Travel

Travel Note

After Arriving at St Thomas USVI

You must fly into St. Thomas, USVI, as there are no airports on St. John. Upon landing on St. Thomas, USVI, you need to go to the Red Hook ferry terminal on the east end of St. Thomas and take a passenger ferry to Cruz Bay on St. John; unless, you are getting a rental vehicle in St. Thomas, in which case, you will have to take the car barge (also in Red Hook). Red Hook is about 30-40 minutes from the airport. You MUST have cash for the shuttle and the ferry (and the car barge). Tips are custom for the people who help with loading your bags onto the ferry. Here is the website containing rates and schedule for the passenger ferry https://stjohnticketing.com/schedules/ and the car barge https://www.bigredbarge.co/. Key steps: 1. Arrive at St. Thomas Airport: Fly into Cyril E. King Airport (STT) on St. Thomas. 2. Get to Red Hook: From the airport, take a shuttle bus taxi, taxi or rental car to the Red Hook ferry terminal (or car barge) located on the east end of St. Thomas. 3. Take the Ferry (or car barge): Purchase a ferry (or car barge) ticket online to save time or at the Red Hook dock and board a passenger ferry (or car barge) to Cruz Bay, St. John. 4. Arrive on St. John: Once you arrive in Cruz Bay, you can access your accommodation or explore the island from the ferry terminal. Other Options: You can save time with these private taxi options. - Private Water Taxi - https://seahorsevi.com/ - https://dolphinwatertaxi.com/ - Private Taxi - Yogi: (340) 626-5695 - Kerry: (340) 474-1346

Travel Note

Available Villa Rentals

Please let us know if you are interested in booking any of these, so we can get you in touch with the right people quickly! - Angels envy 5 bedroom 5.5 bath 11 ppl - Casa Del sol 4 bedroom 5 bath 8 ppl (Aug 9-16) - Cruz on inn 5 bedroom 5.5 bath 12 ppl (Aug 8-15) - Isla Vista 5 bedroom 4.5 bath 10 ppl (Aug 8-15) - Seacret Garden 2 bedroom 2 bath 4 ppl (Aug 8-15)

Travel Note

Vehicle Rentals

Having your own transportation on St. John will make your vacation much more enjoyable for exploring the beaches and trails of the island's National Park. If you decide to rent a vehicle, which is highly recommended, a 4-wheel drive Jeep/SUV is a must for the island. Do not rent a sedan. The roads on the island are narrow, windy, and hilly. Keep in mind, you drive on the left side of the road, but the steering wheel is still located on the left hand side of the vehicle. We suggest making reservations ASAP, as availability may be limited. We got our rentals from the website provided, but there are other options. You can rent a car in St. Thomas, but if you get your rental in St. Thomas, you must take the car barge instead of the passenger ferry. See below for brief descriptions of the car barge and passenger ferry. Both are cash only. When you make the original car reservation, make sure to take down the name, number, confirmation number and name of the person you spoke with. We recommend reconfirming your reservation a week or so before your arrival to avoid any problems. Also, check what time the rental company closes. CAR BARGE: https://www.bigredbarge.co/ (schedule and rates) You will have to back onto the car barge, so you will need to be comfortable driving on the left-hand side of the road and maneuvering onto the car barge. It is about a 30-40 min drive from the airport to the dock where the car barge in Red Hook. It is approximately a 20 minute ride. You must stay in your vehicle while on the barge. PASSANGER FERRY: https://stjohnticketing.com/schedules/ (schedule and rates) The passenger ferry is a little less stressful, in our opinion. Once you arrive at St. Thomas airport, there will be taxies just outside waiting (CASH ONLY). Let them know you want to go to the Red Hook ferry dock to St. John. It's about a 30-40-minute taxi ride. The taxi will drop you off right at the passenger ferry to St. John. The ferry ride is about 20 mins.

Travel Note

General Courtesies/Packing Tips for the Island

You must respect the National Park. Reef Safe Sunscreen (mineral free) is required. It will available on the island if you do not bring any. The island is very laid back and casual. Nobody dresses up to go out in the evenings. Absolutely no high heels, no coat & tie. Bring comfortable walking shoes if you like to hike. Beach clothes/shoes, swimsuits, sun dresses, a pair of lightweight long pants, a long-sleeved shirt (rashguard), hat, etc. Cover-up when going into grocery stores or walking around the shops. Do not wear your swimsuits without coverups and men, wear a shirt (buttoned up if it has buttons). Be respectful and embrace the local culture and etiquette. When talking with islanders, start conversations with something like 'Good Morning' or 'Good evening'. This is a local custom and can be considered rude if you start a conversation just asking for something without the pleasantries.

Travel Note

Passport

A passport is not required when staying in the USVI and Puerto Rico. If you want to explore the British Virgin Islands on your trip, you must bring your passport.

Travel Note

Water, Electricity, Trash

WATER: People do not drink the tap water on the island. It is not necessarily dangerous, but it is collected from rain water. We recommend buying gallon bottles of water from the store to use for drinking, and the smaller bottles to take to the beach. Don't forget to buy a couple of big bags of ice. ELECTRICITY: Power outages may happen. There will be no running water during power outages, so be sure to buy plenty of bottled water from the grocery store. Power outages usually only happen when they are working on the power lines for one reason or another. They generally last 3-4 hours at most. It is a good idea to bring a solar power phone charger. TRASH: St. John does not provide door-to door trash collection. Throw your bagged garbage in the back of your jeep and drop it off at one of the nearby dumpster bins along the road in Cruz Bay. You can easily do this daily on the way to the grocery store, beach, etc. Daily removal of trash is important to prevent the unpleasant effects of heat as well as deter unwanted pests.