St. Croix's small Buck Island, 3 mi/5 km from Christiansted, has beautiful, pristine beaches and offers exceptional diving and snorkeling. Managed by the National Park Service as part of the Buck Island Reef National Monument, the island is usually seen as a day trip from Christiansted. A variety of vessels travel regularly to the island, including powerboats, catamarans and glass-bottomed boats. Make your reservations early because these trips fill up quickly.
The island also has a hiking trail as well as picnic tables and barbecue pits. But the underwater portion of the park is the real draw: Its underwater snorkeling trail takes about a half-hour.
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