Rolex 100TCUS:27 APR 25/6/09 08:46 Page 115
St. Thomas Yacht Club/Ingrid Abery
While St. Thomas is by far the largest and most populated of the Vir- Saint Croix is the largest of the USVI, and 35 miles to the south of
gin Islands, it is by no means the only one charming visitors. While sail- its smaller siblings. Once the capital of the Danish West Indies, it has its
ing between the islands is a vacation in and of itself, ferries and own unique character. Arguably more Europeanized than the other islands,
seaplanes make daytrips easy. The island of St. John, located to east of as the center of the sugar trade, there are many sites to see, including the
St. Thomas, is a lush, peaceful environment (two-thirds of the island is St. George Botanical Garden, the Buck Island Reef (the only US National
a natural park) fringed by white sand beaches. Ecotourism is a big draw Park that is underwater), the Cruzan Rum distillery (always a popular
here, and many providers offer guides for kayaking, snorkeling, and hik- choice), as well as many experiences that bring back the history of the is-
ing around the island. Tours of the island are readily available, and there land – the restored great houses, or the woodcarvers in the rainforest carv-
is much in history as well as nature that has been preserved here – the ing local mahogany. There is a healthy and growing culinary scene here, one
sugar plantations that once dominated these islands now dot the land- that has exploded in recent years, jumpstarted in 2001 by local restaura-
scape, some in disrepair, some historical sites, and some repurposed, as teurs and now the premier food and wine event in the region.
at Caneel Bay, the island’s premier resort and former home of Laurence The British Virgin Islands are just a few miles distant, and for many
Rockefeller, who led the charge to preserve the island, even as he helped sailors and visitors in the neighborhood offer their own set of pleasures.
build its infrastructure. Sprawling across a peninsula, with seven sepa- Virgin Gorda and Tortola are the two major islands in the chain of the BVI,
rate beaches, the resort is its own little world, from the families that have but while smaller and quainter, Jost Van Dyke, Ginger, Cooper, Salt, Peter
been coming here for generations, to the herds of donkeys that have free and Norman Islands don’t lack personality. Tortola is the base for many
run of the lawns. As development on St. John is limited, there is a great charter companies, both captained and bare-boat charters, as well as many
deal of interest in the private villa market, and many families seek this private charter captains who provide a personalized sailing, or even just
kind of quiet privacy as their getaway. touring, experience; there are also numerous small resorts that are perfect
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