American Virgin Islands. US Virgin Islands: history, geography, science and culture. When to plan a trip

A US territory on the western part of the islands of the same name in the West Indies. Consist of 68 islands, most of which are uninhabited. The total area is 355 km2, the population is 123.5 thousand people. (est. 2002). Administrative center- Charlotte Amalie (11 thousand people, estimate 2000) on the island of St. Thomas. Official language- English. National holiday- Transfer day (from Denmark to USA) March 27th. Currency unit- U.S. dollar. Associate member of ECLAC.

Sights of the US Virgin Islands

Geography of the US Virgin Islands

Located between 17°30′ and 18°40′ north latitude and 64°35′ and 65°15′ west longitude, they occupy the northwestern part of the Lesser Antilles. Washed Atlantic Ocean in the north and the Caribbean Sea in the south. Length coastline- 188 km. The largest islands (km2): Santa Cruz (Saint Croix) (212), St. Thomas (82), St. John (48) - volcanic in origin, prone to earthquakes. The terrain is hilly, the most high point- Crown Mountain (474 ​​m) on the island of St. Thomas. Small islands are of coral origin, flat. The climate is tropical, winter temperatures +22-28°C, summer temperatures +26-31°C. The annual precipitation level is 1120 mm. Rainy season from May to November. Tropical storms are possible from July to October. Surface water sources on three large islands. Redwood and sumac forests remain on 6% of the area. On the island of Saint John - national park, occupying 2/3 of its territory.

Population of the US Virgin Islands

Annual natural increase 1.0% (2002 estimate), birth rate 15.9%, mortality 5.6%, infant mortality 9.2 people. per 1000 newborns. Average life expectancy is 78.4 years, incl. women - 82.5, men - 74.6. Population aged 0-14 years - 26.7%, 15-64 years - 64.2%, 65 years and older - 9.1%. There are 100 women for every 87 men. Literacy among adults is 95%. Natives of the US Virgin Islands make up 49% of the population, other West Indian countries and territories - 32%, USA - 13%, Puerto Rico - 4%, others (mostly Latin Americans and Europeans) - 2%. By race, 78% of the population is black, 10% is white, 12% is mulatto. Over 20% of residents use Spanish in everyday life. Almost half of the residents are on St. Croix, St. 45% - in St. Thomas. By religion - 2/3 are Protestants, incl. 42% Baptists, 34% Catholics.

History of the US Virgin Islands

The Arawak Indian tribes settled in the US Virgin Islands in the 1st century. BC. In the 15th century AD supplanted by the Caribs. The islands were discovered by the expedition of H. Columbus in 1493. In 1555 the Spaniards took possession of them. The first settlements were founded by the English and French on St. Croix in 1625, after which it belonged at various times to the French, English, Dutch and the Order of Malta. The Danes colonized St. Thomas in 1672 and St. John in 1683 and bought St. Croix in 1733. In 1754 the islands were declared a colony of the Danish West Indies. In 1801-02 and 1807-15 they were under British control. Before the abolition of slavery in 1848, 28 thousand slaves were imported. In 1917, the islands, which control the main route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Panama Canal, were purchased by the United States for $25 million. Until 1931, the US Virgin Islands were administered by the Department of the Navy, after which supervisory functions were transferred to the Department of the Interior. In 1954 local self-government was introduced and the Senate was created. Since 1970, the appointed governor began to be elected by the population.

Government and political system of the American Virgin Islands

Under the Constitution, which is the Revised Organic Act of 1954, the US Virgin Islands have the status of an unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the Department of the Interior. Local natives have American citizenship, but do not take part in presidential elections. The head of state is the President of the United States. The head of government is the governor, elected by universal suffrage for a term of 4 years (since 1999, C. W. Turnbal, re-elected in 2002 for a second term). Limited legislative functions are performed by the Senate of 15 members, elected once every 2 years. Decisions made by the Senate are subject to mandatory approval by the governor. Since 1973, the US Virgin Islands has elected one non-voting member to the US House of Representatives. There are local branches of the US Democratic and Republican parties, the Movement of Independent Citizens, created in 1970. The Democratic Party has been ruling since 1999, and includes the governor and member of the US House of Representatives from the US Virgin Islands. In the 2002 elections, it increased representation in the local Senate from 6 to 8 members.

