Thank you for making an informative video that is sensitive to local culture and the importance of protecting marine life. It is not a playground , it’s is a home and I hope anyone who visits brings that sense of respect for visiting one’s home to the Virgin Islands
We had such a great time, it's so beautiful there! And I wanted to do my best to give tips that will hopefully make someone's trip better but also might improve the tourist experience for the locals
Great points. Don't go cheap on a rental car, like a small sedan. You'll be sorry. Get a Jeep or a Jeep Renegade like I had there. Made driving the twists and turns fun. Also, found out the hard way that some roads are one way and reverse in the afternoon. That will sober you up. I tried to visit every beach there and I thought Linquist was the best. Lastly, I would recommend bringing your passport anyway. They say you don't need it, then when you get to the customs agent, they give you the 3rd degree for not having it. I think it makes their job easier. P.s, I would recommend staying at an airbnb on a mountain instead of at a resort next to the water. The air/humidity level is totally different up high, makes for a better experience (to me).
Good afternoon! I know this is an old video but I believe that you can help me! Me and my daughter are visiting St Thomas this next may (2024) and I’m very nervous about renting a car….2 women (we are Venezuelan but USA citizens now) First time in the islands…any advice?? Thanks a lot!!! And sorry to bother you
Very good tips. We moved from Ohio to St. Croix almost 2 years ago & researched a bit before we visited the first time (I had previously visited as a child with my parents). Tip 1 is actually VERY important even though it seems small...some of the locals will instantly become not-so-friendly if you do not greet them. Clearly many tourists don't research this or pick up on it while they're here...I can stroll through town & greet people & either get nothing back or "Hi!". Another seemingly small thing...for the ladies, wear a cover-up over your swimsuit when you're not on the beach. Despite all the bits & baubles that might be on display during some of the carnivals (which obviously aren't happening right now due to Covid), strolling around town in your string bikini will not be well received. To clarify Tip 3, drinking & driving is legal here (drunk driving is not...the joke here is that if you see someone swerving, they're sober, if they're driving straight, they're drunk & hitting all the potholes) so you will see plenty of locals drinking while driving (you'll likely also smell plenty of weed too even though it isn't legal).
Thank you! I definitely tried to use the local greetings although it was difficult because of habit! And I couldn't find anything definitive on drinking and driving being legal, but a local told me it was definitely common so I at least wanted to put it in there
Ummm... drinking and driving is illegal and stay in the left side of the road. And I picked up on your subtle condescending “tips”. It’s sad when people cannot simply visit and enjoy as a vacation. But sadly, some people who think like you buy up, send property taxes high and never leave!
@@NewooNewoo some of the beaches are privately owned by people so you can’t walk there but you can get like a kayak or a boat or something and go there through the ocean from another beach and you can still swim there
Good tips Sistren. Bahn and raise here, Rock City... Tip number one is extremely important.. and yeah man, our roads are twisty.. lol great tips.... Nuff Love. Jah Bless.
Thanks for watching! I'm glad you thought my tips were good and we had fun on the roads! We just wanted people to be aware haha. Although maybe they should just take taxis instead if they are afraid of the roads!
Don't forget that most shops and Restaurants in Charlotte Amalie close at 5pm because of the cruise ship schedule and you can get around the island pretty easily and cheaply with the Safari taxis
Great job! I will share this on my villas Facebook pages. Being that I manage two villas, in today's world it is a very smart idea to buy trip insurance. Though life has a way of happening and you might not be able to make your trip, flight cancellations have also become a thing world wide. If you are covered with trip insurance at least you can recoup any possible losses. Safe travels for all and enjoy the USVI! I enjoyed your quick video! :)
Always good to hear advice and insight from people that have been there, I wouldn't have thought about the plane schedules being so close to one another and affecting going through customs, and probably would have thought that a ferry reservation guaranteed you a placement order in line!
The motto is, tomorrow mon. That translates to everything, including your "reservations", and I mean that of all sorts of reservations - you don't need to worry about it now no matter what it is, in other words. If you are the type of person that is late to everything you will fit in down there. My father did, he named his boat Far Niente, which he said meant "without a care."
@@johnphantom far is the short form of fare which means "to do" or "to make", niente means "nothing", so it translates to "do nothing", which we definitely can do without a care. It's a part of the Italian expression (which is talked about in a scene from the movie "Eat, Pray, Love") that includes il (the) and dolce (sweet) and goes "il dolce far niente" meaning "The sweetness of doing nothing".
@@TheAwkwardTourists I was fortunate enough to stay 3 months. I was working with a friend I met in college and he's from STX. It's chill but if you want to have fun you can do that too. Make sue you get food from Loraine's Chicken Shack, so good!!🌴🌞
Apologies since this is three years later, but is it hard to find parking if you rent a car on St. John? Do you have to get to Hawksnest for example before 9:30-10am to have good odds to find open parking spot? Would that be same for all other nearby beaches? Is it pretty easy to find parking at beaches on the Coral Bay side of the island? Looks like the 'safari truck taxis' are $12-individual or $10-if group each way unless those prices have increased..? Was last there in May '01 and there was a tropical depression so out of nine days it rained for four and then finally was clear the last few days but we're seriously thinking about going back. How's early July through August to visit? Hurricane season but if there isn't one then assuming lower crowds and plenty of clear skies and light winds..? Doing cursory searches now and seeing St. John Inn, Inn at Tamardind Court and the Coconut Coast Villas as decently priced options since we're family of five. All the best and thank you for your time.
