Begin by snorkeling around the large rocks at the corner ofthe beach. I could spend hours swimming with these adorable guys. The island boasts over 3 dozen beaches to choose from and discover. The island measures just 9 mi X 3 mi ( 28 sq mi ). I can now spend hours in the water following tropical fish and swimming alongside turtles. There are bathrooms, grills and covered pavillion with picnic tables on the western end of the beach. This is a considerable distance also, so pace yourself, or to decrease the distance, take the Ram Head Trail to the beach and snorkel towards Salt Pond Bay. I would advise starting this adventure early in the morning. Snorkeling at Honeymoon Beach is best on the eastern and western ends of the beach. St John island is a tiny island in the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea, with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Both beaches can be reached via the Lind Point Trail or from the Caneel Bay Resort. In the underwater grasslands just seaward of the reef, snorkelers are likely to come upon large green sea turtles, often accompanied by stuck-on remora or bar jacks that follow along just inches above the turtles back. . Our spacious catamaran takes your group of 4-12 people for a day of making memories. Its shoreline is a mix of wind-swept sand and pebbles. Snorkeling at Cinnamon Bay has several options. Do You Have What It Takes to Become a Kittitian RumMaster? 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. Whether youre visiting the US Virgin Islands or the British Virgin Islands, there are plenty of spectacular snorkeling spots to choose from. Honeymoon Beach (located next to Salomon Beach) is one of the most beautiful and popular beaches in Virgin Islands National Park on St. John. Trunk Bay in St. John is one of the best Caribbean islands for snorkeling vacations. To help differentiate between all of the St John snorkeling spots, I have created a rating system to help you decide which ones to try out. We saw a few turtles in the middle of the bay where the seagrass beds are located. On the outskirts of these living clouds, in slightly deeper water, lurk predators, such as jacks, yellowtail snapper, Spanish mackerel, and barracuda as well some respectfully-sized tarpon and pompano. . Visitors will argue about which one is their favorite. My mask would fog, and I would get a bunch of water in my snorkel. About halfway (0.4 miles) down the Leinster Bay Trail lies a small sand and coral rubble beach, which provides excellent snorkeling for intermediate and advanced snorkelers. Snorkel in the middle of the bay (but more towards the right) to see turtles and rays hanging out in the seagrass. Virgin Islands Day Sailing: The best sailing/snorkeling trip ever! Salt Pond - Can get a bit crowded but offers . This beautiful bay was featured in the movie Big Blue. Like many areas in the Virgin Islands, Smugglers Cove is still recovering from hurricanes Maria and Irma. Its a Must-See on many visitors STJ Bucket List. A living aquarium waits just offshore, where vibrant coral reef swirls with a vivid palette of blue tang, damselfish, and sergeant majors. The worst is when a snorkelers fins hit you in the face because of their lack of awareness of what is around them. 14 Best St. John Beaches. The island measures just 9 mi X 3 mi ( 28 sq mi ). Honeymoon Beach is an off-the-beaten-path destination offering excellent snorkeling and other watersports in a secluded area within Virgin Islands National Park. At the end of the road at the split, take a left. French Angelfish at Waterlemon Cay, St John USVI, Nurse shark at Waterlemon Cay in St John USVI, French grunt at Waterlemon Cay, St John USVI, Squid family at Waterlemon Cay, St John USVI. .5 mi EW, or take a taxi to Caneel and ride the Honeymoon Beach Huts golf cart to Honeymoon Beach. One point of interest is the sunken plane wreckage just off of Little Cinnamon Beach. In this area, one may also see southern stingrays, conch, trunkfish, and others. 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. We have seen everything from squid to barracuda to stingrays to various small tropical fish in this bay. Bring a hat, wear a sun shirt and sunscreen, and bring plenty of water. Because of its secluded location, Watermelon Cay rarely gets too crowded. On St. John, Estate Lindholm is a top pick within Virgin Islands National Park. Soft white sand, shallow water entry, beautiful aqua blue water, snorkeling and watersports make it the perfect St John beach destination! If you attempt this swim, you will snorkel over seagrass beds where you may see some turtles, rays, and starfish. Another one of the best spots for snorkeling in St. John is Salomon Bay. Youll also find bathrooms, RainTree Caf, watersports rentals and a souvenir shop. Swim out just past where the motorboats are tied up to find rope sponges, vase sponges and eel grass. All rights reserved. Maho Bay Quarter, St John's best beach. For more advice about what to wear snorkeling, check out our article here. The liveliest underwater activity happens to the east among the rocks on the way to Maho Point. All rights reserved. But the snorkeling is some of the best on the island. Despite the damage, there are many opportunities to view diverse marine life, including coral, tropical fish, octopus, and sea turtles. 