US Virgin Islands. British Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands. State structure and political system of the American Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands is a territory consisting of 60 small islands. Its area is 153 km2. The British Virgin Islands are British overseas lands. Located in the northeast of the Caribbean, 1770 km south of Florida. They are the southeastern part of the archipelago of islands, which include the US Virgin Islands. The city of Road Town, located on the island of Tortola, is the capital. The official language is English.

Currently, the archipelago of the Virgin Islands is divided by two states at once - Great Britain and the United States.

History reference

These lands in the 1st century BC. e. inhabited by the Arawak Indians. In the XV century. the warlike tribes of the Caribs who lived in the Lesser Antilles conquered the Indians.

The great Christopher Columbus discovered the Virgin Islands in 1493 during his second campaign. Spain declared them its possession, but did not begin to develop them. The Dutch, the British, the Danes, the French showed interest in them. The Indian population was exterminated almost completely.

In 1672, the island of Tortola was captured by England. And eight years later (1680), the British captured the islands of Virgin Gorda and Anegard. They began to grow sugar cane in the occupied territories. To do this, they brought Negro slaves here from Africa.

When slavery was abolished in England in 1834, contract workers from Portugal and India began to work on the plantations.

Virgin Islands on the world map

The United States acquired its part of the islands in 1917. Basically, they are uninhabited. The US Virgin Islands (this is clearly visible on the map) are adjacent to the Virgin Islands (Britain) in the east and Puerto Rico in the west.

The largest of them are St. Thomas, Santa Cruz, St. John. The total area of ​​the entire territory is 346.36 km2. The US Virgin Islands are geographically divided into two large districts. In addition, there are 20 minor subdistricts. The population is 108 thousand people. Mostly they are from South America and African Americans. 30% of the population is employed in the tourism business.

Today it is one of the most popular resort destinations in the world. The capital of the islands - Charlotte Amalie is located on St. Thomas.

Holidays in the US Virgin Islands

The most suitable time for a holiday on the islands is from the second half of December until the very end of April. This is the peak season, so the cost of services is much higher than from May to August, despite the fact that the weather conditions at this time are excellent.

The developed resorts of St. Thomas with its snow-white beaches, picturesque bays, bays with turquoise water - all this is a vacation in the American Islands.

There are about 40 beaches here, most of which are well equipped. The most calm and deserted of them is snow-white Limetri, located in the south of St. Thomas.

Hotels on the islands are classified according to the star system adopted throughout the world and comply with generally accepted standards.

What to watch

On the American islands, you can see the ancient Blackbird castle and Fort Christian, where (according to local residents) the prototype of Bluebeard once lived, those who wish can climb Mount St. Peter, walk along Charlotte Amalie Square.

On the island of Santa Cruz, you can visit sugar cane plantations. The city of Kristianstand was once a city of Danish colonizers. Here you will be offered to visit the Kruzan wineries. You will be able to see all of the Virgin Islands by taking to the skies in a twin-engine aircraft.

In the north of the island of St. Thomas, there is an amazingly beautiful Coki Bay and a unique aquarium with numerous tropical fish and other marine life.

Where to stay

There are a lot of hotels on the American islands. However, holidays here are not cheap. Prices for accommodation in resort hotels are at least $ 300 per day per person. Moreover, this amount is considered the minimum.

Many tourists are happy to stay in tent cities, but not all islands have them.

If you have the necessary amount, you can rent a villa on the coast or an apartment.

Entertainment

The US Virgin Islands are simply made for a relaxing and peaceful holiday.

Nature has created unique diving conditions here. Underwater caves and coral reefs invite you to dive into the bright turquoise sea waters.

The most colorful entertainment here is undoubtedly carnivals. The brightest passes on St. Thomas. Here you can see a masquerade, musical performances, dance competitions. Having seen this spectacle once, it is impossible to forget it.

In April, all the famous yachtsmen of the Caribbean Sea gather at St. Thomas for the International Regatta.

A similar event takes place in early June on Saint John. The celebration smoothly flows into Fireworks Week.

At the beginning of the year, Santa Cruz hosts a fascinating and very cheerful holiday - the Carp Festival. Sport fishing is also a kind of outdoor activity. Here even a beginner can become a champion - there are a lot of fish, equipment can be rented.

