The geography of the islands consists of seaside cliffs, mountains with lush forest, tiny streams, arid lands and beautiful white sand beaches. [12]) In 1691, the primary settlement there was renamed Charlotte Amalie in honor of the wife of Denmark's King Christian V. It was later declared a free port by Frederick V. In December 1732, the first two of many Moravian Brethren missionaries came from Herrnhut Saxony in present-day Germany to minister to them. Great Location. The waters of St. John are among the most pristine and unspoiled in the Caribbean, so be sure to bring a mask and snorkel. The island is renowned as the biggest tax-free, duty-free shopping hub of the Caribbean and is home to many artists. Additional terms apply. Moving at six knots, you don't want to skip something and go back to it, and the islands in the eastern Caribbean are in a somewhat straight line, which makes for an ordered way of going through them. [13], The first British invasion and occupation of the island occurred in 1801. Find all the transport options for your trip from Florida to Virgin Islands right here. This covered a period of almost a year, since we often spent weeks or even months in some places, especially during hurricane season. Is it even possible to transit from Flordia to the Virgin Islands as I think I would have to find fuel every 10 hours. There aren't any Caribbean destinations beyond Trinidad. ImproveSailing is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The general approach to sailing the Thorny Path is to make short hops, day sails, and overnight passages between close destinations. The transfer occurred on March 31, 1917, behind Fort Christian before the barracks that now house the Legislature of the U.S Virgin Islands. Rome2rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. One advantage of the thorny path is you are closer to land if you need to seek shelter. As you can see from the chart and route snapshot, the rhumb line route from Miami runs Southeast, and crosses right over several large islands and complex archipelagos. ImproveSailing is compensated for referring traffic and business to this companies. Explore Charlotte Amalie 2. Thirteen of the 14-member territorial board officials met by way of a teleconference between St. Thomas and St. Croix. You do this while waiting for favorable (or less unfavorable) weather and winds. It's not a wasteland, but you're not hopping from Ft. Lauderdale to Palm Beach, either. Sheltered harbors aren't as common as you'd like, nor are ports with marinas and supplies. The Dutch West India Company established a post on Saint Thomas in 1657. Florida to British Virgin Islands - Route on Power ? - Cruisers Thirteen sovereign island nations and a dozen dependent territories make up most of the islands, and ten countries in Latin America have Caribbean coastline. There is no direct connection from Florida to Virgin Islands. Hotels have been built from the West End to the East End, and in recent years, Saint Thomas has become a busy cruise ship port and vacation venue. Great Amenities. If you want to learn how to make your sailing dream reality within a year, leave your email and I'll send you free updates. Virgin Island Ferry Schedules It also adds an extra 30 minutes for take-off and landing. The main shopping areas include downtown Charlotte Amalie and around the Havensight dock. The nonstop route for optimal wind is closer to 1,500 nautical miles. Butyou can't sail straight from Miami to St. Thomas, because there are a lot of islands in the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos in the way. For the latest travel status, we recommend checking the official page for U.S. Virgin Islands. Elections Board Finalizes Leadership Choices | St. Thomas Source It has a deep-water harbor that was once a haven for pirates and is now one of the busiest ports of call for cruise ships in the Caribbean, with about 1.5 million/plus cruise ship passengers landing there annually. The company eventually sold the island to the United States in 1944, during the German occupation of Denmark. Your trip begins in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Currently, we are unable to provide travel restriction information for leaving United States. Distances Between Caribbean Islands [citation needed], In 1915, David Hamilton Jackson traveled to Denmark and convinced the King of Denmark to allow freedom of the press in Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix. St Thomas Accommodation Hotels and Resorts Villa Restaurants Location Downtown French Town East End North Side South Side Crown Bay Havensite Upscale and Famous West Indian Cuisine Fast Food/Chains Chinese and Thai Sushi Mexican Pizza Music Hang Outs Happy Hour Specials Aerial Views Beaches Walking Tour Attractions Shopping Nightlife Sailing Diving Need more shuttle/tram drivers. So it is ok to ignore them!!! To give you some examples, I re-created the route we took through the Caribbean, starting from the British Virgin Islands and working our way through the Leeward and Windward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean before heading west for Panama and the canal. Where is St. Thomas? - US Virgin Islands The total straight line flight distance from Orlando, FL to Saint Thomas is 1,256 miles. Turns out that owning a boat is pretty affordable. The US Virgin Islands are 40-50 miles east of Puerto Rico; and about 1106 miles southeast Miami, Florida. Your flight direction from Orlando, FL to Saint Thomas is Southeast (120 degrees from North). Autumn is the wettest time of year because of tropical cyclones. By proceeding, you accept the use of cookies in accordance with our, Fly from Miami (MIA) to Beef Island (EIS), Take the ferry from Peter Island to Cruz Bay, St John. