Clothing in the U.S.V.I is generally very casual with comfortable clothing.
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The U.S. Virgin Islands are located in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone, and they do not observe daylight savings time. If you’re in the Virgin Islands and it’s 3:00 pm, it would be 2:00 pm in New York, 9:00 pm in Paris, and 5:00 pm the next day in Tokyo. During the summer months though, Atlantic Standard Time and Eastern Standard Time would be the same.
*Check your passport/visa requirements concerning your specific country of origin for more detailed information.
All air passengers 2 years and older, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, who are flying from China, Hong Kong or Macau, or who have been in these areas in the past 10 days and are flying from Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea, Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada or Vancouver International Airport in Canada, must show a negative COVID-19 test result taken no more than 2 days before boarding a flight to the United States.
There are 2 main airports in the Virgin Islands: The Cyril E. King Airport (CEKA) in St. Thomas and the Henry E. Rohlson International Airport in St. Croix (STX). There are food and items like books/magazines to purchase in both of these airports before and after your flight.
Most people traveling to St. John will land in either of these airports, take a taxi to a ferry, and take a ferry to the island of St. John. The ferry rides are much faster now (around 15 minutes).
The most important thing to note about St. John is that the steering wheel is on the left AND you drive on the left side of the road. Be extra careful of those hairpin and blind turns (most driving feels like a rollercoaster ride because all roads are winding with constant ascents/descents). The speed limit across the island is 35 mph or under, so slow down and be cautious.
Taxis are also available. Choosing to rent a car versus riding taxis depends on your budget, how often you’d like to go into town/go to beaches, and if you’d rather hunt for parking (only a problem some of the time). I recommend if you’re staying a week or more to rent a car because taxi fees and tipping add up fast!
There is also the public bus system, which is called the VItran and runs along the Centerline Road. The fare is $1 per person.
There are currently no Ubers or Lyft services on the island of St. John, but you can take taxis anytime which charge depending on your destination.
St. John has always been known as a very safe place to travel to. Although crime does exist, the most prevalent is theft/burglary. If you leave your iPhone 7 at the bar, chances are when you return it won’t be there.
For any emergencies you should call 911 from a land line. The police department number for St. Croix is (340) 772-9111 and the police department number for St. John is (340) 776-9110.
Safety tips:
Safety Tips for Night-Owls:
Overall, St. John is quite safe but always be alert for any suspicious activity and take proper precautions. Stay safe and have fun!
St. John is warm year-round. 84-89 degrees F are the maximum temperatures you will encounter with August being the hottest month and December/January being the coldest. The minimum temperature is around 73 degrees F. The prime time to visit is actually in December-February, but these are the most expensive months, so May-June is fairly common for visitors.
February to May are the driest months, and humidity increases greatly from October to January. Rain will often come out of nowhere for a 15 minute shower and then leave quickly, opening up sunny skies again.
Although hurricanes are rare, they do happen. September is the most common month for hurricane season, so plan your trip accordingly. Many businesses are closed in September as well, so it’s not the best month to visit.
If you’re a surfer, travel to St. John from November to April to find the perfect waves!
The official and most common language in St. John is English. It is also common to hear French Creole and Spanish spoken, as influences from other countries have made a unique sound in languages spoken. Some words in English may at first sound unrecognizable to a speaker of standard English. Creole English also exists and doesn’t follow typical grammatical rules.
Examples of Virgin Islands English Creole:
Dem | A way of pluralizing a noun. 2+ cats would be “the cat dem”. |
Bambola | a lively dance to a distinctive drum beat. |
Ponko-lonko | a term of endearment used to a small child, and of contempt used to adults. |
Social settings:
Wine and Dine:
Other things to avoid:
The U.S. dollar (USD$) is the official currency of the U.S.VI. Although most credit cards are accepted, local markets would prefer cash.
Banks offer the best rates when exchanging money, with hotels having a slightly higher exchange rate. It’s a good idea to exchange most of your money if you need to before you arrive in case of any emergency while you’re traveling.
Look for automatic teller machines with pin systems set up on ATMs.
To locate ATMs on the island, check www.visa.com for Plus ATMs, and www.mastercard.com for Cirrus ATMs.
Tipping! You should expect to tip around 10-20% at restaurants to show your appreciation as well as local taxi drivers and boat/ferry staff. When checking baggage, you should tip at least $1 per bag to the porter.
The electrical service on the Virgin Islands is the same the U.S. mainland, 110 volts, 60 cycles AC. Appliances from North America will work just fine, but European appliances will require adapters and converters. Unlike other places in the Caribbean, the electricity on St. John is very reliable and stable. Your adapter should look like this:
Some villas have extra filtration systems, and most hotels have water that is safe to drink straight from the tap. Restaurants will often ask if you would like tap or bottled water, and tap with ice is definitely cheaper.
If you’re ever concerned about drinkable water, local grocery stores sell big jugs of water you can purchase. St. John has also put many recent initiatives in place for refillable water bottle stations, so be sure to bring your reusable water bottle on your trip to save some plastic!
St. John has limited WiFi and internet access (there aren’t many internet cafés in the islands), but most hotels offer free WiFi and internet.
You can purchase local SIM cards in town with unlimited talk/text/4G data. For 30 days a SIM card is around 30 dollars.
Local calls from pay phones are around 25 cents if you need a different option than your cell phone. The two largest cellphone operators in the U.S.V.I. are Sprint and AT&T Wireless. It’s smart to call your phone carrier before you depart in order to minimize any roaming charges if you need an international plan.
St. John is very welcoming of any LGBTQ+ people visiting or staying on the island. Locals are very respectful of the LGBTQ+ community, and many store owners consider themselves a part of this spectrum. You should not be concerned when openly practicing your love or sharing a little PDA in public. Although there is not a huge gay bar scene because the island is so small, the LBGTQ+ community is always welcomed at clubs and bars.
Recently after the two hurricanes Irma and Maria in St. John, eco-initiatives have become more present than ever:
A Must See Highlight for Eco-Travelers:
Clothing in the U.S.V.I is generally very casual with comfortable clothing.
Read More →You’ll fall in love at The Westin: U.S.V.I’s best kept secret is this hotel in love city.
Read More →Island food that will make your taste buds go crazy.
Read More →Shopping with a purpose: St. John stores not only support local artisans but also give back to the environment in budget-friendly ways.
Read More →With sea creatures ranging from tiny fish to large squids on the ocean floor.
Read More →That moment when all you can hear is your breathing and the sound of the waves.
Read More →St. John has always meant family, community, and love shared through stories and connections with locals.
Read More →Indians may have lived in St. John as early as this.
Danish government takes possession of the island, but Tortola residents claim the island as theirs, with the two countries disputing ownership for decades.
First permanent settlement at Estate Carolina in Coral Bay by a group of 20 Danish planters from St. Thomas.
First lasting St. John settlement.
14 slaves kill 6 out of 7 plantation owners, signaling with cannons that the seven month revolt has begun. During this time a quarter of the island’s population is killed.
Slavery is abolished in the Danish West Indies, dropping St. John’s population dramatically.
The United States buys St. John from Denmark as part of its military defense for $25 million.
Tourism boom in St. John.
Laurance Rockefeller donates land to the Federal Government to establish the United States’ 29th National Park in St. John.
Two hurricanes, Irma and Maria, destroy the majority of St. John’s land and wildlife, with renovation still in process today.