St. Thomas

St. Thomas is one of three US Virgin Islands, and Charlotte Amalie, its capital, wraps around a protected harbour where cruise ships dock within walking distance of the town. The waterfront is lined with jewellery and liquor shops in old Danish colonial warehouses, and the duty-free shopping draws large crowds on busy port days. The town climbs steeply uphill from the harbour, with pastel-painted houses, stone staircases, and views over the bay. Magens Bay, about 20 minutes by taxi from the port, has a long crescent of white sand with calm, shallow water. Red Hook, on the east end, is the ferry point for St. John and the British Virgin Islands. Blackbeard's Castle and the 99 Steps, a steep staircase built by the Danes in the 1700s, are walkable from the port. The currency is the US dollar, and no passport is needed for US citizens.