Hello, I'm going to St. Croix in August. I was wondering if anyone had any comments on the island or the Hotel Caravelle. <BR> <BR>Also, do you know anything about day-trips between St. Croix and BVI? It looks like I'll have to go through St. Thomas to get there. I'm wondering if it's even possible to plan a round trip in a day. <BR> <BR>If you've been to St. Croix, is there anything you experienced that you wouldn't miss? <BR> <BR>Thanks, --Kerry

I used to live in St. Croix so it has a special place in my heart. The one thing you should not miss is going out ot Buck Island. There are quite a few companies that run half and whole day trips. Off the shore of this little island is the only underwater national monument. There is a marked snorkeling trail that is great fun. You might like to ride horseback through the rain forest and see the place where Columbus landed in 1493. You can visit Whim Plantation which is a restored sugar plantation near Fredericksted. I went to St. Thomas by sea plane, and I believe that you do not have to go through St. Thomas to visit Tortola in the BVI. If you have never done it the sea plane is a great time.

St.Croix is in my opinion, the best of the virgins. It isn't all hustle bustle-traffic-up town like STT, and it isn't all national parks like STJ. It is a perfect mix between the two. Up town just enough and deserted just enough. The shopping in Christianstad is great, and I agree, don't miss Buck Island. However, if you have a choice between a morning trip and an afternoon one, take the morning one. The light is much better and the magnificent coral shows up better as well as the fishies.

<BR>I lived in St. Croix also and used to like to spend the whole day on Buck Island-a couple of hours at the snorkeling trail and the rest of the day on the beach-have some lunch(bring your own)a few drinks, and a real nice sail back to C'sted in the afternoon. If your're at Whim Great House and like plants, go down the road to the Botanical Gardens-it's a good diversion for a few hours. <BR>Try contacting the Division Of Tourism in N.Y.City(800 number) they might be able to tell about service between St. Croix and the B.V.I. <BR> <BR> <BR>

Kerri; I agree with the Buck Island trip. The snorkeling is nice and with a reputable guide, its even better. Tour the "rain forest" and definately, definately, rent a 4-wheeled vehicle to tour the island. I still remember stumbling upon a bamboo-walled bar in the middle of the rain forest, and had one of the best conversations with a local environmentalist there. He told me about all the problems with the drought the island had due to Hurricanes changing the weather patterns, and identified all the flora on the island for me. Afterwards, my wife and I fed a huge pig a can of beer!! Yes, it chugged the whole can down in two seconds. There are nice beaches for snorkeling, in addition to the Buck Island, so take a high-quality mask, fin and snorkel. Feel free to email me if you have any specific questions. The town of Christiansted was well worth visiting. We stayed at the Hibiscus Beach Hotel, which had a neat beach. Bob

Hi there, <BR> <BR>Thanks for the responses. Now if I can only learn how to snorkel. I haven't had much success in the past. <BR> <BR>If I do decide to rent a 4-wheel vehicle, is there any place in particular a single woman should avoid? <BR> <BR>Thanks,--Kerry

Kerry... <BR> <BR>I used to live there and am also going back in August. E-mail me and I'll give you a contact number for when you are there and if you need anything (or have problems). Buck Island is great, for the beach, but most of the coral is dead. There are actually better places to snorkel or dive if you are interested...take a walk on the wharf in Christiansted and you should see dive shops that have tours. <BR> <BR>There are few places that I would NOT go, but just make sure that you are not alone at night around Christiansted or Fredericksted...a lot of it is in the attitude and the confidence that you show...crime is rising there however, just like everywhere else. <BR> <BR>Send me a note if you are looking for more specific info... Lauri

We went to St. Croix last September. It was fantastic. Don't miss Harbor Night whent the cruise ship comes in. There is a big part in Fredrickstead. It was a lot of fun. If you like to scuba dive, the diving is excellent. We went with Anchor Dive Center, they only take a max of six people and do a fantastic job of showing you the underwater world. <BR>