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. Whether taking a boat trip, scuba diving, parasailing or snorkeling, call the outfit before you arrive on island to make reservations. Two of the three islands (St. Thomas and St. John) are in close proximity and can potentially be done in the same trip. U.S. Virgin Islands Travel Guide | U.S. News Travel A direct flight to Saint Thomas Island will take on average 2h 37m to travel the 1107 miles flying distance from Fort Lauderdale. ("Tap Hus" translates as "rum shop" or "tap house" referring to the drinking establishments. The islands extend from west to east for about 60 miles and are located west of the Anegada Passage, a major channel connecting the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. What airlines fly to St Thomas to Miami? Free WIFI! Ships dock at Havensight Pier. For the latest Coronavirus (COVID-19) travel status in United States, please check government recommendations. The Roques Archipelago is one of the more popular spots, but check current conditions before planning a visit. The island groups are named relative to the trade winds, which blow from the south and southeast. It is advisable to contact the ferry company the day before your intended . Because the Florida coast is a couple of hundred miles further west than a northern starting point like Hampton, VA, the total distance is pretty similar because you have to get back east. One word to the wisethe taxi drivers and store barkers downtown are the only exception. Since 2012 he's been cruising the world with his wife and living aboard full time. [26], Magens Bay as seen from Drake's Seat, St. Thomas. If youre planning a getaway to St. Thomas, consider these important things to know before you go to ensure the best possible experience on the island. The land slopes to flat-lands on the southern side of the island. While there has historically been no ferry service between St. Thomas (or any of the aforementioned islands) and St. Croix, as of January 2019, a brand new ferry service will be operating between Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas and Gallows Bay, St. Croix for $50 one way or $100 roundtrip. These distances assume coast-hopping from one end of the island to a different departure point, which we almost always did. "St. Thomas" is among the most recognisable instrumentals in the repertoire of American jazz tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins based on a traditional calypso sung to him by his mother, Valborg Solomon Rollins, who was born on Saint Thomas. Some will sail south to the Dominican Republic into Lupern, then work their way across to coast of the Dominican Republic. [15] The newspaper's focus was civic and labor rights for local workers,[16] and it published criticisms of the labor situation in the islands. If foul weather catches up to you, theres little choice but to ride it out. [20] The lowest recorded temperature was 11C (52F) in November. It currently holds the St. Thomas Museum, which holds artifacts and art of the Dano-Norwegian period. St. Thomas vs St. Croix: Which US Virgin Island is Better? Protected by Hassel Island, the harbor has docking and fueling facilities, machine shops, and shipyards and was a U.S. submarine base until 1966. Built in 1833 for a congregation founded in 1792, it is the synagogue with the longest history of continuous use on what is now United States soil. St. Thomas and its nearby . Best Months to Visit. Approx. More than two thirds of the island is protected by the National Park Service. 350 reviews. USVI takes first loss in tournament; Curacao moves to No. 1 Many people get to Georgetown and stop, because the trades get more insistent and the stops further apart. Scooters are also an excellent way to get around the island. Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. Theres this and theres that. You didnt jump on anyone along the way. For travel planning advice, please refer to our Rome2rio Coronavirus information page . The nonstop route for optimal wind is closer to 1,500 nautical miles. Distance Between Puerto Rico and St Thomas. If you could sail it straight though, how long would it take? Good. The land was divided into plantations and sugarcane production became the primary economic activity. The baccalaureate service for the transfer was held at the St. Thomas Reformed Church as it was identified as the American church in the Danish West Indies. Because you're sailing way offshore, I-65 is considerably longer than the Thorny Path on a straight line basis. [4], The island was originally settled around 1500 BC by the Ciboney people. Do you want to earn money to write on our website? The options include taking a passenger ferry, car barge, water taxi, boat charter, or term yacht charter. ? Those who appreciate fine art and a good shopping experience will be happy to know that visitors can exit St. Thomas with $1,600 in duty-free goods which is double that of most destinations. Though it's a petite 32 square miles, the U.S. Virgin Island of St. Thomas boasts a few great all-inclusive hotelsall the better for having a stress-free home base while sailing, snorkeling . When someone refers to the Spanish West Indies, British West Indies, Dutch West Indies and even the Danish West Indies, it means