Almost every kind of water sport available attracts visitors of all personality types and the warm, translucent ocean waters make for great swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. Most hotels offer tennis, and golfers can play on several courses. Each island offers beautiful scenery and lovely soft-sand beaches. More cruise passengers than previously lean toward the venturesome side of the scale. In addition, centrics enjoy many of the active-traveler choices.

It’s easy to list the things that attract travelers to the three U.S. Virgin Islands. Their tropical beauty, a warm and balmy climate, clean clear ocean waters and the fact they are a U.S. possession — all combine to entice Americans to these Caribbean isles for rest, relaxation and recreation at reasonable prices. Speaking of prices, St. Thomas offers duty-free port so shopping and with no currency exchange issues, you can shop all day without problems. Denmark owned the islands prior to 1917, and you'll see many Danish legacies, notably place names and architecture.

Visitors arrive by air and aboard cruise ships to enjoy the slower, casual pace of life common to the Caribbean. Sometimes so many cruise ships pull into St. Thomas’ principal harbor that they can’t all fit at dockside, requiring shuttling of some by small boats. The area has three islands with many nearby islets. The three islands share some characteristics while also displaying their individuality. St. Thomas, the most developed of the island trio, not surprisingly, appeals heavily to authentics who like its good shopping and tourist amenities. St. John draws a higher number of venturers who appreciate its unspoiled, protected environment.

The U.S. created its 29th national park on St. John and this very pristine, undeveloped area appeals greatly to venturers’ psychology. St. Croix gets mentioned the least often in surveys despite its interesting terrain (a combination of rain forest and desert) and appealing historical sites.

Sportfishing is popular and easy to arrange. Also, if you want to compete with world class anglers, enter one of the Virgin Islands’ fishing tournaments. Twenty-four sportfishing records have been set in these islands.

In Coral Bay, St. John, the original settlement, ask about hiking to Reef Bay Estate. You'll have great scenery on the way and be rewarded by a bit of history when you finish at the remains of an old steam-driven sugar mill, now almost buried by jungle.

Arrange a bareboat yacht charter and do some at-sea exploring on your own.

If you like scuba diving, explore the islands’ reefs and old shipwrecks. Check out Buck Island Reef, the only U.S. national park that is under water. If you are not a diver, take a course and gain your PADI certification.

Go sea kayaking on St. John. Also on St. John, you can rent small sailboats, lessons provided.

Look for evening entertainment that is distinctive to the islands, such as steel-pan orchestras and broken-bottle dancing (dancing on broken glass).

Go windsurfing off St. Thomas or St. Croix.

Go snorkeling or explore any of the islands by horseback.

Sample the lifestyle of an 18th century sugar plantation at Whim Greathouse on St. Croix. The beautifully restored site includes a small museum, a working sugar mill and the estate house filled with antiques and surrounded by a moat.

Tour the Cruzan Rum Distillery on St. Croix. Then, have a banana daiquiri; the real thing is made with Cruzan Rum.

St. John’s crisscrossed hiking trails lead to plantation ruins and ancient petroglyphs. Hike on your own or with a guide.

Take a donkey ride in the Virgin Islands National Park on St. John.

Take a guided bicycle tour on St. Croix or on Water Island off the coast of St. Thomas.

Play golf on any of the islands, but the Robert Trent Jones-designed course on St. Croix has star status.

To see Danish architecture at its best on St. Croix, explore Fort Christiansvaern, the Scalehouse, Government House and, especially, the Danish Customs House. The best example on St. Thomas is Government House in Charlotte Amalie.

Visit Coral World in Charlotte Amalie, an aquarium with an underwater viewing room that is particularly rewarding if you're not a snorkeler or scuba diver and otherwise would not have the opportunity to see these sea creatures.

Stroll through St. George Village Botanical Garden on St. Croix for a close-up look at the island’s astonishing flora. The past lingers in ruins of a great house and a historic garden of plants known to the earliest residents, the Arawaks.

Shop on St. Thomas until your credit cards squeak.

For more information, consult the U.S. Virgin Islands Division of Tourism at www.usvitourism.vi

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