We did not have issues with parking, but we did arrive at most of our beaches early, and they do fill up quick, as for rain, it's tough to say, you will get less crowds, but more chance of rain....
Loved the Vlogs and Experience that both of Guys had while visiting the Virgin Islands 🇻🇮 Really Authentic, Perfect Tips, and made Me Proud to be from the Virgin Islands...
We moved to St. Croix over 20 years, and I often have to go to St. Thomas for business. Your tips are ON THE MONEY...especially tip #1! Glad you had a great time visiting the USVI, and feel free to come to St. Croix on our next visit...ya' gotta take a trip to the Mount Peilier Domino Hut Club (also called "Normas") for the great atmosphere, food, Mamawanna (a tasty rum-based drink) and of course to see the Beer Drinking Pigs!
Love your video, may I ask you a HUGE question...We want to fly into St. Thomas from California and stay for about 6-7 days, then take ferry with our 2 luggages to St. John and stay for 6-7 days, and then take another ferry to British Virgin Island and stay for another 6-7 days, and when it's over take ferry back, and then fly back to California (round trip, set dates coming back from British Islands). Is that doable? Thanks for your help!
We came off a cruise ship and spent one day at 2 beaches on ST Thomas this month and used a lot of sun screen we purchased in Florida from Costco. No one from the cruise line or beaches said anything about only using mineral sunscreen. However, we did go into a food store to purchase more sunscreen and to our surprise it was $15 to $22 US dollars. We did not buy but know now why the high price.
Love your videos. We are charting a sailboat for our trip over Thanksgiving. First time visiting. Watching your videos is getting me really excited for the trip! Thank you for the tips. The last one will be especially useful to us for this trip! Looking forward to watching more of your videos! Happy traveling!
Good tips. We got to the airport 3 hours before our flight and were in the terminal within 20 minutes. I think we were the only people there for an hour.
Just arrived home from USVI vacation on Water Island and a few days on the beaches around St. Thomas this morning. I totally agree with taxies vs car rentals, the cost of taxis can add up quickly and they only take cash, which was the same for our ferry to Water Island. We were discussing our departure with some other travelers, the recommendation was to allow 3 hours for the airport which didn't make much sense for a small airport, but I highly recommend, especially if you have bags to check or customs to declare. We gave ourselves just over 2 hours, if our flight wasn't delayed 40 minutes it would've been extremely tight.
Thanks for your kind words! We tried to use the local getting when we were there, although sometimes it's hard to remember. But we definitely make an effort!
Be aware that like any place its dangerous to be out drinking at night , never stay out past 12pm! Use the buddy system, don't take rides, use taxis. And the roads are narrow, when wondering around don't make us wait while you endanger everyone, look around please.
I read somewhere that you should carry your birth certificate for getting back through customs if you don't have a passport... Is that necessary or will a USA drivers license suffice?
Looked at renting a Jeep and it was about 800-1000 for the week. Not sure how much cabs are, but seems like it would have to cheaper. Curious about what people who have been there think.
We booked our rental pretty far in advance, and I think that locked in a good price for us. We also were not going in peak season so that might have helped with the rate too. When we arrived they were completely out of cars, so we were really glad we booked ours a ways in advance. I think we paid about $65-70 per day
If we are staying on St. John should I rent a jeep there or rent one in st Thomas and take the ferry? Or should we catch a cab to the passenger ferry and rent the jeep in St. John?
We looked into both options, but ended up renting a truck on St. Thomas and taking it with us on the ferry to st. john. Rental car agencies down there are notorious for running out of cars, so you are not really guaranteed to get a rental even if you have a confirmation. We were originally going to return our car on STT and rent another on STJ but, we liked our truck too much and decided to keep it
@@sareenabaig8751 maybe go to buck island it is really fun you can get on a boat someone wil take you to the the beach there the ride is 20mins and you should go to the docs there there is one where it had food restaurants and the food Is really good and one where you can walk and see sea creatures and turtles are there use an gps to get there!I hope you have fun
No, you don't. You can take a ferry or the seaplane (I'm going this week to work in our office there). Take off from downtown & land at the end of the Christiansted boardwalk.
Not sure if you've already been but we used a gentleman named Nado. He hangs out in front of Sapphire Beach. Really nice guy and drove me, my wife and daughter all over in an open air taxi for about 2.5 hours which is PLENTY of time for $120
I’m going to St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. The roads on St. Croix are not so winding and steep, so renting a regular car is fine. St. Croix is larger and flatter. St. Thomas is very hilly, so I agree about renting a 4x4 vehicle.
