US Virgin Islands shopping is the best in the Caribbean, so if you are looking for things to do during your USVI vacation, then shopping might fit the bill. Finding an interesting and unique US Virgin Islands shop isn't hard to do, especially if you are hanging out in the capital city of Charlotte Amalie, and if you want to bring back something rather iconic from your trip, you can always pass by the Cruzan Rum Distillery for a delectable keepsake. Interestingly enough, United States citizens will enjoy a $1,600 duty-free shopping quota in the US Virgin Islands, which doubles that found anywhere else in the Caribbean, so that's surely something to consider if you are coming from the mainland. Plus, those coming from the mainland won't have to worry about the US Virgin islands currency.

The US Virgin Islands currency is the US Dollar, which is quite convenient for US citizens. If you are coming from anywhere else than the United States and need to change money, you can do so at the airports or at local banks. Once you are armed with the appropriate US Virgin Islands currency, you can head out and look for a US Virgin Islands shop or shops to spend your money at. Sales and luxury taxes are non-existent in the US Virgin Islands, which helps to make US Virgin Islands shopping such a pleasure. For interesting US Virgin Islands shop recommendations, King's Alley in Christiansted is a great place to find fashions from top designers, and various handmade goods. Christiansted is found on St Croix island, and after perusing the shops there, you might head off to see what Mongoose Junction has to offer on St John island. Found at Cruz Bay, Mongoose Junction is an excellent place to pick up some arts and crafts from local dealers.

Fine jewelry is a fan favorite for those engaging in US Virgin Islands shopping. St Thomas is practically overflowing with jewelry, and jewelry pieces here integrate such gems as emeralds, diamonds, opals, and rubies into their designs. Gold and platinum-based watches, rings, and necklaces are some things that you might go home with, and should you come during the off-season, the deals can sometimes be pretty staggering. Duty-free shopping in the US Virgin Islands is most commonly found at Cruz Bay in St John, Frederiksted and Christiansted in St Croix, and Charlotte Amalie in St Thomas. As a side note, if you are looking for duty-free deals, you might want to familiarize yourself with prices back home first. Though the term "duty-free" often causes one to conjure up notions of big savings, sometimes you aren't exactly getting a bargain. When sticking to items like jewelry, fine china, and arts and crafts, however, the duty-free deals in the US Virgin Islands are often very good ones. Cosmetics, perfumes, electronics, cigars, linens, coffees, and locally-made hot sauces are just some of the other goods that you can expect good deals on when duty-free shopping.

USVI Map