My Favourite Cruise Port
This little Caribbean island is situated east of Puerto Rico in the Southern Caribbean and draws me back almost every winter since my first visit in 1998. I have visited St Thomas 17 times now and have fond memories of the island, especially since 2017 when I got married there right on the white sandy beach at Magens Bay overlooking the crystal-clear waters surrounded by the protective hills of the peninsulas protecting the bay.
St Thomas draws me back time after time for many reasons, I love the history, the vibe, the people, the food and the many happy memories I have created there.
The island was founded by the Danish in the 1600’s and is now a busy cruise ship port. I love to explore the historic buildings on the island such as Blackbeard’s Castle – a reference to the islands pirate past, and the 17th century Fort Christian which is now a local-history museum on the harbour.
The cruise ships dock close to a typically Caribbean portside shopping mall with the usual shops, bars, restaurants – this area can get very busy thought the plus side is that it’s very flat with good hard surfaces for strollers and wheelchair users. Once out of the shopping area you’ll find readily available shared or private transport to take you to the islands beaches which incidentally are perfect for snorkelling. You can take the Skyride to Paradise Point - a cable car gondola ride where you can have a drink at the summit and take in the spectacular views of the island’s stunning bays, the cruise ships and of course the capital Charlotte Amalie.
Shopping in the capital Charlotte Amalie is one of the best and most varied in the Caribbean. The newly pedestrianised streets and smaller alleyways off the main street offer everything from local handicrafts to antiques, artisan stores to high end designer products and there is a heavy focus on jewellery and electronics.
I mentioned snorkelling earlier and a quieter location for this is at Coki Point Road beach at Smith Bay just along from the much busier Pineapple beach. Throughout St Thomas you will find a full range of motorised and non-motorised water sports available on the beaches. You can even try stand-up paddle boarding through the mangrove lagoon and see the coral, jellyfish and stingrays while paddling on the swamp waterways. If you fancy something a little more extreme why not try rock climbing on the ocean cliffs on Inner Brass Island or the new Tree Limin’ Extreme Zipline – a little too energetic for me I must say!
Eco tours are becoming more and more popular across the Caribbean including St Thomas where you’ll find options to kayak, hike and snorkel it’s a great way to learn more about the island’s history and ecology. My favourite beach is undoubtedly Mages Bay, it’s on the northside of the island and the almost three-quarters of a mile of white sand beach is well protected. The beach facilities are good and very well looked after, there is a parking area, restaurants and bars just off the beach – the conservation costs are covered by the entrance fee charged to use the beach. I particularly like exploring the wooded inland area behind the car park which also hides some ruined buildings – great for exploring and escaping the hot sun.
When I’m in St Thomas there are two places I always head to for refreshments - Greengos and The Old Stone Farmhouse.
Greengos Caribbean Cantina at 34-35 Dronnigens Gade in Charlotte Amalie is my daytime ‘fun time with friends’ venue. It’s a family run restaurant and bar where Elizabeth the head of the family shows her sons how to prepare and serve the best Mexican food I’ve tasted outside of Mexico itself – it’s a great location that offers friendly service, the venue is quite quirky and fits with the charm of the alleyway it lives on. The walls have fantastic Mexican wall art and you’ve got to try the strawberry Coronaritas – they are big enough to share and taste the best!
When I’m looking for something a little more formal, I head to The Old Stone Farmhouse. It’s housed in a 1750’s stable block at Mahogany Run Golf Course on the northside of the island and not too far from Magens Bay. It’s an upscale restaurant serving an array of American influenced food – if you are lucky enough to be in port on a Sunday, you couldn’t go too wrong by reserving a table for their delicious Sunday Brunch made from fresh and local produce with contemporary flavour combinations that just work. I have a soft spot for this place as this was where my wedding breakfast was held.
This little island has a lot to offer and it’s well worth exploring further on an island tour – I hope you love it as much as I do.