1. Bring a dive light if you want to explore deeper into any of the caves, as it can get quite dark. Located just off Caneel Bay Resort youll see an 11 acre cay. After you hike the dirt path to Salt Pond Bay Beach, walk all the way to the far left of Salt Pond Bay Beach and follow the trail along the shoreline. Follow the Leinster Bay Trail until it splits. Head counter clockwise to use the current to round the Cay. The island of St John is best known as home to Virgin Islands National Park, beautiful beaches, long hiking trails, scrumptious food, and historical places.The coast around the island has been designated as Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument, so snorkeling is one of the best activities and you can find great opportunities at any beach.. You can also go kayaking, boating, or explore . - See 478 traveler reviews, 98 candid photos, and great deals for St. Thomas, at Tripadvisor. Trunk Bay is the most famous beach in Virgin Islands National Park, often listed among the most beautiful beaches in the world. Out from the center of the beach, large beds of sea grass shelter sea turtles who dont mind company are easy to spot. While Honeymoon Bay, Caneel Bay, Hawks Nest Bay, Peter Bay, and Cinnamon Bay all make for enjoyable beach visits when trying to figure out which U.S. Virgin Island has the best beaches, we would like to introduce you to our top 3 beaches on St. John: Maho Bay Beach Staff Pick Some of the most dramatic underwater structure and corals on the island. This is a considerable distance also, so pace yourself, or to decrease the distance, take the Ram Head Trail to the beach and snorkel towards Salt Pond Bay. Youll also find plenty of reef fish, corals, sea fans, and sponges. On the Beehive Cove side of the point, the water gets deeper. Along the reef edge on the underwater hillside are gardens of sea fans and other gorgonians, such as sea rods, sea plumes, dead mans fingers, and sea whips. Maho is the best bay on St. John for observing the inhabitants of this important environment, including rays, conch, and starfish, in a calm environment. The highlight was seeing a lemon shark. (J. Robert Oppenheimer, creator of the atomic bomb, once owned the land.) I was not expecting much, but there was quite a bit of beautiful coral and Caribbean fish. Caneel Bay beach Great to know. The dominant species of coral found in the shallow top reef are colonies of star and boulder coral. I cannot emphasize enough about getting here early to avoid the peak crowds. Entering is a bit rocky. The reef extends out about 20 yards from shore. You first need to hike to Salt Pond Beach, and then on to Drunk Bay. Find the part where the sandy bottom meets the shore to allow for easier entry. And its should be Its convenient sitting right along North Shore Road. Really good snorkeling is just off the start of the path to watermelon cave, just past the road. The US Virgin Islands national park is home to famous beaches like Cinnamon Bay, Trunk Bay, and Maho Bay. Close up of sea turtle at Maho Bay in St John USVI, Yellowline arrow crab at Maho Bay in St John USVI, Beaugregory Damselfish at Maho Bay in St John looking right at me. All Rights Reserved. Snorkeling is best on calm days when there is good visibility underwater. Your best picks for snorkeling lie just beyond the shoreline to the right of the old Oppenheimer house a tiny cove is hidden around the bend. Your mobile-friendly St John island guide to St John's beaches, snorkeling, maps and more. By the way, if you are still in the planning process for your U.S. Virgin Island trip, read my travel guide on Where to Stay, Play, and Eat in St John. The entry point to snorkel over to Waterlemon Cay requires an easy 20-minute hike on the Leinster Bay Trail through some trees and then along the rocky coastline. A short walk later, and you will be witness to one of the most beautiful island beaches in the world! Salt Pond There are patches of seagrass when you enter, so you may see some turtles and rays although we did not see any when we went. Henley Cay - Staff Pick for Best Snorkeling on St John - requires kayak or charter. Just like Trunk Bay, youll find a cay just off the beach. Eventually, you reach a sign that states no outlet. This is the end of the paved road. Caneel Bay beach Shallow entry, calm waters and plenty to see close to shore. An afternoon lounging here, with a lunch of Vies famous garlic chicken and a couple icy bottles of Caribe, is the ultimate in Caribbean relaxation. Ivette - Jul 21, 2018 - St John July 2018 We were in St John back in July of 2016 and the beauty of the island and reefs was wonderful. Snorkel around the Cay thats just off the beach. Some, like Francis, are best if you swim . We would like to snorkel off the beach and not have to go out in a boat. Download an offline St. John USVI map on Google Maps ahead of time. Parking spots fill up quickly, so get there early! This is another beach where you can spot sea turtles. To get there, take a taxi shuttle from Cruz Bay with Virgin Islands Ecotours or hike a gorgeous one-mile section of the Lind Point Trail, which takes around 30 minutes. Snorkeling the Mangroves. We saw a lot of beautiful coral and sea fans, shoal of squid, two