best snorkeling beaches st john
Posted on 14 april 2023 by south bridge shooting
With crystal clear water, beautiful white sand, and little islands scattered around, you'll want to explore them all. Honeymoon Beach (located next to Salomon Beach) is one of the most beautiful and popular beaches in Virgin Islands National Park on St. John. Located just off Caneel Bay Resort youll see an 11 acre cay. This is the closest entry point to get to Waterlemon Cay, which is the route we chose. Where to snorkel at Little Lameshur Bay Beach. Here's our TOP PICKS for snorkeling on St John. The name says it all out of the way; but has a small water sports shack! We just returned from there again in July of 2018. The water is usually calm. 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 . Smugglers Cove is located on the west end of Tortola, and you can get there by boat, taxi shuttle, or car. When we first visited, we accidentally drove into the Concordia Resort. It is located on the eastern end of the island along East End Road right past a sign that states you are leaving the Virgin Islands National Park. Youll also find plenty of reef fish, corals, sea fans, and sponges. There is a good deal of fire coral encrustation, but true hardcoral varieties are also plentiful. Sail to St John National Park (the very best, least crowded beaches) where you will enjoy fantastic snorkeling & swimming stops, gourmet lunch, drinks, and great company! The trailhead to Waterlemon Cay is at the coastline right near the parking lot. Unfortunately, I have not seen any without signs of coral bleaching, as evidenced by the white areas on the coral, so enjoy it while you can. Trunk Bay in St. John is one of the best Caribbean islands for snorkeling vacations. This beach has many shaded areas and large areas of seagrass bed. 2022 adagio digital arts. You can choose from various beach, snorkeling, and diving packages or book accommodation only. If you are, snorkeling on this beautiful island is a MUST-DO! 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. On your left, you will notice a path through the woods that will lead you to Haulover Bay North. Snorkeling out along the east side of the bay, you can reach the coral reefs that lie just north of Blue Cobblestone Beach. Trunk Bay Beach is also quite famous for the Underwater Snorkeling Trail, which makes it one of the premier spots in the U.S Virgin Islands National Park for snorkeling. Because the island is surrounded by fragile coral reef, swimming too closely to it is not advised. I was thankful I wore my snorkel vest for this snorkeling adventure because it was choppy right at the point. We saw patches of coral and beautiful tropical fish as we snorkeled on the right side of the bay. The area is protected as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and is rich with sea life. The latest articles, guides, and resources, sent to your inbox monthly. Required fields are marked *. There are a lot of sea urchins! We have seen everything from squid to barracuda to stingrays to various small tropical fish in this bay. Where to snorkel at Trunk Bay Beach. Keep in mind that land access to this remote location requires driving down a bumpy dirt road that may be challenging to navigate without a jeep, SUV, or off-road vehicle. The water is sandy bottom and shallow making it a great spot for younger kids and parents with floats. What I loved about snorkeling in St John was that all of our snorkeling spots could be accessed from the beach. Staff Pick Some of the most dramatic underwater structure and corals on the island. Avid snorkelers will want to head towards the eastern and western shorelines. Trunk Bay is a body of water and a beach on St. John in the United States Virgin Islands.Cinnamon Bay Beach is one of the longest beaches in the park. 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. The area can get crowded, so plan to arrive early for the best experience. We saw many schools of fish, numerous soft and hard coral outcroppings, a stingray, and gorgeous gigantic waving purple sea fans. Considered to have some of the best snorkeling on St. Thomas, Coki Beach is known for its calm waters, white sands, and abundant marine life. 2/3 of the island and surrounding reefs are protected by the US Virgin Islands National Park [ VINP ]. Cinnamon Bay is also one of the few places to camp on St John. Please be careful as you navigate into the water. Whether you stay in Cruz Bay or Coral Bay, you need to visit Maho Bay Beach. The satellite view was too cloudy, so I included this map instead. Wear proper footwear. Be prepared for a bumpy ride to Grootpan! The award-winning resort has an onsite dive center with watersport rentals, snorkeling gear, and guided excursions. Just off the center of the beach is a good spot to see a sea turtle. The thin yellow tentacles protruding from the small bright orange cups make the corals look like flowers. 4. On busy days, it's best to take a taxi or bus. It is advised to swim counter-clockwise around the Cay, but we swam clockwise without a problem. I always wear a snorkel vest. Despite the damage, there are many opportunities to view diverse marine life, including coral, tropical fish, octopus, and sea turtles. Its an amazing spot with plenty of fish and corals many that arent common in other places around St John. Whether youre heading to St. Thomas, St. Croix, or Tortola, youre sure to find stunning places to enjoy this exciting underwater activity. Zentacle has 12 dive sites, snorkel spots, beaches, and more. Parking was plentiful, and we had no problem finding a space. Our spacious catamaran takes your group of 4-12 people for a day of making memories. My husband is awesome at picking out the little creatures! Be prepared for a more difficult return to the beach, as you will be going against the chop and the current. Do not overestimate your swimming ability. I would strongly consider wearing dive booties with your snorkeling fins. You can swim from the sandy beach out to the Cay, which is quite a long swim. Walk to the eastern end of the beach. Along the way youll see beautiful hard and soft corals and a large variety of Caribbean tropical fish. Little damselfish defend their self-proclaimed territories by darting menacingly at even large intruders. Since most people consider December to April the best time to travel to the Caribbean, many snorkelers visit the Virgin Islands during the North American winter. Visitors will argue about which one is their favorite. 