Virgin Islands

These islands, in the Caribbean, are split between the British and the Americans. The American Virgin Islands are Saint Thomas, Saint John and Saint Croix, the latter being the biggest. The islands...

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These islands, in the Caribbean, are split between the British and the Americans. The American Virgin Islands are Saint Thomas, Saint John and Saint Croix, the latter being the biggest. The islands belonged to the Arawak people before Columbus came in 1493. The islands have been owned by a long row of European countries and the Danish West Indian Company took over Saint Thomas in 1672, followed by Saint John (1694) and Saint Croix (1733). They became a Danish Crown colony and the Danish governor, Peter von Scholten abolished slavery in 1848. In 1917 the colony passed to America. Americans love Saint Thomas for the shopping but it isn’t gay friendly. Saint John is a beautiful island with a major nature park and Saint Croix has the best beaches and a smallish gay life. The area is right in the hurricane belt so avoid that season!