islands where those colonial powers held the most sway. Distance from Orlando, FL to Saint Thomas - Travelmath Answer 1 of 4: What is the one-way fare on a taxi for two people from the airport (STT) to Wyndham St. Thomas Margaritaville Resort? Despite natural disasters such as Hurricane Hugo (1989), Hurricanes Luis and Marilyn (1995), and Hurricanes Irma and Maria (2017) the island's infrastructure continues to improve as the flow of visitors continues. Great answer. Travel times between the USVI and British Virgin Islands can be quite short, and you must clear in and out every time you move between the USVI and BVI. The continued export of sugar was threatened by hurricanes, drought, and American competition. There are 9 ways to get from Florida to St. Thomas by plane, shuttle, bus, train or car Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. Often referred to as "The People Ferry", this is the cheapest, easiest, most popular, and shortest route from St. Thomas to Cruz Bay. Exhibits include the Caribbean Reef Encounter an 80,000 gallon circular tank open at the top for the natural elements to filter in. travel time. How to Go from St. Thomas to St. John (in 2023) - Travel Lemming The ocean park consists of an open-water system where water flows through each of the exhibits and back out to the ocean. [10] The first slave ships arrived in 1673, and St. Thomas became a slave market. Youll find everyone dressed fairly casually in the Virgin Islands. Getting from Puerto Rico to St. Thomas: Caribbean Logue And if you have time, you can make the Thorny Path the journey and destination. I am a first time boat owner so forgive me if I dont know the lingo. Thank you, Thanks great write up Leaving Early April from Tampa Fl to St Thomas, Im preparing to head to Dominican republic in about a week ImproveSailing is compensated for referring traffic and business to this companies. He was also instrumental in persuading the Danish to allow the US to purchase the islands of Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix. Re: Florida to British Virgin Islands route on power? Book at least 3 weeks before departure in order to get a below-average price. Sailings from Florida to St. Thomas, VI: Receiving Location: Cutoff Day / Time: Sailing Day: Estimated Transit . Adults $5, Kids (2-11) $3 Call to confirm . From there you can either take a car barge to St. John or the people ferry. But where to go and when? The terrain on the east end of the island is rocky and arid with short grassy hillsides and many cactus clusters. How Long to Sail from Florida to the Virgin Islands? (2 Routes) The distance between Miami (Miami International Airport) and Saint Thomas (Cyril E. King Airport) is 1107 miles / 1781 kilometers / 962 nautical miles. Barbados lies about eight-five miles east of St. Vincent, and can be a tricky upwind sail. Great article. Saint Thomas's fine natural harbor became known as "Taphus" for the drinking establishments located nearby. The total area of the USVI is 133 square miles. The major town of Pointe--Pitre is an important shipping harbor and less popular with sailing visitors. The answer depends on you - your skill level, your tolerance for discomfort and pounding your boat, how much you like offshore sailing, and how much time you have. But make sure you pay atttention to the shallows at the end of the narrows and pick the north or south channel out. Flights to St. Thomas (STT) | Delta Air Lines The territorial capital and port of Charlotte Amalie is located on the island. So why are we getting into this? Recommended Fly, ferry Fly from Miami (MIA) to Beef Island (EIS) Take the ferry from Peter Island to Cruz Bay, St John 8h 51m If you stay in a villa you will most likely need to rent a car or scooter to get around. Whilst we believe the ferry times listed to be correct, Best of BVI Ltd is not responsible for changes to the schedules. Margaritaville Vacation Club by Wyndham - St Thomas It takes 0.2 hours to arrive. - to help you get the most out of your next trip. The only way to get to the St. John, in the US Virgin Islands, is by boat. Saint Thomas (Danish: Sankt Thomas) is one of the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea, one of the three largest of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), an unincorporated territory of the United States. The cheapest month to fly is February. View job listing details and apply now. Many view the trip past Georgetown as the worst stretch. Expand All Collapse All. Here is a Google map to get from the airport to . Fort Christian is a Dano-Norwegian-built fort in Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. 9034 GD Marsum For the latest travel status, please check the official page for U.S. Virgin Islands. Spirit Airlines and JetBlue can get you from Florida to Saint Thomas Island in just under 2h 36m. Since you can't sail that straight line, if you're in a hurry you can sail offshore. [15] After beginning The Herald, Jackson organized labor unions among the islanders for better working conditions. Saint Thomas has a tropical savanna climate (Aw according to the Kppen climate classification) with a drier season and a wetter season. If you are leaving from St. Kitts, you can go through the narrows between the islands. Which Island to stay on St thomas or St John - U.S. Virgin Islands When talking about moving between islands, cruisers will often use the phrases up island and down island. We are relatively new to sailing. ', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' That's