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St Thomas is known for its amazing beaches, lush vegetation, warm weather and relaxing atmosphere.
In this article, we provide insight into whether St Thomas is in the United States.
Furthermore, we also share useful travel tips for someone visiting the destination especially for the first time.
Is St Thomas In The United States?
St Thomas is not in the United States (US). The US purchased the island from Denmark on March 31, 1917. St Thomas is 32 square miles and the highest peak is 1,556 feet called Crown Mountain. One notable distinction is that residents of St Thomas are unable to vote in the Presidential elections.
Is St Thomas A US Virgin Island?
St Thomas is a US Virgin Island (USVI) and a dependency of the United States of America (USA). The other major islands of the USVI are St Croix, St John and Water Island. The island is the centre of commercial activities for the USVI and is the location for the Cyril E King International Airport.
Where Is St Thomas Located?
St Thomas is located 40 miles East of Puerto Rico. It takes almost three hours from Miami to St Thomas and approximately four hours from New York.
Do You Need A US passport To Go To St Thomas?
As an overseas territory, no passports are required for US citizens to enter and exit St Thomas as well as all the islands in the US Virgin Islands group.
Ferry services are available for seamless movement among the islands.
Is The Virgin Islands Part of The United States?
The Virgin Islands is the term used to refer to both the British Virgin Islands and the US Virgin Islands groups. Only the US Virgin Islands are part of the United States.
The USVI group has a landmass of 133 square miles. The four major islands of the USVI are St Croix, St Thomas, St John and Water Island. Additionally, there are about 50 smaller islets and cays.
The British Virgin Islands (BVI) are a group of 60 islands located East of Puerto Rico.
The four main islands are Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke. They are dependencies of the United Kingdom with a landmass of 59 square miles.
Travel Tips For St Thomas
St Thomas offers excellent opportunities for island hopping to the British Virgin Islands. However, US Citizens require a passport for entry and exit to the BVI.
The US dollar is the official currency as the mainland USA.
The capital city is called Charlotte Amalie. Fort Christian is one of the key landmarks located in the city and is the oldest structure in the US Virgin Islands.
Built between1672 to 1680, Fort Christian has a red exterior with a Victorian clock at the front.
A tour explores the history of the Danes and slavery. The admission fee is $10 for non-locals.
St Thomas is one of the best islands for duty free shopping in the Caribbean. Each visitor including children is allowed $1600 each of duty free purchases back into the USA.
Brands such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Little Switzerland, Diamonds International and Bebe have a presence on the island.
There is no Uber or Lyft .The best way to get around the island is by renting a car.
Magens Bay is one of the most popular beaches with one mile stretch of white sand.
St Thomas is located in the hurricane belt which makes it vulnerable to hurricanes.
The last major hurricanes to affect the islands were hurricane Maria and Irma both in 2017 which hit the islands as category 5 storms.
Therefore, if you are visiting the island in the hurricane season which starts June 1 to November 30 annually, it may be prudent to consider travel insurance in the event of travel delays and cancellations.
Mountain Top and Drake’s Seat are two areas that you must visit for the most beautiful scenery in the island.
US Chains such as Walmart, Kmart and Office Depot have retail presence in St Thomas.
Final Thoughts
We trust that you have found the information in this article beneficial and have addressed all your concerns on St Thomas and its relationship with the United States.
St Thomas is truly a gem and we know that you will have an awesome time while on vacation.
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