A Prescription for Real Relaxation - St. John

“I need a vacation to simply relax,” I told my husband. Too many times, our vacations were so action packed, we never rested and recovered from our stressful jobs. And we needed to get away…alone. Somehow, we always had additions to our vacationing party. If this sounds like you, consider St. John as a vacation destination. Isolated, relatively uncrowded and peaceful, this US Virgin Island easily charmed us into making this a “must visit again” destination. Don’t be surprised if the phrase “next time” populates your sentences when describing your time in St. John.

Beaches, beaches, beaches. This is what St. John is about. The United States’ largest underwater national park happens to make its home in St. John. If that isn’t an invitation to explore, I don’t know what is. Scuba divers, this is the treasure trove of diving locations so don’t forget your diving cards. I regret not getting certified sooner so I could have enjoyed this underwater wonderland.

Being a small island, you would think boredom would set in easily. Not so. We had a week to explore and never got to 75% of the restaurants, discovering the ancient petroglyphs along the internal hiking trails, visiting Annaberg Sugar Plantation or even swimming in St. John’s famed Trunk Bay! But we did catch beautiful sunsets while sipping drinks on the beach, snorkel the clearest waters, and walk on the softest sand I have ever encountered.

The only shortcoming in St. John for this bargain hunter was the lack of super shopping. Sure, the shopping is duty free in most places, and the jewelry abundant. However, most of the items seemed similar and touristy. Wharfside Village and Mongoose Junction, the two larger shopping complexes, didn’t really call out to me in regards to finding that special something that I must take home. No worries, I left St. John less poor than I had anticipated.

If you want rocking nightlife, pass this island. It’s not for all-night revelry. It is, however, a slow-paced, serene haven where beaches may have as many as five people partaking in the sunshine. Cruise ships pull into Cruz Bay and drop off day trippers but for the most part, the island remains somewhat exclusive. And for those of us who don’t have the opportunity to purchase a private island for our sole use, claiming St. John as our own is a terrific consolation prize.

Quick Tips:

No need to change currency if you are traveling from the US. St. John is a US territory and uses US dollars. Do, however, bring your passport. Even if you are going from the US to St. John, you may want to take an excursion to the British Virgin Islands.

Getting to St. John is a breeze if you live on the east coast of the US. Being in the same time zone makes a big difference. However, if you live on the west coast, consider staying overnight in a layover city. We traveled from California on a red eye flight, stopped over in Philadelphia and waited to catch an 8am flight. We were exhausted by the time we arrived in St. John.

Keep your snorkeling gear handy. We drove around the island and whenever we saw an interesting, safe beach, we pulled over, jumped in and discovered all sorts of things. Remember that safe snorkeling means watch the currents, stay off the coral, and don’t go alone. Only leave footprints and only take pictures.

Mosquitoes did not pester me as much as the No-See-Ums did. Small gnats that bite, leaving itchy welts, did me in. Use a strong bug repellent. I used Avon’s Sunscreen with IR3535 but it was not as waterproof as I would have liked. After I got out of the water, the No-See-Ums saw a walking buffet. Otherwise, it works great.

Save money on dining and head for the local supermarkets. While groceries are going to be expensive to begin with, due to the fact that St. John is an island and everything is imported, eating in helps to reduce costs.

We never got around to Uncle Joe’s Barbeque Shack but that’s where the locals eat lunch and for cheap! Friends who have tried it strongly recommend it.

Best Way To Get Around:

Hands down, the best way to explore St. John is to rent a car. But not just any car, mind you. Rent a four wheel drive vehicle. You won’t regret it, especially if you get stuck on a slippery slope or mud pit, like we did. As we drove back up the steep hill (my friend, Eva, told us it was nicknamed Jacob’s Ladder) to the Westin, the rain caused the slope to be slippery and as our tires lost traction, our car was unable to advance. My husband switched the car to four wheel drive and we slowly made our way up and over the hill. In the meantime, an impatient tourist decided to pass to our right (keep in mind that St. John drivers drive on the left, which takes about a day to get used to). As we managed to creep along, her car lost traction and she got stuck…but on the wrong side of the road.

If you don’t want the hassle of driving on the “wrong side” of the road, or if you prefer taxis, St. John’s taxi services are relatively convenient. Prices are usually one way to certain destinations and are preset. For example, from the Westin to Cruz Bay (or “downtown”), the taxis charged per person. Prices may have increased since 2004 but if you plan on exploring the island, these per person charges can add up.

