I spent many days on Navy business in STX from 1996 to 2000. Sometimes we
'd be there as long as three weeks at a stretch. We stayed in places like
the Tamarind Reef hotel and the Carambola resort, both at different ends of
the island. Our work place was in Frederiksted.
I assume you will pull into Christiansted, and it really has the most
development. Frederiksted is where the cruise ships pulled in and put most
of their passengers on buses to get out of there because F-sted was not such
a nice place. The locals set up street-side shops under covers and
occasionally would drum up a street fest for the ship's passengers. I have
seen a stray cruising sailboat anchored of F-sted near the fun waterfront
bar north of town. Back when we were there F-sted was fine in daylight, but
not a place to hang out after dark. I would not wander off the beaten path
in C-sted at night either. But being in St Thomas, you probably already
know these common sense precautions.
We enjoyed a number of restaurants in C-sted like Tutu Bene's and even
wandered out into the country to the eastward to Cheeseburger in Paradise
(you need a ca for that). We rented cars when we arrived at the airport.
There a lots of touristy shops in C-sted. Prices may vary with cruise ship
presence.
Nearby the Tamarind Reef is a fine marina nearby cut into the island, and we
were able to rent kayaks and snorkeling gear to run out to the nearby islet.
There was a sailing catamaran tour out of the marina to the JFK underwater
national site at an island several miles to the east where we swam around
with the manta ray that entertains itself by surprising unsuspecting
snorkelers like my wife by swimming by right under them.
There was a casino way out in the middle of nowhere near the eastern end of
the island.
The famous beer-drinking pig at the bar way up in the rain forest on the
peak overlooking F-sted died of liver failure many years ago, but the owner
was still feeding a pig cans of alcohol-free beer to entertain patron in
2000.
Rich Gano
Calypso (1972 Grand Banks 42)
Panama City, FL
I spent many days on Navy business in STX from 1996 to 2000. Sometimes we
'd be there as long as three weeks at a stretch. We stayed in places like
the Tamarind Reef hotel and the Carambola resort, both at different ends of
the island. Our work place was in Frederiksted.
I assume you will pull into Christiansted, and it really has the most
development. Frederiksted is where the cruise ships pulled in and put most
of their passengers on buses to get out of there because F-sted was not such
a nice place. The locals set up street-side shops under covers and
occasionally would drum up a street fest for the ship's passengers. I have
seen a stray cruising sailboat anchored of F-sted near the fun waterfront
bar north of town. Back when we were there F-sted was fine in daylight, but
not a place to hang out after dark. I would not wander off the beaten path
in C-sted at night either. But being in St Thomas, you probably already
know these common sense precautions.
We enjoyed a number of restaurants in C-sted like Tutu Bene's and even
wandered out into the country to the eastward to Cheeseburger in Paradise
(you need a ca for that). We rented cars when we arrived at the airport.
There a lots of touristy shops in C-sted. Prices may vary with cruise ship
presence.
Nearby the Tamarind Reef is a fine marina nearby cut into the island, and we
were able to rent kayaks and snorkeling gear to run out to the nearby islet.
There was a sailing catamaran tour out of the marina to the JFK underwater
national site at an island several miles to the east where we swam around
with the manta ray that entertains itself by surprising unsuspecting
snorkelers like my wife by swimming by right under them.
There was a casino way out in the middle of nowhere near the eastern end of
the island.
The famous beer-drinking pig at the bar way up in the rain forest on the
peak overlooking F-sted died of liver failure many years ago, but the owner
was still feeding a pig cans of alcohol-free beer to entertain patron in
2000.
Rich Gano
Calypso (1972 Grand Banks 42)
Panama City, FL
