So relax you are in the Caribbean mon!

You'll want to bring medicines, especially allergy medicines just on case. Make sure to pack a lot of swim suits and tee shirts. Do not forget sunglasses as you will most definitely need them. You may want to bring an underwater camera just in case you do some snorkeling or diving. For sure you will want to bring your digital camera.

Which ever island you decide on you will have a great time. They both offer diverse activities and many options.

Remember to bring your passport. The laws are changing and soon you will be required to travel with your passport to the US Virgin Islands. So make sure to get your passport done as quickly as possible. Furthermore while you are in the Virgin Islands you may want to travel to the British Virgin Islands which are just a stones throw away.