British Virgin Islands

Like the American islands, tourism flourishes in these lands. This is one of the best places for diving, sailing and windsurfing. In addition, the British Virgin Islands (you see the photo in our article) is an abundance of historical and cultural attractions. You can visit unique art galleries and exhibitions of magnificent hand-made samples from local residents. Fans of ecotourism will also find a lot of interesting things here. Interesting hiking trails have been developed on the islands, striking with unique vegetation.

It offers tourists comfortable hotels and hotels, wonderful cafes and restaurants, nightclubs. If we add to this the excellent level of service and hospitality of the local population, it becomes clear that holidays on the islands can become unforgettable.

Climate

The average annual air temperature ranges from 23 to 28 degrees. Such a stable climate makes it possible to visit the Virgin Islands all year round. Peak season is from November to March. During this time, prices go up significantly. Although in May - October, holidays on the islands can hardly be called cheap.

Attractions

The most vivid impressions on the islands, according to our compatriots who have already been here, are excursions taking place in Road Town - the largest city and main port, located in the south of Tortola island. Road Town is surrounded by the sea and three large hills.

Here you can see the post office of the XVIII century, St. Phillips Cathedral, the former governor's residence, which eventually turned into a Public Museum. In the southwest of the city rises Fort Carlotte, which in ancient times was a defensive structure, and then a prison.

The Virgin Islands (British) are also rich in natural monuments. There are 15 national parks and reserves here.

Restaurants

The national cuisine of the Virgin Islands is a very bright and original mixture of the culinary schools of the world. There are a sufficient number of restaurants that use various recipes, most often borrowed from the best culinary specialists in Asia, Africa and Europe. It is interesting that they mix so talentedly and in an original way that they form something of their own, unique, island menu. Most of the products are imported to the islands, but a special place of honor is occupied by local fruits and seafood.

Safety

The standard of living in the Virgin Islands is the highest among the rest of the Caribbean. The banking and offshore sectors of the economy provide the island treasury with a steady flow of funds, so there is a low level of unemployment and crime. The British Isles are rightfully considered the safest territory in the Western Hemisphere.

US Virgin Islands- a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea, 60 km east of Puerto Rico; autonomous territory of the United States. The largest islands are St. Thomas, St. John, Santa Cruz. There are also many small islands. The area is 344 km².

The US Virgin Islands is a territory purchased by the United States from Denmark on January 17, 1917 (all formalities were completed on March 31 of the same year). Managed by the US Department of the Interior. Residents have the status of citizens of the United States.

Geographically, the US Virgin Islands are part of the Virgin Islands (which also includes the British Virgin Islands).

The islands are hilly (the highest point is 475 m), composed mainly of limestone, there are outcrops of ancient crystalline or volcanic rocks.

The absence of rivers and lakes, as well as the deep occurrence of groundwater, for a long time greatly complicated the problem of water supply, despite the rather large amount of precipitation. Rain water was collected in special tanks. After the construction of desalination plants, this problem has been largely solved.

The flora and fauna of the islands are largely destroyed by people. The remains of evergreen tropical forests are preserved mainly on the island of St. John, two-thirds of the territory of which is occupied by a national park. On the island of St. Thomas there are woodlands and shrubs on the site of former plantations. Sea waters near the islands are rich in fish, crustaceans and molluscs.

Climate of the US Virgin Islands

Climate in the US Virgin Islands- tropical, trade winds, hot and humid with two dry seasons. The average monthly temperature fluctuates slightly throughout the year - from +22-24 °C in winter to +28-29 °C in summer. Diurnal temperature changes are also weakly traced.

Precipitation is up to 1300 mm per year, and there are two dry (winter and summer) and two rainy (spring and autumn) seasons. The maximum amount of rain falls in the period from September to November-December, although even at this time, no more than five to six days a month are rainy. Between July and October, tropical hurricanes are likely to pass over the territory of the islands, although here they are recorded much less frequently than over the nearby Windward Islands.

The most favorable time for a trip to the islands is from mid-December to the end of April, however, the peak tourist season falls on the same period, so prices are much higher than, for example, from May to August, when weather conditions are also excellent for sea holidays.

Population

Population of the US Virgin Islands- 109.8 thousand people (2010).

