Things to Do in St Thomas, US Virgin Islands

Shop ‘til you drop at the numerous duty-free emporiums and boutiques of Charlotte Amalie or enjoy activities such as sailing, scuba diving, deep-sea fishing or golf.

Shopping – St Thomas is a shopping Mecca, with great duty-free deals on handicrafts and imported goods. The main shopping area is focused around the harbour along Main Street (or Dronningens Gade), Back Street (Vimmelskaft) and the Waterfront Highway (Kyst Vejen), as well as in the myriad of alleyways linking these streets.

Some of the shops occupy former pirate warehouses. The best buys on St Thomas include china, crystal, perfumes, jewellery (especially emeralds), Haitian art, clothing, watches and wooden items.

Golfing –Golf lovers can tee-off from the challenging Mahogany Run Golf Course, an 18-hole par-70 course that rises and falls like a roller coaster as it follows the hilly contours of the coastline. Clubs and shoes are available for hire.

Scuba diving – Beginners can enjoy great diving over coral reefs and along underwater tunnels lined with caves around Buck Island, Cow and Calf Rocks at the southeast end of St Thomas, a 45-minute boat ride from Charlotte Amalie. Wreck dives include the coral encrusted Cartanser Sr, the WIT Shoal and the Major General Rogers, home to myriad of rainbow-hued resident fish.

Experienced divers may prefer to dive the more exposed sheer rock pinnacles at Sail Rock and French Cap Pinnacle, a favourite hangout for lobsters and green and hawksbill turtles.

Game fishing – Hook up a charter to catch blue marlin, tuna, barracuda, bone fish, king fish, mackerel and tarpon. The USVI offers a great selection of boats and experienced skippers in waters that hold 19 world records for deep-sea game/sports fishing, including eight for blue marlin. The best fishing in St Thomas waters is from June through October.

Sailing – Charter a yacht to explore the islands any time of year or join the International Rolex Regatta in March. The marinas in Red Hook and in Charlotte Amalie offer a selection of bare-boat and crewed yachts for day cruises or longer.