St. Thomas is booty well spent

St. Thomas combines the natural beauty of the islands with a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Charlotte Amalie, the capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands, is one of the most beautiful harbors in the world and the most visited port in the Caribbean. Elegant dining, exciting nightlife, and world-class duty-free Shopping are abundant in Charlotte Amalie. The city’s reputation as the Shopping mecca of the Caribbean draws visitors from all over the region and around the world.

A mountainous island, St. Thomas offers stunning vistas in almost every direction. While Charlotte Amalie is full of energy, St. Thomas also provides natural wonders such as the indescribably beautiful Magens Bay and stunning views of the Caribbean from 1,500 feet above sea level. Drake’s Seat is particularly famous for its vistas.

St. Thomas’ activities are as rich and varied as the items that stock the duty-free shelves of Charlotte Amalie’s boutiques.Golf, tennis, fishing, yachting, and Shopping are just a few of the activities available. Mahogany Run, a George and Tom Fazio-designed golf course, contains 18 of the most beautiful and challenging holes in the Caribbean. Virgin Islands Ecotours provides guided kayaking and snorkeling tours through St. Thomas’ Marine Sancturary and Mangrove Lagoon and along Magens Bay. Fishing charters are abundant, and for good reason: The International Game Fish Association reports 24 world-record catches from U.S. Virgin Islands waters. Guests can even take a one-hour submarine voyage off St. Thomas to view the coral reefs and marine life of the island. For visitors who want to stay above water, Coral World Marine Park & Observatory, on the northeast shore at Coki Point, offers an underwater observatory tower, a tropical nature trail, a marine gardens aquarium, and an 80,000-gallon coral reef tank.

In and around Charlotte Amalie visitors will find a number of options. Fort Christian, the oldest standing structure in the Virgin Islands, is rich in history. The Paradise Point Tramway takes visitors above Charlotte Amalie for a bird’s eye view of the city and the island. Blackbeard’s Castle, also known as Skytsborg, stands guard over Charlotte Amalie’s harbor. Government Hill provides numerous sites of historical interest, including Government House, 99 Steps, Crown House, and Seven Arches Museum.