The average life expectancy is 76 years for men, 82 years for women.

Ethno-racial composition: blacks 76.2%, whites 13.1%, mulattoes 3.5%, Asians 1.1%, other 6.1% (according to the 2000 census).

Religions: Baptist 42%, Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%.

The official language is English. Also popular are Spanish or Spanish-Creole 16.8%, French or Franco-Creole 6.6%, others 1.9%.

About money

Monetary unit of the US Virgin Islands: US dollar ($ or USD), in 1 dollar 100 cents. In circulation are denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollars, coins - pennies (1 cent), nickel (5 cents), dime (10 cents), quarter (25 cents), half-dollar (50 cents) and 1 dollar.

Banks are usually open from Monday to Thursday, from 09.00 to 14.30, on Fridays - 09.00 to 14.00 and from 15.30 to 17.00.

Foreign currency can be exchanged at banks and specialized exchange offices. The islands have branches of almost all major international banking systems.

Credit cards are widely accepted on the larger islands, but can be difficult to use on the smaller islands. Traveler checks can be cashed at almost any bank office. To avoid additional costs associated with fluctuations in the exchange rate, it is recommended to bring checks in US dollars with you.

Communication and communications

Telephone code: 1 - 340

Internet domain: .vi

Phone codes of cities

Area codes are not used.

How to call

To call from Russia to the US Virgin Islands, you need to dial: 8 - beep - 10 - 1 - 340 - subscriber's number.

To call from the US Virgin Islands to Russia, you need to dial: 011 - 7 - area code - subscriber number.

Fixed line

All payphones on the islands are included in the general telephone system of the United States and work with telephone cards that are sold at post offices, newspaper and tobacco kiosks. Almost all payphones have direct access to international automatic telephone communication and some of them accept ATT cards and credit cards for international calls.

cellular

The cellular communication system in the US Virgin Islands is excellently developed and integrated into a single network with US operators.

Internet

The Internet on the islands is developing at a rapid pace - almost all telephone and cellular companies provide their customers with Internet access. Internet cafes are concentrated in large settlements and resort areas.

shopping

Shops are usually open from Monday to Saturday, from 09.00 to 17.00, but on Thursday many of them close quite early - usually around 15.00-16.00. Many large retail outlets are usually open on Sundays, from 10.00 to 17.00, shops in the port also often open their doors on Sunday, but only during the stay of cruise ships. Bargaining in local trading establishments is not accepted, but in the markets it is possible and necessary.

Popular souvenirs: rum, jewelry, paintings (there are many art galleries on Santa Cruz Island).

Where to stay

The cost of living in local hotels is quite high compared to many Caribbean countries.

Sea and beaches

The islands attract numerous beach lovers with their clean beaches with white fine sand.

Almost all beaches are open to the public, only private areas and some large resort complexes have limited access (permit required).

Some local beaches are natural breeding grounds for endangered sea turtles, so most of them are protected and access to such areas is prohibited at certain times.

Story

The Virgin Islands were discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493.

In 1625, English and French colonists settled on the islands, taking up agriculture. Then the islands were successively owned by England, Spain, France and the Order of Malta.

In 1666, Denmark took possession of the island of St. Thomas, which soon captured the island of St. John, and in 1733 Denmark bought the island of Santa Cruz from France. The Danes tried to establish a plantation economy on St. Thomas, but it was not successful due to the low fertility of the land, and the island became one of the centers of the rum and slave trade. The port of St. Thomas became a base for pirates. Santa Cruz Island had more fertile land, and after the transition to Denmark, about 200 sugar cane plantations were established there.

However, by the beginning of the 20th century, sugar production on Santa Cruz had declined, and the islands of the Danish West Indies were sold to the United States in 1917 for $25 million.

Useful information

The most favorable time for a trip to the islands is from mid-December to mid-May, however, the peak tourist season falls on the same period, so prices are much higher than, for example, from May to August, when weather conditions are also excellent for sea holidays. An additional argument in favor of visiting the islands in the summer is the much greater transparency of sea water at this time, which provides better conditions for diving.

Local tap water is chlorinated and safe to drink, but bottled water is still recommended.

