Protestant Cay Beach - St. Croix - USVI

Protestant Cay is located just off the shore, so close you think you could swim right out to it - but take the ferry from Christiansted. It's a short ferry ride to get to the beautiful sandy beach at "Hotel on the Cay".

Since all beaches on St. Croix are public, feel free to walk right past the hotel to the sandy strip. You will not only find the water crystal clear, but the view breathtaking. The beach faces the city and this makes for ideal beach conditions: calm water, shallow sands.

Protestant Cay Beach is great for families with small kids. The pool-like semi-circle beach is rather warm. And it's perfect for sunning and swimming. Because it takes a little work to get to, it's rarely crowded. Plan to have most of the beach to yourself except on weekends. This is when locals come out and the Cay comes to life. In fact, you may just want to plan a trip out here during the weekend so you can join in the festivities. Whatever your choice, you won't be disappointed.

Plan a morning trip to Protestant Cay. Enjoy the tranquility under the palm trees or rental umbrellas. But make it a half-day because you'll want to take the afternoon shopping in close by Christiansted. There are many nice shops that will have you busy and enjoying the rest of the day. We found some small restaurants in the Christiansted shopping area.

On the weekends, Protestant Cay Beach changes. Sundays brings live music to the beach. Enjoy the Caribbean culture and plan a meal at the hotel. Tan by music. The view as we said, is spectacular. Here again - plan for crowds on the weekends.

The ferry departs the dock next to Fort Christianvearn running from 7 AM to 6 PM. A round-trip ticket will set you back $3.00.

Protestant Cay Beach Index:

• Sand - white powder, medium grain/pebbles, clean
• Facilities - full-service
• Shade - palm trees, umbrellas for rent
• Sports - snorkel rental, variety of items at hotel
  
• Notes - smaller beach, but since there is a charge for the ferry, fewer people make the effort to come out. Calm water.

Next, let's hop over and check out the St. Thomas beaches NEXT! >>

Best Beaches on St. Croix

One interesting thing about St. Croix is that there were actual Carib Indians living here when Columbus discovered it. These guys were cannibals, so the Spaniards claimed, and called them Carribales. And that's where we get the word Caribbean... or land of cannibals. They're long gone now, and what's left is the land they enjoyed for centuries before the New World introduced slavery and disease. Wow, what a down note to start out about beaches! But tuck that history in the back of your mind and lets look at these beaches together and imagine a different place with natives living off this paradise.

You don't need a personal invitation to visit St. Croix, but that's just what the beautiful palm-lined, sun-kissed beaches do. Spend a few hours or spend the day, these miles of white golden sand and turquoise waters offer an enticing way to relax or to brush up on your snorkeling or diving.

But that's not all. The many trails on St. Croix that weave along the shore and through the hillsides will make you wonder why you've never visited before.

Most of the beaches have full-service facilities. Some are very secluded. No matter your taste, you will certainly find one that suits you.

	Protestant Cay - Located just off the shore from Christiansted, a short ferry ride to paradise in St. Croix.
	Buck Island Reef National Monument Beach - Just 1.5 miles off the northeast coast of St. Croix, the National Monument is 880 acres of land and pristine water. Sunken slave ships make this a historical site.
	Cane Bay Beach - Dive? You may know Cane Bay Wall. But swimmers are in for a treat. Nice clear water, beautiful reef. Time for a Caribbean vacation!