St. Croix

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St. Croix: Garden of the Virgin Islands

An April 2002 trip to St. Croix by whimsy

The Pink FancyMore Photos

Five days in St. Croix; two young women, not a lot of money, but a lot of adventure.

  • 8 reviews
  • 8 photos

St. Croix: Garden of the Virgin IslandsBest of IgoUgo

Overview

Late Afternoon Silhouette
Best of all for non-divers: Buck Island and ocean kayaking in Salt River Bay.

Quick Tips:

If you're a beach person, get a car and drive to the more remote beaches. My favorites were Sandy Point (open only Sat and Sun) and Buck Island (25-min boat ride from Christiansted). Start your vacation off with a "Safari Tour" -- or the equivalent -- where a local taxi driver gives you the tour and stops at a few good sites. If you can, combine St. Croix with a trip to St. Thomas or St. John (sadly, we didn't have time).

Best Way To Get Around:

If you're there for several days, stay in Christiansted. Most places will give you rides, and cabs are pretty affordable, so you only need to rent a car (they drive on the left!) for two days, tops.

The Pink FancyBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

The Pink Fancy
The Pink Fancy is, well, pink. The owners, David and Motasem, have taken a beautiful old building and refurbished it into a very comfortable, unique b&b. You can hang out by the beautiful pool, eat David's delicious rum cake, and enjoy the company of Sally and Peanut (canine "guest services managers" -- very well trained and never near the guestrooms). It's two blocks from the boardwalk, although the area is a bit run-down in spots post-Hurricane Hugo. Be warned: most places in STX have tile floors (it's cooler), which sometimes feel a bit dirty.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by whimsy on May 9, 2002

The Pink Fancy
27 Prince Street St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

SavantBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Savant's"

The best meal we had in St. Croix was a Savant's. It's a newer restaurant, and already very popular. They serve a mixture of Caribbean, Thai, and Mexican cuisine -- all of which are done beautifully. Food on the island is pretty expensive, but Savant's was one of our cheapest dinners, despite its quality. Service was laidback but responsive, and the food was amazing. (We had the Red Thai Curry and the "Famous" Fajitas.) Get the rum cake (made by a local woman for Savant's) for dessert; there is nothing better on all of St. Croix.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by whimsy on May 9, 2002

Savant
4C Hospital St Christiansted, St. Croix 00820
+1 340 713 8666

Dorado Hotel & RestaurantBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Dorado Inn"

This was an adventure. We picked this place from a island guide, not realizing it was a pay-to-be-included thing. The good news? The food is terrific. The owners are husband and wife, and the wife makes her own hot sauce (VERY spicy but with a lot of terrific flavor) and fruit punch (worth the high price) -- and all the food. Our fish entrees were great (but forgo the potatoes and get the rice and beans). The bad news? It's a dive. When two young women walked in, the entire place was confused. It's the hangout for the local middle-aged men who need cheap beer, and it's not the cleanest place I've seen either. The owner kept a close eye on us, as if he was worried about our safety. We came because the guide said to try the flan; we left without even asking just to get home sooner. I'd recommend coming here for lunch, not dinner -- but the food *is* good.
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by whimsy on May 10, 2002

Dorado Hotel & Restaurant
17 Company St St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
(1-340) 692-5188

St. George's Botanical GardensBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Mill Ruins
We stopped here as part of our "Safari Tour," and got a tour courtesy of our guide. I'm not sure if you can get a tour otherwise, but do it if you can. Still, the gardens are beautiful, so you'd enjoy it either way -- as long as you like wandering through a profusion of flowers. It's beautiful, tropical, and historical. I especially liked the converted mill ruins -- some intentionally, some naturally overtaken with flowers and plants.



Give yourself up to an hour for this. Drop by as part of a safari tour, or make your own safari tour by driving here on the same day as the Cruzan Rum Distillery and the Whim Plantation. Admission is less than $5.

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by whimsy on May 13, 2002

Caribbean Adventure ToursBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Caribbean Adventure Kayaking (Salt River Bay)"

If you get the chance, DO THIS. It's an incredible chance to learn about the island's ecosystems, history, and people -- and to see some beautiful scenery (and if you're lucky, an iguana or two). The kayaking is in a sheltered bay, and our guides, Andy and Nancy, made sure we were comfortable with the basics before heading out. We had "unusually rough" waters b/c of the wind, but out of the eight in our group, no one had a problem. (And they make frequent stops for resting.) Nancy and Andy both know immense amounts of information about the island, and they're just plain nice too. Wear sunscreen, and bring both your ecofriendly sensibilities and your camera.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by whimsy on May 10, 2002

Caribbean Adventure Tours
Route 80 (North Shore Road) Kingshill, St. Croix 00851
+1 340 778 1522

Buck Island Reef National MonumentBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Buck Island"

Buck Island
No need to scuba here. The water is pretty shallow, and you can see all sorts of amazing sealife from the surface. We went with MileMark Tours (captained by Earl, crewed by Marcus) as part of our hotel package. The boat ride is short (~30 min), and then Marcus led us through one of the underwater trails. That's right, trails -- this is (as far as I know) the only totally underwater national park with underwater trails. We had some time to explore the reef on our own (tropical fish galore, moray eels, and Caribbean lobster). (Warning: to those who get sea sick, the boat anchors at sea for this. Spend the time in the water, not the boat, and you'll be fine.) After that, they took us ashore to explore the most beautiful beach I may have ever seen. The sand is soft and white, but the water is so perfect that I didn't bother spending time on the beach.

We only went for a half-day, but there are many full-day tours -- and it would be well worth it to pack a lunch and spend your day there. But be sure to bring everything you need; it's a national park, and all it has is nature -- no facilities except what's on the boat.

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by whimsy on May 10, 2002

Buck Island Reef National Monument
Buck Island Christiansted, St. Croix 00820
+1 340 773 1460

Divi Carina Bay CasinoBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Divi Casino"

Divi Casino
Divi is newer and supposedly the only casino in the Virgin Islands (or maybe the USVI?). It's connected to a resort with a nice beach.

This is a TINY casino, but it was fun for an evening. The tables are mostly $15 minimum, but they have at least one $5 blackjack table and plenty of nickel slots. The whole thing is in one big room (cold -- bring a jacket or wear pants), and it seems the patrons are mostly locals. The live entertainment at the "showroom" is visible from most of the room. If you want food, there's a very low-scale counter to one side. Edible and largely affordable for island prices, but nothing spectacular.

To get there: Take a cab for $15 (if you're going in the evening, reserve ahead of time or pick one up in downtown Christiansted), or try and catch their free shuttle. We took a cab there, and the shuttle back. Warning: The shuttle runs on island time.

  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by whimsy on May 10, 2002

Divi Carina Bay Casino
Route 60 (Southshore Road) Turner Hole, St. Croix 00820
+1 340 773 9700; +1

About the Writer

whimsy
whimsy
Somerville, Massachusetts

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