Sea Kayaking in the Virgin Islands

LOGISTICS

Getting There: Many airlines fly from the U.S. mainland to St. Thomas, which is the closest major airport to St. John. From St. Thomas you will have to take a ferry to Cruz Bay, St. John. A good resource for planning your trip and checking ferry schedules is www.usvi.net. On St. John, open-air taxis will take you anywhere you want to go.

When to Go: The temperature hovers in the 70s to 80s all year round, so your only weather concern is hurricane season, which runs from June to November. There is less rain in the winter, but also more tourists.

Where to Stay/Rentals: St. John offers a variety of lodging, but for the camping-oriented traveler try Cinnamon Bay Campground or Maho Bay Camps. The campground at Cinnamon Bay (www.cinnamonbay.com; 800-539-9998) offers a range of accommodations, from setting up your own tent to staying in small cabanas. They have a store, a restaurant, and kayak rentals on the beach. Maho Bay (www.maho.org; 800-392-9004) is a little more upscale, offering tent-cottages on a hill overlooking Maho Bay Beach. If you want to take a guided sea kayaking trip in the Virgin Islands, try Arawak Expeditions (www.arawakexp.com; 800-238-8687).

Resources: For information on Virgin Islands National Park, go to www.nps.gov/viis/. A great handbook for all things related to the Virgin Islands is Frommer’s Virgin Islands.