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. We snorkeled along the rocks on the right side of the beach as you face the water. But the trip is well worth it. Park on the south side of the road alongside the small sand and coral rubble beach. St John is the smallest of the 3 US Virgin Islands located in the Caribbean. Salt Pond/Drunk Bay. If youre new to snorkeling, visiting an area prone to stronger currents, or snorkeling at a more remote site, wearing a snorkel vest will make your outing safer and more comfortable. Cane Bay (St. Croix): One of the island's best diving and snorkeling sites is off this breezy, north-shore beach. The trailhead to Waterlemon Cay is at the coastline right near the parking lot. Coki Beach is one of the most popular snorkeling spots in St. Thomas. There were plenty of beautiful tropical fish including some adorable balloonfish (aka pufferfish or porcupine fish) with their wide-spread big eyes and half-smiling mouths. One of the best snorkeling spots on St John. More info on Henley Cay NOTE: There can be very strong currents on the outer edge of the Cay. 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. Bring diluted baby shampoo to help keep your mask clear. With soft sand and a shallow entry, entry is easy and straight forward. Trunk Bay We have all the details including the world famous north shore beaches- including maps! There is a large parking lot, but it fills up quickly. And we agree! When youve had your fill of music, stuffed French toast, and spicy Bloody Marys, head to Lameshur Beach. The water is mild and currents or strong waves are rare. Lush v. All rights reserved. Soft white sand stretches in both directions while shallow waters provide newbie snorkelers the chance to get their sea legs. Care should be taken not to kick the coral with your fins. The seagrass beds that are about 30 yards off the beach are a great place to see sea turtles, rays, conch and tarpon. Salt Pond and Drunk Bay are actually two hikes on the south shore of St John. Make sure you do NOT end up in Kiddel Bay. Discover hand-curated maps, along with reviews and photos from nature lovers like you. 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. Using the offline map, you should be able to continue to navigate your way over to Grootpan. 14.1K subscribers In this video, we go out in search of the best snorkeling in St. John. Snorkeling with the island's wildlife is sure to be the highlight of your vacation! The farther you get out to the point, the more challenging it will become. As you face the water, snorkel to the left out to Yawzi Point. Snorkeling at Honeymoon Beach is best on the eastern and western ends of the beach. Take Route 107 and go PAST Salt Pond Bay Beach. If you attempt this swim, you will snorkel over seagrass beds where you may see some turtles, rays, and starfish. 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. Every now and then, one of these larger fish will enter to feed, moving quickly into the glittery mass. Our list of BEST SNORKELING IN ST JOHN provides first-hand knowledge on the best places to visit while you are on-island. Its perfect for beginner snorkelers and children. . 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. 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. Trunk Bay Beach - One of the Globe's Best Description. Trunk Bay Beach. 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. With arguably the best shallow water snorkeling in all of the Virgin Islands youre sure to have a great experience. Snorkeling off the eastern end of the beach and youll find a large table reef in 5 to 15 of water. There is a little bit of a pebbly transition right at the shoreline. Its a Must-See on many visitors STJ Bucket List. There can be a moderate current here which sets to the west, as well as the possibility of a strong breeze blowing in the same direction. Review of the best snorkeling at Trunk Bay in St John. Trunk Bay Beach is popular for its clear waters, soft white sand, and views that make it one of the most beautiful beaches in St John. where is the best snorkeling when cruising the eastern caribbean? Another one of the best spots for snorkeling in St. John is Salomon Bay. I cannot stress this enough invest in good snorkeling gear! Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Snorkeling in 5 to 15 of water youll discover beautiful rocky patch reefs covered in corals. This beach was part of our hike to Ram Head. While theyre nearly the same beach, the section known as Oppenheimer Beach is marked by wrought-iron gates. My husband who has an amazing eagle eye even spotted a yellowline arrow crab. The St John Beaches are some of the best in the Caribbean. Salt Pond, located on the south eastern side of the island, is our next choice for snorkeling on St John. The waves can be rough. St. John Virgin Islands: The Best Snorkeling and Top Beaches Francis Bay morning shade St. John, US Virgin Islands. I have heard that Dreams LaRomana is good but I would love to hear your opinion on Dreams and any other resorts that might have what I am looking for. The fry is extremely sensitive to minute changes in water currents and can sense the approach of the hunters. Scrawled filefish can sometimes be seen making their way along the bottom hunting for food. . Turtle and a remora (suckerfish) at Hansen Bay in St. John USVI. As you swim through the series of caves, youll see schools of colorful tropical fish, pelicans, gulls, ferns, orange cup coral, and red sponges. One of the highlights was seeing a shoal (family) of squid along the rocks on the right side. Henley Cay - Staff Pick for Best Snorkeling on St John - requires kayak or charter Haulover (North) - Some of the most dramatic underwater structure and corals on the island. I was thankful I wore my snorkel vest for this snorkeling adventure because it was choppy right at the point. 