Saint Croix is the largest island in the U.S. Virgin islands, comprised of 52,000 acres with approximately 60,000 inhabitants. One of the most popular attractions is the Buck Island Reef National Monument that contains a 176 acre island with a huge protected coral reef that visitors can snorkel. An aquatic trail leads divers through an underwater maze filled with rare hawksbill turtles, parrot fish, barracuda, and the rare brown pelican diving above you. To get to Buck Island Reef you need to take a boat from St.Croix. The ride there takes about 40 minutes and is definitely worth the time. Big Beard, the Diva, and the Teroro are three of the boats that can get you there without any troubles.
If you want to do some eco-exploring closer to St.John, then going kayaking on the Salt River Bay Ecological preserve is an excellent day trip. Caribbean Adventure Tours is an excellent company to take an exploratory cruise with; they will show you all the tropical flora and fauna you’ll ever need to see in your lifetime.
Some people dream about jet skiing in the Caribbean, and St. Croix is an excellent place to do it. One place this can be arranged is at Christiansted. You can rent jet skis by the half hour or hour, or, you can take a jet ski tour of the island that will allow you to get an amazing look at the island from the water. Additionally, you can incorporate some snorkeling into the trip.
Exploring the businesses of St.Croix can be an absolute blast. Places like St.Croix Leap are what make the island so special. St.Croix Leap is a mahogany wood working shop where you can buy hand made items to take back home with you as a reminder of your trip. This establishment is tucked up on a rainforest hill, making the experience extremely intriguing.
St.Croix Leap is not the only rainforest secret in St. Croix. Another special place is the Mount Pellier Domino Club, a bar/restaurant that is really in the middle of nowhere. One of the major draws of the place is beer drinking pigs. But, perhaps the reason tons of people love to visit is to get a feel for the locals, as it is one of their hang outs. Dirt floors, pigs, and lizards probably remind visitors of their favorite hole-in-the-wall bar from home. The two proprietors of the bar are said to be extremely friendly, and they make some pretty gnarly drinks that you’ve probably sampled nowhere else on earth.
One of the most scenic points on St.Croix is Point Udall, the easternmost point of the United States. Most people visit Point Udall so that they can in fact say they have stood on the easternmost point of the United States; however, the destination has more than that to offer. The drive to Point Udall is a bit rocky and bumpy, but the sights on the way there are well worth the drive. Driving through the tropical country side really makes your trip feel worth it. Moreover, on a clear day, you can see St. John and St.Thomas, which is pretty amazing.
If you want to experience the whole of Saint-Croix island, there is perhaps no better way to do so than to take the 28 mile Heritage Trail Tour. The trails end points are the cities of Frederiksted and Christiansted, and in between, you will drive past the earliest sugar plantations on the island, cattle ranches, tropical bird haunts, the Cruzan Rum Distillery, the St.George Village Botanical garden, St.Croix Aquarium and old mansions. Nature lovers will be happy to note that the island does have a resident population of mongoose and some very rare bird species like the brown pelican, and Bananaquit.