This is true, our Island is much flatter but there are a few area like the rain forrest with a lot of potholes where the jeeps do better. Also there are a few beaches that are hard to get to without a jeep or 4 runner because some of the secluded beaches you off road to get there. If you plan to stay on the more popular beaches you should be good. ( I live on St. Croix and we have a toy store in town)
Not sure. I have some friends who live there though, but they live on a sailboat so that probably isn't an accurate representation of what cost of living looks like
We booked a manual transmission but they ended up giving us an Automatic. Automatics are usually more expensive, I think that they ran out of all other cars when we went to pick ours up.
When we went in January, you needed a negative Covid test before visiting the USVI but not when you returned stateside. But that may have changed, you should check official information
You visited St. Thomas and St. John but not St. Croix, the largest of the three. Lots of beaches there, too, as well as the easternmost point in the U.S. (Point Udall) and an installation the Very Long Baseline Array Telescope. You also didn't mention (perhaps didn't know) that it's legal to have an open container in your car and sip while you drive (except in National Parks) though it is NOT legal to be under the influence.
Here's a tip....save your money and go to Hawaii. I lived in both St. John and Maui for years and they are completely different. If you ever traveled to the USVI and liked it, you will for sure have the time of your life and wished you had gone to Hawaii the first time.
@@TheAwkwardTourists Kelly, I think you did a very good job pointing out the things you should know when visiting. I can tell you were holding back a bit. Same with me. Here is the complete story. I will add that most of the indigenous people are quite angry all around in general. They don't have much of an identity because they were treated so awful throughout the last few hundred years with ownership being passed around between the French, Danish and the US while they were enslaved the whole time. It makes sense to me they are this way. It is understandable. Most are super self-righteous and confrontational acting entitled most often. They don't have much patients and even treat each other awful. I discovered a kind landlord that filled me in with priceless advice from day one. I owned a painting business and kept my mouth shut and did the minimal ass kissing as needed so I did not ruffle any feathers. Hawaii is a very different story where all you have to do is respect the locals and the island, and if you are a good person and not the selfish or self centered type, everything just falls into place. Hawaii is good like that. Maui, my favorite, is MAGIC. The aloha spirit is alive and well, even in a pandemic. Now the major difference in my opinion is EVERYTHING. In the USVI the air is hot, humid, dry, stagnant and not the best smelling compared to Hawaii. Even the flowers don't smell as pretty as you'd think. They have a rainy season (winter) that the mosquitoes are so bad it is difficult to enjoy the beach when you can't decide what to apply....sunscreen or bug spray. All three USV islands are kinda dirty and not all that well kept. It is so hot and humid that unless you are going to take two or three showers a day you will get stinky kinda quick. There is not that much air conditioning as you'd think. Some people just stop trying, give up altogether, and with all due respect to my friends I made and the people who were living there, you will have to get used to b o just about everywhere you go. Living in the USVI is like living in a third world county in so many ways I wouldn't know where to start, and you will find yourself saying to yourself, " you have got to be f ing kidding me" so often. It's not easy to live there. I was fortunate to have made a good living working hard and not being lazy the years I lived there, though challenging at times, I made the best of it with some pretty crazy stories to tell. The beaches are not that impressive, not as much "white sand" beaches as you'd think with a lot of sea weed. I will say that the water is a tad more beautiful, but so warm you will have to bring a cold beer in with you just to cool off. It's like going for a dip to cool off but feeling like you are getting into a warm bathtub at home. Just not as refreshing as you would expect. St. John is definitely a sunny place with shady people. Be aware that about 90% of the people who live there drink on a daily basis so much so that they organize their lives around drinking and socializing, and it seems hardly anyone ever gets fired. Crazy. It was a challenge to find employees that were sober and would be willing to work five days in a row. NOW......Hawaii.....on the other hand is truly paradise. The people are so friendly and kind and the islands are so breathtakingly beautiful. The quality of life is so easy to appreciate. The world you discover underwater is quite different where you will find more vibrant colors and more colorful fish. Snorkeling and scuba diving is more beautiful for sure. The air is crisp and clean and the smell is amazing everywhere you go. Not as hot and certainly not as humid with no mosquitoes. It's even beautiful when it rains. The rainbows are pristine, the ocean is a killer deep blue color, flowers are stunning, foliage lush, palm trees are perfect, and the beaches are spotless, sand is soft and of course white. You will wake up every morning saturated with vibrant colors all around and the peaceful sound of mina birds that never gets old. There is something so special about Hawaii that is hard to describe. Like something special in the air that makes the moments so real and alive. There is just an overall spiritual feeling you will experience that is different than anywhere else I have ever lived or traveled to. Maui is the best in my opinion. Granted the most expensive of all the islands but well worth saving up for. Whether you choose to vacation or live in Hawaii, you will for sure appreciate the better choice. Though St. John is considered the most beautiful of the Virgin islands, Maui kicks St. John's butt every time. You very well may prefer going once compared to going to the Caribbean multiple times.
Thank you for making an informative video that is sensitive to local culture and the importance of protecting marine life. It is not a playground , it’s is a home and I hope anyone who visits brings that sense of respect for visiting one’s home to the Virgin Islands
Absolutely! Couldn't agree more.