Economy of the US Virgin Islands

GDP based on the purchasing power of currencies in 2000 was estimated at $1.8 billion. Inflation is consistently below 3%. Employment in 2002 - 49 thousand people, of which in the service sector - approx. 80% of the economically active population (in tourism - about 70%), in agriculture - 1%, the rest - in industry and construction. Since the 1960s There is a restructuring of the economic structure, traditionally based on the sugar industry and the production of rum. The basis of the economy is tourism, which creates St. 70% of GDP. Annual number of tourists approx. 2 million people, St. 2/3 - cruise. The maximum figure - 2.5 million - was registered in 2000. The bulk of tourists are from the USA. The majority of industrial enterprises are concentrated on Santa Cruz, incl. largest oil refinery in the Western Hemisphere with a capacity of 550 thousand barrels. per day. There is an alumina plant, watches are assembled from imported components, electronic devices, plastics, medicines, woolen clothing, and rum are produced. Since 1993, manufactured products manufactured in the US Virgin Islands can be labeled as “made in the USA.” Agricultural land is occupied by approx. 20% of the territory, cultivation of sorghum, root crops, vegetables and fruits for domestic needs, on Santa Cruz - breeding of Senopol cattle, adapted to tropical conditions. Length highways 856 km. The largest ports are Christiansted, Frederiksted (Santa Cruz), Charlotte Amalie, Cruz Bay (Saint John). Ferry service inter-island and with the British Virgin Islands. Airports on St. Thomas and St. Croix. Telephoned to St. 90% of houses. Foreign trade turnover is at the level of 3-3.5 billion dollars, up to 90% comes from the USA and Puerto Rico. GDP production, calculated by purchasing power, per capita in 2002 amounted to 19 thousand dollars. Hiring and payment of labor are carried out in accordance with US labor laws. In 2001, the minimum wage in the public sector (27% of employees) was $15 thousand per year. Almost all residents have their own homes. Almost 4/5 of families have personal cars.

Science and culture of the US Virgin Islands

Universally compulsory and free education for children aged 5 to 16.5 years. There are 24 public primary and 10 secondary schools with 9.9 thousand and 8.2 thousand students respectively (2002/03). 22 private schools with 12 thousand students. Higher education is offered at the University of Virginia, with campuses in St. Croix and St. Thomas. All forms of education covered 2.5 thousand students. There are 3 daily newspapers and a weekly published on St. Croix, and a weekly on St. Thomas. 16 radio stations and 2 television stations. In Charlotte Amalie - National and architectural museums, in Christiansted - Danish Museum.

Part of the Virgin Islands is a British overseas territory, and the other part is an unincorporated organized territory of the United States.

Official symbols of the territory

Flag– consists of a simplified image on a white panel of the Great Seal of the United States between the letters V and I (denoting Virgin Islands). The proportions of the sides of the flag are not determined. The eagle holds a laurel branch in one paw and three arrows in the other, representing the three main islands: St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. The colors of the flag symbolize different natural features Virgin Islands: yellow (flowers), green (hills), white (clouds) and blue (water). The flag was created by artist Percival Sparks at the request of the American governor of the islands, Eli Kitel. The flag was adopted on May 17, 1921.

Coat of arms– seal of the US Virgin Islands. It is an emblem with three main islands. On the sides is the inscription "Government of the United States Virgin Islands."

Political structure of the territory

Form of government- US possession.
Head of the territory- President of the United States, represented by a governor elected for a 4-year term. Residents of the territory do not have the right to participate in US presidential elections, but can participate in the primary elections of presidential candidates from the US Democratic and Republican parties.
Capital and The largest city – Charlotte Amalie.
Official language- English. Spanish, French, etc. are used.
Territory– 346.36 km².
Administrative division– 3 districts, which are divided into 20 districts.
Population– 106,405 people. Blacks make up 76.2% of the population, whites 13.1%, mulattoes 3.5%.
Religion– Baptists 42%, Catholics 34%, etc.
Currency- U.S. dollar.
Economy– based mainly on tourism. The islands are visited annually by more than 2 million tourists. Industry: oil refining (St. Croix is ​​home to one of the world's largest oil refineries), rum production, textiles, pharmaceuticals, assembly electronic devices and hours. Agriculture is poorly developed; most food products are imported. Sugar cane, citrus fruits, and vegetables are grown.

Nature

The US Virgin Islands are a group of islands located 60 km east of Puerto Rico. The largest islands are St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. The rest of the territory is made up of many small islands.
The islands have a hilly topography and are composed mainly of limestone.
The climate is tropical, trade wind, hot and humid with two dry seasons. Hurricanes and earthquakes are frequent. Although it happens on the territory a large number of precipitation, the problem of water supply was acute before the installation of desalination plants. Rainwater was collected in tanks. There are no rivers or lakes.

