St. Thomas has the shopping, some beaches, some great food, lots of interesting people. There is Coral World, Ride the View, The Haagensen House, Ft. Christian, Mt. Top Mall. Fun and interesting but different than St. John.

St. John has some shopping in Mongoose Junction but not as much (or as overwhelming) as St. Thomas. The very best part of St. John is the many wonderful and beautiful beaches. The snorkeling is great there. Food not necessarily as good as some of the places in St. Thomas but for secluded beach spots and great snorkeling it can't be beat. Touring the island by car also cannot be beat for beautiful views.

You can easily ferry between the islands and see alot of both. I would recommend splitting your week and stay a few days on each island. They are unique and beautiful. There is more nightlife in St. Thomas but I found it a little quieter than when I stayed on St. John. (I know people will not believe that) We stayed in Cruz Bay and there was someone in the bay area racing around in their speed boat in the middle of the night when we were there. We never had that happen in St. Thomas.

Jost is also a must. I would recommend a boat trip that stops at several places so you can experience the beauty of the BVI's as well.

St. John and St. Thomas are very similar in pricing. Although I have found St. Thomas to be a little less expensive as far as groceries, liquor, and restaurants.

I personally wouldn't split my time between islands mainly because I don't like to unpack and repack during my vacation. My suggestion is to rent a villa and a Jeep on St. John. You can always take the ferry to STT for a day trip but trust me one day will be enough. More likely you won't want to leave STJ once you get there.

The beaches on STJ win the prize IMHO. The island is small enough that it's managable and fun to explore. There's plenty to see and do and I promise you that you will fall in love again with your sweetheart and also with STJ.

By all means take a day trip to the BVI while you're there. It's a fun day and worth the price. My advise is to take in Jost Van Dyke and definitely snorkel the Indians and have lunch at the Willy T in the Bight at Norman Islands. These are 'do not miss' things to do while you're there.

And don't try to do everything. You'll want to leave some things to look forward to on the return trip you will no doubt be planning before you even leave STJ.

Having just gotten back from St. Thomas visiting St. John, and BVIs, I like Diana's suggestion of staying on St. John and visiting St. Thomas one day - unless you really want a lot of night life. St. John will be more quiet, but I would love to stay there personally. Scroll down and see my trip reports if you are interested. One day we did the Breakaway power boat tour to the BVIs which was fun. I am suffering from a fractured rib from being thrown on the boat in big waves, but it was still a wonderful fun day! The thing about St. Thomas is I think the driving is a bit scarey and the taxis are expensive. We loved the whole trip however. To hit the beaches on St. John nearly every day would be heavenly in my opinion!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The choice really depends on what kind of person you are- if you're laid back and enjoy mother nature, beaches, snorkling, and quiet and don't need to shop every 5 seconds, you will LOVE St John. I've been to both and think that they are very different- St Thomas has a high crime rate I think, is noisier, more crowded but yet has alot of activities like shopping that some prefer. Any of the BVIs are wonderful to visit, even more laid back than STJ- see all the messages throughout this board on getting there from the USVIs.

this question is always coming up...imo i would go to st. john..it is smaller, less hectic, more beaches. there are shops to explore and spend money in(for me there are plenty) many great restaurants of all prices and cuisine.also some fab bars to sit/drink and make new friends. you can day trip to the "big" shopping in st. thomas. i agree a trip to jost should be on your agenda. i've stayed at sandcastles & ivans and this is a unique place, worth the dat trip.

How long are you planning to stay in the VI? I recommend splitting the trip if you are staying 10 days or more.
The good and bad of both islands are a matter of taste...

STJ is more of a nature lover's paradise while STT has a cosmopolitan island feel.

Well-known beaches on STT are more crowded than STJ beaches. Both islands have some unspoiled, secluded beaches. Both island's beaches are affected by daytripping cruise ship passengers. STJ has more beach options. Both islands have LOTS of beaches. STJ beaches are unspoiled, while some STT beaches offer chairs, umbrellas, snack bars resturants, resort amenities. STT also has unspoiled "secret" beaches that rival the STJ beaches.

