St Croix, the largest of the US Virgin Islands, measuring 28 miles by 7 miles, is also the most remote, lying forty miles south of St Thomas. For many years this peaceful gem has been accessible only by air or cruise ship but now that a fast ferry connects the island to St Thomas, it's a must-see for all visitors to the US Virgin  Islands.

The landscape, more gentle than its neighbors, is a mixture of rocky sierras, fertile coastal plain and rainforest and, of course, St Croix has its fair share of picturesque beaches. Architecturally the island is a few steps ahead of the other Virgins - the towns contain plentiful and beautiful examples of Danish colonial architecture and the landscape has many ruins of plantations and stone windmills from the island's days as king of the Caribbean sugarcane industry.

Culturally, the island is a fusion of cuisines, ideas and customs, its employment opportunities (the Hess Oil refinery and tourism) and proximity to the US (and potential for US citizenship) attracting people from all over the Caribbean.

The two major towns are historic Christiansted, on the northeast coast and Frederiksted, on the west coast. The latter only really comes to life when cruise ships dock but Christiansted is almost always lively. Don't leave without a visit to the tiny but spectacular Buck Island, off the northeast coast. The island has been administered by the National Park Service since 1948 and is a paradise of beaches, reefs and hiking trails.

U.S. Virgin Islands
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