Catching any marine organisms (including surfacing and even collecting shells and corals washed ashore) in the waters of the US Virgin Islands is prohibited, as is the use of harpoon weapons for spearfishing (license required). Sport fishing is possible only with the permission of the regional authorities (usually included in the package of licenses provided by the organizer of the fishing tour). Mooring of ships and boats in the area of ​​protected areas managed by the National Parks Fund is prohibited. The rise to the surface of any objects and things from sunken ships located in the territorial waters of the islands is allowed only with a special permit from the government of the country.

How to get there

There are no direct flights from Russia to the US Virgin Islands. The easiest way to get here from Russia is with one change in the USA. From American cities (New York, Miami, Boston, Atlanta, Washington and others) there are direct flights to the islands of St. Thomas and Santa Cruz.

The flight with Aeroflot + American Airlines is quite convenient: Moscow - New York - St. Thomas. The duration of the flight from Moscow to New York is about 10 hours, from New York to St. Thomas Island - 4 hours 10 minutes.

The US Virgin Islands can also be reached via Puerto Rico (64 km away). And from there you can get by water (ferries or boats) or by air (small planes) to the US Virgin Islands.

Where the emerald wave of the Atlantic hospitably embraces the blue waves of the Caribbean Sea, the Virgin Islands are scattered like grains framed in corals, part of which with a total area of ​​​​about three hundred and fifty square meters belongs to the United States. About sixty islands, most of them uninhabited, were discovered by Columbus at the end of the fifteenth century. And only in the middle of the seventeenth, the first colonists got here - the British and French, who became the founders of the first settlements. Since then, the islands have not belonged to anyone - the Spaniards and the French, the British and the Order of Malta.

But perhaps the most significant owner for the Virgin Islands was Denmark, which at the end of the eighteenth century declared them its colony. During the time of ownership, one of the largest islands - St. Thomas became the center of the slave trade, and the sugar plantations of St. John, processed by thousands of Negro slaves, brought huge incomes to Denmark. Only at the beginning of the twentieth century, the islands were sold to the United States for $ 25 million.

Since then, a century has passed, which decisively changed the way of life of the population of the islands, who were the descendants of those 28 thousand Negro slaves brought here by the Danes. At the same time, the visual appeal of the Virgin Islands has not suffered, despite the fact that the US military base has been located here for more than fifty years.

The humid tropical climate of the islands determines the best time to travel, calling the peak tourist season from January to April. Although for those who prefer snorkeling (from English snorkeling) - diving with a mask and snorkel, the best time is the beginning of summer, when there are almost no storms, and hotels are much cheaper. This independent type of diving involves swimming and diving to a shallow depth does not require serious training and expensive equipment, therefore it is always popular with tourists of all ages.

However, every tourist who comes to the islands finds something special for himself that you will not find anywhere else. Someone will freeze in admiration at the sight of beautiful beaches, and take away with them the warmth of a tan that gilded their skin and the spicy aroma of the Atlantic, someone will rest their soul in the solitude of the bays, surrounded by the purest corals. Someone will enthusiastically perceive the virgin rainforests. And someone will like the original music, cuisine and culture of the people, friendly and hospitable to tourists in the Virgin Islands. The chic of hotels and the comfort of small hotels, the abundance of wonderful restaurants and world-class shopping will satisfy the needs of the most fastidious tourists.

And certainly everyone will like original bright festivals and holidays. The fireworks of thrills from the colorful St. Thomas Carnival at the end of April, filled with masquerades and dance competitions, flow into the June St. Johns Festival with a week of parades and various celebrations for Independence Day. And also unforgettable impressions from the two-week Karasei festival on Santa Cruz, from the international Rolex regatta, which gathers yachtsmen on St. Thomas ... And nowhere else can you see dancing fairy-tale heroes and many Santa Clauses on Summer Christmas! The islanders consider March 31 to be the most important official holiday - the day when the Virgin Islands were transferred by Denmark to the United States.

Take with you the feeling of a holiday and the delight of the picturesque National Park, which occupies most of the island of St. John, see the Cruzan wineries and bring your friends a gift - an extraordinary taste of rum that glorified Santa Cruz. The coral reefs of tiny Buck, the huge Aquarium of Cock and Bay, the Uim sugar plantations on Santa Cruz can not only enrich the knowledge of the history of the islands and development, but also leave a feeling of belonging to the events of centuries ago.

