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St John
St John is the smallest of the islands and is home to a national park, which is a tranquil and untouched paradise for people who want to escape into a natural environment, with lush forests decorating the interior and enchanting white sand beaches, secluded coves, coral reefs and fascinating hiking trails, the island is an idyllic escape from the busy modern world.
The first settlers on the island were Danish and they began the sugarcane industry on the island. Today the abandoned 18th century plantations scattered about the island provide a reminder of a once-thriving agricultural community. A walk around the ruins of the Annaberg Sugar Plantation, for example, offers a historical glimpse of St John with magnificent views of the British Virgin Islands.
Laurence Rockefeller was so enthralled by the beauty of the island, he bought a large piece of it in 1956 and donated it to the government as a protected national park, to preserve the natural beauty of St John. Today the Virgin Island National Park offers numerous guided or independent hiking trails into the interior with stunning views from the ridges and a variety of flora and fauna, including wild cats, hummingbirds and iguanas. Of the dozens of beaches the most popular is Trunk Bay, one of the world's most photographed spots, that offers swimming and excellent marine life in the protected reefs. There is also an underwater snorkelling trail with signs identifying the types of coral and its inhabitants.
