Virgin Islands National Park

Virgin Islands National Park, renowned throughout the world for its breathtaking beauty, covers approximately 3/5 of St. John, and nearly all of Hassel Island in the Charlotte Amalie harbor on St. Thomas. Within its borders lie protected bays of crystal blue-green waters teeming with coral reef life, white sandy beaches shaded by seagrape trees, coconut palms, and tropical forests providing habitat for over 800 species of plants. To these amazing natural resources, add relics from the Pre-Colombian Amerindian Civilization, remains of the Danish Colonial Sugar Plantations, and reminders of African Slavery and the Subsistence Culture that followed during the 100 years after Emancipation - all part of the rich cultural history of the Park and its island home.

Sea Turtle

Two endangered sea turtles, the hawksbill and the green, are commonly seen in St. John's waters. The hawksbill, comes ashore on remote St. John beaches to dig its nest and lay eggs. After burying the eggs in the warm sand, the female returns to offshore waters. When the youngsters hatch, they instinctively turn toward the sea. Despite laws protecting them in some countries, they are still hunted in some areas for their shells and meat.

The Virgin Islands rank as one of the Caribbean's premier diving and snorkeling locations. Trunk Bay has a 225-yard, self-guiding snorkeling trail marked by underwater signs that identify coral reef life.

Divers can readily observe the abundant and colorful reef fish. One of the most colorful, the parrotfish, feeds on algae that grows on coral, and ingests some of the hard coral skeletons, later excreting the undigested calcareous matter. One study estimated as much as one ton of sand per acre per year passes through the intestinal tracts of reef fish.

Submerged Lands

In 1962, Congress expanded the boundary of Virgin Islands National Park to include 5,650 acres of submerged lands to protect and preserve the beautiful coral gardens and seascapes. Today, the Park conducts research, and has developed policies and practices aimed at protecting the fragile coral reef systems.

Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument

The need to protect reefs from further degradation led to a Presidential Proclamation establishing the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument in January 2001. Hurricane Hole, the only area of the Monument accessible by land.

Reprint fro the Virgin Islands National Park website 

 

Spend your vacation your way in your own private villa rental on the island of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Enjoy the year round trade winds cooling the lush tropical island surrounded by white sandy beaches. Spend your days at one of our magnificent beaches where you can snorkel in the clear turquoise waters or just lay on the sand and enjoy a tropical drink. Here in Paradise you will enjoy a Painkiller made with our famous Cruzan Rum. Get more adventurous and try your hand at scuba diving and explore the exotic coral reefs and acquaint yourself with the numerous tropical fish. You may even see a sea turtle or a stingray. Bring your underwater camera and record your St. Thomas underwater adventure. If you like adventure on the water you can parasail, Jet Ski, or windsurf. The Caribbean Sea beckons and you can answer that call with a day sail on one of our many charter boats. Sail to a great snorkeling spot in the Caribbean Sea or take a power boat to the British Virgin Islands and explore the famous Baths at Virgin Gorda. Or take a ferry to Tortola for the day and try a swim with the dolphins. You will remember it forever.