St. Thomas in 3 days

Magens Bay, duty-free Charlotte Amalie, hillside harbour views, and easy island-hopping in the USVI. Best time to visit: December-April (dry season). Average daily budget: $140 to $260 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Charlotte Amalie, The harbour capital: Danish colonial streets, duty-free shops, and Blackbeard's Castle.

Morning: Swim at Magens Bay. A mile-long crescent of calm, warm water ringed by green hills.

Afternoon: Explore Charlotte Amalie, The harbour capital: Danish colonial streets, duty-free shops, and Blackbeard's Castle.

Evening: Skyride to Paradise Point. A gondola to a hilltop bar overlooking the harbour and cruise ships.

Eat: Fresh mahi-mahi and conch in Frenchtown

Day 2, Go deeper

Base: Frenchtown, A former fishing quarter with the island's best seafood restaurants and local bars.

Morning: Ferry to St. John. Twenty minutes to Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bay and Virgin Islands National Park.

Afternoon: Explore Frenchtown, A former fishing quarter with the island's best seafood restaurants and local bars.

Evening: Snorkel Coki Beach or Buck Island. Reef fish, turtles, and easy shore snorkelling in clear water.

Eat: Pate (fried savoury turnovers) from a roadside stand

Day 3, Hidden side

Base: Magens Bay / North Side, The famous heart-shaped bay with calm turquoise water and lush hills.

Morning: Honeymoon Beach on Water Island, a short ferry from Crown Bay and rarely crowded.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Magens Bay / North Side, The famous heart-shaped bay with calm turquoise water and lush hills.

Evening: Frenchtown seafood dinners where locals eat, away from the duty-free strip.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Johnnycakes with saltfish

Hidden gems

Honeymoon Beach on Water Island, a short ferry from Crown Bay and rarely crowded.
Frenchtown seafood dinners where locals eat, away from the duty-free strip.
Hull Bay, a laid-back local surf beach on the north shore with a beach bar.
The 99 Steps and Blackbeard's Castle for harbour views without the shopping crowd.

Getting around

Cyril E. King Airport is a few minutes from Charlotte Amalie. Open-air safari taxis run fixed routes for a few dollars per person and are the cheapest way to move around, while dollar-rate taxis charge per person with published fares. Ferries from Red Hook and Charlotte Amalie serve St. John, Water Island and the BVIs. Rental cars are useful for beach-hopping but roads are steep, narrow and driving is on the left despite U.S. plates.

Safety

Tourist areas, beaches and Charlotte Amalie by day are generally fine, but the island has higher crime rates than most Caribbean resort destinations and some neighbourhoods should be avoided, particularly after dark. Stick to lit main streets at night, use taxis rather than walking between areas, and never leave bags in a parked car. Steep roads with sharp bends demand cautious driving. Hurricane season runs June to November.

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