We just returned from there again in July of 2018. Check out my personal snorkeling gear picks below. Honeymoon Beach is an off-the-beaten-path destination offering excellent snorkeling and other watersports in a secluded area within Virgin Islands National Park. A closer look will reveal all sorts of beautiful and mysterious sea creatures that live in Francis Bay Beach, like small eels, feather dusters and Christmas tree worms, brightly colored sponges, and gracefully swaying gorgonians such as the colorful sea fan. Outdoor Activities Nature and Wildlife Tours On the Ground On the Water Boat Rentals Kayaking Tours Sailing I would highly advise wearing tennis shoes or water shoes since you are navigating over rocks and a dirt path. This is one of the best beaches on St. John for foraging along the shoreline and discovering what the tide washes up. Try to identify all the differentcolors of sponges found here. Take Route 107 and go PAST Salt Pond Bay Beach. Be aware the far side of the Cay can have strong currents. After you park, walk a few minutes along a path right to the beach. The award-winning resort has an onsite dive center with watersport rentals, snorkeling gear, and guided excursions. All rights reserved. If you are looking for a secluded place where you can lay on the sugary sand to tan, dip into the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, or just enjoy some reading, then Salomon Bay is the place to be. It's on the smaller side and is found near Trunk Bay Beach, which takes most of the tourists away from it. When (and if) you tire of lazing in the shade of the palms, snorkel the extensive reef between Salomon and Honeymoon Beach on the bays east end. You can swim from the sandy beach out to the Cay, which is quite a long swim. The Best of St. John Where to Stay Hale Lani: This four-bedroom villa in Maria Bluff has unobstructed sea views from every room. Private Full or Half Day Catamaran Snorkel, & Beach Experience; Private Luxury Catamaran Yacht. July 25, 2019 With miles of natural coral reef, excellent visibility and a gentle coastline with access, the U.S. Virgin Island of St. John is a snorkeler's paradise. Once you arrive, proceed to the entrance and pay the nominal $5 fee per person. On busy days, it's best to take a taxi or bus. Whether you want to enjoy the North Shore's Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bay, Maho Beach and Caneel Bay beaches or favor the solitude of a beach that's off the beaten path - like a "secret" beach, Lameshur, Haulover Bay and Salt Pond Bay - this guide has it all. , Skincare Chemicals and Coral Reefs. National Ocean Service, https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/sunscreen-corals.html. I would advise starting this adventure early in the morning. Waterlemon Cay hike leads you through a short section of forest in the beginning, And then the trail dumps you on the rocky coastline for the remainder of the hike. The reefs are destroyed but there are plenty of fish and at Maho you can't snorkel without seeing a few turtles. The northeastern end of Haulover Bay can be reached by following the shoreline east for a little less than half a mile, where you will find a small sand beach. Bear left and follow the trail along the shoreline until youre at a point closest to the Cay. Best entry is in the center of the beach where the sandy bottom comes closest to the shoreline. Five miles east of Cruz Bay lies Mahos blissful sheltered bay. Its a relatively easy entry, but be careful where you step while putting on your gear to avoid contact with any sea urchins or live coral. 2023 SeeStJohn.com | Sombrero Publishing Company PO Box 1031, St. John, VI 00831 |, Whether you stay in Cruz Bay or Coral Bay. This little beach gets LOTS OF SUN and doesn't afford much protection. Entry is easy with calm waters and a sandy bottom. Tektike Bay. Salt Pond/Drunk Bay. St John has no airport. From hidden coves to must-see reefs, these are the best snorkeling spots in St. John. Your email address will not be published. Just past these mangroves, you will come to an underwater hillside garden of coral. Using the offline map, you should be able to continue to navigate your way over to Grootpan. Coral Bay, St. John USVI - A Snorkeling Paradise By Terri Clemmons Concordia Cafe Open Mic Night on Mondays from 4:30-6:30 on the East End. Shutterstock Maho Bay The grass environment attracts rays, green turtles, starfish, and conch. There are patches of reef on both the right and left sides of the bay, but the right side (as you face the water) is supposed to be better. For more information about the benefits of wearing a snorkel vest and some recommended products, you can read our detailed snorkel vest article here. Families will love the convenience of unloading cooler, chairs, snorkel gear and kids floaties! The western part of Waterlemon Cay is where we saw the two nurse sharks relaxing at the bottom of the reef. You will almost certainly see parrotfish, angelfish, grunts, damselfish, and schools of blue tang, along with a vast assortment of invertebrates such as sponges and plume worms. My husband who has an amazing eagle eye even spotted a yellowline arrow crab. Respect other snorkelers personal space. You can enter the water at the rock beach at the end of the trail. All Rights Reserved. This is yet another very accessible St John USVI beach. You first need to hike to Salt Pond Beach, and then on to Drunk Bay. Brewers Bay is a favorite for Green Sea Turtles and Hawksbill Turtles. A short walk later, and you will be witness to one of the most beautiful island beaches in the world! The water is shallow and has a sandy bottom. Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. With miles of natural coral reef, excellent visibility and a gentle coastline with access, the U.S. Virgin Island of St. John is a snorkelers paradise. Ram Head Point protects the bayfrom winds and waves, leaving the reef in clear, calm water. Park at the gate, and hike down to this crescent of white sand. It is advised to swim counter-clockwise around the Cay, but we swam clockwise without a problem. Dont forget your waterproof snorkeling bag to keep your valuables safe. Salt Pond and Drunk Bay are actually two hikes on the south shore of St John. Since the beach is rocky and there are many sea urchins, its a good idea to bring water shoes or snorkeling booties. You can see the beach right from the parking lot. Parking is plentiful by St John standards with marked parking areas by the pavillion and a larger lot at the eastern end of the beach. Copyright 2023 Islands. It is also the best place on St. John for numerous water sport based St John activities such as windsurfing, kayak, sailboat, snorkel equipment, beach chair and umbrella rentals. Henley Cay Along the shoreline that connects to Caneel Bay youll find huge schools of Sergeant Major Damsels, wrasse, French Angelfish, sea turtles, rays and a wide variety of hard and soft corals. The rugged dirt road out to Lameshur will remind you of why you rented a jeep in the first place, but the beach is well worth it wide and sandy with plenty of shade. Add snorkeling to the mix, and you've got the perfect day! Snorkeling in Hurricane Hole is a MUST do on any trip to St. John. The oceanfront boutique resort provides a luxurious yet laid-back experience with access to a wide range of outdoor activities, including snorkeling, sailing, surfing, and paddle boarding. *Links in this post contain Amazon and CJ affiliate links. Salt Pond, located on the south eastern side of the island, is our next choice for snorkeling on St John. Maho Bay offers a chance to swim with sea turtles. The water is a bit rougher since it can get quite choppy with high currents and waves since the winds around the area are strong. I always wear a snorkel vest. This section of the reef tends to attract larger predators such as blue runners, mutton snapper, and yellowtail snapper. Its north east facing location can make conditions challenging. There's a magical world waiting for you beneath the surface of the water on St. Thomas. .5 mi EW, or take a taxi to Caneel and ride the Honeymoon Beach Huts golf cart to Honeymoon Beach. Some of the best snorkeling on the island can be found along the rocky outcroppings on both sides of the bay, especially to the left, where angelfish, tang, parrotfish, and the occasional barracuda swim through the corals. Entering is a bit rocky. Brain coral, soft coral, and sea fans at Little Lameshur Bay in St John USVI. A good plan is to snorkel west (to the left) over the shallow portion of the reef first and then return along the deeper reef edge. Face the Crowds at St John's Most Famous Beach Trunk Bay Beach Trunk Bay is the most famous beach in St John USVI, and you will quickly see why. The second room is the most interesting, although both are beautiful. Trunk Bay Activity itinerary. Neltjeberg Bay lies on the far side of a thick tangle of bush - including wild-growing pineapple and guava - to the west of the more accessible Dorothea Beach. If youre lucky, you might also catch sight of some sea turtles. The local museum brings the best elements that can show you the history of the place. The result is literal forests of gorgonians and sea fans, brain corals, fire coral and healthy populations of reef fish. The highlight here is the Cane Bay Wall, where the seafloor plummets from around 40 feet . Its a Must-See on many visitors STJ Bucket List. All rights reserved. This is the closest entry point to get to Waterlemon Cay, which is the route we chose. Snorkeling at Cinnamon Bay has several options. Just be sure to use approved anchorages so you don't harm precious reefs. We saw a lot of beautiful coral and sea fans, shoal of squid, two nurse sharks, and many beautiful tropical fish. Coki Beach is one of the most popular snorkeling spots in St. Thomas. Planning a trip to St John in the U.S. Virgin Islands? There's an underwater snorkel trail and you'll see some incredible coral and fish. At the seaward edge of this reef is a channel of sandabout ten yards wide that separates the fringing reef from aneighboring patch reef farther offshore. Difficulty: Easy. Shutterstock This white sand beach, home to Pineapple Beach Club resort, has some of the best snorkeling on the east side of Antigua. Put on your gear and enter the water from the sand on the southernend of the beach. There is a little bit of a pebbly transition right at the shoreline. There are a lot of rocks to navigate over and sea urchins to avoid. Located at the eastern end of Leinster Bay, Watermelon Cay is known as the top snorkeling spot on St. John. Review of the best snorkeling at Trunk Bay in St John. If you try to park there, you will be trespassing across private property to get to the beach. Because there is low light within the room, some of the coral animals may have their tentacles extended as if it were night on the reef. Trunk Bay is the only beach on St. John with an amenity fee, which is $5 per entrant. As you snorkel around the point, or headland, which defines BeehiveBay, you can see a line of large rocks, which seems to attract a good share of marine life. The liveliest underwater activity happens to the east among the rocks on the way to Maho Point. I like to wear dive booties with my snorkeling fins to offer a little more protection. Always snorkel with a buddy and never exceed your physical ability or experience. Maho Bay is on everybodys favorite beach list. I can now spend hours in the water following tropical fish and swimming alongside turtles. There's a $5 entrance fee but this beach has all of the amenities you could need including showers, restrooms, a snack bar, and gear rentals (snorkels and chairs). Virgin Islands National Park snorkeling trail and a lifeguards. Find out where to go snorkeling on your Virgin Islands vacation. Be aware that it is a somewhat long snorkel to reach the reef and that the sea is often choppy at times, causing waves to break over the rocks. And theyre all located along St Johns North Shore! (888) 651-9785 Top St John Snorkeling When are you traveling? I cannot stress this enough invest in good snorkeling gear! One point of interest is the sunken plane wreckage just off of Little Cinnamon Beach. 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