Vegetation cover and animal world The islands have been largely destroyed by people. Remnants of evergreen rainforest remain mainly on the island of St. John, two-thirds of which is a national park. On the island of St. Thomas there are open forests and bushes on the site of former plantations. sea ​​waters The islands are rich in fish, crustaceans and molluscs.

Sights of the US Virgin Islands

St. Thomas Island

Magens Bay beach on the island
The territory's capital, the port of Charlotte Amalie, is located on the island. About 52 thousand people live on the island, which is 48.5% of the total population of the US Virgin Islands.

The attractions of the island are Fort Christian, built in 1672 to protect Charlotte Amalie from pirates and European armies. It houses the Virgin Islands Museum; cable car And Observation deck Paradise Point with views of the island and its surroundings; the Coral World marine observatory with aquariums and an underwater observation tower; "Blackbeard's Castle"

Coral World Marine Observatory

Feeding the turtles
The marine park is designed on an open water system - through each of the exhibits and back into the ocean. 21 small tanks display ocean life in the Caribbean: sharks, rays, turtles, starfish, etc. The underwater observatory provides an opportunity to see marine life in its natural form. Coral World was discovered in 1970.

"Blackbeard's Castle"

Built in 1679 by the Danes as a watchtower to protect the harbor, like Fort Christian. The tower served as an observation post to detect enemy ships, while Fort Christian was located at sea level and was ideal place to repel an attack. It is unknown in what year the tower began to be called that, but Edward Teach, the famous pirate nicknamed “Blackbeard,” used the tower as an observation post for his pirate purposes.

City of Charlotte Amalie

The capital and largest city of the US Virgin Islands. Population 19 thousand people. Tourist centre where they often stop cruise ships, resort.

Saint John Island

The smallest but richest of the territory's islands. Its area is 50.79 km²; population 4170 people Biggest locality on the island of Cruz Bay, where 2,706 people live. The island can only be reached by sea.
The island has historical Museum and library, ruins of the Annaberg plantation, Arawak petroglyphs, archaeological excavations.

City of Cruz Bay

Virgin Islands National Park

Located in the central part of the island of Saint John. Created in 1956. Area 59 km². The park is famous good places for diving and tropical forest.

One of the most famous attractions in the park isTrunk Bay beachwith whites sandy beaches and an underwater path.

Santa Cruz Island

The largest of the US Virgin Islands. Its area is 214.66 km², its population is more than 50 thousand people. The largest settlement on the island is Christiansted, home to 2,626 people.

Christiansted- an example of colonial urban planning in the US Virgin Islands. The city was built in the 18th-19th centuries.

Buck Island Reef

Natural monument (protected part of the reef). Created in 1961. Located northwest of Santa Cruz Island. By diving you can explore a clearly visible underwater trail at the eastern end of the reef. This is one of three underwater trails in the United States. There are signs along the trail giving information about the marine life that is native to the area. Two-thirds of the island is surrounded by a reef of six-rayed corals; this is a unique ecosystem where there are more than 250 species of fish and other inhabitants of the water area.

Story

The first inhabitants of the Virgin Islands were the Siboneans, Caribs and Arawaks. In 1493, the islands were discovered by Christopher Columbus.
In 1625, English and French colonists settled on the islands and began farming. Then the islands were successively owned by England, Spain, France and the Order of Malta. In 1666, Denmark took possession of the island of St. Thomas, then it captured the island of St. John, and in 1733 it bought the island of St. Croix from France. The Danes hoped to establish a plantation economy on St. Thomas, but this venture was not successful due to the low fertility of the land, and the island became one of the centers of trade in rum and slaves. The port of St. Thomas became a base for pirates. St. Croix had more fertile land, and after the transition to Denmark, about 200 sugar cane plantations were established there.
By the beginning of the 20th century. Sugar production on St. Croix fell into decline, and the islands of the Danish West Indies were sold to the United States in 1917.

A group of islands located in the northeast Caribbean Sea, marked on the world map as the Virgin Islands. After his memorable journey, H. Columbus marked the Virgin Islands on the map. Now the world map shows that this island group is located east of. Today, these islands are one of the most cozy corners of the world, where both single tourists and families with children flock.

Panoramic view to the British Virgin Islands

The Virgin Islands belong to two countries: Great Britain and the USA. Therefore, to visit them, you will need or.

The British Virgin Islands are made up of sixty elements. Tortola is considered the largest island.

