Whether snorkeling the crystal-clear, turquoise waters that surround our island or climbing the steep hills, for those passionate about experiencing nature, St. John is the must-see island. One of the best places to snorkel in the Caribbean, you don’t have to venture far from shore to begin interacting with sea turtles and rays as you swim above corals that teem with a kaleidoscope of brilliantly colored fish. On land, more than three dozen hiking trails beckon adventurers, crisscrossing the lush, 5,500-acre National Park. This preserve protects more than half the island’s total footprint and is home to a veritable smorgasbord of flora and fauna. Beloved for our dozens of virtually crowd-free, white-sand beaches, this—the smallest of the three main U.S. Virgin Islands—is considered to have some of the most unspoiled underwater and terrestrial habitats found anywhere in the Caribbean.