Facts at A Glance
St. John Specifics:
Banks & ATM’s: There are several banking institutions on-island: FirstBank Virgin Islands (340) 776-6882; www.firstbankvi.com has full-service bank and ATM in the Marketplace. Scotiabank (340)776-6552; www.scotiabank.com has an ATM in the Franklin Powell Park next to the Cruz Bay Ferry dock. Merchant’s Commercial Bank has a full service branch located in the Islandia Building (pink building) next to Dolphin Market Cruz Bay (340) 779-2265; www.mcbvi.com Banco Popular has an ATM located in Cruz Bay (340) 693-2704; www.popular.vi.com
Citizenship & History:St. John is a U.S. Territory and its residents enjoy all the benefits that U.S. citizenship has to offer, except that we cannot vote for President. The United States purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark in 1917.
Climate: Tropical, year-round average of 85˚ Rainfall averages around 43 inches per year. Winter temperatures range from about 77 to 84 degrees; summer temperatures range from about 82 to 90 degrees.
Currency: The U.S. Dollar is used in both the United States and British Virgin Islands.
Food:There are four main grocery stores on St. John. To have your refrigerator stocked (or provisioned) prior to your stay, please ask! St. John also has several markets offering fresh produce, meats & seafood.
Language: English is the official language.
Electricity: 110v/60 cycles which is identical to the U.S. mainland. No adapters are necessary for visitors from North America but European visitors will require one.
Documentation: Although a U.S. passport is not required to enter the U.S. Virgin Islands, proof of citizenship in the form of a passport or birth certificate is a requirement if traveling to nearby British Virgin Islands.
People:The population of the U.S. Virgin Islands is about 118,000, of which about 6,000 persons reside on St. John.
Points of Interest in the Virgin Islands National Park and St. John: Sugar Mill Ruins, Under-water Snorkeling Trail at Trunk Bay, Reef Bay Hiking Trail with Petroglyphs, Daily Excursions to the British Virgin Islands. Trunk Bay has been named among the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Time Zone: The time zone in the US Virgin Islands is Atlantic Standard Time, which is one hour later than Eastern Standard Time. Noon in New York means 1:00 PM in the islands. When Daylight Savings Time is in effect in the U.S., time is the same on the East Coast of the U.S. and in the Virgin Islands (there is no Daylight Savings Time change in the USVI). Atlantic Standard Time.
Taxes and Customs: There is no sales tax in the US Virgin islands. Each visitor to the Virgin Islands enjoys a $1600 Duty Free Allowance upon returning to the United States. In addition you may bring back five bottles of liquor duty free or six if one is locally produced, like Cruzan Rum. For more information contact the Bureau of Customs (340) 774-2540.
Topography:St. John is approximately 19 square miles, at its widest points; the island is about 13.5 miles long and about 6 miles wide. The highest elevation is 1,277 feet at Bordeaux Mountain.
Communication:
Area Code: 340
Guests of St. John villa rentals will generally find all the modern communications amenities they expect in the US but at a somewhat slower pace. Staying close with family or keeping up-to-date with international news is simple from your vacation home. Most villas have telephone systems that operate in the same manner as a phone is any home in the US. When dialing from a St. John villa rental, a three digit area code and number is all that is needed to dial back to the states. Many villas also come equipped with Internet access (in dial-up or LAN); making email a click away if you want to! For offline news updates, televisions are accessible at all rentals and offer programming by national and international networks. For those who care to take their news beachside, newspapers are available close-by.
Internet Cafes:
Quiet Mon Cyber Cafe www.quietmonpub.com
Phone: (340) 779-4799
Mail:The Cruz Bay Post Office is located at 100 Vester Gade, St John, 00830 (340) 779-4227 www.postallocations.com/vi/st-john/cruz-bay
Mobile Phones: Its best to check your individual phone plans and to let your US mobile phone carrier know that you are coming to St. John. Depending on where you stay on-island, there may be roaming charges applicable that you will have to pay if you use your cell phone while it’s roaming.
Telephone Calls: Local calls at our villas are free. We suggest that you bring a calling card with an 800-access number for long distance use. Cell phones usually work here, but call your service provider and ask if they service the Virgin Islands and if they have additional roaming charges.
Newspapers: The Virgin Islands Daily News (territory-wide) is daily, The Tradewinds (St. John) is weekly, and The St. John Source is online daily.
Zip Codes: St. John- 00830 for physical addresses and 00831 for PO Boxes