St. John and The United States Virgin Islands have a rich and exciting history that is full of intrigue, adventure, and some of history's most colorful characters.
The first human inhabitants of the Virgin Islands were the Arawak Indians. The Arawaks were descendants of coastal Indians from what is now Venezuela and Guyana, who were forced out of that area by more aggressive tribes. They island hopped up the Antillean chain until they reached the Virgin Islands, sometime around 300 AD. The Arawaks lived peacefully here, fishing and farming, until the fierce and cannibalistic Carib Indians moved into the area about 100 years before the arrival of Columbus.
Two-thirds, nearly 7,000 acres of St John has been designated a National_Park. Visitors can take a guided tour of this beautiful and serene island sanctuary with a Park Ranger, which is very easy to arrange. Within our protected paradise are sub-tropical forests, semi-arid scrublands, and swamps along the coastal areas. Some 800 species of plants inhabit these varied climates, including one native palm tree – the Teyer palm, along with bay rum trees and tropical orchids. More than 50 species of tropical birds breed on St. John, including the Bananaquit and three species of Caribbean hummingbirds. Other migrant species spend the winter in the park’s dense forests.
St_John_Historical_Societyworks hard to promote an appreciation
and deeper understanding of the history and cultural heritage
of our island of St. John. Visit their site before you leave home, to get more from your trip to our Island.
Trunk_Bayis one of St. John's most photographed beaches and is a very popular snorkeling spot, as it hosts an underwater snorkle trail. It is also a very popular venue for outdoor weddings, which generally take place close to sunset. It is the next bay west of Peter_Bayand on a calm day, you could swim or take one of our kayaks to the beach. A common sight here is the brown pelican, which has been listed on the endangered species list in many countries throughout the world.
ChildrenAside from swimming, snorkling and playing in the sand, there is a lot of things to do for children.. Visit the Park's Visitor Center in Cruz Bay and ask a Ranger at the desk how you can become a Junior_Ranger. After completing the requirements, you’ll be awarded the Junior Ranger program certificate and badge. What a fabulous accomplishment! Try the on-line_snorkletrip to learn about the local fish and reef before your vacation, to get a huge head start.
For lots of other interesting things to do on St John, go to to West_Indies_On_Line or St._John,_USVI which gives a very full overview of St John, including restuaruants, shopping, car rentals & sites to see.
