St. John is truly a magical, wonderful, laid back, beautiful, serene little piece of paradise. With half the island National Parklands and no airport. Our blend of West Indian culture under the US Flag (no passport needed!) lends itself to a wide spectrum of residents as well as visitors.

Known for its upscale, multi-million dollar vacation villa rentals with spectacular, sweeping views, and world renowned eco campgrounds, there is no island comparable in the Caribbean. Words like luxury, natural beauty, laid back, pristine, and low keyblend in and out of stories and vocabularies to define St. John's magic.

St. John is very small compared to most islands (28 square miles) with only three major roads that connect to many smaller roads; but with our mountainous terrain, it can take almost an hour to get from Cruz Bay to far East End. Most of our beaches are easily reached by car or taxi, and then exploring far remote beaches can only enhance your island adventure.

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We are located in Cruz Bay just steps from South Shore Road and minutes from Cruz Bay's ferries, shopping and nightlife. Our central location allows for easy access to Cruz Bay, North Shore and South Shore bays and beaches. And our sunsets! Every sunset every day is unique, inspiring and breathtaking.

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Passports are not needed to enter the US Virgin Islands if you are a US Citizen. All other islands in the Caribbean now require a passport. It's now recommended all US citizens travel with a passport, but it is not required to land in St. Thomas or St. Croix or to visit St. John.

If you plan on going to the British Virgin Islands (which we highly recommend) on a day trip, you will need to present your passport upon arrival back into US waters, since you are re-entering from another country.

Remember that in most cases, our style on St. John is casual and informal, so travel light! As mentioned above, St. John is pretty laid back. Be prepared to sit in a beach chair (each condo has 2) on the beach or look at your feet in water up to your neck or read a book under a sea grape tree.

ATM's are located in Cruz Bay and Coral Bay, and are pretty reliable, so don't worry about bringing too much cash. Then plan ahead for your daily needs.

Clothing

Most visitors find they bring too many clothes and unneeded personal items on their St. John vacation.

Shoes (or just flip flops) and sun dresses for the girls and t-shirts and shorts for the guys are pretty standard here. If you plan on dining at one of our finer restaurants, then we call it "island fancy," which is normally just a fancier sundress and shorts/shirt! Bathing suits are the primary piece of clothing when you are on the beaches during your St. John Vacation. (See Island Customs for more info)

Also, bring good walking shoes (or something better than just flip flops) if you want to hike one of the many trails in the Virgin Islands National Park. Favorite visitor trails range from "kid friendly" Cinnamon Bay Trail to the adventurous Reef Bay Trail.

Other items you might need:

As our units are fully furnished, so all you need to bring are personal items, such as camera, sunscreen, and a hat.

Groceries, film, sun block and other items may be purchased in Cruz Bay or Coral Bay. Also, drinks, ice, and beverages are abundant in both villages.

We are in the tropics which means clouds go through and drop "liquid sunshine" on us just about daily most of the year; so you might want to include a small, fold up rain coat or poncho in your beach bag or backpack.

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Getting to St. John is actually quite easy, as many major airlines fly into busy St. Thomas every day.

St. Thomas Airport Taxis: you will take a taxi ($12 each + $2 per bag) to Red Hook Ferries to St. John

Red Hook Ferry Dock: You will board a 20 minute ferry here to take you to St. John. St. Thomas to St. John ferry leaves every hour on the hour from 7 am to 11 pm. (There is also a 40-minute ferry boat ride from downtown
Charlotte Amalie, but the service is limited and not as dependable as Red Hook)

Taxis on St. John: All the "taxi mon" know where Serendip Vacation Condos are located, so just let them know your destination upon your arrival at the ferry dock in Cruz Bay.

St John Rental Cars: It is definitely more convenient to have a car at your disposal during the entire length of your stay. But we are few minutes walk to one of the maid roads on St. John that is always busy with taxis going to and from a larger resort nearby, and we are a 15 minute walk into Cruz Bay where the taxis congregate; so having a car every day is not totally necessary if you are on a budget. Plus parking in Cruz Bay is very limited during the day as well as in the evenings, so plan accordingly. If it says "parking for customers only" or "no parking," - don't!

Four wheel drive is highly recommended, and if you are not a proficient standard transmission car driver make sure to get an automatic with 4wd. All St. John Car Rental Companies are very familiar with our terrain and all vehicles are equipped for our roads.

St. John car rental agencies are always checking each other's prices, so all are normally comparable year round. You must have a valid U.S. driver's license and be at least 25 years of age with a major credit card to rent a car on St John. Due to the limited number of rental cars on St. John, reservations should be made in advance.

Most St John rental car companies are located within Cruz Bay and normally open from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. But if you want to pick up your car later (because of a later arrival time on St. John), most will accommodate your
request. As an added service to our guests, we will be happy to arrange a rental car on St. John for you at no additional cost to you.

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There are many great restaurants on St. John, but our location and full kitchens make it both affordable and convenient to prepare and/or "dine in."

All of our restaurants offer casual dining, and advance reservations are highly recommended during high season.

If you plan on using the kitchen every day, the three grocery stores in Cruz Bay collectively offer everything for a week (or month!) on St. John. Starfish Market is located in The Marketplace, Dolphin Market is located just up from the center of town, and Pine Peace Market is located at the bottom of the hill, before the turn to the Condos.

