DISCOVER ST. JOHN
Saint John is an island in the Caribbean Sea and a constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), an unincorporated territory of the United States. It is renowned as the wealthiest and most expensive of the U.S. Virgin Islands, enjoying a level of affluence that is comparable with the nearby island of St. Barts.
Saint John is located about 4 miles east of Saint Thomas, the location of the territory's capital, Charlotte Amalie, and 4 miles south and west of Tortola, part of the British Virgin Islands.
Because there are no airports on Saint John, the only access to the island is by boat. The ferry service runs hourly from Saint Thomas and daily from Tortola; regular ferries also operate from Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada.
 GEOGRAPHY
Saint John is well known for its well-preserved natural beauty and attractive beaches. Restricted development and preservation in Saint John contrasts heavily with such adjacent and overdeveloped islands as Saint Thomas and St. Maarten.
Tourists enjoy picturesque hills dotted with opulent villas of the wealthy and elite.
Cruz Bay on the western coast of the island is Saint John's principal port. From there, a ferry operates throughout the day to and from Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook in Saint Thomas. It is also home to (among other things) car rental locations, several restaurants, a supermarket,and possibly a day charter of which the three main ones are Mongoose Junction, the Marketplace, and Wharfside Village. Coral Bay on the eastern side of the island is the other (smaller) town on Saint John, and offers some of the same amenities.
Most of Saint John is National Park land, so most of the island is undeveloped. Some of the most popular beaches in the Caribbean are located along the island's north shore. The most spectacular and well-known of these is Trunk Bay, which has consistently been voted one of the "Ten Best Beaches in The World" by Condé Nast Traveler magazine and has received similar recognition from other publications.
Since the beaches are on National Park land, they are all open to the public and are free of hotels or resorts. A notable exception is the Caneel Bay resort on the north shore, which lies on Rockefeller’s former personal estate. The remaining coastal land, mostly in the north and in the east, is private property, and contains many secluded private villas and cottages. The National Park Service also offers two campgrounds on the island's beaches at Maho Bay and Cinnamon Bay.
The reefs near Saint John's beaches are also world-famous for their snorkeling. In some areas, such as Trunk Bay and nearby Cinnamon Bay, signs identifying various marine flora and fauna have been placed by the National Park Service among the many offshore coral reefs to assist visitors. There are also sailing charters available that tour the island, as well as tours around the British Virgin Islands. Boats are available at Gallows Point, Connections or The Guide Booth in Mongoose Junction.
The beaches on the South Side of Saint John are considerably wilder and more remote. Some are only accessible by rough dirt roads.
Tourism starts late October and runs through June, when Carnival starts. The off-season is considered to be the hot summer months.
ECONOMY
The main export of Saint John used to be sugar cane, which was produced in great quantity using African and Indian slave labor. However, this industry all but fell apart in the 19th century after the island's slaves were given their freedom.
The economy of Saint John is now almost entirely founded on tourism and tourism-related industries, real estate development, guest houses, and hotels.
From Wikipedia.org, the Free Encyclopedia
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