GETTING AROUND ST. THOMAS
The $2 Island Safari, Explained
Getting around St. Thomas is easier and cheaper than you think and the public safari is how locals do it. Once you know the rhythm it's the breeziest ride on the island. No ticket booths, no fixed stations and no timetable. You flag one down, hop in and pay a dollar or two when you step off. Here's how to ride it like you've done it before.
First, know which safari you're working with...
The $2 Public Safari
The local's island ride. A dollar or two per person, runs the main road and drops you at roadside stops. This is the one this page is about.
The Cruise-Dock Safari Taxi
Open-air trucks lined up at the ship piers. These drive you right into the beach lots, even Magens, but they charge standard per-person taxi rates, not the bus fare.
How it works...
No fixed stops
Wave your arm to flag one down anywhere along the main road.
Just call it out
Pull the buzzer or tell the driver where you want to step off.
A dollar or two
$1 for short hops on one side of the Tutu Valley, $2 for longer cross-island rides. Cash and small bills.
Daytime only
They run from morning until around sunset. No set schedule, so give yourself a buffer.
The route, out and back
The safari runs a big figure-eight, and the way out is not the way back. This is the part most visitors miss.
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West End
Starts at UVI and runs east on the waterfront highway (Route 30), past the Crown Bay cruise port and Subbase, straight through downtown Charlotte Amalie by Vendors Plaza.
Center Climb
From downtown it cuts inland past the hospital, up Raphune Hill (Route 38) past Cost-U-Less, and pulls into Tutu Park Mall by the old Kmart entrance.
East Loop
From Tutu it heads north over Cassi Hill onto Smith Bay Road, rolling past the turnoffs for Coki, Lindquist and Sapphire.
East End
It runs all the way to the Red Hook ferry terminal to swap passengers, then turns around.
The Way Back
Heading west it takes the Weymouth Rhymer Highway straight through the middle of the island back to town, skipping the Smith Bay beaches entirely.
The one rule that matters
Going East
Beaches
Heading east from downtown or Tutu, the safari passes every East End beach turnoff and the Red Hook ferry. This is your beach direction.
Going West
Home
A safari caught in Red Hook takes the inland highway back. It will not loop past Sapphire, Lindquist or Coki, so don't count on catching a beach on the return.
Beaches you can reach by safari
Sapphire Beach
The easiest one. Ask the driver to drop you at the Sapphire Beach Resort entrance, then it's a short downhill walk straight to the sand.
Coki Beach
Get off at the Smith Bay turnoff. It's about a half-mile walk down Coki Point Road, past Coral World, to the sand.
Lindqvist
Flag the driver near the park's main gate on Smith Bay Road. From there it's a 5 min walk down the paved entrance road to the beach.
Emerald Beach
On the west end near Lindbergh Bay. Hop off along the airport highway and walk a few minutes through the Emerald Beach Resort to the water.
Heads up about Magens Bay: the world-famous beach is not on the $2 safari loop, full stop. To get there you'll need a traditional taxi or one of the cruise-dock safari taxis, which drive right into the beach lot for a per-person fare.
OFF ROAD ISLAND ADVENTURE
Half-Day Cultural Jeep Tour
Jammin Jeep Tours
Four hours off the beaten path in an open jeep, just your group. Your guide grabs you at your hotel or ship and hits Mountain Top, Drake's Seat, historic Charlotte Amalie and Magens or a hidden local beach, with local food and a fresh coconut along the way.
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