Don’t just go to St. Thomas for the cheap duty-free shopping – there are myriad different excursions to take, from sandy beaches to off-road adventures. Here are five of the best:
(Photo: getyourguide.com)
Many people are drawn to St. Thomas just for the cheap duty-free shopping, but that’s a mistake. The biggest of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas is also the most developed, with glitzy malls and restaurants, but it is also home to sweeping white sandy beaches and crystal blue waters, beautiful bays, Jeep adventures and pirate stories. There are many ways to see the best parts of St. Thomas in a day, and even combine a bit of shopping too. Here are the best excursions to take:
Half-Day at Trunk Bay Beach
Think Caribbean and the first thing that probably pops into your head is beaches. This excursion keeps it simple with a pick-up from the cruise ship port (or hotel if staying in St. Thomas) and heads to the pristine waters of Trunk Bay on neighbouring island St. John (there’s a tunnel), voted one of the top ten beaches in the world by Condé Nast Traveler magazine. There you need do nothing more than grab a deckchair – cocktail optional – and a good book and let the Caribbean breeze put you directly into holiday mode. For many, this will be all they need. From € 63.04.
Book at GetYourGuide
Saint Thomas Half-Day Shopping and Sightseeing Tour
(Photo: getyourguide.com)
If you only have a short time in St. Thomas but want to get a feel for the place as well as picking up duty-free bargains, this four-hour excursion mixes shopping with sightseeing. The driver picks you up from your ship or hotel and heads straight to the downtown area of Charlotte Amalie at the heart of the island, pointing you and your shopping bag in the direction of the best duty-free hotspots. Then it’s off to to the Mountain Top observation point for views of neighboring islands including Tortola, St. John, and Jost Van Dyke, and to wonder if the people there also managed to bag name-brand electronics for such a good price. The final stop is the Skyline Drive Lookout and enjoy spectacular views overlooking the Caribbean Sea. From € 52.01.
Book at GetYourGuide
Private Island Tour with a Local Guide
For something a bit more tailored, and for not a lot more money, a local guide will show you the best beaches on St. Thomas, including Magen’s Bay Beach, Coki Beach Resort, and Lindqvist Beach, as well as famous landmarks and, of course, shopping destinations. Choose your own itinerary and a private vehicle for your group whisks you around in comfort. St Thomas is a compact island with everything within a two-hour drive, so during this tour’s four to six hour duration you can fit pretty much everything in. A stop for lunch is made at one of the local recommended restaurants in Downtown Charlotte Amalie, Crown Bay Center, Havensight Mall, Paradise Point, Yacht Haven Grande Shopping Center, and the Red Hook area. If swimming in crystal blue waters and shopping ‘til you drop sounds like the perfect day, this is a perfect excursion. From € 63.36.
Book at GetYourGuide
Snorkeling, Sailing & Beach Catamaran Tour
(Photo: getyourguide.com)
For the more adventurous – or anyone not wanting to join relatives on a shopping excursion – this short four-hour trip is the best way to see coral, shipwrecks, and marine life around St. Thomas. It’s a small group, with only 12 people on the 40-foot catamaran, with drinks and booze included, so has all the ingredients for an amazing day out, or a Duran Duran video. Snorkel among tropical fish, vibrant coral, and grazing sea turtles at Maho Bay or Christmas Cove then relax on the white sandy beaches of Honeymoon Beach on St. John, arguably one of the most beautiful bays in the Virgin Islands. From € 113.47.
Book at GetYourGuide
Full Day Jeep Beach Adventure Two Island Tour, St. Thomas and Water Island
For the adventurous, and deep of pockets, traveller, this excursion takes in some of the wild side of St. Thomas, and I’m not talking about January sales at one of the shopping malls. Led by a local Virgin Islander tour guide, the excursion starts with the historical district of Charlotte Amalie and a clutch of pirate tales that Jack Sparrow would be proud of, then on to an off-road Jeep adventure to the top of Crown Mountain, St. Thomas’s highest point at 1555 feet high over the Caribbean Sea. You’ll also get to see Drake’s Seat, where Sir Francis Drake is said to have climbed during his circumnavigation of the globe in the 1500s, and Magens Bay. The second part of the tour jumps on the Water Island Passenger Ferry for a more secluded beach experience, including an open air safari bus to the beach. It may be a bit too rough and ready for some visitors to the island, but for others it is a great way to see the less-touristy spots. From €537.44 per group (up to 4).
Book at Viator.com