Restaurants are more plentiful on STT. Neither island is known for it's restaurants. From my experience, dining is more expensive on STJ. If you're into great food, you might be frustrated by both islands and their dining options. STT has many more options, especially for local food.

STJ has much less traffic (and sometimes traffic jams on STT on certain roads-you have to know which roads to avoid-traffic gets heavy around Havensight and Red Hook). I don't find STT driving scary but it does take more navigating to get around because it is larger and has many more roads than STJ. For someone planning to stay at the Marriott on STT, I would recommend a car rental. The Marriott is out of the way....you can't walk anywhere from there.

STJ doesn't have that many permanent residents, and many of the residents are ex pats. So the "local" interaction is limited....again, a matter of personal travel style to determine if this is a value or downside.

STT has more crime but I don't think the crime rate is high. Based on the population, I bet it's about average. The issue isn't the crime rate, it's that crimes go unsolved.

STT has museums and interesting historic walking tours. STJ has the Reef Bay Hike and petroglyphs and Sugar Mill ruins.

STJ has dinghy rentals for touring and beach hopping. STT has the mangroves and kayak tours.

STT has resorts offering live music and island shows in the evenings. Fire shows, glass walking, fire eating have historic cultural significance - and are representative of the historic Flambeau gatherings (bonfires) on the beaches. And, of course Steel Pan music is plentiful. STJ also has a few places where live music can be heard. I don't know what Westin and/or Caneel offer in terms of any kind of show.

Maho (STJ) has a glass blowing place where you can watch and participate in a clinic. Maho also offers Yoga.

STT has spas at Ritz and Sugar Bay (there are probably more, but these are the ones everyone talks about).

STJ has wonderful mini-golf at Pastory Gardens(which is also a nice restaurant/bar). STT has real golf at Mahogany Run, a challenging par 70 course culminating with the infamous Devil's Triangle.

Gallows and Frenchman's Reef are both fine resort options.

Bluwater,

That is probably the best comparison I have ever seend between the two ilsands. I really like the way you didn't inject your own assumptions of what was better/worse - just listed the differences to let others decide which they prefer. Bravo!

Ken

Thanks rc.

I guess my love of both islans dictated that post. They're pretty different islands and compliment each other well.

Seems like you like to shop, but shop for WHAT? If jewelry is your passion, you can shop 'til you drop for it on St Thomas. I don't think anywhere else in the world has as large a selection in such a small area as St Thomas.

If you're intrested in more artsy crafty things, St. Thomas has Tillet Gardens where you'll find pottery makers, candle maker, fabric painters, etc.; Kilnworks Pottery studio (neither of which are in town), the Native Arts and Crafts Cooperative (in town), Mapes Monde (in town), and stores like Into the Sea and a few others. there's also the Camille Pisarro gallery, Joanna White gallery (both in town), and other galleries throughout the island.

If you're interested in electronics, St Thomas has Boolchands and Royal Caribbean (both of which may have some representation on St John), oh and QuickPics for the lower end. You need to do your homework beforehand when shopping for electronics, because St Thomas caters to the international electronic market (as opposed to US electronic customer), so prices in the States may be better for some items (especially when the stores have a sale).

St. Thomas also has a large selection of table linens. St. John may have a representative sample.

There is shopping on St. John, and it's great, though different focus. On St. John the shops tend to strive for uniqueness, so you won't see lots of t-shirt, sarong, and mass market jewelry stores. The merchandise is more "islandy" (for lack of a better word), with a better selection of household decorative accessories. Popular stores are Pink Papaya, Close Reach, Into the Blue, Bamboula, and more.

If you're staying at the Reef, you'll probably opt for the water taxi to bring you into town. That's a nice touch. From the Reef you can easily visit Paradise Point on Wed for evening waterfront views and live music and bird shows during the day, live music in some of the downtown restaurant/bars, and take historical walking tours. You'll also have a better selection of restaurants in terms of quality and price that are in town.

Regarding crime - don't take for granted that anyplace is "safe" and take the usual precautions one would take in a large city in the States.

Hope that helps.