St. Croix - Information - HistorySt. Croix is one of the U.S. Virgin Islands, which are considered an unincorporated U.S. territory. The beautiful island of St. Croix is the largest of the 3 inhabited US Virgins Islands (St. Thomas and St. John are the other two) and is 84 square miles. In fact, it is about three times the size of St. Thomas, however, it only has a population of about 60,000 residents, about the same as St. Thomas.
The Carib where the last of the Native Indian people to
inhabit St. Croix.. The Carib people were originally from the Guiana region of
South America. They were not the first Indians on St. Croix.. The Tainos
or Arawaks came before them and the Caribs didn't arrive on the island until the
early 1400's. It was the Carib that greeted Columbus on his second voyage
through the islands. The Caribs continued to inhabit
St. Croix for about a decade after Columbus' visit. During this time they lived
with an understanding of mutual coexistence with the Spanish on Puerto Rico.
This understanding ended when a Spanish adventurer raided St. Croix for Carib
slaves. The Caribs then joined with the Tainos of Puerto Rico, to fight against
the Spanish. As a result of their uprising, the Caribs were ordered to be
eliminated by the Spanish Crown. With 'legalized' extermination and military
action inevitable, the Caribs permanently abandoned St. Croix. Christopher Columbus is credited
as the first European to discover the island in 1493, landing at Salt River on the central north coast, in search of fresh water. He didn't find any as Salt River, as it is now known, was just an inlet from the sea that resembled the mouth of a river. There can be small running streams/rivers in the rainforest, depending on how much rain there has been, but nothing navigable. The far eastern part of the island is more arid and you will even find cactus plants growing up to 15 feet high on the hills. Even though the island is only 27 miles long, east to west, the western half is lush with beautiful green hills including a small rainforest,
while the East end is much more arid. There are wonderful white sandy beaches all
around the island.
 There are two towns on the island, Christiansted and Frederiksted. Christiansted is on the north shore of the island,
just a little east of center, and is filled with historic buildings displaying the greatest example of Danish architecture outside of Denmark! If you are lucky, you may be on the island for "Jump Up" which is held in Christiansted. This is a "carnival-like" evening, which takes place about four times a year. Its an evening filled with steel bands, dancing, local arts and crafts, local food, and lots of fun! Frederiksted has charming "gingerbread" Victorian architecture and is experiencing a renaissance of sorts, since cruise ships began calling on the port again in 2008. Fort Frederik dates back to 1700 and is the site where Governor General Peter Van Scholten read the proclamation abolishing slavery on the island in 1848. Today the fort houses a museum. Frederiksted has a
beautiful waterfront that draws cruise ships and visitors from around the globe. On the third Friday of each month, there is "Sunset Jazz" in Frederiksted. Admission is free and families are welcome. "Both towns have duty free shopping and great places to eat! St. Croix lies approximately 40 miles south of St. Thomas and St. John, and is separated from them by a deep oceanic trench...the deepest in the Atlantic basin! St. Croix has beautiful white sand beaches with warm, crystal clear waters. All beaches on the island are open to the public.
 Historic plantations, from the days when slavery and agriculture drove the economy, are scattered throughout the island. The ruins of dozens of sugar mills are scattered all over the island, a vivid reminder of the island's past. St Croix also has great duty free shopping areas and a variety of activities and water sports, enough to keep visitors very entertained. Among it's natural attributes are natural reserves for plant and animal life including Buck Island Reef National Monument, with an underwater snorkeling trail, Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, a rainforest, and a botanical gardens. The Cruzan Rum factory is based on St. Croix and Diageo, the world’s leading spirits, wine and beer company, constructing a high capacity distillery on the island. The new facility will produce bulk rum beginning in 2011. Beginning in 2012, the distillery will supply all bulk rum used to make Captain Morgan branded products for the United States.
Other Facts about St. Croix
St. Croix's currency is the US Dollar. Credit cards and travelers checks are accepted but you will still find many places that only accept cash. ATM machines are avilable all over the island. There is no sales tax.
 The language is English, yet many locals also speak English with a Caribbean twist. For instance, the 'H' is often discarded ("thing" becomes "ting", and "thanks" becomes "tanks"). Click here to Say it in Crucian.
The climate is subtropical with a year round average of about 82*F/28*C with easterly trade winds to help keep the humidity level comfortable. Seasonal temperatures fluctuate less than 10*F/6*C. Average annual rainfall is only 50 inches/1270 millimeters and mostly occurs in late spring and late summer, although there will be occasional showers throughout the year. The island is more susceptible to potential hurricanes September - October. We only know about one major storm that has hit St. Croix outside of the month of September.
Country Code - 1 Area Code - 340 Electricity - the current and wall outlets are 110V / 60Hz, like those in the U.S.
The water in the main towns and at hotels is safe to drink. Most private residences utilize cisterns to store rain water. Unless the water is treated, bottled water is preferred for drinking. More info.
St. Croix is on Atlantic Standard Time zone year-round (1 hour ahead of East Coast Time).
St. Croix has many festivals and celebrations throughout the year, but any time is a great time to visit St. Croix. USVI Public Holidays - click here
Required Travel Documents
Passports for U.S. Citizens are not required for the U.S. Virgin Islands, but you must be prepared to show evidence of citizenship upon leaving (such as a birth certificate and a government issued photo ID or your passport). Citizens of countries other than the U.S. should follow U.S. travel regulations. To travel outside the U.S. Virgin Islands requires a birth certificate & ID or valid passport. Health certificates are not required if you're entering from the U.S. or Puerto Rico; citizens entering from other countries should follow the same guidelines as for the mainland U.S.
