What should I pack for St. Thomas?

Charlotte Amalie is built on steep hillsides. The 99 Steps, a Danish colonial staircase from the 1700s, connects the waterfront to Blackbeard's Castle at the top of Government Hill. The climb gets slippery when wet. Fashion sandals won't cut it. Pack sandals with textured soles and ankle support, plus one pair of closed-toe walking shoes for full-day excursions. Water shoes are non-negotiable if you plan to swim at Coki Beach or snorkel near the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument, designated in 2001. The coral rubble underfoot will slice bare feet in seconds. Flip-flops work for the hotel pool and nothing else.

Cotton soaks through in 20 minutes at St. Thomas's humidity levels, so pack 3-4 quick-dry tops, one light long-sleeve for over-air-conditioned restaurants along Veterans Drive, and shorts or skirts you don't mind getting wet. A packable rain shell is worth its weight. Afternoon squalls roll in fast, dump 10-15 minutes of warm heavy rain, and vanish. You'll feel the drops hit your skin like bath water. That said, most visitors underestimate how cool the air conditioning runs inside Havensight Mall and the cruise terminal shops. A thin layer for indoors saves you from the swing between a sun-baked sidewalk and a duty-free store.

Check your sunscreen labels before you fly. The USVI's 2020 ban on oxybenzone and octinoxate carries fines, and shops at Red Hook sell compliant brands like Thinksport and Raw Elements for $12-18, though selection shrinks during peak cruise season from November through April. Bring your own SPF 50+ and reapply every 90 minutes. The Caribbean sun at 18°N latitude burns through cloud cover. A wide-brim hat and polarized sunglasses aren't vanity items here. They're functional gear. Snorkel gear rents at north-shore beach stands for $15-20 per day, but the shared silicone mouthpieces should give you pause. Your own mask and snorkel cost less than two rental days and fit in a carry-on.

St. Thomas drives on the left, a holdover from the Danish colonial era, so rental car pickups at Cyril E. King Airport feel disorienting. Safari taxis, the island's open-air buses with bench seating, run along Route 30 from Red Hook to Charlotte Amalie for about $2 per person. Tip 15-20% at restaurants, the same as stateside. Some places add automatic gratuity for groups of 6 or more. St. Thomas uses U.S. dollars and standard American outlets (Type A/B, 120V), so mainland visitors can skip the adapter and currency pouch. Everyone else needs a U.S. plug adapter. Mind you, petty theft from unattended beach bags tends to be the most common visitor complaint. A dry bag for your phone and wallet is worth packing. Skip bulky beach towels since hotels and most day-charter boats provide them, and leave the travel umbrella behind. The rain is warm, dries off in 5 minutes, and a compact umbrella will invert in the trade winds. If you're visiting the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, built in 1806, or the Cathedral Church of All Saints, founded in 1848, keep shoulders and knees covered. A sarong or light linen shirt takes up no suitcase space.