Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Vacation Review: St. Croix, USVI
In the U.S. Virgin Islands, there are three islands, one of which is rich with
history and solitude for travelers looking to avoid the highly trafficked
tourist spots. That would be the island of St. Croix. The eastern most island is
the largest of the three-island chain. Recently, my family and I took a week of
vacation and stayed on the eastern side of the island at the Villa Madeleine
resort. Our two bedroom villa, the
“Sea View”,
sat high above sea-level and was nestled between two mountain tops. Floating in
the pool, we overlooked the most popular snorkeling island in the USVI, Buck
Island. We ate dinner by the pool at night and enjoyed our breakfast coffee the
same way, watching the opal blue waters of the Caribbean.
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Villa Madeleine offers unmatched privacy and security in an impeccably furnished
and maintained home. This newly purchased and recently redecorated property had
its own private pool, wifi access, flat panel televisions with bluray in three
rooms, and all new kitchen appliances and dishware. If you wanted to stay in the
Villa all week and simply enjoy the pool and the view, you could! Fifteen to
twenty minutes away is a full-size grocery store (but there are a few
convenience stores along the way) with the best prices in the Virgin Islands (we
know, we have been to St.Thomas and St.John). You can stock up for the week and
just hunker down to complete privacy, should that be your inclination. Going out
to eat, you may never have to go further than the Cheeseburger In Paradise
restaurant, ten minutes away on Route 70.
crazy! St.Croix is the largest of the three islands. It’s triangular in shape,
offering beaches on all three sides (north, south and west), each with its own
respective quality and charm. My family enjoyed the north/west beaches the most!
If you want quiet white sands, Rainbow Beach sits waiting on the west coast of
the island. If you like a combination of sand, rocks and snorkeling, Cane Beach
on the northern coast might be your pleasure. After a day at the beach, you can
stop at the ‘Off the Wall’ beach bar and grill for burgers and pizza, drinks,
music, and a gorgeous sunset nearly every night.
We explored the Fort at Christiansted and took the ferry to the island for Hotel
on the Key where we rented Kayaks and explored the inlet at Christiansted. We
visited the Cruzan Rum distillery on the west end of the island where 55
islanders made over 9 million gallons of Cruzan Rum last year…there is only one
distillery and it’s waiting for you on the island of St.Croix! Cruzan Rum costs
almost nothing on the island and you can bring back 6 bottles per adult duty
free.
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If you are into tropical flora and fauna (as well as photography) and also a
little history of the island, the Botanical Gardens may be right up your alley!
In the north west area of the island is the Rain Forest. If you rented a four
wheel drive vehicle and have some adventure in your soul, a couple hours roving
around this area should satisfy you. Don’t miss the Whimm Museum and Plantation,
we did…but it’s on the list for “next time!”
If you are looking for a special moment, try this one…get up before sunrise and
make yourself a pot of coffee. Take a big cup of java and drive ten minutes (or
less) up the road to Point Udall. Point Udall is the eastern-most land of the
United States. It’s the first place in the U.S. that the sun is visible. There’s
nothing like seeing a sun rise from the ocean. I had an extra bonus, the full
moon set over the hill behind me right before the sun rose to announce the dawn.
If you like to gamble, right around the corner from Villa Madeleine and just
past Point Udall, the Divi Island Resort boasts a public Casino. Since it’s
right on the beach, your kids can go enjoy the north shore or mini-golf while
you try your luck.
Finally, no trip to St. Croix is complete until you take a boat over to Buck
Island. It’s one of the premier, if not the best, snorkeling and scuba diving
locations in the Caribbean. We chartered with Captain Carl Heinz who sailed us
over to the island on a tri-hull catamaran. The five hour charter cost only $65
per adult. We snorkeled for an hour off of the eastern point of Buck Island at
the Coral Reef Wall. The crystal clear water combined with the colors of the
reef and fish to give my family a day we will remember for a lifetime. We then
sailed around to the front of the island for a couple hours on the white sands
of one of the most beautiful beaches we have ever seen. It was the finale of the
trip!
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If this sounds great to you, and why wouldn’t it, you have to try Sea View at Villa Madeleine. Whether you’re into private vacationing, beaches, history, exploration or water sports…you will find everything you’re looking for!!
