Virgin Islands National Park - A Pristine Paradise

This is Trunk Bay on the island of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. St. John has a permanent population of just over 4000, as compared to over 50,000 in neighboring St. Thomas. St. John has no airport nor cruise ship port, so it takes some extra effort to get there. St. John is most easily accessed by small boat from St. Thomas. 75% of the island consists of Virgin Islands National Park, giving the island a more remote, exotic feel than bustling St. Thomas. In addition to beautiful beaches Virgin Islands National Park is noted for its hiking trails and plantation ruins. There are ancient petroglyphs carved by the Taino Indians. The snorkeling is great and the flora is beautiful.

My visit was part of a Norwegian Cruise shore excursion. The boat ride from Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas to Cruz Bay, St. John is about 45 minutes each way. During the boat trip, the water was exceptionally choppy... testing the effectiveness of my motion sickness patch. We were told that rough waters are the norm, so plan accordingly, The return trip was a bit smoother.