The US Virgin Islands are located just to the right of Puerto Rico. Start planning today. St. Thomas and St. John are both part of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Find all the transport options for your trip from Florida to Virgin Islands right here. The British Virgin Islands (BVI) are made up of 4 larger islands; Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada, and 32 smaller islands. Miami International Airport - Cyril E. King Airport 1107 Miles 1781 Kilometers 962 Nautical miles 2 h 35 min Flight duration 1 h Time difference 157 kg Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. Many clear into Bequia instead of St. Vincent on the way south. The island is 7 miles long by 3 miles wide. Often referred to as "The People Ferry", this is the cheapest, easiest, most popular, and shortest route from St. Thomas to Cruz Bay. Copyright 2023 ImproveSailing.com At least theres are no land and reefs around to hit like there is on the Thorny Parth. ', 'Should I book online before I travel? Explore the grottoes, arches, and chain of tidal pools formed by eroded rocks along the beach. [8] The first congregation was the St. Thomas Reformed Church, which was established in 1660 and was associated with the Dutch Reformed Church. Free WIFI! There's no right way or wrong way to cruise the Caribbean, but if you plan, you can see a lot no matter how you choose to sail it. Copyright 2023 ImproveSailing.com Thanks! In 1917, Saint Thomas was purchased (along with Saint Croix and Saint John) by the United States for $25 million in gold ($529 million today),[18] as part of a defensive strategy to maintain control over the Caribbean and the Panama Canal during the First World War. St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands has been revitalized in recent years. William has been sailing and owning boats for over twenty years. The United States Virgin Islands is the only place under United States jurisdiction where the rule of the road is to drive on the left. Water Island is 2 miles long and to 1 mile wide. Despite a high crime rate, St. Thomas has plenty of beaches, safe tourist areas, hotels, and resorts where visitors are rarely affected by violent crime. That's where you find most of the small island nations and territories you can sail between in less than a day. . . We could spend several more years and have a different experience, since we we only saw a fraction of what there was to see. Routes between the ABCs are included for completeness, as it is possible to charter there and a stop on the way across to Panama is common. If you want to learn how to make your sailing dream reality within a year, leave your email and I'll send you free updates. Connect with travelers that are planning vacations right here, right now. Two of the three islands (St. Thomas and St. John) are in close proximity and can potentially be done in the same trip. It takes 0.2 hours to arrive. I don't like spam - I will only send helpful content. Blue Ocean Transport specializes in shipping vehicles between U.S. mainland and St. Thomas and St. Croix, Virgin Islands. These distances assume coast-hopping from one end of the island to a different departure point, which we almost always did. Some will sail south to the Dominican Republic into Lupern, then work their way across to coast of the Dominican Republic. 2018 Toyota RAV4 - North Miami, FL to St. Thomas, VI. St. Thomas is a safe destination for your next Caribbean vacation. The cheapest month to fly is February. And if you have time, you can make the Thorny Path the journey and destination. Do you want to earn money to write on our website? St. Thomas and its nearby . Every two weeks leaving on a Sunday at 1:00pm, there is a fast ferry between Fajardo in Puerto Rico and St. John and St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands. When talking about moving between islands, cruisers will often use the phrases up island and down island. On St. Thomas, life tends to move at a slower pace than on the mainland. Accessible through Cyril E. King Airport (STT), the 32 square mile island is full of hills and cobblestone streets, with the most popular being the picturesque 99 Steps. "St. Thomas" is among the most recognisable instrumentals in the repertoire of American jazz tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins based on a traditional calypso sung to him by his mother, Valborg Solomon Rollins, who was born on Saint Thomas. [10] The first slave ships arrived in 1673, and St. Thomas became a slave market. Thanks. Locals throughout the USVI speak English and the currency used is the U.S. dollar. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for US COVER FIRST AIR MAIL FLIGHT FAM 6 ST THOMAS VIRGIN ISLANDS at the best online prices at eBay! Gift shops and restaurants are also on site. Rome2rio makes travelling from Florida to Virgin Islands easy. Scooters are also an excellent way to get around the island. To get times going the other way, just use the reverse route to your departure point. However, you can take the line 112 bus to E 25 St & 11 Av Hialeah, take the walk to Metrorail Transfer Station, take the train to Miami Airport Station, take the walk to Airport Station, take the tram to Miami Intl Airport Ground Level, take the walk to Miami airport, fly to Beef Island, take the walk to Beef Island Airport, take the ferry to Peter Island, then take the ferry to Virgin Islands. So how might you sail the Caribbean, and what are the distances and times involved? St. John encompasses 20 square miles of beautiful scenery. Your exact time may vary depending on wind speeds. Airlines that fly to St. Thomas (STT) You have several options for which airline you choose to travel with to St. Thomas. The continued export of sugar was threatened by hurricanes, drought, and American competition. So it's best to wait for better conditions, and even motor sail on dead days or over night to avoid taking a beating off shore. In Dominica's two major cruising ports, organized and helpful "boat boys will greet you. Ease into a conversation instead of jumping right in with a request by asking how the persons day is going, but avoid getting too personal too quickly. This assumes an average flight speed for a commercial airliner of 500 mph, which is equivalent to 805 km/h or 434 knots. A direct flight to Saint Thomas Island will take on average 2h 37m to travel the 1107 miles flying distance from Fort Lauderdale. The best time to visit the U.S. Virgin Islands is December through March, as the weather is drier and you can enjoy blue skies most of the time. From St. Thomas, you can take the public ferry from either Red Hook or Charlotte Amalie to St. John. However, because the islands are a U.S. territory, most cars are imported from the mainland United States and therefore the steering column is located on the left side of the vehicle. But where to go and when? In the middle of the island are miles of beautiful beaches, rolling pasture lands and beautiful land. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. By proceeding, you accept the use of cookies in accordance with our, Fly from Miami (MIA) to Beef Island (EIS), Take the ferry from Peter Island to Cruz Bay, St John. Just tell us the best email address to send your tips to: Improve Sailing In 1691, the town was renamed to Charlotte Amalie after Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (16501714), queen consort to King Christian V of Denmark-Norway. Cheap plane tickets may be available from different airlines at different times and with unique terms. Planning your vacation to St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John and Water Island will be a lot easier with this great packet of magazines and booklets. [26], Magens Bay as seen from Drake's Seat, St. Thomas. Names of the regions in the Caribbean can be a bit confusing at first glance, as there are several names to describe regions, and some of them overlap, are sub regions of others, or cover the same areas. My partner and I are looking to take 6months off work and Sail around the Caribbean. Hi, I'm Shawn, and when I was 2 years old, I was sailing (with my parents) on the English Channel during a proper storm (and by proper I mean something along the lines of force 10). The options include taking a passenger ferry, car barge, water taxi, boat charter, or term yacht charter. Things to Do in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 1. Le Marin is the most popular port for cruising and charter yachts. It established the Beracha Veshalom Vegmiluth Hasadim, the second oldest synagogue in the United States. Many people get to Georgetown and stop, because the trades get more insistent and the stops further apart. Your email address will not be published. To give you a sense of why and how you might plan your sailing itineraries. Despite natural disasters such as Hurricane Hugo (1989), Hurricanes Luis and Marilyn (1995), and Hurricanes Irma and Maria (2017) the island's infrastructure continues to improve as the flow of visitors continues. . Small boutique hotels, resorts and private villas abound on the island. Privacy Policy, Improve Sailing helps you to make your sailing dream actionable, by writing in-depth articles on practical questions. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket? Because you're sailing way offshore, I-65 is considerably longer than the Thorny Path on a straight line basis. There are relatively no flat areas on St. Thomas. The Straight Line Air Flying Distance from Key West Florida United States to St Thomas U S Virgin Islands1157.6 milesor 1862.97 km Flight time: 3 hours and 23 minutesNon-Stop flight time Along with surrounding minor islands, it is one of three county-equivalents in the USVI. It's vague, but it's a common way to discuss plans, especially when they aren't settled. There are too many islands to make a "travel time" table like you'd find in a road atlas with every island to every island. It also adds an extra 30 minutes for take-off and landing. Since 2012 he's been cruising the world with his wife and living aboard full time. So when a cruiser in St. Martin may tell you he's heading "down island" next month, he's planning somewhere south, probably St. Barts, St. Kitts, Statia, or Antigua. Although St. John's is a major port, it's not a small boat friendly harbor. To get a sense of the thorniness of crossing this stretch of water, take a closer look at where this route goes through the Bahamas. Your trip begins in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. For those looking for an accessible tropical destination with warm climate to sit at a pool or on a sandy beach, St Thomas offers an ideal landing spot. Although these connecting flights sacrifice some convenience, on average, travelers save 20%-60% when they choose to fly multi-stop versus a direct flight. Dont rush things have patience and consider your time here as a chance to relax and enjoy a nice breather. Thirteen of the 14-member territorial board officials met by way of a teleconference between St. Thomas and St. Croix. It is on the southern shore at the head of Saint Thomas Harbor. Provide locals with respect and try not to be patronizing or condescending. You're sailing east before you're affected by the southeasterly trades, and if you hit the trades before 65W, you've gone too far south. More than two thirds of the island is protected by the National Park Service. St. Croix is 84 square miles in size, 22 miles long and the widest point is a little more than 6 miles. When browsing for deals, the options you'll see will be for both nonstop flights and flights with stops. The main shopping areas include downtown Charlotte Amalie and around the Havensight dock. Prices were available within the past 7 days and start at $108 for one-way flights and $196 for round trip, for the period specified. Taxis are readily available and there are also drivers that run dollar rides via safaris. A safari is a truck thats been outfitted with bench seating in the back. Passenger ships dock and anchor in Long Bay, near Charlotte Amalie. Or if you're a full-time cruiser, a lifestyle. St. John , Water Island is the smallest populated island of USVI group. As far as islands to hit on the way down, most people making the passage work their way through the Bahamas and the Turks & Caicos, past Puerto Rico and the Spanish Virgins before ending in St. Thomas or one of the other USVI's . [yearneeded]. Coki Beach is a beach on the island Saint Thomas, United States Virgin Islands, located in the Caribbean. The Roques Archipelago is one of the more popular spots, but check current conditions before planning a visit. VIRGIN ISLANDS to ST. LUCIA 1929 LINDBERGH Flown FAM6 . There are 214+ hotels available in Virgin Islands. However, the Danes did resettle St. Thomas in 1671, under the sponsorship of the Glueckstadt Co., later the Danish West India Company. August has the highest average high of 32.3C (90.1F), with July, August and September all having the highest average low at 25.6C (78.1F). Great Location. The waters of St. John are among the most pristine and unspoiled in the Caribbean, so be sure to bring a mask and snorkel. Protected by Hassel Island, the harbor has docking and fueling facilities, machine shops, and shipyards and was a U.S. submarine base until 1966. It is currently 2:44 AM in Florida and 3:44 AM in Virgin Islands. The islands are not known for great facilities for visiting yachts, though the sailing there is lovely. Ships dock at Havensight Pier. Maybe a follow up article on the options returning from virgins or points south back to Florida or other ports along the east coast? St. Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and with the islands of Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island the newest of the four Islands to comprise the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), an unincorporated territory of the United States. It sees less traffic because it's a long trip there and back, with a lot of upwind. St. Thomas is part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, an unincorporated territory of the United States, which means that US citizens can travel there without a passport just as they would when traveling between states in the mainland.