The Roy Lester Schneider Hospital is located on St. Thomas and the Juan Luis Hospital on St. Croix. Emergency room service is available 24 hours a day at the hospitals and 911 is available. The Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Center is available on St. John. Doctors are available.

The Roy Lester Schneider Hospital is located on St. Thomas and the Juan Luis Hospital on St. Croix. Emergency room service is available 24 hours a day at the hospitals and 911 is available. The Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Center is available on St. John. Doctors are available.

No.

Yes there are pharmacies on St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John. Pharmacies sometimes run out of medications. If you are dependent on a particular medication be sure to travel with it, with a copy of your prescription and you might even call some local pharmacies to confirm availability.

The water is safe to drink at most establishments. Your hotel or villa will tell you if they recommend against drinking tap water; if they don't mention it you can ask. Bottled water is available in stores and at restaurants if you wish to purchase it. Is a great idea to take water with you when going to the beach, driving around, sightseeing - it gets hot here and it is necessary to keep hydrated.

Electric outlets in the Virgin Islands take standard North American current, with a 120 volt / 60 cycle.

There is a greater chance, expectation of rainfall in the months of November, October, September, August and May (in that order).

Yes there are pharmacies on St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John. Pharmacies sometimes run out of medications. If you are dependent on a particular medication be sure to travel with it, with a copy of your prescription and you might even call some local pharmacies to confirm availability.

Atlantic hurricane season runs from July 1st to November 30th with the highest occurrences of storms in August and September.

Temperatures in the Virgin Islands are warm year-round so any month is a good month in terms of enjoying warmth and sunshine. Visit Virgin Islands Weather/Climate for more details.

Our weather reports frequently say 'chance of showers' because we often get brief early morning showers. We do not usually get rain all day long, this sort of rain is an exception and is usually caused by storm systems in the area.

Sprint PCS and Cingular Wireless are cellular phone providers in the Virgin Islands. Some other cellular services work in the Virgin Islands however roaming charges are likely as they operate off the networks of the locally established cellular phone providers.

There are payphones on St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John. They are typically located in public areas: shopping areas/centers, hotels, post offices. Phone cards are a good idea; you can purchase them on island at grocery stores, calling centers and gas stations. Local calls - 35 cents for five minutes (this charge applies to public payphones). Calls within the territory are free. Calls to the US Mainland are long distance.

There are several U.S. Post Offices on the three larger islands. There are mail collection reciprocals at the airports. Postal Service rates are the same as the U.S. mainland.

There are internet cafes on St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John.

Yes. It is also used in the British Virgin Islands.

Yes, with a few exceptions: small shops, roadside vendors, taxis, small purchases.

Yes, there are ATMs on St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John at banks, in some large grocery stores, at some hotels.

U.S. citizens are not required to have passports or proof of citizenship when ENTERING the U.S. Virgin Islands from a U.S. airport. All arrivals to the U.S. Virgin Islands from foreign airports are required to show proof of citizenship and pass through customs. All persons leaving the U.S. Virgin Islands, whether American citizens or not, must be prepared to show proof of citizenship upon leaving the islands to return to the mainland.

Accepted documents for Proof of Citizenship for Americans: 1. A passport issued under competent authority, 2. An Alien Registration Card (this applies to United States of America permanent residents only) 3. A certified copy of a birth certificate and government issued photo identification like a driver's license 4. A Certificate of Naturalization, issued by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Yes. For small children that do not have any form of photo identification a birth certificate is sufficient or one of the other three options listed above.

Citizens of any country other than the United States should follow U.S. travel regulations and requirements for entry into the United States. If you have any questions call (340)774-4279.

We are creatures of habit, so yes if you are used to driving on the right side of the road breaking the almost instinctive urge to be on the right side takes some adjustment. Most visitors report that after a few minutes they get adjusted. It isn't difficult to drive on the left, you need only remind yourself to stay on the left - particularly when turning corners and exiting a parking lots.

No temporary licenses are required for those holding a valid U.S. license. Temporary licenses are available for those holding a non-U.S. licenses for a small fee. Out of territory licenses are valid for 90 days after arrival.

