Water Island, US Virgin Islands
Welcome To The Water Island Vacation Guide!
If someone is considering a trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands, they may choose the more traditional St. Thomas or St. Croix locations. They may also choose the less-populated St. John atmosphere, or they might select the newest addition to this island group - Water Island. It became an official part of the locally-governed islands in 1996.
With only 200 permanent residents, Water Island is perfect for the couple or small group that doesn't want to stay in a metropolitan area and chooses to travel to another location for night life. Vacation travelers can find an apartment, cabin or campground to use as a base for exploration and travel. Beach relaxation is a popular pastime here, as are fishing, boating or simply hiking around the small island. A few military fort ruins draw history buffs.
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Water Island Vacation Guide -- Continue
But don't figure on public transportation or stopping for gasoline on Water Island. Both tourists and permanent residents have to use the ferry to cross over to St. Thomas for shopping or a hotel. Visitors fly into St. Thomas a take the ferry to Water Island as well. In fact, the majority of Water Island visitors stay on St. Thomas, primarily in Charlotte Amalie.
During the busiest part of the year, the few available vacation options fill up quickly (December to May). These rental units are cottages, villas or apartments that generally come with the linens, towels etc. provided. Some even provide an electric golf cart to use as island transportation. Though Water Island is relatively isolated the same rules apply to its public beaches that apply on the other islands - no nude beaches and no shell collecting!
Among the few "organized" activities on Water Island are: the guided bicycle tour that ends at Honeymoon Beach; a visit to the ruins of Carolina Point Plantation; fishing; and snorkeling. Night-life options are very limited, though it's not uncommon to find a group of vacationers gathering for food and drink. Pirate's Ridge is a possibility for some open-air enjoyment. Go to Heidi's Honeymoon Grill for drinks and a good meal. There's also a floating pizza restaurant!
The best bet for spending quality time on Water Island is to allow time for getting to know the residents. It won't take too long and you may find yourself enjoying a relaxing evening or two without traveling to one of the other islands. Water Island is a different type of Virgin Islands experience.