Here’s a website I haven’t seen before. Looks like the folks who run the website are from New Hampshire and they’re writing about St. Croix. They’ve got a newsletter I just signed up for. I’ll let you know how it is later. Click here to visit St. Croix Traveler…
Author: Eric Page 7 of 8
Looks like a lot of work went into these maps. They’re kind of an all purpose map with some added fun items like fish, scuba dive spots, surf spots, bike trails and more. Maybe Franko will send us one to review, and we’ll let you know. Printed on waterproof, rip-proof plastic. Available folded or flat laminated (like a placemat). The map size is 26.75″ x 18.5″. Folded $8.00, Laminated $16.00
Click for Franko’s Maps…
Several months ago we subscribed to the Island News newsletter. It’s very informative and well-written. It’s 8.5″ x 11″ in size and is usually about 20 pages in length. The information is written from a helpful perspective with an eye toward the realities of the islands from a property owners perspective. They are not afraid to discuss both negative and positive points of view, with everything from crime to government officials.
Here is the link… Island News
I bought one of these stickers for my wifes car. It looks great and is fairly high quality. Available for under $5. Adds a nice touch to the car. A great reminder of where you want to be. Click here to order at neatsigns.com (and free shipping too).
Here is video about a typical St. Croix vacation. It’s 6 minutes long. The music is called Noah’s Ark by CocoRosie. Hope you like it! –Cruzana
Looking for St. Croix beaches? You’ll find many gorgeous beaches to choose from. Most have very few people except on weekends when the locals arrive to relax, swim and have cookouts. Some have palm trees for shade and other will require you to load up on sunscreen. All St. Croix beaches are supposed to be available to the public but some resorts make it difficult.
The only beach that’s closed part of the year is Sandy Point Beach for turtle nesting.
Buccaneer Beach
Lovely beach at the Buccaneer resort hotel, three in a row.Buck Island Beach
Turtle Beach is on Buck Island which was declared a national Monument by President Kennedy. It is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the entire Caribbean. You can access this beach by taking one of the many charter boats that visit the island each day. Under-water snorkeling trail.
Cane Bay Beach
Beautiful sandy beach with spectacular views of Hamm’s Bluff, shade, snorkeling and world class diving on the reefs and walls close to shore. Cane Bay Dive center, Cane Bay Beach Bar & Grill, Off the Wall Beach Bar & Grill, and Sprat Net Bar.Carambola Beach
Davis Bay or Carambola Beach. Picture postcard perfect. Restaurant, bar and dive shop. Good waves. Swim at far end.Chenay Bay Beach
Good sandy beach at Cheney Bay Beach Resort. Some grass on bottom. Restaurant and bar, hammocks, beach chairs and kayak rentals.Coakley Bay Beach
Long and beautiful beach at Coakley Bay Resort.
Colony Cove Beach
Sandy beach with reef and excellent snorkeling. Located at Colony Cove Beach Resort.Columbus Landing Beach
Historic site of the landing of the Columbus at Salt River. Public.Pelican Cove Beach
Sandy beach, restaurant and bar, water-sports center.Cramer Park
Beautiful and sandy public beach, calm waters. Picnic facilities.Davis Bay Beach
Located at the Carambola Resort Hotel. Check in at the guard booth and tell them you are going in for lunch. Beautiful white sand beach in a spectacular setting. Restaurant, bar, dive shop.Gentle Winds Beach
Located on the North Shore at the Gentle Winds Condominium Resort. Beautiful white sand beach.Grapetree Bay Beach
On the south eastern shore of St. Croix close to the Divi casino. Beautiful white sand beach. Can sometimes be a little rough.Hey Penny Beach
Nice beach, usually calm water. Some sea grass in spots. Picturesque long beach.Hibiscus Beach
Sandy beach, snorkeling. Watch out for undertow in rough seas. Restaurant and bar.
