Virgin Islands National Park Honeymoon
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Self-guided and
ranger-guided tours take visitors through the ruins of the
colonial-era Annaberg Sugar Mill; the park is just as
beautiful underwater as on land; stroll Hawksnest Beach.
National Park
Service photos. |
The Virgin Islands honeymoon:
sheltered bays
of crystal blue-green waters . . . colorful coral reefs . . . white
sandy beaches . . . lush tropical forests full of
colorful, fragrant tropical flowers. . . . Sound out of
reach for your budget? Maybe not, if you're willing to camp on that
sandy white beach. You can do that at
Cinnamon Bay Campground in Virgin Islands National Park for as little as
$27 per night.
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Frommer's says that the campground is "considered one of
the finest campgrounds in the Caribbean," and almost all visitors who
have posted reviews to the web rave about the campground's quiet
location on beautiful Cinnamon Bay, and its relative value compared to
hotels and rentals. (Not surprisingly,
reservations are recommended 4-6 months in advance.) There's a decent
restaurant and general store on the premises. The downside? Some campers
complain about the bugs and the heat, especially on nights when there's
no breeze.
Virgin Islands National Park is
located on the smallest and least-developed of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. John, but
bustling St.
Thomas is accessible from the park via a short ferry
ride. So if you make the park your home base, you can make a day trip to
St. Thomas. Getting to St. Croix may be a little more involved; check
the guides listed below for more information.
Not that there's not plenty to do
in the national park. Aside from swimming, snorkeling, and hiking, the
park also includes a number of historical attractions, including a
colonial-era Danish sugar mill and rock petroglyphs made by either the
original Amerindian inhabitants of the island or colonial-era African
slaves. The park hosts plenty of programs to help visitors explore the
island's natural beauty, which includes more than
800 species of plants, and the
Cinnamon Bay Campground offers several activities almost every day of
the week, according to their events calendar.
Cost
Cinnamon Bay offers three basic camping options:
bring your own tent to pitch on a bare campsite ($27 per night all
year); rent a 10 x 14 foot canvas tent with a solid floor ($58 low
season, $80 high season); or rent a cottage ($70 - $90 low season,
depending on proximity to the beach, and $110 - $140 high season). These
rates were accurate for 2003; check the Cinnamon Bay website for current
rates. By comparison, we searched for hotel rooms in the U.S. Virgin
Islands and found rates starting at around $150 per night during the
high season (December 15 - April 30) and starting at around $100 per
night during the low season (May 1 - December 15). There is another,
privately owned campground on St. John, but it's more expensive than
Cinnamon Bay and user reviews are mixed.
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Things To Do
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Play in the water. Swimming, snorkeling, scuba
diving, sailing, kayaking and windsurfing are among the activities
available in Virgin Islands National Park; private companies also
offer charter
day-sail or boat snorkeling tours.
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Explore the forest. The park
includes a number of trails and destinations, such as the Reef Bay
Trail and the Petroglyphs Trail. Or visit a Danish sugar mill:
"Established in 1718, Annaberg Sugar Mill is one of St. John's
best-preserved examples of the island's cultural past during the
colonial and post-emancipation era," according to the National Park
Service website. Self-guided and ranger-guided tours of the ruins
are available.
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Festivals. St. Thomas holds
its annual Carnival, a festival of local food, music, and dance, at
the end of April. The annual Folk-Life Festival, held in Virgin
Islands National Park at the end of February, focuses on Virgin
Islands cultural traditions such as arts and crafts, herbal
remedies, cuisine, music, gardening, story-telling, and
masquerading, according to the park website.
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Cruz Bay. Head to Cruz Bay,
only a few miles from Virgin Islands National Park, for
transportation, restaurants, shops, and other activities. If you
want an active nightlife, though, head to St. Thomas.
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Cinnamon Bay Campground
The official site for Cinnamon Bay
Campground.
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Rates &
Accommodations: Check here for the latest rate information.
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Weekly
Activities: The campground offers many natural and cultural
activities, including hiking trips, boat trips, crafts
demonstrations, and even a day-long trip to the British Virgin
Islands. Check this page for details.
WhereToStay.com:
Cinnamon Bay Campground User Reviews
When we visited this site, users'
reviews of the Cinnamon Bay campground were largely positive.
A
Documentary History of the Cinnamon Bay Plantation
Compiled by the Friends of Virgin
Islands National Park, this report outlines the fascinating history of
the African slaves who built the architectual marvels of one of the
island's many sugar plantations.
St, John (Islands magazine)
Islands magazine's overview of St. John
and the other U.S. Virgin Islands; a good place to start to get the big
picture. Includes links to long in-depth travel articles from the print
version of the magazine.
St. John
USVI Vacation Guide
One of the more thorough guides to St. John that we've seen on the web,
full of information on attractions, accommodations, night life, beaches,
where to stay, what to pack, and much more.
Lonely Planet: U.S. Virgin Islands
Practical advice for travelers
(including how to travel the islands on a budget) and an introduction to
the islands' culture, history, and environment.
Frommer's:
Virgin Islands Overview
Frommer's comprehensive description of
the U.S. and British Virgin Islands; in general, we thought the Frommers
guide provided more information than Fodors about the Virgin Islands.
Fodors:
U.S. Virgin Islands Overview
Fodors' comprehensive description of
the U.S. Virgin Islands.
U.S.
Virgin Islands Guide
A guide to the U.S. Virgin Islands,
including an events calendar and links to U.S. Virgin Islands business
web sites.
TripAdvisor:
Reviews of Virgin Islands National Park
Folks who've been there offer their
advice on what to do and what to avoid.
VirtualTourist: Travel
Tips for the U.S. Virgin Islands
Visitors to the U.S. Virgin Islands
offer tips, photos, and describe their own experiences. Tips are sorted
by usefulness and accuracy, as rated by other VirtualTourist users. The
link above takes you to the general tips page; scroll to the bottom of
that page for links to other types of tips.
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Your honeymoon story
Have you done this trip (whether on
your honeymoon or other travel)? We'd love to hear about your experience
so we can share it with others . . . just
drop us a line.
Last Updated:
September 07, 2007
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