By the way, Santa Cruz is known not only for diving and snorkeling, rum and festival processions by the famous Carambola Golf Club, which was designed by Robert Trent Jones. It is here that the annual LPGA Golf Tournament is held, attracting crowds of fans of this sport from all over the world.

But there is a charm in those islands that are sparsely populated. When Reuters published a rating of the Caribbean islands that were least affected by civilization, it was called St. John. to everyone who decides to come here for a relaxing holiday away from the bustle of the city.

Vladimir Dergachev

US Virgin Islands (AVO) are located 60 km east of Puerto Rico. The islands of St. Thomas, St. John's and Santa Cruz stand out. AVO have the status of an unincorporated organized territory of the United States, in other words, an American colony. They are part of the Virgin Islands, which also includes the British Virgin Islands.

The population of AVO is 106.4 thousand people (2010). Residents have the status of citizens of the United States.

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The Virgin Islands were discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493. The islands were successively owned by Great Britain, Spain, France and the Order of Malta. Subsequently, Denmark took possession of the island of St. Thomas, captured the island of St. John's and bought the island of St. Croix from France. However, the local sugarcane plantations, with the exception of Santa Cruz Island, did not generate income, so the slave and rum trade flourished. The port of St. Thomas became the base of the Caribbean pirates. After the decline of the slave trade and sugar production, the Danish West India Company sold the islands to the United States in 1917 for $25 million, which was equal to the half-year budget of the Danish state.

The Russian Empire also considered the issue of buying St. John's Island to accommodate a naval base; Russian warships entered the local harbor. But, probably, in St. Petersburg they thought for a long time, unlike the Americans.

Left its mark on the history of the West Indies, the world's oldest order of chivalry of the Roman Catholic Church. In 1651, the Hospitallers acquired several islands, including St. Martin's, and later received possession from a private owner of the island of Santa Cruz. But in 1665 the Order sold its possessions to the French West India Company.

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The US Virgin Islands consist of three counties of Santa Cruz (50.6 thousand inhabitants) with the administrative center of Christiansted County, Ment Thomas (51.6 thousand inhabitants) with the administrative center of the possession and the county of Charlotte Amalie, and St. John's ( 4.2 thousand inhabitants).

The population is 76% black and 13% white. The language is predominantly English (75%). Baptists (42%) and Catholics (34%) predominate. The average life expectancy under the tropical sun for women is 82 years, for men - 76 years.

AVO President Barack Obmana, head of executive power - governor. Three parties are vying for a seat in the Senate.
The basis of the territory's economy is tourism (80% of GDP), revenues exceed over $600 million. More than 2 million tourists visit AVO every year. St. Thomas and its beaches are included in the world TOP 10 of the most beautiful islands and beaches in the world. The island is one of the main tropical resorts in the United States, where Americans escape from the winter.

Information about the main disadvantage of Caribbean cruises. Many tourists go to the islands of the West Indies to meet the virgin nature face to face. But when two or three cruise superliners moor to the island every day, the local beaches turn into overpopulated ghettos or psychodromes.

One of the largest oil refineries in the Western Hemisphere of the American company Amerada Hess, with a capacity of 23 million tons per year, was located on Santa Cruz Island. The refinery worked on Venezuelan oil. Despite Hugo Chavez's confrontation with the United States, Venezuela sold oil to the United States. An agreement was reached with US President Bill Clinton on a price corridor for Venezuelan oil. Subsequently, a law was passed that transnational corporations should keep 30% of the profits from the sale of oil (instead of 16%). By 2007, the nationalization of oil companies was completed.
Losses, a joint venture between the American corporation Hess and the Venezuelan state oil company (Hovensa) amounted to over the period 2009/11. $1.3 billion. This was due to the nationalization of US oil companies in Venezuela, as well as reduced demand due to the global crisis and increased production in emerging markets. The refinery is being converted into a storage tank for petroleum products.

Christopher Columbus discovered way back in 1493. Since then, the owners of the island have constantly changed: the British, French, Spaniards, Danes ... Only in 1917 did the United States buy the islands from Denmark.