Location of the Virgin Islands on the world map

As the name suggests, the main ruler in this beautiful corner of the world is one country - Great Britain. It is for this reason that the culture of the inhabitants of these islands reflects many of the customs and traditions of the British.

When to plan a trip

The British Virgin Islands always welcome tourists, but the most attractive time to visit is considered to be the winter-spring off-season. A person who wants to not only swim in the gentle waters of the Caribbean Sea, but also have fun, should come to the Virgin Islands in December - April.

It is important to take into account that this period is considered the real peak of the influx of vacationers, therefore the prices are not democratic.

Detailed map Virgin Islands, showing all islands

So, if you want to save money and relax in a calm environment, then you need to go to the Virgin Islands in May - August.

Attractions

The British Virgin Islands have many interesting natural attractions. The richest in this regard should be called the city of Road Town and the island of Tortola.

The most notable place here is the island of Tortola. Translated from Spanish, the name of the island sounds like “Land of the Turtle Dove.” Tortola is the largest island in this group. The nature of the island is very romantic and picturesque. “Purely English” green hills harmoniously combine with ancient volcanoes, cozy coves and pristine bays. North Tortola is incredibly attractive for a beach holiday.

Hotel on the Caribbean Sea in the Virgin Islands

The sand here is surprisingly soft, white and clean. South Tortola is famous for its valleys and somewhat gloomy shores. There are also many luxurious places for a relaxing holiday. The coral sand here has volcanic origin.
According to tourists coming to the Virgin Islands, a place like Tortola is great for meditative or romantic getaway.

In Road Town, tourists will be pleased with the abundance of various shops, boutiques and restaurants, where for very little money you can have a good time and buy both souvenirs and clothes.

In the vicinity of the city you can admire the ancient chapel and Thornton Plantation. In Carrot Bay you can find a huge collection of sea shells, among which you can often find the most unusual and bizarre specimens. You can go on an eco-walk at Sage Mountain National Park.

Panoramic view of Sage Mountain National Park

Nutrition

The British Virgin Islands have a fairly rich cuisine, in the truest sense of the word. Here you can find a “potpourri” from a variety of world culinary trends.

You can have a good and inexpensive lunch, while also enjoying excellent service, in any corner of this place. Restaurants and cafes serve both classic and island dishes, which are a crazy but incredibly tasty mixture of Caribbean flavor and European restraint.

Grocery stand in the Virgin Islands

Sports recreation

The British Virgin Islands are also extremely popular among fans of sports recreation. There are many schools of yachting, diving and windsurfing here.

The British Virgin Islands are not only a paradise for fans of active and passive recreation, but also a recognized offshore background. It is here that there is a wide range of international financial services.
Thus, an offshore zone allows you to invest in the economy, accumulate construction savings and protect your assets.
The offshore background is relevant because in the current, hyper-variable economic conditions, the need for strict control over one’s capital increases. In the British Virgin Islands, a person can be sure that he will be able to save significantly on taxes and maintain his business assets outside his country of residence.

The British Virgin Islands are economically stable. The standard of living here is considered the highest among other countries in this region. The offshore sector ensures an uninterrupted flow of finance into the state treasury. Thanks to this, the unemployment rate here is extremely low.

Against this background, the crime rate is also quite low and there are almost no violent crimes. It is important to note that the British Virgin Islands considers nicotine abuse to be a serious offence. in public places.

American dream

The US Virgin Islands were discovered by H. Columbus at the end of the fifteenth century. Over the years, this corner of the world passed to a variety of owners, and only at the dawn of the twentieth century the United States bought the islands.

The US Virgin Islands are rightfully considered a real paradise for tourists of all stripes. You can have a great rest here either in splendid isolation or with your family or a noisy group. It is not advisable to visit the Virgin Islands in July - October, since the likelihood of hurricanes is very high.

Natural conditions

The US Virgin Islands boast more than six dozen reefs and diverse islands. The fauna here today is, unfortunately, very poor.

What to visit

The US Virgin Islands are rich in historical and natural attractions. Thus, on the island of St. Thomas, vacationers are attracted by Fort Kristjan. Particular attention should be paid here to Blackburn Castle and the ancient market square. Climbing Mount St Peter Greathouse, you can visit the luxurious botanical gardens and distilleries. You can buy many interesting gifts in numerous souvenir shops.

Connoisseurs of marine fauna will probably be interested in visiting Coki Bay.