Isaac’s Bay Beach
Secluded, calm, remote beach.Jack’s Bay Beach
Jack’s Bay is remote but beautiful and secluded. East end.Protestant Cay Beach
Nice beach with view of Christiansted. Parasailing, wind surfers, wave-runners, snorkeling, restaurant, bar. Across from Christiansted by water taxi.Rainbow Beach Club
Spectacular sandy beach. Beach restaurant and bar. One mile north of Frederiksted.Reef Beach
At Teague Bay. Duggan’s Reef restaurant and bar.Sandy Point Beach
Secluded beach established primarily to protect the nesting grounds of endangered leatherback turtles. Was in Shawshank Redemption film. One of the longest stretches of sandy beaches in the Caribbean at over 2 miles long. Open weekends only. No facilities.Shoy Beach or Shoys Beach
A nice beach east of Christiansted. Good for swimmingSprat Hall Beach
A long stretch of sand one mile long. Beach restaurant and bar.Sugar Beach
Beautiful powder white sand beach. Calm water, sea grass on the bottom.
Just before Cane Bay is The Waves, a restaurant and small hotel. The location is right on the water and as the name implies… the waves roll in and break on the coral shoreline. It’s a beautiful spot to have a few drinks, enjoy a great dinner and watch the sunset.
The Waves at Cane Bay recently reopened after renovations. The oceanfront restaurant is beautifully renovated with a stone back wall, tiki torches, mahogany tables and chairs, and well kept grounds. There is an intimate little bar if you prefer. There are arched openings that perfectly frame the ocean and rolling waves. I’m told on a clear day you can see Vieques, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St. John.
The menu ranges from steak to fish dishes in the $15-30 range. I had blackened Mahi Mahi which was perfectly cooked along with the most amazing broccoli I think I’ve ever had (after dinner I actually complimented the chef on how tasty it was). Service was good and dinner came surprisingly fast compared to some other St. Croix restaurants.
The restaurant overlooks their own natural salt water pool, one where the waves actually break over the reef and wash into the pool. And of course the star of the show is the view of Cane Bay Beach, the Hamm’s Bluff mountains and the incredible sunset. We were told the night before everyone saw “the green flash”. We waited with fingers crossed but no flash for us. Sunset was stunning anyway.
Click for more info about The Waves at Cane Bay…
Ting is a carbonated beverage sold here on St. Croix. It’s made over in Antiqua and is found on most of the Caribbean islands we’ve visited like: Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St. Lucia. We usually find Ting in little green 8 oz. bottles. Most of the grocery stores and convenience stores carry Ting. The cost is similar to other soft drinks.
We like Ting. We even buy it by the case! The taste is refreshing, especially on a hot day. It is slightly carbonated and therefore bubbly. It has a citrus flavor made from Caribbean grapefruit. Of course it’s best served ice cold. No ting like a cold Ting.
Ting’s not full of strange chemicals either. The ingredients list reads: carbonated water, sugar, grapefruit juice, natural grapefruit flavor and citric acid. Not bad compared to all the chemical-laden soft drinks out there. Okay, it’s not actually “good for you” either, but neither is Rum.
Next time you’re in the Virgin Islands try some Ting! We highly recommend it.
Today we traveled through the rainforest and followed the signs to Creque Dam Farm, home of the VI Sustainable Farm Institute. The long and winding dirt road lead to an agricultural oasis in the mountains of St. Croix. Fields with tidy rows of vegetables and picturesque vistas made for an enjoyable trip.
Once we parked, the main building took center stage. It’s a beautifully crafted tropical building with tin hip roofs, rich woods (harvested from sustainable forests), and local stone. Breezes blow through as the aroma of freshly harvested fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs swirl. Inside is an open kitchen, tables of produce, books, t-shirts and a 1/2 dozen smiling “farm crew”.
We spent about 45 minutes looking around, petting baby goats, talking story, buying fresh produce, and snapping a few photos. It was amazing to see what can be created in only a few years time… off the grid systems, a successful organic farming institute, beautiful architecture, all run by a crew of happy people.
For more details please visit their website at…VI Sustainable Farm Institute
Cruzan Gardens is a fantastic nursery for finding just about any tropical plant one could imagine. From Christmas Palms to Heliconia, from Tamarind Trees to Bougainvillea chances are Cruzan Gardens has it.
Located on the North side of the island sits this fantastic local nursery and landscape company. Enter on a peastone driveway, walk through a circular pillar, cross the Koi pond and you’re in the main entry. In front of you is an orchid room, to your left is the store, out behind the main building are more plants, and if you cross the long wooden bridge you’ll find the larger species.
If you love gardening you could spend hours at Cruzan Gardens on St. Croix. For more information visit CruzanGardens.com
