Related St. John Favorites Tips

Favorite thing: I will list some helpful web links here.

List of resturants and off season schedules:
St John Spice

St. John and USVI Newspapers:
on-st john
tradewinds newspaper

Forums and Blogs:
see st john
vi online

Virgin Island ferries:
ferry schedule on BVI.com
USVINET Ferry Schedule
stjohnusvi.com ferry schedule

Favorite thing: St. John can be expensive. If you do a little prep work you can make it as affordable as a trip to any other island destination in the caribbean.

Airfare is the first major expense. If you keep your eyes open you can find reduced fares. Spirit airlines runs specials Spirit Airline. Spirit Air is a discount air carrier. I have read some complaints and some glowing testimonials for them. My advice on any air ticket is to fly direct to STT from the US mainland instead of stopping in SJU. I like San Juan, but it adds time and expense to your trip.

Next big expense is your accomodations. I prefer villas on StJ to the couple of luxury hotels on the island. You can find "deals" there also. During off season or shoulder season you can find a house to live in for less than $100 per person per night for a couple. You have to have an idea of what you are looking for when deal shopping for a villa. I like the VRBO and HomeAway websites. Be cautious when dealing direct with an owner though. I have heard horror stories about last minute cancellations on the owners part. You can use a management company to find and book a villa but some will tack on as much as a 5% fee. Multiple camping options are available, sometimes camping costs can rival the per person cost for a villa though. With camping though, you get waterfront accomodations.

Eating on StJ can be "expensive". If you dine out, you will find your food and drink bill equal to your villa bill. We bring some essentials with us and our first stop is at the Starfish Market for groceries and drinks. Expect to pay 10% - 40% more for groceries on island. Alcohol is about the only thing you will find a bargain on StJ. Rum can actually be cheaper than water. If you are renting a jeep on STT, you could stop on STT for groceries before taking the car ferry over. I read that groceries are considerably less expensive than on StJ.

You can get by without a car rental if you planned your villa right. You will have to use public transport (ViTran) which is not altogether reliable, hitchhike (which is common) or just walk. Jeep rental is of comparable cost to the mainland ~$360 per week off season.

My last trip to StJ cost about $700 per person per week. (two couples sharing some expenses.) I have been shopping for another trip for my wife and I and it breaks down to about $1000 per person per week.
No matter what I end up paying, I have never regretted a trip to St. John.

Fondest memory: The beaches, the snorkeling, the hiking trails, the views to the British Virgin Islands, the people.

Favorite thing: A nice placve to visit, especially if you have kids, Annaberg Plantation and Estate
check the WEB site:

http://www.usvitourism.vi/en/welcome/Multimedia_Gallery.html

and

http://www.stjohnbeachguide.com/Annaberg.htm

for additional sites of interest on all three US Virgin Islands.

Favorite thing: Trunk Bay beach was the only beach I visited on St. John, but it was absolutely beautiful! I think it is high on the list of most beautiful beaches in the world, and I could see why! It wasn't too crowded, so it seemed like a great beach to go and just relax on.

Fondest memory: I had my first snorkeling experience here on St. John, and it was much fun, but we didn't see a whole lot of fish, so it may not be the ideal place to snorkel if you're really hoping to see lots of different types of beautiful fish.

Also, I just used a disposable underwater camera to take pictures, so you probably need a better camera to get some really good underwater pictures.

Favorite thing: This was a great place to snorkel. Water boots needed here, since the beach is rocky. We were there to see the starfish that are supposed to be there everywhere, however while going around the cay, we went to a school of jelly fish, what made us scared so we had to swim back. We were supposed to go back, but a flat tire made us go back to St. Thomas earlier as planned.

Favorite thing: Beautiful clear waters and nice white sand has made Trunk Bay one of the most popular beaches among visitors. Very famous for its underwater snorkeling trail, however not the best snorkeling place. The corals were partially destroyed and not too many fishes. Interesting only for the trail. You can rent snorkel gear on the beach. Trunk Bay is a National Park Beach and there is an admission charge from 8am-4pm of $4.

Favorite thing: The water at Hawknest is clear and inviting. This beach has good parking and is easily accessed from the road. Hawknest is a National Park Beach. There is a covered picnic area on the beach. The beach is lined with sea grape trees, which is perfect for getting a little shade

Favorite thing: Here is another beautiful shot of what you will see underwater in Trunk Bay. Enjoy your time there!