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St. John: Postcard of the Caribbean

St. John, in the American Virgin Islands is where you visit to take it easy and enjoy the naturally relaxed, scenic beauty of a Caribbean island. Like the people that inhabit this 20-square mile island, St. John's main motif is relaxation, and taking life as it comes. The beautiful beaches will give you ample opportunity to soak up some "down island" sun. Or let your taste buds choose your itinerary as you decide between hiking, swimming, snorkeling, snuba diving, scuba diving, horseback riding, shopping, or seeing some of the island's many sights.

If the island has a calling card, it must be stamped with one of the island's beautiful beaches. The pristine white sand and crystal clear water look like a postcard for Nature Herself. (In fact, the beaches in St. John have been the subject of countless postcards and advertisements.) Every beach on the island is excellent. All you have to decide is how many other beachgoers you want to be around during your visit. If seclusion is your desire, take a hike to Salomon Bay Beach, a long stretch of sand connected to the Lind Point Trail. Round a bend on the north shore road, and you are startled at how close to the road Maho Bay Beach sits. Park wherever you can on the shoulder and bring the kids to this beach with shallow water sitting in a picturesque crescent shape bay. If you are new to snorkeling, but want to give it a go, head to Trunk Bay. Part of the National Park System, Trunk Bay has an underwater trail complete with submerged directional arrows pointing the way. A little known beach sits just past Trunk Bay. Look for the small parking lot that only holds three cars. Cross the street, and follow the wooden stairs down to Jumbie Bay. Off a beaten path on Coral Bay, a five minute walk down a trail leads to Salt Pond Beach where excellent snorkeling and hiking await the adventurous. The beach is usually secluded and has picnic tables and BBQ pits.

Over two thirds of St. John is managed by the Virgin Islands National Park Service. Hikers will appreciate the more than 20 trails that twist through the park, and lead to hidden beaches and many other points of interest. The trails range from ½ mile easy walks to 2.2 mile rugged hikes. The Lind Point Trail is a 1.1 mile moderate route that leads to gorgeous Salomon and Honeymoon Beaches. More adventurous hikers will want to visit Reef Bay Trail, probably the most popular of the island's hikes. The path starts atop Bordeaux Mountain, the highest point on St. John. During the descent to nearby Cruz Bay, the trail passes the ruins of four of the island's sugar plantations. Off of the Reef Bay Trail, a fork leads you to Petroglyphs Trail, which leads to a small waterfall and passes Petroglyphs of unknown origins.

The island's center is Cruz Bay, where most of the permanent inhabitants of the island live. Cruz Bay is a great place to take in some local nightlife, or to rent a charter boat that will carry you to outlying islands. The restaurants in town highlight the island's West African heritage. Make sure you grab some conch at one of the street vendor kiosks. Cruz Bay is also a fun place to go to sample the local shopping wares. High brow art galleries, local craftsmen, and chic boutiques line the streets giving shoppers ample opportunity to part with some income.

St. John is part beach paradise and part untouched wilderness. The people here pride themselves on living in a community that cares about keeping the island's growth in check. The National Park protects and maintains most of the island, and industry's loss is a vacationer's gain. Come see this natural post card!