In order to rent a car you must be at least 25 years old in most cases. An exception is Budget Car Rental on St. Thomas, who will for an additional fee rent to persons under 25.

Renting a car is a great idea if you'd like the freedom of getting around the island on your time and schedule. If you have a lot of plans for day activities and dinners then it is a good idea to have your own transportation as taxi fares will add up quickly. On the flip side we do drive on the left so the driver does need to concentrate on not only trying to find their way in an unfamiliar place but also on adjusting to driving on the opposite side of the road; so they might miss out on seeing the scenery, getting to drink when going out to dinner and relaxing. Visitors to St. Croix often encourage renting a car because the island is larger than its sister islands and having a car is really the only way to enjoy the entire island. Visit the Car Rental section for the island you are interested in to read comments by people who rented vehicles while on vacation and to view rental car agencies: St. Thomas Car Rentals, St. Croix Car Rentals, St. John Car Rentals.

4wd is not required on St. Thomas or St. Croix. On St. John it is often recommended, however 80% (rough estimate) of the island's roads can be navigated with out it. Some villas on St. John are accessed by steep, sometimes dirt roads which make 4wd a must. On St. Thomas and St. Croix a car or a jeep is fine, go with your preference. Car rental agencies on St. John only have jeeps & SUVs.

Driver and front passenger must be restrained by a safety belt. Any child under age five must be in a car seat. In the case of a child aged three through five, seat belts can be used but the child must ride in the backseat. Any child older than five but under twelve must wear a safety belt. (This information is a summary and subject to change, confirm current regulations with your rental car agent.)

The pros: the dollar value/savings as rentals on St. Thomas are often cheaper than on St. John, Budget Rental Car on St. Thomas is the only one that will rent a vehicle to persons under 25 (addition fee charged) and if you'd like to grocery shop on St. Thomas it is convenient to get your vehicle at the St. Thomas airport and head to the store and then to the barge. The cons: if you need road assistance for one reason or the other (locked keys in car, car trouble...) your assistance is a water crossing away. Some frequent St. John visitors also point out that when renting a car from a agency on St. John often you are allowed to use their parking lot in Cruz Bay. Parking is tight in Cruz Bay so if you plan on dining and shopping there often, this could be a plus. Note: Not all rental car agencies on St. Thomas allow their vehicles to go over to St. John. And no rental car agencies on St. John allow their vehicles to go over to St. Thomas.

There is a casino on St. Croix. There are no casinos on the other islands, however some bars/restaurants have video gambling.

Dinner reservations are a good idea, particular if its a popular restaurant or a restaurant you really want to go to. A couple days in advance is sufficient. For daysails and fishing charters it is a good idea to reserve weeks or even months in advance if you have a particular operator you want to go out with.

15%-20% for quality service at restaurants, bars, tours, activities and domestic service at resorts/villas. Some hotels and restaurants automatically add a service charge and for parties over 6 people at restaurants the tip is almost always added automatically; so be sure to check your bill.

January 1 - New Years Day
January 6 - Three Kings Day
January - Martin Luther King's Birthday
February (3rd Monday) - Presidents Day
March 31 - Transfer Day
April - Holy Thursday
April - Good Friday
April - Easter
April - Easter Monday
May (last Monday) - Memorial Day
June (3rd Monday) - Organic Act Day
July (4th Monday) - Supplication Day
July 3 - V.l. Emancipation Day
July 4 - Independence Day
September (1st Monday) - Labor Day
October (2nd Monday) - Columbus Day & Puerto Rico-USVI Friendship Day
October (3rd Monday) - Hurricane Thanksgiving Day
November 1 - Liberty Day or D. Hamilton Jackson Day
November 11 - Veterans Day
November (4th Thursday) - Thanksgiving
December 25 - Christmas
December 26 - Christmas 2nd Day

15%-20% for quality service at restaurants, bars, tours, activities and domestic service at resorts/villas. Some hotels and restaurants automatically add a service charge and for parties over 6 people at restaurants the tip is almost always added automatically; so be sure to check your bill.

Alcohol, Jewelry, Linens, Crystal, some Electronics.

