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St. John, the smallest of the three
U.S. Virgin Islands, retains a tranquil, unspoiled beauty
uncommon in the Caribbean or anywhere else in the world.
Settled in the early 1700s by Danish immigrants attracted
to the island's potential as a sugar cane-producing colony,
St. John soon blossomed into a thriving society. The
ruins of the Annaberg
Sugar Plantation and other smaller plantations on the
island attest to the island's agricultural history.
The extensive sugar cane farming,
however, did little to affect the natural beauty of
St. John. Its unspoiled forests and stunning beaches
attracted the attention of wealthy families such as
the Rockefellers, who sought privacy and tranquility
on the island. In 1956, Laurance Rockefeller was so
moved by the island that he bought and donated broad
expanses of land to the National Park Service to keep
St. John "a thing of joy forever."
Today, two-thirds of St. John is part of the Virgin
Islands National Park, featuring fascinating trails,
secluded coves, and dazzling white beaches. The Reef
Bay Trail takes hikers through dense forests, plantation
ruins, and rock outcroppings marked by well-preserved
petroglyphs. Trunk
Bay, Hawksnest Bay, Cinnamon
Bay,
and Maho Bay are just four of the dozens of beaches. Cruz
Bay, the center of activity on St. John, contains
colorful shops, lively bars, and fabulous restaurants.
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