New Requirements for Travelers Between the United States and the Western Hemisphere Please note: This initiative WILL NOT affect U.S. citizens traveling between the United States and its territories! Click here for more info.
 ***** U.S. Citizens do not need a Passport to travel to St. Croix!!! ****
| The new passport requirement outlined below does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from a U.S. territory. U.S. citizens returning directly from a U.S. territory are not considered to have left the United States and do not need to present a passport. U.S. territories include the following: Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. |
Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)
AIR TRAVEL-
All persons traveling by air outside of the United States are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States.
LAND AND SEA TRAVEL-
The following summarizes information available on the Department of Homeland Security’s website.
CURRENTLY:
U.S. citizens need to present either (a) a passport, passport card (scheduled to be in full production beginning in July 2008), or WHTI-compliant document; or (b) a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. LATER:
On June 1, 2009, the U.S. government will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of WHTI. The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have a passport, passport card, or WHTI-compliant document.
Note: The passport requirement does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from a U.S. territory. U.S. PASSPORT AND WHTI COMPLIANT DOCUMENTS:
U.S. Passport: U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport when traveling via air, land or sea between the U.S. and the aforementioned Western Hemisphere countries. The Passport Card: Passport card applications are currently being accepted in anticipation of land border travel document requirements. Based on current projections, we expect the passport card to be in full production beginning in July 2008. We will provide additional updates as available. Once in production, the passport card it will only be valid for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region, and Bermuda.
WHTI-Compliant Travel Documents for U.S. citizen travel via land or sea, as of January 31, 2008: - Trusted Traveler Cards (NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST)
- State Issued Enhanced Driver’s License (when available)
- Enhanced Tribal Cards (when available)
- U.S. Military Identification with Military Travel Orders
- U.S. Merchant Mariner Document when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business
- Native American Tribal Photo Identification Card
- Form I-872 American Indian Card
Background The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to develop and implement a plan to require all travelers, U.S. citizens and foreign nationals alike, to present a passport or other document, or a combination of documents, that denote identity and citizenship when entering the United States. Congress amended portions of the Act in 2006. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is the Administration’s proposed plan to implement this mandate. The goal of the Initiative is to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors by providing standardized, secure and reliable documentation which will allow the Department of Homeland Security to quickly, reliably and accurately identify a traveler.More Information from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Website
Documents You Will Need to Enter the United States Visitors/Non-immigrants All persons including citizens of the United States traveling by air between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda are required to present a passport, Merchant Mariner Document (presented by U.S. citizen merchant mariners traveling on official business) or NEXUS Card (NEXUS enrollment is limited to citizens of the United States and Canada, and lawful permanent residents of the United States and Canada). Children will be required to present their own passport. U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs), refugees, and asylees will continue to be able to use their Alien Registration Card (Form I-551), issued by DHS, or other evidence of permanent resident status or refugee or asylee status to apply for entry into the United States. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will not affect travel between the United States and its territories. U.S. citizens traveling directly between the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, America Samoa, Swains Island and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands will continue to be able to use established forms of identification to board flights and for entry. Starting January 31, 2008, verbal declarations of identity and citizenship alone will no longer be accepted. On this date, U.S. and Canadian citizens entering the U. S. at land and sea ports of entry from within the Western Hemisphere will need to present (1) government-issued proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, along with (2) government issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license. ( Important Change in International Land and Sea Travel Document Procedures ) While a passport or other comparable document is not currently required for entry by land or sea, U.S. and Canadian citizens are highly encouraged to carry proof of identity and citizenship. Travelers 19 years and older should also carry government-issued photo ID. Please visit "Ready, Set... Go!" for the latest information on travel requirements. (Ready, Set... Go!) Full WHTI implementation is currently planned for the summer of 2009. Ample advance notice will be provided to enable the public to obtain acceptable documents for land/sea entries to the United States. http://www.cbp.gov/
U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service - CustomsThe U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service maintains an office in St. Croix and is happy to assist visitors by answering any immigration questions. Their telephone number: (340) 778-6559. At the airport, their number is (340) 778-1419.
When you leave St. Croix by air, give yourself at least an hour and a half at the airport to go through customs and immigration checkpoints. At the airline counter you will be required to show photo identification for security purposes and check your bags. Before passing through Customs you have the opportunity to shop in the airport's gift shop and/or get a bite to eat at the small local restaurant located in the lobby. This is your last chance to try some local food before you return home! After visiting the airport lobby, fill in the Customs Declaration form you were given at check-in and proceed to Customs. Present your declaration form, along with your passport, to a Customs Inspector. You then collect your bags from the luggage carousel and pass through Immigration where you present your identification and Customs Declaration form. Be prepared to have all your bags checked thoroughly, inside and out. Once past Customs and the airport screening area there are new gates with comfortable chairs and a small snack bar which serves light snacks, soft drinks, beer and limited cocktails.
Duty Free Allowances
The USVI has the highest duty free allowance in the
Caribbean! There are no customs duties on most merchandise, and there are no local luxury or sales taxes. U.S. citizens are allowed a duty-free shopping quota of $1,600.00. Additionally, an unlimited number of gift packages, worth $100 or less, may be mailed to family and friends. Citizens may also bring back up to five cartons of duty-free cigarettes and five fifths of US liquor duty-free. An extra fifth can be taken if it is an U.S. Virgin Islands product such as Cruzan Rum.
Click here for more detailed duty
free allowance information for St. Croix and the US Virgin Island
Driving is on the left side of the street! Rentals cars are all left hand drive models. Photos © by Kent Vreeland
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