As a resident of Saint Thomas and real estate agent. I think this video is great and very informative. Thank you for visiting the island. 🏝❤
We had such a great time, it's so beautiful there! And I wanted to do my best to give tips that will hopefully make someone's trip better but also might improve the tourist experience for the locals
I might be interested in looking at some real estate in USVI. May come down in May/June 2021. What firm are you with?
@@TheAwkwardTourists do you find rentals
Where kan I get sum Yk 💨
What's it like living there? What about jobs for RN Nurse?
Your number 1 is big factor.
Manners come a long way in the Virgin Islands 🇻🇮
Thank you for the nice review of our beautiful home.
Thank you for your kind words! We thought the VI were so beautiful 🤩
Don’t forget when you come off the beach and go in public areas like shopping centers and restaurants you need to have on a decent coverup and shoes!
That's a good one, sorry I missed it! I bet tourists have trouble with that one 😑
You should see these tourists in puerto rico. Big Sloppy butt and walking the streets in a thong
@@nesq4104 lol!
Hiiii
@@kenbarnett9415 hi
This was actually helpful!! Not the same stuff everyone else posts! Thank you!!
I'm so glad! Thanks for watching
Great points. Don't go cheap on a rental car, like a small sedan. You'll be sorry. Get a Jeep or a Jeep Renegade like I had there. Made driving the twists and turns fun. Also, found out the hard way that some roads are one way and reverse in the afternoon. That will sober you up. I tried to visit every beach there and I thought Linquist was the best. Lastly, I would recommend bringing your passport anyway. They say you don't need it, then when you get to the customs agent, they give you the 3rd degree for not having it. I think it makes their job easier. P.s, I would recommend staying at an airbnb on a mountain instead of at a resort next to the water. The air/humidity level is totally different up high, makes for a better experience (to me).
What’s a 3rd degree ?
@@klow4008 haha, alot of unnecessary questions.
Good afternoon! I know this is an old video but I believe that you can help me! Me and my daughter are visiting St Thomas this next may (2024) and I’m very nervous about renting a car….2 women (we are Venezuelan but USA citizens now) First time in the islands…any advice?? Thanks a lot!!! And sorry to bother you
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR VISITING US. I'm also appreciate you making this video so that when people visit our beautiful islands they what what to expect.
We had such a wonderful time and can't wait to go back!
These are really great tips, thank you! Definitely not the obvious things you would think about. We really appreciate your insights!
Very good tips. We moved from Ohio to St. Croix almost 2 years ago & researched a bit before we visited the first time (I had previously visited as a child with my parents). Tip 1 is actually VERY important even though it seems small...some of the locals will instantly become not-so-friendly if you do not greet them. Clearly many tourists don't research this or pick up on it while they're here...I can stroll through town & greet people & either get nothing back or "Hi!". Another seemingly small thing...for the ladies, wear a cover-up over your swimsuit when you're not on the beach. Despite all the bits & baubles that might be on display during some of the carnivals (which obviously aren't happening right now due to Covid), strolling around town in your string bikini will not be well received. To clarify Tip 3, drinking & driving is legal here (drunk driving is not...the joke here is that if you see someone swerving, they're sober, if they're driving straight, they're drunk & hitting all the potholes) so you will see plenty of locals drinking while driving (you'll likely also smell plenty of weed too even though it isn't legal).
Thank you! I definitely tried to use the local greetings although it was difficult because of habit! And I couldn't find anything definitive on drinking and driving being legal, but a local told me it was definitely common so I at least wanted to put it in there
Ummm... drinking and driving is illegal and stay in the left side of the road. And I picked up on your subtle condescending “tips”. It’s sad when people cannot simply visit and enjoy as a vacation. But sadly, some people who think like you buy up, send property taxes high and never leave!
Being from the south I have manners down pat and it's rude anywhere to wear beach wear in town . I can't wait to visit in July .
Smiling and saying hello, ought to be a universal habit... Love thy neighbor!
What is the cost of living in St. Croix?
Friendly tip from a local abt the beaches: all the beaches are public but some you can only access by the water
True also why I live, travel and work on boats 🤣
What do you mean?
@@NewooNewoo some of the beaches are privately owned by people so you can’t walk there but you can get like a kayak or a boat or something and go there through the ocean from another beach and you can still swim there
@@sanasouthvlogsss9237 Thank you so much for the clarification!
Heading to USVI in a couple of weeks. Great tips!
Going april 11-16
Going on may 6. 😱😱😱😱
@@Perro_salvaje_ hope you have a great time
Going March 26 - April 3rd
@@kittykat7618 how was your trip? Were you required to test negative to return back to the states?
Good tips Sistren. Bahn and raise here, Rock City... Tip number one is extremely important.. and yeah man, our roads are twisty.. lol great tips.... Nuff Love. Jah Bless.
Thanks for watching! I'm glad you thought my tips were good and we had fun on the roads! We just wanted people to be aware haha. Although maybe they should just take taxis instead if they are afraid of the roads!
