DiscoverUSVIMagazine.com

Useful information

By Carol M. Bareuther, RD

BANKING
Currency in the U.S. Virgin Islands is the U.S. dollar. There are over 50 ATMs throughout the islands, at all bank branches as well as in many hotel lobbies and major supermarkets. Banks are generally open from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with drive-through and walk-up windows open beyond these times. Some banks do have Saturday hours; typically 9 a.m. to noon.

FORM OF PAYMENT
Traveler's Checks as well as Visa, MasterCard and American Express are widely accepted.

SALES TAX
There is no sales tax in the territory.

TIPPING
Do tip, however. The customary amount is 15% in restaurants, $1 per bag for porters, and $1 to $2 per day for maids.

COMMUNICATIONS
Most hotels and resorts, as well as many villas in the Virgin Islands, have in-room telephones. However, to use your cell phone, first be sure your cell phone charger has the right plug (any plug that works on the U.S. mainland will work here). Then, use a transformer that is 115 volts, no more. Next, find out if your cell phone provider offers coverage in the U.S. Virgin Islands. If not, ask to be upgraded to international roaming. When calling the U.S. mainland from the Virgin Islands, dial "1," then the Area Code and number.

Many hotels, resorts and villas offer either data ports for laptop plug-in or WiFi. WiFi is also offered in many places, such as in downtown Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas, both Christiansted and Frederiksted on St. Croix, both St. Thomas and St. Croix Seaborne Airlines terminals, and other select locations. Contact Choice Communications at (340) 774-0024 to find out about specific WiFi hotspots in the islands. If these services are not available, there are several Internet cafés on the islands.

CUSTOMS & DUTY

The U.S. Virgin Islands has raised its duty-free alowance to $1,600 per person. Family members traveling together can make a joint declaration that increases the amount of their allowance. Gifts valued $100 or less can be mailed (no more than one package per day) and do not need to be declared in the exemption. U.S. visitors are allowed to return with six bottles of liquor if one of the bottles was produced locally. Duty of 6 percent is charge for purchases totalling more than $1,600. Meats and fresh fruits may not be transported into the U.S.

Duty-free best buys are found on perfumes, crystal, china, jewelry, watches, cameras and electronics, such as stereo and video equipment, porcelain, leather, liquor and fine liqueurs, cigarettes and cigars, linens and designer clothing.

Need more information about U.S. Customs regulations? Read the Know Before You Go brochure published by the US government U.S. Customs and Border Protection for U.S. Residents.

MEDICAL

ST. CROIX

Juan F. Luis Hospital
4007 Estate Diamond
St. Croix, VI 00820
Tel: (340) 778-6311

ST. JOHN

Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Center
P.O. Box 8312, Susannaberg 3B
St. John, VI
Tel: (340) 693-8900

Walk-In Medical Care
Cruz Bay Family Practice
Boulon Center
Cruz Bay, St. John, VI
Tel: (340) 776-6789

ST. THOMAS

Family Medical Center
Sugar Estate Complex
St. Thomas, VI
Tel: (340) 779-2552

Red Hook Family Practice
Red Hook Plaza
St. Thomas, VI
Tel: (340) 775-2303

Schneider Regional Medical Center & Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Institute
9048 Sugar Estate
St. Thomas, VI
Tel: (340) 776-8311

Specialty Physicians

St. Thomas Sleep Center
Paragon Medical Building, #305
(Behind Schneider Regional Medical Center)
Tel: (340) 777-7533
www.sleepvi.com

Virgin Islands Ear, Nose & Throat
Paragon Medical Building, #308
(Behind Schneider Regional Medical Center)
Tel: (340) 774-8881
www.entvi.com

Alcoholics Anonymous
Meets daily. For times and information, call (340) 776-5283.

MAIL & BUSINESS SERVICES
U.S. postal rates apply in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The U.S. Postal Service offers Express Mail service that reaches any U.S. destination the following day if mailed before noon or within two days if mailed after noon. Priority Mail reaches the U.S. mainland in three to five days. Federal Express, DHL and UPS also have service to and from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Mailboxes Etc. [4093 Diamond Ruby, St. Croix, (340) 719-5131] offers packing, shipping, copying and fax services. On St. Thomas, Messages, Mail & More [Crown Bay Marina, Suite 310, St. Thomas, (340) 776-4324] provides mailbox rentals, secretarial services, faxing and Internet access. Red Hook Mail Services [Red Hook Plaza, St. Thomas, (340) 779-1890] is a full-service mailing company that custom packs and ships using regular or expedited courier services and also sells stamps, albeit for more than the rate sold at the Post Office. Connections on St. John [Cruz Bay, (340) 776-6922 and Coral Bay, (340-6922)] supplies secretarial services, mailing and mail boxes, copying, faxing and Internet access.