Today US Virgin Islands- this is a paradise for tourists who come here to enjoy the snow-white beaches and the hot sun, and at the same time learn more about the life of the islanders. Both families and companies come to the islands: there is entertainment for everyone.

Climate

On the a tropical maritime climate of the trade wind type reigns. It has pleasant warm temperatures throughout the year. In winter, the average temperature is approximately +24 °С, in summer - +29 °С.

There are two dry and two wet seasons. The dry seasons are winter and summer, while autumn and spring are considered rainy seasons. Most precipitation falls in September-November. Although it is worth noting that there are rarely prolonged rains.

Hurricanes are possible in July-October.

Nature

The US Virgin Islands are in caribbean sea. They include more than 60 islands and reefs. The three largest of them are Saint Thomas, Saint John and Santa Cruz.

The islands are hilly. The highest point is 475 m above sea level. They are of limestone origin, but in some places volcanic and crystalline rocks appear. There are no rivers or lakes.

The islands are covered with dense subtropical forests, the shores of the bays are covered with mangrove swamps.

Before US Virgin Islands could boast of a rich wildlife - now it is almost destroyed. Now, from wild animals here you can only meet lizards, mongooses, rats. Various types of birds live here.

Coastal waters are rich in shellfish, crustaceans and fish.

The climate is well suited for growing sugarcane, vegetables and citrus fruits.

Attractions

St. Thomas, the main of the islands, attracts tourists Fort Kristjan. It is also worth visiting Blackbird Castle and the market square in Charlotte Amalie. Be sure to visit the mountain St Peter Greathouse because it offers amazing views of the surroundings! On the slopes of this mountain there are botanical gardens, as well as an old distillery and souvenir shops.

In the northeast of the island there is a unique beauty Coca Bay, as well as an aquarium with a variety of tropical fish and marine life.

On the st john island worth a look for being here Virgin Islands National Park. Here you can get acquainted with rare species of birds and animals.

Main attraction Santa Cruz- this is City of Christiansted, which used to be a Danish colonial town. Worth a visit here Cruzan wineries, and then enjoy plenty of rest on local beaches.

Northeast of Santa Cruz is a tiny Buck islet. It is uninhabited, but regular excursions are organized there for tourists.

Visit if possible Wim- a sugar plantation on Santa Cruz. It is here that you can plunge into the atmosphere of the past. Virgin Islands, learn how the planters and colonizers lived.

Food

Perhaps there is nothing surprising in the fact that the basis of the cuisine of the islands is seafood dishes. Soup kalalu, which you cannot but try when you come here, is prepared from stewed vegetables, seafood, meat, herbs and spices.

Traditional local dishes include sourse. This is an assortment of pork offal. However, there are dozens of recipes for this dish, so every chef has his own secret sauce.

Taste conch- pancakes from seafood, as well as soups and stews of their shellfish (you are unlikely to find such exotics anywhere else). Also, you will always find on the menu… fish steaks! Their recipes are very intricate.

Well, you should definitely try the shark soup, grilled fish and fish fillet with fruits and vegetables, which is called "Old Wife".

The garnish here is usually served with potato pudding or fungi― specially prepared grain. Sometimes fish or meat dishes are accompanied by fried bananas or local bread similar to lavash. Often it is also used as the basis for a dish: such bread is stuffed with various seafood and vegetables, and then fried or baked.

Tropical fruits are usually served for dessert.

Of the drinks on the islands, they use the local analogue of mate, which is called here bush tee(tea from local herbs). Locals also love coffee and freshly squeezed juices.

From alcohol, rum and cocktails from it are preferred here. Popular local strong rum Cruzan.

Accommodation

The number of hotels on the islands is quite large, but the rest here, frankly, is not a cheap pleasure. Local hotels and pensions can be attributed to the upper price category. A price in the range of $250-300 per person per day is considered the minimum if you are focusing on resort hotels.

There are, of course, options with a more modest budget, but here you should not count on a cheap vacation: simpler hotels charge $ 150-170 per day, and budget boarding houses will cost $ 80-100. True, it is worth noting that the service in any of the local hotels is of high quality.

Tent camps are popular among tourists. But not every island has them.

If you are not constrained by funds, you can rent an apartment or a villa on the coast. If an apartment costs your wallet from $ 1,000 a week, then you will have to pay at least 5 times more for a villa.