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Virgin Islanders and especially St. Johnians are friendly and most times very gracious people. One custom that is very important, however, is to "remember your manners" when approaching or conversing with locals (even those from "the Mainland"). A salutation of "Good (Morning, Afternoon, Evening), How are You?" is not only proper but expected before starting a conversation.

Also, bathing suits are only appropriate while enjoying St. John's beaches; when off the beach a cover-up or other clothing is island custom.

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Even though there is plenty to do on St. John most Virgin Islanders consider St. John to be "the country" - laid back and very friendly. It is very easy to get so relaxed on St. John that visitors lose sight of using common sense when leaving their condo or articles in a car while at the beach. We certainly do not have the issues most other islands have; Single males as well as females find St. John a favorite for solo vacations, but common sense and safety always outweighs the alternative.

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An island tour with a "taxi mon" is a great way to get your bearings, learn a little history and help you decide where you want to go during the rest of your St. John vacation.

Boat excursions and sailing adventures, both half day and full day, are abundant. Scuba and snorkeling equipment, windsurfers, kayaks, and Zodiacs are easily available to rent on the island. We strongly recommend making
advance reservations as they might be booked upon arrival during high season, and some may not operate during certain times of off season.

Our on site manager will assist you in coordinating any of your St. John adventures, so come and join us for a relaxing vacation in paradise!

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Cruz Bay is St. John's largest town (more like a village), and while it only stretches less than a mile along the waterfront, it is here you will find the grocery stores, drugstore, jewelry shops and other fine shopping, as well as most of St. John's bars and restaurants, all within an easy stroll from one end to the other. The two larger gathering places, Wharfside Village (West) and Mongoose Junction (East) are for popular shopping and dining. Just off the ferry and a few yards down is Connections St. John; here is where you can check your email, book watersports activities, and "ask locals" about things to do on St. John and nearby islands. The National Park Center is also located in Cruz Bay near Mongoose Junction and is an educational as well as a beautiful tribute to the US National Parklands on St. John.

Cruz Bay Map

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Coral Bay is on the East End of St. John and is the only other area on St. John with a concentration of businesses and homes. The views of the British Virgin Islands on the way to Coral Bay from Bordeaux and other stops are
absolutely unmatched. You will feel like you are on the edge of the world - it is definitely worth the drive! Coral Bay has a flavor all of its own, quite like a lost pirate's hideaway, a funky little piece of paradise like no other in the Caribbean. There is no town or village, per se; just a few restaurants and bars hugging the bay itself, and two small food stores. And if you want a serene, peaceful day where you might be the only person on the edge of the water or beach, head out to Salt Pond Bay and Lameshur.

Coral Bay Map

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Navigating St. John is very easy - with the right map! If you want to really get your bearings and the feel for the island, we recommend having all three maps, just because each will give you a different perspective of the island.

The St. John Map is pretty simple to read, but it is quite large and cumbersome, with its primary purpose is to help you find businesses. Although the main roads are clearly marked, it is more of an entertainment piece than it is directional.

The Trail Bandit map is the unofficial hiking map, and shows many of the roads on St. John - except for East End (Coral Bay). Although the National Park does not condone the Trail Bandit because of his treading and clearing
trails without permission, it's better than any map the National Park distributes and is well worth finding and is available in a few places on St John, especially if you want to hike while on St. John. Read more about his
adventures on his site.

National Geographic produces the best and most complete map of St. John and is available for sale in many places in Cruz Bay. It is by far the best map the island, for obvious reasons.

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There are three main roads on St. John: North Shore, Centerline, and South Shore. The highest point on St. John is on Centerline Road. There are no stoplights on St. John (although locals would say the donkeys make a natural
stoplight sometimes).

A very important note: we drive on the left in the US Virgin Islands, even though our cars, trucks, and Jeeps are US, with the steering wheel on the left. So "Keep Left" is the most important mantra in the VI. And if you do not normally drive a standard shift vehicle on steep hills and terrain, we highly recommend that when renting a car on St. John, confirm it has an automatic transmission as well as 4 wheel drive.

North Shore Road links our beautiful North Shore beaches within the National Park, and it can take you all the way to Maho Bay, and Annaberg, which is the site of the most intact sugar plantation ruins on the island. It is also here where you park to walk out to Waterlemon Cay, one of St. John's favorite (and most remote!) snorkeling areas. (If you're new to the island, a map can guide you from North Shore Road to Centerline Road to take you to Coral Bay or back to Cruz Bay along the top ridge of the island).

There at least 12 beaches to explore and enjoy on North Shore between Cruz Bay Town and Waterlemon Cay, and no less than 8 hiking trails along this route. With a little map navigation, you can also run into Centerline Road from the North Shore. Only Cinnamon Bay and Trunk Bay offer concessions (drinks and food) so make sure to stock your cooler (there's one in your room) before heading out for the day.

Centerline Road stretches across the top of the island eight miles to Coral Bay's main junction. Centerline is the only way to get in and out of Coral Bay, so it is considered the "main road" connecting the island's two main villages. Supposedly there are at least 144 curves from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay, so it's a longer 8 miles than you might expect, so take your time, and enjoy the ride!

South Shore Road wanders past The Marketplace, Serendip Vacation Condos, and another large resort, and then it's mostly private or rental homes. There are some really nice rocky beaches off of South Shore Road as well as some really good snorkeling.

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