If you decide to rent a car, make reservations as soon as possible. We waited until we got to the island, only to find out that the earliest we could get a car was three days into the week. Do yourself a favor and eliminate the frustration of not having convenient transportation by reserving as early as you can.

To get to St. Croix or St. Thomas, join an excursion. Exploring them on your own could be dangerous as the crime rate is higher on both islands. However, the regular ferry service departs from Cruz Bay to accommodate the commuters that work on St. John.

There are two great resorts on St. John. One is Caneel Bay Resort and the other is the Westin Resort & Villas. We stayed at the Westin, booking one of the studio villas up the hill from the resort.

For first-timers, pay the extra fee (when we traveled, it was $50 per person) for the Westin’s transfer package. The hotel staff will greet you at Charlotte-Amalie Airport in St. Thomas, take care of your baggage, provide water, and shuttle you to the ferry dock a few minutes away. There, we boarded a direct ferry to the Westin. If you opt not to take the Westin package, note that you have to catch a ferry from Charlotte-Amalie to Cruz Bay in St. John. There, you will need to catch a taxi to the Westin. You’ll save money but the hassle might be daunting.

Upon arrival, the resort staff greeted us with rum punch and shuttled us in golf carts to the lobby. After we checked in at the open-air lobby, we took another shuttle across the street from the main resort, up the hill, and to our studio. If you are lucky enough to book a villa down at the main resort level, you will not need to be shuttled back and forth like we were.

But a benefit of staying up on the hill was that it was quiet and we had our own private pools. Granted, the villa pools did not compare to the monstrous pool complex at the main resort area. But for a quick, relaxing dip, our villa pools did just fine. Note that most of the watersports activities at the Westin are complimentary. Grab a float and head into the water.

Our room was a bit run down for a Westin but I heard that they just renovated the villas. The air-conditioning blew at all or nothing levels so we found ourselves keeping it in high and getting more blankets.

Our studio had a kitchenette with stove, microwave, refrigerator, and dishwasher. St. John’s dining options are fairly limited if you like a cheap, plentiful meal. The tasty restaurants were expensive and the cheap places were open only during limited hours. So we opted to stop by the Star Market or the Dolphin Market for groceries and made dinner a couple of nights in our room. Villas are also equipped with washers and dryers, ever so handy when staying for 7 days.

St. John’s grocery store prices are high so brace yourself for sticker shock. Most of St. John’s work force commute from St. Thomas so the prices cater to tourists. Bring some instant oatmeal, Kool Aid, iced tea mix or other dry foodstuffs to take the sting off.

Choose a waterfront room or a villa for condo-style living. You could laze away your entire trip at the Westin but we ventured off property to explore the island. Either way, it’s a great way to spend a vacation.

Our first night in St. John, we took a taxi into town and ate at The Lime Inn. Apparently, “liming” or “limin’” is the local term for relaxing. So where better to get our first meal than The Lime Inn?

Perched on a porch built around a large lemon tree, the open-air restaurant is found in the Lemon Tree Mall, between the Pink Papaya and Deborah Designs. The wait can get rather long due to the small size of the restaurant. Get there early and beat the crowds. Note that Wednesday night is the most crowded time to go because of the all-you-can-eat peel and eat shrimp night. We did not partake but we heard about the popular seafood fest.

When a restaurant tells you they have fresh fish, you won’t need much more proof than watching the chef stroll through the dining room with a still live fish squirming in his arms. So we ordered fresh fish which, for us, was familiar comfort food. But you don’t have to order fish. The Lime Inn features pasta, chicken and steaks as well.

One thing I noticed was the clientele consisted mainly of Americans. This may be due to the fact that after work hours, most of the locals head back to St. Thomas or St. Croix, leaving the tourists in St. John. Dress is casual but The Lime Inn is a little more upscale than just swimsuits and flip flops. Shorts, t-shirts and sandals work. Prices for dinner fall in the $15 to $20 range. For lunch, shoot for $10 to $15. For the two of us, we paid $33.40 for lunch.

To get to The Lime Inn, go into town, pass the fire station, turn left into the town. Basically, you’ll have to park your car wherever you can and just walk. If you get lost, just ask the locals, they’ll know where to go. St. John is such a small island that you can always ask for directions very easily if you even need them at all. Note that The Lime Inn is not featured on the free St. John map with hand drawn artwork.

About halfway into our vacation, my husband started to get a bit antsy for some American bar food. He was living the Jimmy Buffet life of beaches, sunshine and not having a care in the world but he needed some Jimmy Buffet company too.