2023 SeeStJohn.com | Sombrero Publishing Company PO Box 1031, St. John, VI 00831 |, Whether you stay in Cruz Bay or Coral Bay. MAHO BAY BEACH 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. Tektike Bay. Also, there is no shade along the dirt path and the beach. Can get a bit crowded but offers some nice snorkeling especially center of the bay. We also saw a few stingrays. If you are coming from Coral Bay on Centerline Road, take a left on Route 107 and follow it down PAST Concordia. My husband is awesome at picking out the little creatures! Entry into the water is easy. Difficulty: Easy. (J. Robert Oppenheimer, creator of the atomic bomb, once owned the land.) Best beach to snorkel on St John. Cinnamon Bay Beach is one of several gorgeous beaches located right off of North Shore Road. Always snorkel with a buddy and never exceed your physical ability or experience. The grass environment attracts rays, green turtles, starfish, and conch. Looking for the best St. John snorkeling spots?? This snorkeling spot is best for intermediate to advanced snorkelers since the current can be stronger than in other areas. Put in Annaberg Sugar Plantation in GoogleMaps. Reply Subscribe . Because of its secluded location, Watermelon Cay rarely gets too crowded. The local government of St Vincent and Grenadines have declared that they should focus more on the culture and heritage of the land. Entry can be a little tricky due to the cobblestone beach, sargassum (seaweed), and sea urchins. Snorkel in the middle of the bay (but more towards the right) to see turtles and rays hanging out in the seagrass. The trail eventually cuts inland over a few hills before it dumps you onto Blue Cobblestone Beach. But its a fun sight in 8 or less of shallow water. .5 mi EW, or take a taxi to Caneel and ride the Honeymoon Beach Huts golf cart to Honeymoon Beach. 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. Shallow entry, calm waters and plenty to see close to shore. Just off the center of the beach is a good spot to see a sea turtle. The worst is when a snorkelers fins hit you in the face because of their lack of awareness of what is around them. Shutterstock Maho Bay After you park, walk a few minutes along a path right to the beach. Large sea fans and gorgonians waving in the current surrounded by mustard corals and brain coral and fire corals. Our ultimate printable guide to Trunk Bay snorkeling in St John have snorkel dive descriptions, maps, lodging recommendations and contact information. Virgin Islands National Park snorkeling trail and a lifeguards. STJ has amazing offshore snorkeling. As soon as we spotted him, he did not stick around for long and quickly swam away as we approached. 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 . . The other option is to keep walking past the sandy beach to the far edge of the beach where the coastline becomes rocky again. Cinnamon Bay. From the beach, you can see huge rock structures in the middle of the bay. To get to it youll need to visit by charter or kayak tour. 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 Its arguably the most beautiful beach on St John; if not all of the Caribbean! Thread Tools Search this Thread Mar 23rd, 2011, 12:40 PM #1 Jayneann. These are some of the best places to snorkel in St. John, USVI. St. John is the most natural of the islands and has numerous easy access snorkeling spots. 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. Every beach can be accessed by boat. I always wear a snorkel vest. Snorkeling is a can't miss activity when visiting the island. And its should be Its convenient sitting right along North Shore Road. We saw a lot of beautiful coral and sea fans, shoal of squid, two nurse sharks, and many beautiful tropical fish. You are exposed to the full sun. A quick 5-minute walk and you are there! Moreover, the water deepens gradually and stays relatively shallow as you wade out from the beach. Maho Bay Beach is quite easy to access. This healthy reef community supports a diverse and tropical fish population,including grazing blue tang andfast swimming predators such as yellowtailsnapper, blue runners, barracuda, and tarpon. Watermelon Cay occasionally has strong currents, making this option best for more experienced snorkelers and confident swimmers. However, there was not a lot of information out there, so I decided to provide a resource detailing all the nitty-gritty details of the 11 snorkeling spots we discovered all over the island. Trunk Bay in St. John is one of the best Caribbean islands for snorkeling vacations. All Rights Reserved. The Guide to Diving and Snorkeling in the British Virgin Islands. 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. Salt Pond When it comes to snorkeling in St. John, Salt Pond is #1 on our list. If you are looking to piece together all that St John has to offer, check out my ultimate itinerary below. 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). I would highly advise wearing tennis shoes or water shoes since you are navigating over rocks and a dirt path. 10 Reasons Why Saba Should Top Your Caribbean Travel List this Year, History is in the Making at the Iconic Grand Wailea Maui, Its the Dawn of a New Day at Aurora Anguilla Golf Resort and Spa. Enter the water at the north end of the beach near the largeblack rocks. Coki Beach. A good family beach for snorkeling exists at Coki Point Beach on St. Thomas, while a more demanding site, requiring a 45min boat trip, can be located off the Cow and Calf Rocks. Some of Our Top Picks For Snorkeling On St John, USVI. In addition to snorkeling, swimming, and diving, visitors can hike along the islands scenic walking trails or relax on the gorgeous white sand beach. 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. Guide to the Best St. John Snorkeling Spots - Snorkel and Hike Looking for the best St. John snorkeling spots?? This private speedboat charter from St. Thomas is a top pick that will take you snorkeling at the prime spots in the USVI and BVI. 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