The U.S. government allows U.S. citizens $1,200 worth of duty-free imports. Visitors must declare everything purchased outside the continental United States. You must present a Customs declaration when going through customs. This form should list your purchases and their value. Collect receipts for all purchases. Gifts mailed home to friends and relatives are exempt from declaration and tax. These gifts are unlimited but must be worth no more than $100 each. Sums over $2200 are dutiable. Citizens may bring back five fifths of liquor duty-free. An extra fifth may be taken if it is a product of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Joint declarations are possible if traveling with family members. For example if you are traveling with your spouse and child then your exemptions are $1200 x 3, or $3600! You must be 21 years of age to transport alcohol when flying.

No.

Frequent visitors to the Virgin Islands will tell you 'put everything you want to take on the bed to pack... but before you pack put at least half of the stuff back because you aren't going to need it'. Casual, tropical friendly (in terms of the weather), beachwear will suffice. A few pairs of shorts, t-shirts, tank tops, flip flops, swim suit or trunks, a couple causal outfits to wear to dinner. Visit the Packing Tips section for more suggestions.

No.

The majority of restaurants in the Virgin Islands are casual; this means you will see patrons wearing everything from linen outfits with matching purses, shoes, accessories to shorts and a tank top. There are a few dressier restaurants located at resorts like Ritz Carlton on St. Thomas and Caneel Bay on St. John.

During the summer months the sun rises around 5:44am and sets around 6:57pm. During the winter months the sun rises around 6:46am and sets around 5:49pm.

There are four major islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands; St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John and Water Island. There are however some 50 small islets and cays. For more information visit Virgin Islands Geography. Island hopping is possible by ferry service, seaplane and air service. The ability and island choices varies. From St. Thomas it is possible to island hop to St. John and Water Island by ferry and to St. Croix by ferry, seaplane and air service. From St. John it is possible to island hop to St. Thomas. From Water Island to St. Thomas. And from St. Croix to St. Thomas. It is possible to visit the British Virgin Islands from St. Thomas & St. John. Note: The options listed are for direct travel only; it is possible to leave St. Croix by ferry to St. Thomas and continue from St. Thomas to St. John on another ferry for example. Or to take the seaplane from St. Croix to St. Thomas and continue to the British Virgin Islands by ferry; however these options take quite a bit of commute time and can be pricey for a daytrip. Visit the Ferry Schedules for more information.

Yes, the inter-island ferries operating in the USVI are reliable. For more information visit: USVI Ferry Schedules.

Atlantic Standard Time. We do not recognize day light saving time in the Virgin Islands. So during daylight saving time, First Sunday in April to Last Sunday in October, we are the same time as Florida (East Coast USA). When daylight saving time ends in October then we are one hour ahead of Florida (East Coast USA).

Virgin Islanders is used for all those from the USVI. For each island the following names are used: St. Thomas - St. Thomians. St. John - St. Johnians. St. Croix - Crucians. Water Island - Water Islanders.

Yes the Virgin Islands as a whole includes the British Virgin Islands, the United States Virgin Islands and the Spanish Virgin Islands. For more information

Residents that were born in the U.S. Virgin Islands or naturalized are American.

Virgin Islanders are quite conservative, so it is seen as an insult when visitors walk around in swimwear (for ladies) or without shirts (for the gents) if not on the beach or poolside. This situation can be seen in the main 'tourist shopping areas', particularly in Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas as it is a popular cruise ship port of call. Visitors clad in only a bikini top and shorts or bareback with shorts are likely to receive a surly response from customer service in stores. Be respectful and wear shirts and beach cover ups when everyone else besides the beach and pool.
A long standing tradition in the Virgin Islands is greeting someone before any transaction of any kind starts. So it is strongly recommended to say Good Morning or Good Afternoon before asking 'how much is this' or 'how do I get to such and such place'. And Good Morning is the suggestion... not Hello or Hi - they don't have the same effect. Saying 'Excuse Me, how much is this' rather then 'Good Morning, waiting for a response and then asking the question' will sometimes be ignored. Adding a 'How are you today?' is a nice addition as well.