It is there that there is an aquarium with a wide variety of tropical animals. The one who values ​​the most beach holiday, should pay attention to Christiansted, cozy town, which still retains the medieval Danish spirit. Here you can visit local beaches and enjoy a wonderful holiday.

The Virgin Islands have many real natural pearls. One of these gems is the small island of Buck. It is uninhabited and attracts all lovers of exciting adventures.

LJ user naz-saparova writes in her blog: The great discoverer Christopher Columbus was at sea for a very long time on his ship “Maria Galante” in search of new lands for the Spanish crown and new discoveries for humanity. He was sick, tired and really needed care and affection. He began to see women everywhere. So in November 1493, while plowing the expanses of the Caribbean Sea, he saw a lush woman lazily reclining on the horizon. "Virgin gorda!" - Columbus rejoiced, putting on his ceremonial uniform. Coming closer, Khristoforushka found only beautiful island, with its huge round granite boulders huddled on the shore, resembling a female silhouette. Having not slurped saltily, Columbus sailed on, and the island received the name Virgin Gorda - Fat Virgin.

1. An archipelago in the Caribbean of 60 stunning islands with white beaches, secret caves, turquoise water and emerald forests today is called the Virgin Islands.

2. But in Russian they are called Virgin Islands, which is not entirely reliable, so the whole meaning of the name of these paradise islands is lost. They are truly virgin - and the idyll of pristine nature has been preserved to this day.

3.The Virgin Islands are divided by affiliation: British and American. Today I invite you to plunge with me into the fabulous atmosphere of the British Virgin Islands. It is an overseas dependent territory of Great Britain: local residents are British citizens, but local currency- U.S. We will visit Tortola and that Fat Virgin - Virgin Gorda.

4. Tortola is not much different from an ordinary Caribbean island - the same colored houses, many kilometers long snow-white beaches, palm trees, leisurely life. Ordinary paradise. Relaxing under a gentle breeze, on gentle white sands with a rolling turquoise wave, in the company of friendly islanders and nimble iguanas, it is difficult to imagine that this is where smugglers hid and formidable pirates lurked and raided rich merchant ships. Dangerous islands have turned into places of comfort and safe holiday. Crime rates are the lowest in the Western Hemisphere, and violent crime is virtually uncommon.

9. Reuters published a list of the best Caribbean islands that have not suffered from the influx of travelers. Second place went to the most beautiful green Island Virgin Gorda, which can only be reached by water. Ready? Then - all aboard!

13.Welcome to Virgin Gorda!

14. The island stretches out as a strip of land between two manifestations of one element: the raging Atlantic Ocean on one side and the smooth surface of the Caribbean Sea on the other. And the island itself is not uniform. Its northeast was born of an underwater volcano, the rocky slopes of which have formed numerous ledges, reefs, capes, peninsulas protruding far into the sea.

15. We will take a walk with you in The Baths National Park, which received its name because of the numerous pools hidden in caves. This is a very unique natural structure. Huge boulders are piled on top of each other on snow-white sand framed by spreading palm trees and form entire labyrinths of secluded caves, grottoes, and tunnels. The high tide from the Caribbean Sea floods the holes and ravines - this is how all these mysterious pools of sea water are formed. Hundreds of giant boulders and rocks have been eroded by water and rain, which is why the slopes are smooth. In such labyrinths you can wander for hours, swim, climb and discover more and more hidden places.

28.You can wander through the caves for hours; in some places it becomes completely dark, chilly and scary.

31.But here the stones part and you can see the bright horizon of the sea and clouds.

39. Life on the islands is calm and serene, so here you can spend hours wandering along the countless beaches, admiring the picturesque landscapes.

But you can not only splash in the water and sunbathe in the sun on these paradise islands- The British Virgin Islands are number one among all known offshores and tax havens in the world. The number of registered companies on the islands has exceeded 700 thousand, while the population of the islands is only about 30 thousand people. It turns out that for every resident there are 23 companies.

This offshore jurisdiction is currently one of the most frequently used by Russian entrepreneurs. Companies registered in the British Virgin Islands are not subject to taxation, and companies are not required to file annual returns. Information about the company's shareholders and beneficiaries is protected by law, and a closed register of shareholders and directors is maintained. In this case, this information can be disclosed only by court decision.
That's why among Russian companies who do not hide the fact that they are real giants conducting their business through offshore companies in the British Virgin Islands Russian business: Alfa Group by Mikhail Fridman and Peter Aven (Alfa Bank, Alfa Insurance, TNK-BP, Megafon, VimpelCom, commercial network"Pyaterochka") is registered to companies from Gibraltar, Luxembourg, the British Virgin Islands and the Netherlands. Oleg Deripaska’s “Basic Element” (RUSAL, GAZ Group, Ingosstrakh) is registered to a company from the island of Jersey, which, in turn, belongs to a company from the British Virgin Islands, Sergei Polonsky’s “Mirax Group” is registered to Dutch and Virginia offshore companies. Offshore jurisdictions can support the shadow economy as part of the money laundering process. This is such a successful combination of business and leisure - the islands attract attention with their reliability and stability, high level of financial and environmental security.