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. From hidden coves to must-see reefs, these are the best snorkeling spots in St. John. There is also more current, so you need to be a strong swimmer. Here are our family's votes for the best snorkeling beaches on St. John. . But the trip is well worth it. We saw a lot of beautiful coral and sea fans, shoal of squid, two nurse sharks, and many beautiful tropical fish. From the Salt Pond Bay Parking lot, take the short trail downto the bay. You can relax in a hammock on the white sand beach and snorkel close to shore or rent kayaks and stand up paddleboards and paddle to nearby Caneel Bay Beach, Henley Cay, or Hawksnest Beach. Drive past the parking lot for Salt Pond Bay Beach and take your second left. We saw so many turtles I lost count. The road heads west andgoes up and then down a steep hill. The name Haulover came about because it was often easier to just haul small boats over this stretch of land than to make the long sail around East End, notorious for strong currents, gusty winds, and rough seas. The buoys are hard to miss. Snorkel gear and watersports equipment are available to rent at Honeymoon Beach, and there are various facilities, including a beach bar and grill. The beach at Haulover North is mostly coral rubble. Theres a beautiful reef located just about in the center of Salt Pond Bay, where two sets of rocks rise above the surface of the water. With its secluded location, Brown Bay is considered the hidden gem of St. John. Vibrant coral at Francis Bay in St John USVI, Snorkeling with turtles at Francis Bay in St John USVI. Walk to the other end of the beach and start out onthe Ram Head Trail, which begins as a shoreline walk alongthe west side of the Ram Head Peninsula and take the trailas far as the Blue Cobblestone Beach. 20-30 minutes. Enter the water at the north end of the beach near the largeblack rocks. This is the first and only sandy beach that you pass on the trail before arriving at the beautiful beach across from Waterlemon Cay. Its also the only St John beach with a lifeguard . Soft white sand stretches in both directions while shallow waters provide newbie snorkelers the chance to get their sea legs. The white sand is super soft, and the waters are a mesmerizing aquamarine color. Continue driving on the bumpy, gravely, potholed road to reach the two Lameshur Bays. This is yet another very accessible St John USVI beach. Once in the water head straight for across the narrow channel. , Williams, Jeff and Ria OHagan. All rights reserved. We also saw a few stingrays. , Palau is first country to ban reef toxic sun cream. BBC News, 1 January 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50963080. Salt Pond, located on the south eastern side of the island, is our next choice for snorkeling on St John. This bay, an inner bay of Great Lameshur,lies just to the north of Beehive Cove, the bay where the Tektiteproject took place. I could spend hours swimming with these adorable guys. Be aware the far side of the Cay can have strong currents. Like many areas in the Virgin Islands, Smugglers Cove is still recovering from hurricanes Maria and Irma. The elkhorn coral barrier reef surrounds two-thirds of the island, creating a rich marine ecosystem home to many threatened and endangered plant and animal species. We enjoyed excellent snorkeling around this cay. Keep an eye out for brain corals, seafans, gorgonians, Blue Bell Tunicate corals, and a large variety of tropical fish including French Angelfish, Yellowtail Snapper, Puddingwife Wrasse, Blueheaded Wrasse, Jeweled Damsels, Queen Triggerfish, Blue Runners and Beau Gregory Damsels. Trunk Bay Once I was properly fitted with the correct snorkeling gear that actually fit my face and feet, a whole new underwater world opened up to me. Thalia, the owner of the land in front of the beach, very kindly upkeeps the beach through donations. In addition, if you are up for a short hike to Little Cinnamon Beach, you can snorkel to a small plane wreckage but I heard it is not too impressive. The trip begins and ends at Honeymoon Beach, one of St. Johns best snorkeling spots. There is a large parking lot, but it fills up quickly. This is one of the best beaches on St. John for foraging along the shoreline and discovering what the tide washes up. The best snorkeling is on the western side of the bay (left side of the bay as you face the water). Here is a map of all 11 snorkeling sites we discovered during our 1-week exploration of St John USVI. According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Sapphire Beach: Parasail Experience in St Thomas (From C$185.80) 50' Luxury Yacht. Located on St Johns East End at the edge of the Virgin Islands National Park youll find this snorkelers bucket-list worthy location. If youre lucky, you might also catch sight of some sea turtles. It all depends on the winds and current. 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. Read on to find all the details of each snorkeling spot we visited. 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. 2/3 of the island and surrounding reefs are protected by the US Virgin Islands National Park [ VINP ]. There's a magical world waiting for you beneath the surface of the water on St. Thomas. But the fact is that the top of the list is always Trunk Bay Beach, Cinnamon Bay Beach, Maho Bay Beach, Hawksnest Beach, Salomon Beach, Gibney Beach, Caneel Bay or Honeymoon Beach. 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. 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. 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best snorkeling beaches st john