Enter Skinny Legs. One of the restaurants our friends recommended was this hole-in-the-wall shack clear across the island on the east side. To get there, take Northshore Road to Center Line Road going toward Coral Bay. When you get to the intersection of Center Line (Hwy 10) and Hwy 107, keep going on Hwy 10. Skinny Legs is on the right as you enter town. Park in the dirt & grass lot to the right of the shack and find you way into the restaurant. The outside is decorated with old signs and whimsical memorabilia.

At it turned out, my husband really liked Skinny Legs. With a rickety bar, Skinny Legs had all of the familiar and comfortable American staples on their menu. My husband ordered the classic GTO sandwich and I had an even more classic cheeseburger. Prices hovered around $7 - $10. I felt the prices were too high for the food that was not as good as a basic coffee shop but the Jimmy Buffet atmosphere satiated my husband’s need. Rowdy Americans sat in every corner. My suggestion would be to go for the bar, where it seemed as if they had a great selection of drinks. Orders come with chips, no fries. For the two of us, we paid $18.00.

Dress code is nonexistent. Go wrapped in a towel if you must. This place is so casual, I could have sworn I saw animals roaming around the open-air restaurant. We’re big fans of letting dogs in restaurants so Skinny Legs did the critters justice. The main dining area overlooks the water, which facilitates a wonderful breeze to cool off diners.

For more information, Skinny Legs’ phone number is (340) 779-4982 and website is www.skinnylegs.com. The most helpful thing about the place was an Internet station next to the restaurant to check your email.

One evening, I found an old friend of mine from elementary school working at a restaurant in St. John. She and I had attended the same school in Hong Kong and by chance, reunited miles away from our childhood home.

As the sun prepared to set, my friend took us to Wharfside Village and watched the sunset on the beach, sipping drinks. As the night descended, we wanted to fill our growling stomachs so we proceeded to Knot Heads, a restaurant on the second floor of the building facing the ocean.

One cannot visit the Virgin Islands and not try conch fritters. This local delicacy arrived at our table deep fried in a golden batter. One order did not satisfy our craving so we ordered another platter. I was a little disappointed that I could barely see the conch inside the doughy fritter but the taste still made for a nice appetizer nonetheless.

We also tried the coconut shrimp and fish & chips dishes. The coconut shrimp tasted fine but my first thought was that I would be able to make this back at home. The fish & chips satisfied my hunger. Again, we did not have anything super spectacular during our trip and while this meal did not bring about convulsions of delight, the food was substantial, adequately priced and good.

Price-wise, here’s what we paid: Conch Fritters $8.50 each, Coconut Shrimp $8.50, Fish & Chips $9.25, two beers from the downstairs bar $9.

One quick word about St. John restrooms. Outside of the resorts, restrooms sport weak plumbing. As a result, no paper products whatsoever can be flushed down the drain. So after a full stomach, I had to use the restroom. Even though the facility was clean, the odor rattled my stomach. Word of warning, consider the strength of your nose/stomach before using the facilities.

At the Westin Resort, we located the Mango Deli hidden in the Bougainvillea Shops section of the property. The deli features a pizza delivery service, where guests can order pizza and have it delivered to their rooms, a bakery, a small grocery store and sundries.

Every day at 5pm, the Mango Deli marked down the remaining baked goods half off. If you do not mind day old bakery items, make your way to the deli to find apple turnovers, cinnamon rolls and croissants for $1.25 instead of $2.50. Of course, at 5:00 PM, you run the risk of getting only the leftovers after the premium items have already disappeared at the hands of the early birds.

We spent some time at the deli perusing the foodstuff gifts to bring home. We found rum caramels for my Canadian mother-in-law for $5.95 and coconut coffee for $9.95. My savory snack craving was held at bay when we bought potato chips for me during one moment of extreme weakness.

The deli also provides a picnic lunch packing service. For intrepid folks venturing off on their own, the deli will pack a lunch complete with sandwiches, chips, fruit and drinks in a cooler. We did not try this option but thought that guests found it convenient, albeit pricey. If you are short on time and transportation, consider the deli for a picnic lunch. Otherwise, do as we did and grab groceries at Star Market and make your own gourmet meal for your excursions.

Granted, St. John is a tiny island that can be explored in its entirety in a matter of a few days. However, we decided to take advantage of some of the excursions to neighboring islands during our visit to the Virgin Islands.