where you find most of the small island nations and territories you can sail between in less than a day. The major island groups and countries in the Leewards, from north to south, are the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St. Martin/Sint Maartin, St. Barthlemy ("St. Barts"), Saba, St. Eustatius ("Statia"), St. Christopher ("St. Kitts") and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, and Dominica. Find directions to St Thomas, browse local businesses, landmarks, get current traffic estimates, road conditions, and more. Along with surrounding minor islands, it is one of three county-equivalents in the USVI. The total flight duration from Florida to U.S. Virgin Islands is 3 hours, 4 minutes. The server responded with {{status_text}} (code {{status_code}}). Cheap Flights from Jacksonville, Florida to St Thomas Island - FareCompare So when you do your own plots, you will get different numbers if you choose more careful routes, stay closer to shorelines, or plot more exact departure and arrival points. From there you'd need to cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico, a nasty stretch of water known for strong and variable currents and some of the worst conditions in the Caribbean. A season in the Caribbean - what a dream vacation or a plan for a sabbatical! The islands were returned to Denmark in 1802, under the terms of the Treaty of Amiens. Never treat Islanders as servants, or tourist attractions. About us Together with Saint John, it forms one of the districts of the USVI. The remaining islands are independent island nations. SENIOR PERSONAL BANKER - (Mortgage Division - St. Thomas) The islands now have an annual celebration in November to honor the legacy of David Hamilton Jackson.[17]. This info was very helpful Thanks. In the opposite direction, boats leave every two weeks on a Thursday at 5:00pm from St. John and 6:00pm from St. Thomas. Savor a taste of St. Thomas with the dining options at Marriott's Frenchman's Cove, including an oceanview restaurant and bar and a casual market for snacks and drinks. There are activities for all ages and interests. It ends in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Thank you , Excellent run down of the two optionsthank you! Ease into a conversation instead of jumping right in with a request by asking how the persons day is going, but avoid getting too personal too quickly. The federal government then used the island for military purposes until 1950, before finally transferring it to the territorial government in 1996.[19]. Moving to STT; traveling by power boat - anyone done it? - VIMovingCenter ? Do you want to earn money to write on our website? November is the wettest month, receiving 152 millimeters (6.0in) of rain on average over 17.8 precipitation days, the most of any month. Where is the U.S. Virgin Islands: Geography The United States Virgin Islands are a group of several dozen islands and cays located in the Caribbean, about 1,100 miles (1,770 km) southeast of Florida, 600 miles (966 km) north of Venezuela, 40 miles (64 km) east of Puerto Rico, and immediately west and south of the British Virgin Islands.. Leaving Crown Bay, St. Thomas. We're looking for writers! The U.S. Virgin Islands lie near the boundary of the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate . Following the Danish Revolution of 1848, slavery was abolished and the resulting rise in labor costs further weakened the position of Saint Thomas's sugar producers. These refer to islands to the north as "Up" and those to the south as "Down" the island chains. VIRGIN ISLANDS to ST. LUCIA 1929 LINDBERGH Flown FAM6 . Also, your insurance company may not permit travel to some of them without advanced permission. This distance is equal to 111.56 miles, and 96.88 nautical miles. St Thomas, VI Map & Directions - MapQuest So are you on "Team Thorny Path" or the "I-65 Squad?". It has a deep-water harbor that was once a haven for pirates and is now one of the busiest ports of call for cruise ships in the Caribbean, with about 1.5 million/plus cruise ship passengers landing there annually. St. Thomas, one of the three United States Virign Islands, along with St. Croix and St. John, St. Thomas is one of the most beautiful island destinations in the world, dressed with powdery beaches and sun-drenched weather.St. St. Thomas has a tropical climate, and many people from the mainland U.S. and northern Europe are not prepared for the intensity of the sun, the humidity or the heat. 8:00 AM-11:00 AM, 11:00 AM-5:30 PM, 6:00 PM-10:00 PM. Florida to Virgin Islands via plane, and ferry - Rome2rio On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. On St. Thomas, life tends to move at a slower pace than on the mainland. Plenty of sunscreen and insect repellant are also musts. Known as "I-65," this alternate route has you sail east/east-northeast until longitude 65W, then turn south and reach towards the Virgin Islands across the trade winds. To get times going the other way, just use the reverse route to your departure point. Most sailing yachts come to Falmouth/English Harbour, though you can also clear in to Jolly Harbour, but there is not much of an anchorage. Beginner's Guide to Island Hopping in the Virgin Islands Rome2rio makes travelling from Florida to Virgin Islands easy. Leaving from north of St. Lucie isn't going to make the trip appreciably longer. Distance from Miami to Saint Thomas (MIA - Air Miles Calculator Confused yet? 9034 GD Marsum Taxi from STT to Wyndham Margaritaville Resort - St. Thomas Forum