But let’s not talk more about the economy, we are not going to the British Virgin Islands to launder money, but to get to know new places. Next time we will visit the US Virgin Islands.

Where the emerald wave of the Atlantic hospitably extends its arms to the blue waves of the Caribbean Sea, the Virgin Islands are scattered like grains framed in corals, some of which with total area about three hundred and fifty square meters belongs to the United States. About sixty islands, most of them uninhabited, were discovered by Columbus at the end of the fifteenth century. And only in the middle of the seventeenth, the first colonists arrived here - the British and French, who became the founders of the first settlements. Since then, whoever owned the islands - the Spaniards and the French, the British and the Order of Malta.

But perhaps the most significant owner for the Virgin Islands was Denmark, which at the end of the eighteenth century declared them its colony. During his ownership, one of the largest islands, St. Thomas, became a center of slave trade, and the sugar plantations of St. John, processed by thousands of black slaves, brought huge profits to Denmark. Only at the beginning of the twentieth century the islands were sold to the United States for an amount of $25 million.

A century has passed since then, which has decisively changed the way of life of the population of the islands, who became the descendants of those 28 thousand black slaves brought here by the Danes. At the same time, the external attractiveness of the Virgin Islands has not suffered, despite the fact that it has been located here for more than fifty years military base USA.

The humid tropical climate of the islands determines best time for a trip calling the peak tourist season– from January to April. Although for those who prefer snorkeling (from English snorkeling) - scuba diving with a mask and snorkel, the best time is the beginning of summer, when there are almost no storms, and hotels are much cheaper. This independent type of diving involves swimming and diving to shallow depths and does not require serious training or expensive equipment, therefore it is a constant success among tourists of all ages.

However, every tourist who comes to the islands finds something special for themselves that cannot be found anywhere else. Someone will freeze in admiration at the sight of beautiful beaches, and will take with them the warmth of a gilded tan and spicy aroma Atlantic, someone will rest their soul in the solitude of the bays, surrounded the purest corals. Some people will be enthusiastic about virgin tropical forests. And some will like the original music, cuisine and culture of the people who warmly and hospitably welcome tourists in the Virgin Islands. The chic of hotels and the comfort of small hotels, an abundance of wonderful restaurants and world-class shopping will satisfy the needs of the most demanding tourists.

And certainly everyone will enjoy the original, vibrant festivals and holidays. The fireworks sensation from the colorful St. Thomas Carnival at the end of April, filled with masquerade processions and dance competitions, smoothly transitions into the June festival on St. John with a week of parades and various celebrations for Independence Day. And also unforgettable experience from the two-week Carp festival on St. Croix, from the international Rolex regatta, which gathers yachtsmen in St. Thomas... And nowhere else will you be able to see dancing fairy-tale heroes and lots of Santa Clauses at Summer Christmas! The islanders consider the most important official holiday to be March 31 - the day when the Virgin Islands were transferred to the United States by Denmark.

Take with you the feeling of a holiday and the delight of the picturesque National Park, which occupies most of the island of St. John, see the Cruzan wineries and bring friends a gift - the rum of extraordinary taste that made St. Croix famous. The coral reefs of tiny Buck, the huge aquarium of Kok and Bay, and the Huim sugar plantations on St. Croix can not only enrich you with knowledge of the history of the islands and development, but also leave you with a sense of involvement in the events of centuries ago.

By the way, Santa Cruz is famous not only for diving and snorkeling, rum and festival processions for the famous Carambola Golf Club, which was designed by Robert Trent Jones. It is here that the annual LPGA Golf Tournament is held, attracting crowds of fans of the sport from all over the world.

But there is also a charm in those islands that are sparsely populated. When did Reuters publish the rating? Caribbean Islands, which suffered least from civilization, was named St. John. Its comfortable sloping banks, amazing sunsets, comfort, security and silence, occasionally broken by coconuts falling from the trees, will bring pleasure to everyone who decides to come here For have a relaxing holiday away from the bustle of the city.