Entertainment and recreation

Beaches US Virgin Islands just created for a peaceful, calm, almost heavenly vacation. The finest white sand is washed by the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea.

Here, nature has created excellent conditions for diving: coral reefs and underwater caves stretch along the coast, which beckon to dive and learn their secrets.

Of the entertainment here, the most colorful, of course, carnivals will seem to you. For example, on St. Thomas in April, a carnival is held, which is particularly colorful. During it, you can see masquerade processions, dance competitions and musical performances. Believe me, this spectacle will remain in your memory for a long time.

And also on St. Thomas in April all yachtsmen gather caribbean to the Rolex International Regatta.

On the Saint John a similar festival takes place, but in the summer, at the end of June, and its celebration smoothly turns into Fireworks Week.

On the Santa Cruz at the beginning of the year they organize the Carp Festival - a fun and exciting holiday for the whole family.

Another interesting entertainment is a helicopter tour. Take a bird's-eye view of the islands - these views are impressive even for those who have seen many beautiful places on the planet.

For active holidays US Virgin Islands should include sport fishing. Here even beginners succeed: there are a lot of fish, excellent conditions, and equipment can be rented on any of the islands.

But there are few nightclubs in the Virgin Islands - they are mainly located in Charlotte Amalie. So, fans of active nightlife, you are in the right place.

Purchases

Without collecting duties from the islands, you can export goods and souvenirs, the value of which in total does not exceed $ 1,200. It is also worth noting that prices for a number of goods here are lower than in many European countries. For example, it is profitable to buy watches, jewelry, photo and video equipment, perfumes, leather goods and porcelain here.

Shops are open here from Monday to Saturday and strictly according to the schedule - from 9:00 to 17:00. Shops on Sundays, with rare exceptions, do not work.

It is customary to bargain at local markets - you will please the sellers and spend less on souvenirs. By the way, the most popular souvenirs among tourists are handicrafts of local artisans, rum, spices, and local tea.

It is also profitable to buy fresh fruits and vegetables in the market.

Transport

Road transport is actively used on the islands, and sea and air communications are developed between them.

True, the cities and resorts here are relatively small, so tourists like to walk or ride bicycles that can be rented.

If you wish, you can rent a scooter or a car. Taxis on the islands are also plentiful and popular.

Connection

On the US Virgin Islands well-developed mobile communications. You can use the services of local operators by buying a SIM card in shops and supermarkets.

Russian mobile operators also provide roaming to the US Virgin Islands, so you can always stay in touch.

A call can also be ordered from the hotel - its cost will then be included in the final bill.

There are Internet cafes in cities, and wi-fi is available for tourists in hotels and public places.

Safety

Nothing threatens your life and property on the islands. There are no violent crimes here, and petty theft and fraud are quite rare. The usual precautions will suffice: do not display jewelry and money in crowded places, do not walk alone on the outskirts of the city at night and just be careful.

Water should be consumed only bottled, otherwise you can catch an intestinal infection. Food is safe.

Business climate

Every year, the islands are visited by up to 2 million tourists, so tourism and the service sector are actively developing here and attracting foreign investors.

Industry has also recently begun to play an important role in the economy. Here they are engaged in oil refining: on one of the US Virgin Islands there is one of the largest oil refineries in the world.

In light industry, they are engaged in the production of rum and textiles, pharmaceuticals, electronics and watch assembly.

Agriculture is poorly developed.

Today, a number of measures are being taken to develop the financial sector.

The business climate is generally favorable, as it largely depends on the US economy.

Real estate

Real estate in the US Virgin Islands is not so easy to buy. There is not much of it here, the demand is high - accordingly, prices continue to rise.

According to official data, the average cost of a house in the smallest of the US Virgin Islands is - Saint John— is now equal to $1,800,000. Such high prices are also justified by the environment: the lack of large-scale industries on some islands, a minimum of transport make these places ideal for life.

True, real estate here is worth buying only for life or as a financial investment: you won’t earn much on renting out here.

The best time to visit the Virgin Islands is January-April. This period is the peak season. If you decide to go here to swim with a mask, then it is better to do it at the beginning of summer: at this time there are no storms here, and accommodation prices are falling.

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