St Thomas Attractions

Stretching along the well-protected harbor on St Thomas' southern shore is the bustling historic port town Charlotte Amalie, the capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Today, St Thomas is one of the top cruise ship destinations in the Caribbean.

The eastern end of St Thomas offers a multitude of beaches as well as natural and historical attractions. The northwest coast is comprised of a large string of bays and coves, while a mountainous spine runs through the center of St Thomas. Peaks such as Crown Mountain rise more than 1500ft/457m. Popular recreational activities on St Thomas are exploring historic Charlotte Amalie, hiking, diving, snorkelling and sportfishing. Renowned for its duty-free shopping, St Thomas offers visitors a wide selection of fine goods from jewellery, clothing, and fine art.

First inhabited by the Ciboney native Indians c2000 BC, evidence shows that the Taíno and Carib natives groups also settled on St Thomas. Christopher Columbus named the Virgin Island chain in 1493 without actually setting foot on St Thomas. Spanish colonists and adventurers arriving after Columbus managed to depopulate the island by 1555, forcefully driving away the indigenous Taíno and Caribs. By 1665 the Danish began establishing a colony on St Thomas, but attacks from the English and disease caused the colony to fail.

Colonization was again attempted in 1671, and by the late 1700s island settlements prospered through trade with St Croix. In 1716 Denmark asserted its neutrality in the European wars by advertising St Thomas as a free port and safe haven for ships of all nations of Europe. St Thomas became a diverse colony home to people of various religions and nationalities including Danes, Dutch, English, Germans, Jews and African slaves.

Two English invasions in subsequent years resulted in occupation until 1815. Ownership returned to the Danish but the island suffered setbacks due to hurricanes and smallpox epidemics. In 1848, a population of about 6,000 black slaves was officially emancipated. In the late 19th C the island established itself as a major coaling station for steamships.

The U.S. bought the islands is 1917, and the U.S. Navy took over island rule until the 1950s. Throughout the next five decades the U.S. government saw the potential of St Thomas as major tourist destination and widespread development ensued. The late 1980s and early 1990s saw disaster from three major hurricanes.