Don't forget that most shops and Restaurants in Charlotte Amalie close at 5pm because of the cruise ship schedule and you can get around the island pretty easily and cheaply with the Safari taxis
Good advice! There wasn't any cruise ship traffic when we were there due to Covid, so a lot of those shops were closed up for the season
Great job! I will share this on my villas Facebook pages. Being that I manage two villas, in today's world it is a very smart idea to buy trip insurance. Though life has a way of happening and you might not be able to make your trip, flight cancellations have also become a thing world wide. If you are covered with trip insurance at least you can recoup any possible losses. Safe travels for all and enjoy the USVI! I enjoyed your quick video! :)
Travel insurance is always a good idea!
Thanks on the sunscreen tip, I wish the cruise line would send out a notice !!! going to buy now...
I’m from St.Thomas. Thanks for informing tourists
Perfect, video.
Nice, simple, and informative.
Important facts were named which makes it very helpful for us.
Thank you!🎉
Thank so much
Always good to hear advice and insight from people that have been there, I wouldn't have thought about the plane schedules being so close to one another and affecting going through customs, and probably would have thought that a ferry reservation guaranteed you a placement order in line!
We were surprised about those ones as well
The motto is, tomorrow mon. That translates to everything, including your "reservations", and I mean that of all sorts of reservations - you don't need to worry about it now no matter what it is, in other words. If you are the type of person that is late to everything you will fit in down there. My father did, he named his boat Far Niente, which he said meant "without a care."
@@johnphantom far is the short form of fare which means "to do" or "to make", niente means "nothing", so it translates to "do nothing", which we definitely can do without a care. It's a part of the Italian expression (which is talked about in a scene from the movie "Eat, Pray, Love") that includes il (the) and dolce (sweet) and goes "il dolce far niente" meaning "The sweetness of doing nothing".
I’ve seen the greeting suggestion on several guides now. Thank you. The tip on early departure arrival, noted. It shall be a grand adventure
Glad it was helpful! Have fun!
Been there 6 times from California. The tips are true. The rule when we travel is run light run tight. You will shop!!
Thanks for the tips. Going to St Thomas April 30th.🏖
How’s your trip go? I’m Planning to go soon
I miss St. Croix! Never been to St. Thomas, but I'm sure it's fun too. St. John looks so peaceful! I gotta get back soon!
We need to spend some more time in St. Croix, We were only there for one day on a cruise ship stopover
@@TheAwkwardTourists
I was fortunate enough to stay 3 months. I was working with a friend I met in college and he's from STX. It's chill but if you want to have fun you can do that too. Make sue you get food from Loraine's Chicken Shack, so good!!🌴🌞
Apologies since this is three years later, but is it hard to find parking if you rent a car on St. John? Do you have to get to Hawksnest for example before 9:30-10am to have good odds to find open parking spot? Would that be same for all other nearby beaches? Is it pretty easy to find parking at beaches on the Coral Bay side of the island? Looks like the 'safari truck taxis' are $12-individual or $10-if group each way unless those prices have increased..? Was last there in May '01 and there was a tropical depression so out of nine days it rained for four and then finally was clear the last few days but we're seriously thinking about going back. How's early July through August to visit? Hurricane season but if there isn't one then assuming lower crowds and plenty of clear skies and light winds..? Doing cursory searches now and seeing St. John Inn, Inn at Tamardind Court and the Coconut Coast Villas as decently priced options since we're family of five. All the best and thank you for your time.
We did not have issues with parking, but we did arrive at most of our beaches early, and they do fill up quick, as for rain, it's tough to say, you will get less crowds, but more chance of rain....
Good tips. Short, to-the-point. Practical. Good job you!
Glad it was helpful!
Loved the Vlogs and Experience that both of Guys had while visiting the Virgin Islands 🇻🇮 Really Authentic, Perfect Tips, and made Me Proud to be from the Virgin Islands...
That's so great to hear, thank you! I'm glad the tips are accurate haha
We moved to St. Croix over 20 years, and I often have to go to St. Thomas for business. Your tips are ON THE MONEY...especially tip #1! Glad you had a great time visiting the USVI, and feel free to come to St. Croix on our next visit...ya' gotta take a trip to the Mount Peilier Domino Hut Club (also called "Normas") for the great atmosphere, food, Mamawanna (a tasty rum-based drink) and of course to see the Beer Drinking Pigs!
Thanks for the tips, We would love to visit St. Croix
I live in the Virgin Islands. Thank you for visiting our beautiful Islands.
We loved the islands! Hopefully we'll get to explore St. Croix next time as well
Thanks! The tip about the ferry was awesome.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you as I live on St John and your spot on mostly.
Thank you for your kind words! I will settle for 'mostly' as I only visited once and can still learn lots about your beautiful Islands!
'pants' Dan?
Love your video, may I ask you a HUGE question...We want to fly into St. Thomas from California and stay for about 6-7 days, then take ferry with our 2 luggages to St. John and stay for 6-7 days, and then take another ferry to British Virgin Island and stay for another 6-7 days, and when it's over take ferry back, and then fly back to California (round trip, set dates coming back from British Islands). Is that doable? Thanks for your help!
