St. John
Of all the islands, St. John is probably the most unspoiled, thanks to the contribution of one of the world\'s best known philanthropists, Laurence Rockefeller. Had it not been for Rockefeller\'s gift of money and his desire to preserve beautiful St. John, the landscape would probably look more commercial, much like the other Virgin Islands. More than half of the island is designated as a National Park, making for a wonderfully unspoiled tropical island with 22 preserved nature trails.
In 1956, Rockefeller purchased 5,000 acres from the Danish West Indies Company and gave it to the United States to initiate this preservation project. Within the park are many beautiful beaches, some of them among the most photographed in the Caribbean; it also has a bounty of wildlife, birds and marine life, and provides a clean nesting places for a variety of turtle species.
Throughout the island are the ruins of many sugar plantations, some of which have been preserved, such as theAnnaberg Plantation, a National Park site that offers interpretive guides and brochures with background information. The restored plantation has an animal mill, a wind mill, a sugar factory and slave quarters on the property. Other interesting plantations include the Windberg Estate and the ruins of Frederikdal.
Within the park are two campgrounds for those wanting to truly bond with nature. One isCinnamon Bay, a privately-own campground on one of the loveliest beaches. There are clever concrete cottages with cooking and bathing facilities, but nearby there\'s a restaurant and commissary. The second, Maho Bay Campgrounds, was developed by New Yorker Stanley Selengut, the man credited with conceptualizing the concept of eco-tourism. This site is a collection of 114 spacious (16 ft. x 16 ft.) tent-cottages built on wooden platforms that are scattered about on a hillside overlooking picturesque Maho Bay. One of the special aspects of a stay at Maho is its renowned meal service plan with breakfast and dinner equal to what you\'ll find in many five-star resorts. The tents are equipped with cooking facilities, however, if you prefer doing it yourself.
St. John has two other well-known resorts. One isCaneel Bay, one of the first, dating back to the days when tourism was first developed here. The resort is built on the site of the plantation owned by Danish planter Peter Durloe. The architects have flawlessly preserved the ruins of this plantation and incorporated them into the resort\'s overall plan, which includes seven beaches. The other upscale property is the Westin Resort (formerly Hyatt Regency St. John) located near the main town of Cruz Bay.
Overall, St. John has a small community feel and has managed to stay quaint, either thanks to or in spite of controlled tourism development, depending on who you ask. At one end of the main town of Cruz Bay is the attractive shopping area calledMongoose Junction, built of local stone. Beautifully designed, the Junction includes upscale shops, art galleries and restaurants. The town has a variety of small restaurants, and a couple of inns like the popular Tamarind Court, one of the island\'s best accommodation values. It\'s located only three blocks from the main ferry pier.
The rest of the island has a variety of attractions. Coral Bay and Coral Harbor have several bars, restaurants and businesses, and offer fun activities such as water sports.
In the center of the island is theBordeaux Mountain, more than 1,200-feet high from which one can see the British Virgin Islands.
In 1956, Rockefeller purchased 5,000 acres from the Danish West Indies Company and gave it to the United States to initiate this preservation project. Within the park are many beautiful beaches, some of them among the most photographed in the Caribbean; it also has a bounty of wildlife, birds and marine life, and provides a clean nesting places for a variety of turtle species.
Throughout the island are the ruins of many sugar plantations, some of which have been preserved, such as the
Within the park are two campgrounds for those wanting to truly bond with nature. One is
St. John has two other well-known resorts. One is
Overall, St. John has a small community feel and has managed to stay quaint, either thanks to or in spite of controlled tourism development, depending on who you ask. At one end of the main town of Cruz Bay is the attractive shopping area called
The rest of the island has a variety of attractions. Coral Bay and Coral Harbor have several bars, restaurants and businesses, and offer fun activities such as water sports.
In the center of the island is the
