St. Croix map and island layout

Updated August 16, 2026

St. Croix is about 28 miles long and 7 miles across at its widest — roughly 84 square miles, the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands. It reads small on a map and drives bigger than it looks, because the roads wind.

Here is how to hold the island in your head.

The five regions

Region	What’s there	From Christiansted
Christiansted (north-east)	Danish colonial town, harbour, boardwalk restaurants, Buck Island charters, Fort Christiansvaern	—
North shore	Cane Bay and the dive wall, Salt River Bay, Annaly Bay, the coast road	20–30 min
East end	Dry, rugged, Point Udall, Isaac and Jack Bays, the most dramatic coastline	30–40 min
West end	Frederiksted, Rainbow Beach, Sandy Point, the rainforest, sunsets	35–40 min
Centre and south	STX airport, old sugar estates, botanical garden, Cruzan Rum	20–25 min

The two towns

Christiansted on the north-east coast is the practical centre — the historic site, most of the restaurants, and where the Buck Island boats leave from.

Frederiksted on the west coast is quieter, with the calmest water on the island, the pier, and the sunsets. It is where the occasional cruise ship docks.

They are connected by the main road across the middle of the island: about 35–40 minutes.

The airport

Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) is on the south side, roughly central. From there:

• Christiansted and the hills above it: 20–25 minutes
• Frederiksted: about 20 minutes
• Cane Bay: about 30 minutes
• Point Udall: about 45 minutes

Reading the coastline

The trade winds come out of the east. That single fact explains most of the island’s geography and most of your day-to-day decisions:

• The east end is dry, windswept and scrubby — cactus, not palms.
• The west end is green, sheltered and gets the rain. The rainforest is there.
• The north shore takes swell in winter. Calm in the morning, choppier by afternoon.
• The south coast is more industrial and has fewer swimming beaches.

If the north shore is rough, go west or to a sheltered east-end cove. That is the whole rule.

Where our villa sits

The house is in Estate Seven Hills, in the hills above the east end — high enough for the view out over Green Cay to Buck Island, close enough that dinner in Christiansted is ten minutes down the hill.

From our villa	Time
Christiansted town	~10 min
Green Cay Marina / Gallows Bay	~10 min
Point Udall	15–20 min
STX airport	25–30 min
Cane Bay	~35 min
Frederiksted	~50 min

Drive times are approximate and assume daylight and dry roads. Island roads are narrow, steep in places, and you drive on the left.

Still placing the island itself? See where St. Croix is.

Interactive island map

Every beach, dive site and viewpoint on this site, pinned. Tap a marker for the guide.

Our villa

• Crown of Caribbean villas — Our villa, in Estate Seven Hills above the east end. Approximate location.

Towns

• Christiansted — The main town. Danish colonial harbour, boardwalk restaurants, Buck Island charters.
• Frederiksted — West-coast town. Calm water, the pier, and the sunset side of the island.

Beaches

• Rainbow Beach — Calm west-coast water, a beach bar, and the sunset.
• Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge — Long, empty south-west shore. Leatherback nesting site — seasonal access restrictions.
• Dorsch Beach — Sheltered west-coast beach just north of Frederiksted.
• The Shoys — Protected crescent close to Christiansted. Calm, shallow, easy swimming.
• Isaac Bay — East-end hike-in beach. Often empty. Bring water and shade.

Snorkel & dive

• Buck Island Reef National Monument — Marked underwater snorkel trail. Permitted charter access only, from Christiansted.
• Cane Bay — Shore-accessible reef and the wall — a vertical drop-off a short swim from the sand.
• Salt River Bay — Bioluminescent bay by night, national historical park by day.

Views & hikes

• Point Udall — The eastern tip. Millennium Monument and the island’s best sunrise.
• Hams Bluff Lighthouse — Short steep climb on the north-west corner to a disused lighthouse and a very big view.
• Annaly Bay tide pools — Natural rock pools on the wild north coast. An hour’s hike each way.

Getting around

• Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) — The island’s only commercial airport. 20–25 minutes from Christiansted.

Positions are approximate and intended for orientation, not navigation.

Common questions

How long does it take to drive across St. Croix?

Christiansted to Frederiksted — roughly east coast to west coast — takes about 35–40 minutes on the main road. Nothing on the island is more than about 45 minutes from Christiansted.

Where is the airport on St. Croix?

Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) sits on the south side of the island, roughly central. It is about 20–25 minutes from Christiansted and about 20 minutes from Frederiksted.

Which side of St. Croix should I stay on?

Christiansted and the hills above it, for most visitors. It is closest to the airport, the Buck Island charter docks, and the widest choice of restaurants, and nothing else on the island is more than 45 minutes away.