I think it is Soo cool that people make these types of videos, thanks for the info, this will our first time "outside " the US.
Glad you liked it. Have fun on your trip!
Subscribed! Thank you Kelli! Will be there in April. Can't wait- this was helpful!
Same going end of march! Hope you have a great time
We came off a cruise ship and spent one day at 2 beaches on ST Thomas this month and used a lot of sun screen we purchased in Florida from Costco. No one from the cruise line or beaches said anything about only using mineral sunscreen. However, we did go into a food store to purchase more sunscreen and to our surprise it was $15 to $22 US dollars. We did not buy but know now why the high price.
Can we get some updates on Covid restrictions for 2022 or how would I find out about it?
You should be able to do a quick Google search to find out the most up-to-date info on Covid
I lived on St Thomas for two years, and these are good tips for anyone visiting. Especially number one!!!
Thanks Scott!
Love your videos. We are charting a sailboat for our trip over Thanksgiving. First time visiting. Watching your videos is getting me really excited for the trip! Thank you for the tips. The last one will be especially useful to us for this trip! Looking forward to watching more of your videos! Happy traveling!
Wow, Chartering a sailboat sounds awesome! Jealous of your trip. Exploring USVI by boat is the way to go
Good tips. We got to the airport 3 hours before our flight and were in the terminal within 20 minutes. I think we were the only people there for an hour.
That's awesome! That was definitely not our experience haha
thanks, going in a few weeks very helpful
Same leaving end of march
Just arrived home from USVI vacation on Water Island and a few days on the beaches around St. Thomas this morning. I totally agree with taxies vs car rentals, the cost of taxis can add up quickly and they only take cash, which was the same for our ferry to Water Island. We were discussing our departure with some other travelers, the recommendation was to allow 3 hours for the airport which didn't make much sense for a small airport, but I highly recommend, especially if you have bags to check or customs to declare. We gave ourselves just over 2 hours, if our flight wasn't delayed 40 minutes it would've been extremely tight.
Yeah it doesn't make sense when you first arrive, but once you get to the airport to leave it makes tons of sense!
Thank you! We are going in June!
Have a great time!
I live in Saint Thomas, great video, and for sure hit it with tip number 1, it goes a long way
Thanks for your kind words! We tried to use the local getting when we were there, although sometimes it's hard to remember. But we definitely make an effort!
Thanks for the tips
thank you!!! currently trying to book a trip for 6 adults 3 kids and 2 dogs and im going crazy!!!!!!
Be aware that like any place its dangerous to be out drinking at night , never stay out past 12pm!
Use the buddy system, don't take rides, use taxis. And the roads are narrow, when wondering around don't make us wait while you endanger everyone, look around please.
All great tips for any destination!
The bloopers were great!😄
Glad you like them!
Very good advice, thank you…
Glad it was helpful!
Tips are dead on, especially the car ferry reservations; been going many years & love the USVI's(BVIs also).
Is there anywhere to party on the Virgin Islands, and good tip but I thought you would explain the differences between the islands as well
There are bars in the towns, but It seems like Charolette Amalie would be the only place that has any clubs or any kind of party scene
Going April 15th definitely helpful tips
I’ll be there April 14-17th!!
I read somewhere that you should carry your birth certificate for getting back through customs if you don't have a passport... Is that necessary or will a USA drivers license suffice?
is there a landbase casino there?
Not that I am aware of
So it's illegal to charge $5 per person for Magen bay?
Hi quick q, do u need a COVID test to come back into USA after the trip?
These are the US Virgin Islands, so you never left the US so no test required to fly back to the mainland
I wonder if there's busses
Thank you😊
Have you visited st.Croix? Way less hills and no windy roads.
thank you so muchhh , all your tips were so awesome
Thank you!
Really great and practical tips!! Thanks so much!!
Glad you enjoyed yourself
We loved it! We felt very lucky to have visited when it was less crowded
Do you need to do a covid test coming back to the states?
If you're coming from the USVI, you never left the US so no. Only from another country
THANKS.
Doesn’t the sunblock have to be in a clear quart size bag when flying? And also only 3 oz? 😬😬 I don’t think I’ll be able to bring much. 😟
If you check a bag you can always put it in that. 3 oz is the maximum size for liquids in your carry on (thats where you need the quart bag too)
Plus there is no limit to the NUMBER of 3 oz bottles you can bring!
I’m from st Thomas I go to a school called antilles
Thank you , very helpful ! Was their a curfew ?
No curfew at the time we were there
There's a weekend beach curfew of 5 pm, other than that, no.
Looked at renting a Jeep and it was about 800-1000 for the week. Not sure how much cabs are, but seems like it would have to cheaper. Curious about what people who have been there think.
We booked our rental pretty far in advance, and I think that locked in a good price for us. We also were not going in peak season so that might have helped with the rate too. When we arrived they were completely out of cars, so we were really glad we booked ours a ways in advance. I think we paid about $65-70 per day
Nice video, informative and concise.
Glad you enjoyed it!