We took a boat on Saturday at 8:00 AM from the Westin’s dock to the Baths on the British Virgin Island of Virgin Gorda. Note that before you board, you must leave your shoes and sandals so as to not leave marks on the ship. Because these areas are located in the British Virgin Islands, you will need to bring your passport for clearing immigration. On the way out to the British Virgin Islands, the ship’s crew will take your passport into the immigration office, get cleared and you’re on your way. On the way back to St. John, we stopped in Cruz Bay at the U.S. Immigration office, disembarked and went through the line to reenter the US territory. We boarded the boat again and returned back to the Westin. It doesn’t take too long but it’s part of the process.

The Baths is basically an area where huge boulders have formed grottoes and caves. The trip is great for exploring and experiencing something unique. Remember that you leave your shoes at the dock before you board the boat so when you explore the Baths, you do so barefoot. I would have liked to have had my sandals because my feet got tired pretty quickly climbing over boulders and rocks.

The only way to get to the Baths once the boat moors is to swim. They put all of your gear, towels, etc. into a dingy so that they stay dry, and bring it to shore. However, you have to swim about 3 minutes. My husband, who does not feel too comfortable swimming, did it just fine with a life vest.

Upon reaching the pristine beach, we began exploring. We followed others who seemed to have found a trail and eventually came upon a wooden staircase that led under a boulder. After crawling through a narrow passage, we ventured into a cave-like area with pools of water formed from the tides. Some of the pools housed small fish that would eventually be carried back out to the ocean when the next high tide flowed in. After a while, we retraced our steps and returned to the beach. Our swim back to the boat seemed longer as we regretfully ended our adventure.

We had the basic sandwich and cookie spread for lunch. After the Baths, we stopped off at Norman Island for snorkeling. We explored three caves but they were not that exciting. Overall, an interesting day. However, in comparison to the SCUBA trip that I took to Molokini Crater in Maui, the Baths are not as spectacular.

The Westin Vacation Services desk in the lobby will be able to book any excursions you may want to try. For both of us, this cost $220.

Thankfully, our vacation concierge convinced us to take the island tour before we did anything else. The tour is a great overview of the island and will help you navigate once you start out on your own. If you’re not staying at the Westin, check to see if you can pick up a tour from your hotel. Tours departed daily at 9:30am and 1:30pm. Take a morning tour because it will be cooler and you will have the rest of the day to yourselves. At the time we took the 2-hour tour, the cost was approximately $15-20 per person and they take you in an open air, covered bus.

We first ventured westbound and got a look at Cruz Bay, St. John’s downtown. Our driver obligingly answered all of our questions, stupid and not so stupid. One of the most useful stops we made, although we all hoped we would never go back and visit was the new hospital on the island. Our driver made a point for us know where to get medical attention if needed. Fortunately, we never did but it was nice to have that knowledge.

We made our way to all of the beaches on the southern side. What was nice about the tour was that our driver pointed out where to park along the road if we wanted to visit a particular beach. Trunk Bay had the most organized parking lot, while some of the other beaches boasted the "pull over at the side of the road and jump in" type of parking.

Our tour stopped at Cinnamon Bay, which has a snack shop if you want refreshments but the shop’s prices are expensive so you may want to take your own drinks. This is the only place for a bathroom stop on the tour. If you forget to take precautions before the tour starts, this is the last chance. There, we were able to explore the Cinnamon Bay campground and ventured out to the water to check out the conditions. The high winds made for rough swimming and snorkeling so we made a note of it and decided to skip it altogether when we were out on our own.

Our bus climbed the hill to a vantage point overlooking Coral Bay. We did not have enough time on our tour to explore the northeastern area of the island but the view was spectacular.

Our driver also pointed out the start of the hiking trails through the center of the island, where we could view the petroglyphs. We will have to save that adventure for another time as we never made it. However, it was truly helpful to know where you had to park your car and how to navigate the trail.

This tour is chock full of good information and should not be forsaken. Save yourself a lot of hassle and wasted time by orienting yourself to a small but relaxing island.

Now here is something you don’t do every day. The Westin has iguana feeding sessions which occur Monday through Friday at 3pm at the Gazebo, on the north side of the resort by the tennis courts. The staff provides fruit for the reptiles and guests can feed them.

This might sound fine and dandy but the thing that struck me was how fast these buggers run. We didn’t go to the actual feeding during the week. We were exploring the Gazebo on a Saturday at about 3pm when a big, fat iguana came out to feed. These things don’t understand the concept of a weekend. It saw us and ran toward me, very quickly. I freaked and ran out toward the beach into the water. I figured it can’t swim and get me.

