I am currently visiting St. Thomas (part of the U.S. Virgin Islands) as a guest of the lovely Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa (340-777-7100). I arrived last night and have spent a fun-filled day today exploring the resort and enjoying its many amenities and activities.One great thing about this resort is that it is all-inclusive and offers all of the services and amenities you could ask for, including a private beach, tennis courts, multiple swimming pools, an incredible ocean view (overlooking St. John and Tortola), several restaurants, a casino, a day spa, a putt-putt golf course, and a supervised kids' club.
At the resort's private beach/pool area, you'll find all kinds of water-based activities (most of which are included), such as snorkeling, sail boats, and paddle boats. Jet skis and scuba diving are available, but for an additional fee.
The Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa here in St. Thomas operates as a traditional resort hotel (you can pay by the night), but I'd recommend taking advantage of the all-inclusive option during your stay. Not only will this help you manage trip costs, it also offers convenience and significant savings (all-you-can-eat meals are included).
St. Thomas is a Caribbean island, 32-square-miles in size. It's part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, which is comprised of 50+ islands located about 40 miles west of Puerto Rico (1,100 miles southeast from Miami and 1,500 miles from New York City).
While vacationers feel like they're visiting a foreign country that's tropical and exotic, St. Thomas is an English speaking island which is considered a self-governing unincorporated U.S. territory. In other words, the U.S. dollar is accepted here and American citizens do not need a U.S. Passport to visit.
In addition to its tropical location, the weather is what attracts many vacationers here. Throughout the year, the average temperature is in the 80s. The peak season to visit St. Thomas is between November and June, however, it offers a great weekend getaway throughout the year. Multiple major U.S. airlines (including U.S. Airways, American Airlines and United Airlines) fly from popular U.S. cities directly to St. Thomas, so getting here is easy.
Plus, St. Thomas offers plenty of duty-free shopping, so if you're looking to purchase jewelry for a designer watch, for example, this is a great place to come for a bargain. During the peak season, multiple cruise ships dock here on a daily basis. However, many of the resorts and hotels, including the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa, are located on the opposite side of the island (about a 20 to 30 minute taxi ride away).
The Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa is an ideal vacation destination for families, since the resort is very kid and teen friendly. However, this resort also caters to people wishing to have a memorable destination wedding or honeymoon. Wedding and honeymoon planners are on-site, since the resort hosts over 100 weddings per year.
If you're looking to visit the Caribbean, St. Thomas offers something for everyone, plus it's affordable and easy to get to. (Anyone with a U.S. cell phone will have full-service here, without having to pay international roaming charges. Plus, high-speed Internet access is readily available.)
When you're planning a visit to St. Thomas, be sure to experience some of the water-based activities - whether you opt for jet skiing, motor boating, parasailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing or sailing. These activities can be coordinated through the resorts and hotels. There are also a handful of attractions worth visiting, such as Coral World (a small but interesting marine life park), and the St. Thomas Skyride (which offers an amazing view of the island).
If you're not a certified scuba diver, but wish to see incredible underwater marine life, consider experiencing BOSS (Breathing Observation Submersible Scooters), which are available on St. Thomas in the Havensight and Crown Bay areas (340-777-3549 / www.bossusvi.com). These are personal underwater motor scooters which you literally drive along the ocean floor. No diving or swimming experience is necessary. The experience is truly unique and is much more exciting than snorkeling. Check out the company's website for details about this very unique and fun activity. By the way, St. Thomas offers amazing snorkeling and scuba diving, even for people who have never tried these activities.
For more information about St. Thomas, visit the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism's website at www.usvitourism.vi or call (800) 372-USVI.
Below are some photos from my visit to St. Thomas...
All images (c)2009 Jason R. Rich. All rights reserved.
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