Moving to Virgin Islands

Hi Michelle,
My buddie Tyler and myself are doing the same thing and looking of being down there about 3-6 months (Possibly longer). We arrive on the 5th of Febuary in St. Thomas. Now I dont have a whole lot of info for you but between Tyler and myself we have done quite some research. We chose St. Thomas mainly because its more or less the "main land" of the VI. St. Croix is bigger land wise, but St. Thomas is very civilized and no more than a 30 min boat trip away from St. John. Its somewhat tough to find available appartments online, so were going through the Villa Fairview, which is a short term rental until we can find something more permanent. There is also Pirates Cove which is also a short term rental but runs a bit more expensive.

Thanks for the information. I have been trying to do alot of research too. Do you know much about Tortola? I am trying to decide between St. Thomas and there. I really want to be kind of close to Virgin Gorda and I know Tortola is closer. Do you guys have jobs yet or just going to find something when you get there?

My boyfriend and I are planning on moving to the islands and is not sure which one would be right for us. We really like the idea of St. John but are not sure if it is the right one for us. We have 2 dogs so we need to be somewhat near a vet. We enjoy doing things out doors but need to be somewhat near civilization. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Our main goal was to find a job before we left, so we applied at a few of the hotels but didn't get much back but a thank you email- But after talking to a few people through this site and on STT, many employers don't pay much attention to the applicants whom aren't on the island. So as "wing-in-it" as it is, were just going to wait and apply the first few weeks after we get there at a few of the local shops.

mfoster0: Tortola is in the British Virgin Islands and, just to keep this short and without getting into all the whys and wherefores, you will not be eligible to work there. Cheers.

Thank you all for the information! and yes, I was a bit tired yesterday when I wrote about Tortola on here. I have realized it is pretty near to impossible to work there.

If you are a US resident (and unless you are independly wealthy), you probably want to stick to the USVI for where you live and keep the BVI's in mind for your excursions to do the activities you love.

There are lots of places to climb/hike on STX. Hamm's Bluff is challenging even to experienced climbers. Have you tried kite surfing yet or do you only surf on a long board? There is an ever-growing population of kite surfers on STX and some of them are very good and a lot of fun to watch. They've been out in force this week with the winds blowing through like they have. There is an instructor on the island who gets great reviews.

I'm sure someone on STT or STJ can tell you how much opportunity you would have for those activities on their islands.