If we are staying on St. John should I rent a jeep there or rent one in st Thomas and take the ferry? Or should we catch a cab to the passenger ferry and rent the jeep in St. John?
We looked into both options, but ended up renting a truck on St. Thomas and taking it with us on the ferry to st. john. Rental car agencies down there are notorious for running out of cars, so you are not really guaranteed to get a rental even if you have a confirmation. We were originally going to return our car on STT and rent another on STJ but, we liked our truck too much and decided to keep it
Super informative! Thanks guys, loved this series
Do they use Left hand drive vehicles still on the left hand drive roads? Or are the steering wheels on the right
The steering wheels are on the left, like they are in the States
Going to St Croix/St John in July. I forgot about the sunscreen issue. THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME.
I live in st croix it’s beautiful
@@Melsportalsz I’m going in June!! I’m building an itinerary today, do have any interesting activities to do? I’m with my family of 6
@@sareenabaig8751 maybe go to buck island it is really fun you can get on a boat someone wil take you to the the beach there the ride is 20mins and you should go to the docs there there is one where it had food restaurants and the food Is really good and one where you can walk and see sea creatures and turtles are there use an gps to get there!I hope you have fun
@@Melsportalsz Okay cool thank you so much!! Do you by chance know any good food spots? Something not crazy expensive but still good
Me too I'll be there in July celebrating my birthday
Great tips that are little known. Do you know if you have to go through customs if you are flying to St. Croix?
I would think so, but I don't know for sure. And you'll only go through customs once you leave
No, you don't. You can take a ferry or the seaplane (I'm going this week to work in our office there). Take off from downtown & land at the end of the Christiansted boardwalk.
How is the public transportation?
Or car is must?
Public transportation is not great. There is a bus, but in our opinion a car is a must
We went there a month ago. Everything you said was solo true!!
Sooo. Spell correct!
Anyone has any information on a reliable tour driver ?
Not sure if you've already been but we used a gentleman named Nado. He hangs out in front of Sapphire Beach. Really nice guy and drove me, my wife and daughter all over in an open air taxi for about 2.5 hours which is PLENTY of time for $120
Do you go thru customs again on the ferry? Also can I travel from New Jersey without a passport
No need for a passport, and no customs on the ferry
For a couples vacation what hotels would you recommend in St. John and st Thomas? Do you have a couple favorite hotels?
We stayed in Airbnb's during our trip to St. John and St. Thomas, so not too sure about hotels
Our airline is making us get a Covid test, did you have to have one coming back to the States?
Not from the USVI because it's party of the US. Coming back from an international destination you'll have to get one
Thank you! Great advice
You are so welcome!
Bloopers!!! Love it.
I’m going to St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. The roads on St. Croix are not so winding and steep, so renting a regular car is fine. St. Croix is larger and flatter. St. Thomas is very hilly, so I agree about renting a 4x4 vehicle.
This is true, our Island is much flatter but there are a few area like the rain forrest with a lot of potholes where the jeeps do better. Also there are a few beaches that are hard to get to without a jeep or 4 runner because some of the secluded beaches you off road to get there. If you plan to stay on the more popular beaches you should be good. ( I live on St. Croix and we have a toy store in town)
What time of year is the weather the best?
Peak Season is December to March, weather is in the 70's and 80's during the day and breezy at night. We went in January
Yup tip 5 spot on.
Do u kno how much it cost to live in st thomas permanent i want move there my dream place to live?💜🏝️
Not sure. I have some friends who live there though, but they live on a sailboat so that probably isn't an accurate representation of what cost of living looks like
Yea i was lookin for house but kelly u jus gave me an idea to get a boat im leavnin Atlanta an bags pack st thomas stayin ❤👍🏝️
Wha no love for STX!? CHUPPS! We have 2 rum factory ayo miss out, still a good video thanks for visiting
We didn't visit St. Croix this time but hopefully next time!
Lol I thought the same thing! And don't forget about Divi, the tourists love it there lol #stxnative #cantongirl
Coming from Wisconsin - a tavern on every corner - the VI may feel normal to us. Except the hills & windy roads.
Cheers, where abouts in Wisconsin? I grew up near Milwaukee and now I’m in Oshkosh!
@@Copilotdave Milwaukee itself! Our last place had at least six taverns within 4 blocks.
THANK YOU AWESOME INFO.
Thanks for watching!
It's allowed to fly drones with cameras on US Virgin Islands?
Yes it is
When you rented a vehicle on the island was automatic transmission available or only manual?
We booked a manual transmission but they ended up giving us an Automatic. Automatics are usually more expensive, I think that they ran out of all other cars when we went to pick ours up.
I live in the vi In st croix it’s beautiful
We visited once on a cruise but didn't go during our last trip. We loved it though!
@@TheAwkwardTourists wow I hope you liked it
Amazing thanks babe!!!!
thank you!
Good tips
Thanks!
were is Caro from?
I live you there for a year and I love it down we bought a house in Chocolate bay and is the best place on earth you will not want want to leave 10/10
That's awesome. We have some friends who live on the island. Looks great
Omg I keep redoing my videos due to my accent lol I had to brush it up ha! Great video.