If you have a fear of rapidly running reptiles, skip this unique event. I am now a bit scarred and will not go into a reptile house at the zoo. However, some of the best memories are carved out of close encounters with animals. The kids will love the program. Best of all, they will have a lot to discuss with their friends when they return. I know, I did.

The largest underwater national park in the United States is in St. John. Almost half of the Virgin Islands National Park is submerged and boasts spectacular snorkeling and diving. Pack up your snorkel gear, towels, some fresh rinsing water, and head out. If you see a spot, pull over and jump in. Here is our tour of the beaches starting from the west side of the island.

Great Cruz Bay: The Westin is located here on the west side of the island. Because boats moor here outside the national park, the water is murky. However, kids love the water trampoline and climbing hill.

Cruz Bay: Downtown St. John where most of the boats and cruise ships moor is not a good place to snorkel but a terrific place to stroll and catch a sunset.

Hawksnest Bay: Some say Hawksnest Bay has the best snorkeling because of the reef. But the coral and the waves made for tough swimming. The coral grows in shallow water so be careful not to harm it or yourself. If you snorkel here, go during high tide so that you snorkel safely above the reef.

Maho Bay: This long stretch of powdery sand felt as if I was walking on velvet. The long beach contributed to the calm water. We saw fascinating animal life despite the monotonous sandy bottom. Fish congregate along the rocky left side of Maho. Rays and a sea turtle meandered by as we hovered over them. As an added surprise, a wild donkey stopped by to say hello as we were leaving.

Waterlemon Bay: If you snorkel here, be prepared. My husband called the only restroom here one of the scariest experiences of his life. He likened it to the Flukeman episode of The X-Files. The 15 minute walk is enough to deter someone. The hike is easy on flat ground but becomes unstable over the rocks. Note that brush and dense forest lies behind the beach, making a humid home to mosquitoes. Here I received most of the mosquito welts from our trip. The snorkeling was fair due to the boats moored in the bay. But we saw several turtles due to the abundance of sea grass, and spent two hours there.

Salt Pond Bay: We drove to Salt Pond Bay on the south side. This was the last stop on the paved road. We parked in the small lot at the top of the hill and walked 10 minutes down to the beach. The hike is easy but sloped so don’t carry too much equipment. Note there is little shade so have sun protection. The snorkeling here was eventful as there was a black tip shark sighting when we were in the water. We saw our first ray and followed it along the length of the bay. We found most of the fish at the rocky area on the left. Unfortunately, on the day that we went, the visibility was approximately 8 feet.

One great tip we received was to hit the largest grocery store in town, Starfish Market. The prices are high so be prepared for sticker shock but the cost savings of making your own breakfast or having a midnight snack conveniently available in your room will overshadow any hesitation.

When you first arrive in St. John, go to this market for your staples, such as cereal for the kids and beer for you. Starfish Market is located in The Marketplace shopping center, up on a hill across from…the waste treatment plant of all things. Take Route 104, either from the Westin or from downtown. Phone is (340) 779-4949.

Starfish Market has a terrific deli counter where fresh salads and sandwiches are prepared daily. My husband, up to this trip, had an aversion to tofu. Not sure how he was going to survive, married into an Asian family, I was determined to prove to him that tofu was not the foul sustenance of those with taste bud failure. We approached the deli counter where a sales clerk offered us a sample of tofu salad. After making a face, my husband finally relented to my constant barrage of, “Just try it! It’s just like cottage cheese and you love cottage cheese!” Long story short, my husband now asks for tofu at family dinners.

For picnic supplies, the Starfish Market will have everything you need for a day out. You should find most of the comforts of home there. If you have the time, check out the classified ads hanging in the entrance. It’s interesting to see how life on the island might differ or be similar to life at home.

For a market where more locals shop, try the Dolphin Gourment Market. Smaller than Starfish, the prices are cheaper on some items, more expensive on others. Dolphin Market will be quieter than Starfish.

Located at 18-25 Boulon Center, along Route 10, Dolphin Market is the first establishment as you leave town on the left, across from the Texaco station.

The last market we found was simply called The Simple Feast. This small grocery is closest to the Westin, although not within walking distance, in the Palm Plaza. The traffic along Route 104 does not lend to casual strolls on a road without sidewalks. Don’t risk it. Due to its location, Simple Feast charges higher prices than the other two markets, knowing that the tourists at the Westin will pay premium when they are not aware of the other choices on the island. They carry prepared sandwiches and salads, as well as bottled sauces, and other goods. You can find specialty items, rather than basic groceries.