RELIGION
Worshipers will find many religions represented in the U.S. Virgin Islands. These include Anglican, Baha'i, Baptist, Buddhist, Episcopal, Hindu, Jehovah's Witness, Jewish, Lutheran, Methodist, Moravian, Muslim, Pentecostal, Roman Catholic, Seventh-day Adventist, Unitarian and others. Check the local telephone directory for specific locations, times of services and telephone numbers.

THE USVI TIME ZONE
The islands of the USVI are on Atlantic Standard Time and do not observe Daylight Savings Time, (so their clocks are not set an hour ahead or back any time during the year). When the US mainland is observing Daylight Savings Time, the USVI is one hour ahead of the east coast. The USVI time zone is calculated by Greenwich Mean Time -4 hours.

While in USVI you will see the sunrise at approximately 6:00am and the sunset at approximately 6:00pm. What's the current local time in St. Thomas? Click here.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURES — NO JACKET REQUIRED
June, July, August, September and October are the warmest months with and average high of 91 degrees (or 33 Celsius). Other months the average temp is about 86 degrees (30 Celsius).

January, February and March are the coolest months with an average temperature of 72 degrees (or 22 Celsius).

PRECIPITATION
The months with the highest average rainfall are September, October and November with an average of about 5.5 inches per month. The driest months are January, February, March, April, June and July with an average of only about 2 inches per month.

Source: weather.com

USVI HOTELS, RESORTS, VILLAS AND OTHER ACCOMMODATIONS, BY ISLAND

St. Thomas
Antilles Resorts: Sapphire Beach Resort & Marina
Bellavista Scott Hotel
Best Western Carib Beach Resort
Best Western Emerald Beach Resort
Bolongo Bay Beach Resort
Bunker Hill Hotel
Calypso Realty P.C.
Crystal Palace
Frenchman's Reef & Morning Star Marriott Resort
Galleon House
Holiday Inn Windward Passage Hotel
Hotel 1829
Island Beachcomber Hotel
Island View Guest House
Mafolie Hotel & Restaurant
McLaughlin Anderson Luxury Caribbean Villas
Miller Manor Hotel and Guest House
Palms Court Harborview
Paradise Properties Inc.
Pavilions & Pools Hotel
Pineapple Village Villas
Point Pleasant Resort
Secret Harbour Beach Resort
The Green Iguana Hotel
The Inn at Villa Olga
The Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas
Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa
Virgin Islands Campgrounds Inc. (Water Island)

St. John
Caneel Bay Resort
Caribbean Villas & Resorts Management
Cinnamon Bay Campground
Coconut Coast Villas
Concordia Camp Ground
Destination St. John
Estate Zootenvaal
Gallows Point Resort
Grande Bay Resort
Harmony Studios
Lavender Hill Suites
Maho Bay Camps
Serendip Vacation Condominiums
St. John Ultimate Villas
The Westin St. John Resort & Villas
Viva! Villas
Windspree Vacation Homes

St. Croix
Antilles Resorts - St. Croix
Arawak Bay The Inn at Salt River
Carambola Beach Resort
Caribbean Dream Villa Dawn Caribbean Breeze
Carringtons Inn St .Croix
Century 21 Island Villas
Chenay Bay Beach Resort
Club St. Croix Beach & Tennis Resort
Cottages by the Sea
Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort
Hibiscus Beach Resort
Hotel Caravelle
King Christian Hotel
King's Alley Hotel
Mt. Victory Camp
Sand Castle on the Beach Hotel
Sugar Beach Condos Resorts
Tamarind Reef Hotel
The Buccaneer
The Frederiksted Hotel
The Inn at Pelican Heights
The Palms At Pelican Cove
The Waves At Cane Bay
Vacation St. Croix
Villa Greenleaf on St. Croix
Villa Margarita