Hey, are you required to take a covid test before you get to the island and before you leave the island if you are a US citizen?
When we went in January, you needed a negative Covid test before visiting the USVI but not when you returned stateside. But that may have changed, you should check official information
Do I need a covid test to return to the states from usvi?
I do not believe you do currently, but be sure to check official websites before your trip as things change so quickly these days
You visited St. Thomas and St. John but not St. Croix, the largest of the three. Lots of beaches there, too, as well as the easternmost point in the U.S. (Point Udall) and an installation the Very Long Baseline Array Telescope. You also didn't mention (perhaps didn't know) that it's legal to have an open container in your car and sip while you drive (except in National Parks) though it is NOT legal to be under the influence.
No, we didn't visit St. Croix this time
Here's a tip....save your money and go to Hawaii. I lived in both St. John and Maui for years and they are completely different. If you ever traveled to the USVI and liked it, you will for sure have the time of your life and wished you had gone to Hawaii the first time.
We've been to Hawaii many times and definitely agree that they're different
@@TheAwkwardTourists Kelly, I think you did a very good job pointing out the things you should know when visiting. I can tell you were holding back a bit. Same with me. Here is the complete story. I will add that most of the indigenous people are quite angry all around in general. They don't have much of an identity because they were treated so awful throughout the last few hundred years with ownership being passed around between the French, Danish and the US while they were enslaved the whole time. It makes sense to me they are this way. It is understandable. Most are super self-righteous and confrontational acting entitled most often. They don't have much patients and even treat each other awful. I discovered a kind landlord that filled me in with priceless advice from day one. I owned a painting business and kept my mouth shut and did the minimal ass kissing as needed so I did not ruffle any feathers. Hawaii is a very different story where all you have to do is respect the locals and the island, and if you are a good person and not the selfish or self centered type, everything just falls into place. Hawaii is good like that. Maui, my favorite, is MAGIC. The aloha spirit is alive and well, even in a pandemic. Now the major difference in my opinion is EVERYTHING. In the USVI the air is hot, humid, dry, stagnant and not the best smelling compared to Hawaii. Even the flowers don't smell as pretty as you'd think. They have a rainy season (winter) that the mosquitoes are so bad it is difficult to enjoy the beach when you can't decide what to apply....sunscreen or bug spray. All three USV islands are kinda dirty and not all that well kept. It is so hot and humid that unless you are going to take two or three showers a day you will get stinky kinda quick. There is not that much air conditioning as you'd think. Some people just stop trying, give up altogether, and with all due respect to my friends I made and the people who were living there, you will have to get used to b o just about everywhere you go. Living in the USVI is like living in a third world county in so many ways I wouldn't know where to start, and you will find yourself saying to yourself, " you have got to be f ing kidding me" so often. It's not easy to live there. I was fortunate to have made a good living working hard and not being lazy the years I lived there, though challenging at times, I made the best of it with some pretty crazy stories to tell. The beaches are not that impressive, not as much "white sand" beaches as you'd think with a lot of sea weed. I will say that the water is a tad more beautiful, but so warm you will have to bring a cold beer in with you just to cool off. It's like going for a dip to cool off but feeling like you are getting into a warm bathtub at home. Just not as refreshing as you would expect. St. John is definitely a sunny place with shady people. Be aware that about 90% of the people who live there drink on a daily basis so much so that they organize their lives around drinking and socializing, and it seems hardly anyone ever gets fired. Crazy. It was a challenge to find employees that were sober and would be willing to work five days in a row. NOW......Hawaii.....on the other hand is truly paradise. The people are so friendly and kind and the islands are so breathtakingly beautiful. The quality of life is so easy to appreciate. The world you discover underwater is quite different where you will find more vibrant colors and more colorful fish. Snorkeling and scuba diving is more beautiful for sure. The air is crisp and clean and the smell is amazing everywhere you go. Not as hot and certainly not as humid with no mosquitoes. It's even beautiful when it rains. The rainbows are pristine, the ocean is a killer deep blue color, flowers are stunning, foliage lush, palm trees are perfect, and the beaches are spotless, sand is soft and of course white. You will wake up every morning saturated with vibrant colors all around and the peaceful sound of mina birds that never gets old. There is something so special about Hawaii that is hard to describe. Like something special in the air that makes the moments so real and alive. There is just an overall spiritual feeling you will experience that is different than anywhere else I have ever lived or traveled to. Maui is the best in my opinion. Granted the most expensive of all the islands but well worth saving up for. Whether you choose to vacation or live in Hawaii, you will for sure appreciate the better choice. Though St. John is considered the most beautiful of the Virgin islands, Maui kicks St. John's butt every time. You very well may prefer going once compared to going to the Caribbean multiple times.
Cool story bro 🙄
Magens bay costs money to enter the beach.
Right... But it's still public. It's not a private beach
the best island is st croix don’t @ me (my mom grew up there and i love it)
Unfortunately we didn't get to visit there this time, we were there in a cruise once and loved it! Definitely plan on going back