At 84 square miles, St. Croix is the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands. At the east end -- which actually is the easternmost point of the United States -- the terrain is rocky and arid. The west end is more lush and even includes a small "rain forest" of mango, mahogany, tree ferns, and dangling lianas. Between the two extremes are beautiful beaches, rolling hills, pastures, and, increasingly, miles of condos.
Christopher Columbus named the island Santa Cruz (Holy Cross) when he landed on November 14, 1493. He anchored his ship off the north shore but was quickly driven away by the spears, arrows, and axes of the Carib Indians. The French laid claim to the island in 1650; the Danes purchased it from them in 1733. Under their rule, the slave trade and sugar-cane fields flourished until the latter half of the 19th century. Danish architecture and influence can still be seen on the island today.
You will find that St. Croix is more relaxed than St. Thomas, and the locals are friendlier, although there have been acts of violence and hostility against visitors in the past. While gambling has been introduced at one hotel, this has not changed the overall texture of the island. It has, however, attracted a more jaded Atlantic City- or Las Vegas-type visitor. St. Croix is being rapidly developed, but it has many years to go before approaching the mass tourism of St. Thomas.
