Although we had fun, we both agreed, it’s probably not a place we’d come back to. The main attraction to St. Thomas/St. John were the beautiful clear-watered beaches. Aside from that, the culture was drowned by the tourist-driven businesses. Actually, everything was driven by the cruise ships. The shopping, the food, the transaction based marketing where they just tried to profiteer off the tourists as much as possible. Most of the customer service was half-assed until it came time for payment and tipping. Then suddenly they were trying to be best friends. When we went to Secret Harbour, at the Blue Moon Cafe, the waitstaff not only didn’t refill our water promptly, they averted eye contact when we tried to ask for more water. At Mim’s Seaside Bistro, they offered us still or sparkling water not offering us tap. They bilked us $6 for a half liter bottle of water. At Secret Harbour, when the rain was coming down, we put our items under an unused umbrella on a towel on the sand. While technically, the chairs and umbrellas were $5 each, we figured we weren’t taking up any space from the people there since everyone left as the rain came down. When we returned from snorkeling though, they had closed the umbrella and touched our stuff getting sand all over it. When the taxi’s charge you, it’s not metered. It’s per person depending on where you’re headed. $10 per person to go from Charlotte Amalie to Bolongo Bay for example. At first we tipped every driver and they accepted it. Later towards the end of our trip, we paid our driver exact fare and before we had a chance to reach for some ones to tip, she thanked us and drove away. That’s when we realized at the set per-person rate, tipping isn’t necessary. All in all, I’d say, even though we had fun, there are probably better places to go on a vacation. I wouldn’t recommend going here.

We booked our hotel out to March 31st and our flight April 5th by mistake. We decided to pay an extra $530 to change our flight to return March 31st rather than book extra hotel nights for a longer trip. I think that is telling. Great trip, but we were ready to come home.

If you do choose to go, and I think it is worth it to see the beaches, I wouldn’t stay longer than 3 or 4 nights. That’s enough to check out St. John and some other beaches on St. Thomas. Skip the shopping.

All of the beaches have clear water. You can see your toes when you stand even neck deep.

Magen’s Bay – Known as one of the top 10 beaches in the world – but we can’t figure out why. Beautiful soft white sand. Can be crowded though. Good for looking, relaxing. Not so much a snorkel location.

Coki Beach – In a shady part of town but it’s fine during the day. Plenty of tourists around but it’s not too crowded.

Great water and I preferred it over Magen’s. Next door is Coral World. Worth checking out. Snorkeling is good.

Bolongo Bay – Bolongo means beautiful. There are free beach chairs here. Either that or they didn’t watch them very well. The beach is calm and shallow.

I could walk pretty far out and still be just waist deep. They have little fishies swimming all around you. And walking around, you can find sea urchins. A nice little beach.

Secret Harbor – Arguably the best beach we we went on during this trip.

The fish were visible just wading out. They were actually pecking our feet and legs. Not vicious though.

Trunk Bay – On St. John’s Island. We took the expensive tour of St. John which was basically a long truck ride, a peasly meal, and then 2 beautiful hours at Trunk Bay. I loved the snorkeling here because I could walk out neck deep and do my own little secure snorkeling. They have plenty of lifeguards. This is supposedly the 2nd best beach in the world. I’m not sure what the rating system is though.

I could’ve spent all day here. For future reference, I’d say, skip the commercial tours, make your own way there. Skip the shopping, skip the touring and head straight for the beach. Any beach. And this is coming from a non-beach person. I think this trip may have changed my mind about beaches altogether.