Sunrise and Sunset in St. John
Like all Caribbean islands, St. John attracts avid fishermen, serious snorkelers and divers, and those seeking sunshine. But St. John also winds history and unspoiled natural beauty into its coveted lifestyle. More than 60 percent of the island is dedicated to Virgin Islands National Park, a 7,000-acre span of sugar plantation ruins, protected reefs and ancient petroglyphs carved by its original residents, the Arawak Indians. It’s also home to world-famous Trunk Bay beach, offering crystal sand and an underwater nature trail.
The island’s limited accessibility adds to its quiet, relaxed lifestyle. Passenger ferries, private boats and seaplanes deliver residents and visitors to St. John from its more cosmopolitan sister St. Thomas.
One of the top luxury properties available in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the 11,860-total-square-foot Villa Kismet is perched atop a prime knoll, offering 360-degree views of the Caribbean Sea, Great Cruz Bay, rolling green hillsides and sunrises and sunsets. Tilework by renowned artist Muhammed Benslimane of the Mosaic House, New York, lends a Moroccan ambience throughout the seven-bedroom villa.
“Years of consideration were given to every element of the property’s design to create one of the Caribbean’s most prized locations,” says Corby Parfitt, designated broker at USVI Sotheby’s. Villa Kismet, listed at $13.5 million, is designed around a central courtyard and pool, and offers a home theater, billiards room and eight baths. Shaded verandas interconnect the home’s three main pavilions, with two of them offering five en suite guestrooms. Gardens boast tropical flower and fruit tree, a gazebo and other sitting areas. The villa’s observation tower offers seating for 12 and nighttime views of St. Thomas’ twinkling lights. Villa Kismet was designed with the latest technology and also has a separate caretaker’s residence.
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