nurse sharks, and many beautiful tropical fish. Wear proper footwear. With crystal clear water, beautiful white sand, and little islands scattered around, you'll want to explore them all. The first step is to get toGreat Lameshur Bay on St. Johns south coast. This bay, an inner bay of Great Lameshur,lies just to the north of Beehive Cove, the bay where the Tektiteproject took place. Its closer to the beach and smaller than the more extensive reef on the other side of the bay. Its shallow over the top of the reef but deep enough for experienced and confident snorkelers to negotiate safely. The quiet lagoon is known for its calm, turquoise waters and is an excellent destination for snorkelers of all skill levels. We snorkeled along the rocks on the right side of the beach as you face the water. 2/3 of the island and surrounding reefs are protected by the US Virgin Islands National Park [ VINP ]. Cane Bay is a popular snorkeling and scuba diving site on St. Croix's north shore. There's a magical world waiting for you beneath the surface of the water on St. Thomas. In fact, Hurricane Hole has been my favorite snorkel spot in the US Virgin Islands since moving here! This snorkeling spot is best for intermediate to advanced snorkelers since the current can be stronger than in other areas. Trunk Bay has it all. These factors make Maho Bay the perfect starting place for children and those just learning to snorkel. There is a small fringe forest of mangroves along the coast. Park near the big tamarindtree at the entrance to this large cobblestone beach. According to local legends, pirates once used the Norman Island Caves to hide their treasure, earning this area the name Treasure Point. 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. Scrawled filefish can sometimes be seen making their way along the bottom hunting for food. As many visitors can attest, the reputation is well deserved. Every now and then, one of these larger fish will enter to feed, moving quickly into the glittery mass. Flamingo tongue snail at Little Lameshur Bay in St John USVI. The protected bay has calm, clear waters with ample opportunities to view parrotfish, sea turtles, manta rays, angelfish, barracuda, and porcupine puffers. Most people love the magnificent north shore beaches like Trunk Bay, Maho Beach, Cinnamon Bay, and Honeymoon Beach, which are protected from the big surf and have long stretches of . The NPS actually has a great map showing where the reefs are along the beaches. And theyre all located along St Johns North Shore! It has the best of both worlds when it comes to snorkeling with sandy shores and gorgeous natural reefs. Make sure to choose a reef-friendly sunscreen that doesnt contain oxybenzone, octinoxate, or other chemicals known to harm coral reefs and sea creatures.3 In addition to protecting marine life, youll also be following the law - the US Virgin Islands has banned the use of these reef toxic sunscreens.4. On the north side of the point, there is asmall cave with an exit to the surface. We arrived around 10 am, and there were only a handful of parking spaces left. Here, the environment is sand and coral rubble. From there youll follow a narrow path about 100 yrds heading North East. Take Route 107 and go PAST Salt Pond Bay Beach. There are a lot of rocks to navigate over and sea urchins to avoid. Protected under Virgin Islands National Coral Reef Monument, the underwater landscape . Looking for the best St. John snorkeling spots?? Here are our family's votes for the best snorkeling beaches on St. John. 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. Best entry is in the center of the beach where the sandy bottom comes closest to the shoreline. I have never seen one puff out but these cute little fish can take in water to make their bodies (and long spines) puff out if they feel threatened. We saw many schools of fish, numerous soft and hard coral outcroppings, a stingray, and gorgeous gigantic waving purple sea fans. Despite damage from the 2017 hurricanes, Buck Islands coral reef continues to be one of the best in the Caribbean, with elkhorn coral reaching heights of up to 30 feet.1. Getting to this remote beach requires a 20-minute walk (one way) along a flat, scenic trail. Snorkeling at Maho Bay Beach is one of the reasons people love this locations. Entry is easy with calm waters and a sandy bottom. Staff Pick for Best Snorkeling on St John! Outdoor Activities Nature and Wildlife Tours On the Ground On the Water Boat Rentals Kayaking Tours Sailing The area often gets crowded and is known for being rowdy. Waterlemon Bay and Waterlemon Cay This bay (and the small island that sits in it) is one of our favorite spots to snorkel around St. John. There is also plenty of colorful coral. 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. Beaches By Harlaxton7 Great snorkeling with lobster, tarpon, squid, sea turtles and a beautiful beach, great place at sunset. BEST SNORKELING ON ST JOHN Waterlemon Cay - The top snorkeling destination on St John. Cinnamon Bay. Snorkeling is a can't miss activity when visiting the island. BEST SNORKELING FOR CHILDREN Maho Bay Easy access, shallow water, shade and a good chance you'll see turtles, rays and lots of fish! 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