United States Virgin Islands
TerritoryAdministered by: United States
“American territory that drives on the left, with a national park covering most of one island”
The United States bought these islands from Denmark in 1917 for $25 million in gold, worried about German submarines near the Panama Canal. What it acquired was a Danish colonial landscape — Charlotte Amalie's stepped streets, Christiansted's arcades — that still shapes the look of the place.
Saint John is the reason to come: roughly 60 per cent of it is Virgin Islands National Park, donated by Laurance Rockefeller in 1956, with Trunk Bay's underwater snorkelling trail and ruined sugar works in the bush. Saint Thomas carries the cruise traffic and the airport; Saint Croix, larger and further south, is the least visited and the most lived-in.
Highlights
Virgin Islands National Park
Most of Saint John: Trunk Bay's marked snorkelling trail, the Reef Bay hike down to petroglyphs, and sugar-mill ruins in the forest.
Christiansted
Saint Croix's Danish colonial town, with a yellow fort, arcaded streets and a national historic site along the waterfront.
Buck Island Reef
A national monument off Saint Croix with an underwater trail through elkhorn coral — reachable only with a licensed operator.
Charlotte Amalie
The Danish-built capital: 99 Steps, Blackbeard's Castle and the second-oldest synagogue in the Americas, with a sand floor.
When to go
JanDry, breezy, peak season.
FebThe driest and busiest month.
MarDry, with spring-break crowds.
Getting in
Checking your passport…
Before you fly
Passport Index dataset
What it costs
A day in United States Virgin Islands
Comfortable · sample day
≈ $211
Line items are real prices we track. The daily budget is an editorial estimate for this level, not their sum.
Where this sits among 55 countries we have costed
December to April is the premium; Christmas and spring break are the peaks. September and October are cheapest, with the widest closures on Saint John.
Updated Aug 2026 · Editorial synthesis — NPS fee schedules, USVI ferry tariffs, rental listings (2025–2026) · confidence medium
Excludes international flights — they depend on where you fly from.
Regions to know
5Saint Thomas
Charlotte Amalie, Magens Bay, the airport and the cruise piers.
Saint John
The national park, Trunk and Cinnamon bays, and Cruz Bay for the ferry.
Saint Croix
Christiansted, Frederiksted, the rum distilleries and Buck Island.
Water Island
The fourth island: Honeymoon Beach and a few dozen residents.
The east end of Saint Thomas
Red Hook, the BVI ferries and the quieter beaches.
Practical guide
Getting there
Cyril E. King (STT) on Saint Thomas has heavy US traffic; Henry E. Rohlsen (STX) serves Saint Croix. Ferries link Saint Thomas and Saint John every hour and Tortola in the BVI.
Getting around
A car on Saint Croix and Saint John; safari taxis — open trucks with bench seats — cover the main routes on Saint Thomas cheaply.
Money & costs
US dollar, US banking, cards everywhere. US mobile plans are domestic here.
Safety
Charlotte Amalie has neighbourhoods to avoid after dark and the territory's crime statistics are higher than the mainland's; tourist areas and Saint John are routine.
Health
US-standard care at US prices. Insurance matters for non-Americans.
SIM & internet
Good 4G/5G. US plans treat the territory as domestic.
Driving
The only US jurisdiction that drives on the left, in cars built for the right — the driver sits on the outside of the road. Roads on Saint Thomas and Saint John are also extremely steep; take a vehicle with real brakes.
Rules change — verify with an official source before you rent.
No verified partners here yet — all 6 country seats are open.
Before you go
United States Virgin IslandsFrequently asked questions
Do I need a visa?
The USVI are United States territory for immigration, so US rules apply exactly: an approved ESTA for Visa Waiver nationals, or a US visa. Note the practical trap — day trips to the British Virgin Islands and back mean a second US entry.
Why do they drive on the left?
A Danish-era habit that was never changed after 1917, making the USVI the only place under the US flag where you drive on the left — in mostly left-hand-drive American cars. Take the first roundabout slowly.
Which island should I choose?
Saint John for the park and the best beaches, Saint Thomas for flights, shopping and the widest choice of hotels, Saint Croix for history, rum and far fewer visitors.