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08 May 2024
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Virgin Islands US
The Virgin Islands of the United States (as it is officially called) is a group of islands in the continent of North America. It is located to the east of Puerto Rico in the Atlantic Ocean and tyi the immediate west of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) from which it must be distinguished. Whilst the BVI is a British overseas territory, the U.S Virgin Islands (USVI) is a U.S territory. Its capital and largest city, Charlotte Amalie is located on St. Thomas island and its main islands are Saint Crox, Saint John, and Saint Thomas. It is famous for its beautiful weather, beautiful white beaches and turquoise waters.
All year round, the USVI boasts a tropical climate and it can get pretty hot. The best time to visit is from April to June when the weather is mild with very little rainfall. July to October is the region's hurricane season.
The culture of the U.S Virgin Islands is quite diverse owing to its history having been the territory of seven different countries in the past. Here you'll find West Indian, European (Danish), African and American cultural influences. 76% of the population is Afro-Caribbean, 15% is white, 1.4% is Asian, Hispanics and Latinos account for about 12% of the population. The official and most widely spoken language in the USVI is English and the most dominant religion is Christianity.
Transfer day is a national holiday peculiar to the U.S Virgin Islanders when they commemorate their transfer from Danish to American authority. It is marked by the ceremonial lowering of the Danish flag and raising of the U.S flag along with the serving of the Danish-inspired pudding, Red Grout. It is typically observed with festivals, parades, and concerts throughout the islands.
Cuisine in the U.S Virgin Islands is just as diverse as the culture. All the ethnicity present in the country bring something to the table here and restaurants and fast foods usually feature a variety of meals from the African cultures, European cultures, American cultures, Caribbean cultures and a mixture of all or some. Commonplace foods in the USVI are beef, goat, chicken, yams, fried plantains, sweet potato, cassava, beans. Rum is the national drink of the USVI.
The USVI is among some of the top tourist destinations in the Caribbean and is known for locations like:
- Virgin Islands National Park, St John: With more than one million visitors each year, this national park is one of the most visited in the entire Caribbean. The park covers two-thirds of St John island and is a delight for nature lovers. It boasts exotic wildlife, ecological diversity, bird life and a diversity of marine life. The waters here are excellent for swimming, snorkeling and diving.
- Magens Bay, St. Thomas: This beach has been named one of the world's most beautiful beaches by several travel publications. The sea is calm and excellent for swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, etc.
- Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas: The capital of the USVI was named for a Danish queen. It offers the largest number of jewelry shops and boutiques in the Caribbean and is perfect for shopping.
- Blackbeard's Castle, St. Thomas: This historic watchtower was built by the Danish in 1678 and legend has it that the tower was a lookout post for Blackbeard in the 18th century. The site is currently a popular hotel and restaurant with pleasant views of St Thomas and Charlotte Amalie.
St John is home to an underwater park, St Croix is home to the oldest Baobab tree in the Caribbean and St Thomas was home Islands famous impressionist painter Camille Pissarro who was born there in 1830.
There are at least hundreds of hotels in the US Virgin Islands ready to accept
