St Croix and its Danish Heritage

St Croix, the largest of the US Virgin Islands and set slightly apart to the south, is the most steeped in history and the least touristy, offering a quieter, more authentic and culturally rich experience. Its two charming towns, Christiansted and Frederiksted, preserve some of the best-kept Danish colonial architecture in the Caribbean, with pastel arcaded streets and well-preserved yellow forts overlooking their harbours. The island's rolling countryside is dotted with the great houses and stone windmills of old sugar plantations, a legacy that lives on in its renowned rum distilleries, while offshore lies the pristine, protected reef of Buck Island.

The main sights

• Christiansted and Frederiksted - the Danish-colonial towns and forts.
• The old sugar plantations - the great houses and stone windmills.
• The rum distilleries - the famed Cruzan and Diageo rum-making.
• Buck Island Reef - the protected snorkelling reef offshore.

When to go

December to April, the dry season, for the best weather; St Croix is quieter and more relaxed than the other islands year-round, and its historic towns, plantations and beaches are pleasant to explore at an unhurried pace. Buck Island Reef is best snorkelled on calm, clear days by boat from Christiansted.

Practical notes

St Croix is quieter and less polished than St Thomas or St John, with a more workaday, authentic feel, and it was hit hard by the 2017 hurricanes; its appeal is history, culture, rum and a relaxed pace rather than glamour or nightlife, and, like all the USVI, it is pricey. Its plantation heritage also carries the difficult history of slavery, worth acknowledging. As the most historic and characterful of the islands, though, with its Danish towns, forts, rum and pristine Buck Island reef, St Croix is a rewarding and authentic destination.

Nearby

Buck Island Reef, the beaches and the islands of St Thomas and St John are within reach.