The U.S. Virgin Islands are "America's Caribbean Paradise" — the place to see moko jumbies dance at a Carnival parade, hear the lilting patois of a Creole dialect or smell the spices in a saltfish pate (all without losing cell phone reception). You can visit either St. Thomas, St. John [our personal favorite!] or St. Croix, or better yet, spend a little time on all three islands. That way you'll get plenty of pampering, undisturbed nature and colonial history jammed into one vacation. And bonus: you can pay for everything with U.S. dollars.
Each island offers something different. Called "Rock City" for its hilly, craggy horizon,
St. Thomas
is known for luxury — from the mega-yachts moored in the harbor to the high-end storefronts along Main Street. Located a short ferry-ride east,
St. John
appeals to honeymooners and nature lovers, with more than 7,000 acres of dedicated parkland plus surrounding pristine beaches. Way down south in the Caribbean Sea, less-visited
St. Croix
has sugar cane plantations and rum distilleries that offer a glimpse into both the past and the present of the Virgin Islands.
Last year, the U.S. Virgin Islands was in fifth place. The territory consistently has claimed a spot on the best places to visit in the Caribbean list during the years, though it is the first time that it has scored the No. 1 position.
"We're proud to be recognized as the top-ranked Caribbean destination, and honored to know that it was from the recommendations of our visitors and the U.S. News & World Report's editorial staff," said V.I. Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty. "This recognition further illustrates our increased focus and work with partners to provide world-class tourism offerings that create long-lasting impressions."
To be fair, we will list the other islands on the list (below the USVI, of course!):
2. Cayman Islands
3. St. Kitts and Nevis
4. Barbados
5. St. Martin-St. Maarten
6. St. Lucia
7. British Virgin Islands
8. Turks & Caicos
9. Bahamas
10. St. Barts
11. Aruba
12. Curacao
13. Grenada
14. St. Vincent and
the Grenadines
15. Bermuda
16. Dominica