hassel island

Such a wonderful experience. Doc is the best guide I believe I have had the pleasure of spending the day with. His knowledge is unlimited, he is funny and entertaining as well as a great educator. The island needs the locals to take an interest and work to preserve it's heritage. The trust is doing an amazing job. This is one for the record books.So many opportunities to advance this location if only there were more people to help.The downside - people are trashy and the shoreline indicates a disrespect for their environment.We recommended this adventure to other tourists, the custom agents and anyone else that would listen.

Sitting in St. Thomas' harbor, Hassel Island is a great vantage point to learn the history and explore the beauty of this historic port. We toured with Sherri, a volunteer with Hassel Island Trust. Friendly, and above all, knowledgeable, Sherri walked us through the remnants of Hassel Island's occupants from Napoleanic-era British gun emplacements and camps to an early 20th century "leper colony." The story of St. Thomas is long, colorful and sprinkled with tales of commerce, piracy and privateering -- all well-told by Sherri. Our hike lasted almost four hours. We advise starting early ... say 8:30 am ... to avoid the heat of the day as you climb and descend moderate hills seeking the best views of Charlotte Amalie. Paths are well-marked and maintained but occasionally steep-ish and pebbly.

We dove here and I found this to be a really good dive spot. Only about 40ft but the the reef was great1

We booked this tour through the Virgin Island's Trust. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the island's history. The island is a very short boat ride from Crown Bay, and rises about 270 feet at its highest point. The views of Charlotte Amalie, the harbor, cruise ships, all amazing. There are a few tricky parts on the trails, but a good way to get the heart rate up without over doing it. Would definitely recommend for anyone looking for an affordable, interesting and out of the hustle and bustle tour.

I highly recommend to tourists and locals alike! We went on a locals' tour with Doc to hike from one end of Hassel Island to another. Even though I was born and raised here, I never realized how much rich history surrounds Hassel Island. It was educational and physical with steep inclines. There was plenty to see and hear about this little island. Definitely need to wear closed-toed shoes, bring a snack and plenty of water.

We (my brothers, their kids, and my family- 15 people total), went on a tour of Hassel Island with "Doc" as our guide from the St. Thomas Historical Trust. We had a fascinating tour/hike around the island. So much history for such a small island. "Doc" is clearly knowledgeable and excited about sharing the island's history. We did this tour on our day in port from a cruise ship. It was easy to get to the starting point in Frenchtown from the tour boat dock via a "truck-taxi." As they recommend, you should wear closed toe shoes (not sandals) and bring water. The hike goes up some steep spots and on some loose footing, but the pace is modest and "Doc" stops frequently to fill in historical information. An awesome trip!!!

We arranged a tour directly through the Hassel Island Trust. Doc, a former Marine, met us at the dock next to the Hook Line and Sinker restaurant in Frenchtown at 8:30am. We took a 5 minute boat trip over to the island, then began our walking tour. Doc is a mine of historical information about the fascinating history of St Thomas, the Virgin Islands, pirates of the Caribbean etc, peppering the facts with many entertaining stories. Our tour lasted four hours and covered over three miles of hiking trails. This tour is not for anyone who is physically challenged. The trails are tough and go up and down. Each hiker is issued a cane at the dock and, trust me, you will need it. Take several bottles of water, sunscreen and wear walking shoes or robust sneakers.The island offers a treasure trove of military and industrial relics. This tour is unique and you will not be disappointed. The fee is $50 per person ($10 for the boat and $40 for the guided tour). It may seem high but for the value delivered by Doc, the price is very reasonable.If your cruise ship is docked in Crown Bay, you are a 5 minute taxi ride from Frenchtown. If you are docked in Havensight, allow 25 minutes.

Thank you so much for a great tour of Hassel Island - we could have stayed longer and listened to Doc! He was not only knowledgeable, but so passionate about his island. Made history come alive. The hike was not too bad, but I'm glad that we had closed toed shoes. We would love to come back.

It was great to learn the history of the island. We visited the island via jet ski and it was great. It is a small island just off the coast of S. Thomas.

We spent 3.5 hours or so on the island, seeing the various ruins and learning about the history. We did about 3 miles of trails. Nothing too challenging, and Doc was attentive and paced it well.His knowledge level was superb. And entertaining.Bring binoculars and camera....the views are amazing.

we went to hassel island as part of the virgin island eco-tours. our guide was Alexander, who was very informative and enthusiastic. we kayaked to the island, explored some ruins and history. then we kayaked to a part of the island to snorkel. the snorkeling part was really great! alexander showed us a lot of sea life that we wouldn't have noticed or would not have known what we were looking at. It was a great time!

If you really want to know the social and architectural history of Hassel Island, book in advance with the Historical Trust! Make sure you contact them well in advance since these hikes are conducted by volunteers who have other obligations. You will have a great day of hiking, learning and gorgeous vistas! Bring PLENTY of water, a camera and GOOD hiking shoes; this is not a walk in the park and involves a lot of up and down sandy/gravelly trails. This is a must for anyone interested in history or who likes to hike.

Great adventure!!! Doc is very knowledgeable on the history of the island. So if you're a hiker and history buff this is for you. Are you in to learning more about the islands this a great place to get your information. Its a must do and I most defiantly recommend it.

I enjoyed this hike and it was a good change of pace to a trip. We hiked with Doc and ended up getting a personal hike. It was nice to hear the history. Thanks

We went to Hassel Island as part of a day trip adventure. We kayaked there. It was great hearing the history of the Island and being able to see everything as they explained it. If you like History, this is definitely for you! I am not a history nut, but loved this trip. Would definitely recommend.