The US Virgin Isles, of which there are approximately 50, lie surrounded by glittering turquoise ocean, are covered in lush tropical plants and situated around 60 km to the East of Puerto Rico. They form the first link in the chain of Leeward Islands. The majority of St. John is covered with dense rainforest and it has beautiful sandy beaches. St. Thomas, one of the three main islands, which has an excellent deep-sea port, is long, narrow and peaks in a mountain ridge. St. Croix, the largest island in the group, has a hilly landscape that used to be covered with plantations.
