Best Beaches - U.S. Virgin Islands

It's not hard to see why the U.S. Virgin Islands are known best for the sugar-white beaches. They are absolutely World Class. But the U.S. Virgin Islands are also know for shopping! Some visitors come from far away just for the great bargains at the most developed island of the chain, St. Thomas.

The capital of St. Thomas is Charlotte Amalie, what some have dubbed the shopping mecca of the Caribbean. Dozens of cruise ships make their way here each month bring thousands of tourists.

This means that on St. Thomas, you're not going to have the beaches to yourself. What you will have are many bars and restaurants, hotels of all prices, and tour operators.

Bigger than St. Thomas is St. Croix, more laid back, but many cruise ships stop here as well. There are great beaches here, but the gem is Buck Island, an offshore U.S. National Park. St. Croix is a retirement haven with hundreds of condos dotting the island.

Finally, St. John is the smallest of the three, and we think the more beautiful. Less development has gone on here, so there is more of the natural feel of the island to enjoy. Almost two-thirds of the island has been set aside as a U.S. National Park. The gem here is world famous Trunk Bay. The beach is wonderful.

Trivia

The islands of the USVI are found in two bodies of water. St. Croix is in the Caribbean Sea. St. John is in the Atlantic Ocean. And, you've guessed it - St. Thomas is in both.

If you're looking for year-round great weather, look no further. The U.S. Virgin Islands lie right in the subtropical, easterly trade winds, bringing near perfect weather!

USVI is about 60 miles south of Puerto Rico and some 1,100 miles south of Florida.

Let's visit our first beach, on St. Thomas, which was named for a famous American aviator, Next! >>

Labels: Charlotte Amalie, shopping, st croix, st john, us virgin islands, usvi

Click on pictures to enlarge them.

We can thank one of the Rockefellers for keeping St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands beautiful. It was Laurance Rockefeller back in 1956 who purchased and turned a large portion of the island into a national park. What this means to you is that as other Caribbean islands over build and over develop, St. John remains untouched. It's the smallest of the three U.S. Virgin Islands, but at 28 square miles, almost two-thirds are a U.S. National Park. Naturally this means more people want to see what "pristine" really means.

But remember, we have three islands, St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John. Among the three, which are the three best beaches?

Since we're dealing with three islands, we'll give you the Three Best of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and at the same time let you know the Three Best on each island.

Caneel Bay

The beaches along St. John's north shore are simply spectacular. Imagine soft white powder extending into the clear turquoise waters. Coral extends from the nearby rocks and beautifully colored fish can be seen from the surface. When you look out from the beach you are met with the stark beauty of the coastline and other islands with mountains shooting up out of the ocean.

If you are looking for calm and crystal clear, Caneel Bay is your beach. The white powder lined with rich, green tropical foliage is awesome. There is a resort here, the Caneel Bay Resort and you can access the beach right through the resort's entrance. You'll need to check-in at the front desk of the resort where they will give you a day-visitor pass and guide.

Set on 170 lush peninsular acres, originally part of the Danish West India Company's Durloo Plantation, you can snorkel the seven beautiful beaches. The snorkeling is outstanding! If you're a good swimmer, you can snorkel around the points of each beach. You'll feel like you're on your own Island Â– magnificent! You will spot turtles swimming beneath you.

You can also reach Caneel Bay by hiking from Cruz Bay using the Lind Point Trail.

A word about this fantastic resort; there are no TV's, no phones (although your cell phone from the States will work). They really want you to disconnect. Can you? Worth trying, no?

BEACH INDEX

Sand - fine grain white
Facilities - full service
Shade - sea grape and umbrellas for rent
Sports - see resort complex on site
Notes - clear, calm water; recommended

Honeymoon Beach

Honeymoon Beach is tranquility in paradise. This smaller, yet more spectacular beach offers you beautiful white sand and crystal clear waters. You can access the beach via the Lind Point Hiking Trail that connects Cruz Bay to Honeymoon and Caneel Bay.

Why is this beach so exclusive? We think it's because it's not accessible by car it is usually not crowded. The hiking tours, which are very popular on the island, make this beach a stopping point. Honeymoon Bay is also popular with charter boats from mid-morning to mid-afternoon.

And what about under the surface? You will find snorkeling best by the rocky headland that extends into the water between Salomon and Honeymoon Bay.

So remember - you can't drive your SUV rental to this beach. You "can" access it by hiking a bit. The snorkeling is well worth the hike.

It's also accessible by boat. You can hire a sailboat or catamaran to take you to any of these magnificent coves.

Remember to take the camera because the photos here do not do it justice. The views are simply breathtaking.

BEACH INDEX

Sand - fine white powder
Facilities - none
Shade - sea grape/palms
Sports - bring your own
Notes - can get crowded

And finally, Trunk Bay...

Probably the most popular beach on the island is Trunk Bay. If you come to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands for snorkeling, this is where you want to start.

Trunk Bay has a snorkeling trail. Yes, the beach is tops on the island, but before we review it, a few notes about the more than 650 feet of underwater trails. Come early in the day, before the sun is hot and the crowds start churning up the water to see all the markers.

Even if you've been in the water 100 times, this is the U.S. Virgin Islands and it's special. Take the time to "do the trail".

Just like a hiking trail, you can follow the markers along the bottom and see things you would not have seen before. It's wide, you won't run into other snorkelers. And most of all, it's fun!

Trunk Bay is part of the U.S. National Park system and is the only beach on St. John that has an admission fee ($4.00 pp). The beach curves around Trunk Bay and is wide. There are numerous reviews on the beach in guide books, some negative. What we advise is to not miss this beach if you are on St. John.

Arrive early. Tours will come and go. Remember, the cruise ships only have an hour to get their people in and out. You can use the changing facilities/bathrooms and concessions are well stocked, though slightly expensive. Everything has to be imported.

Take the time to experience this jewel of the U.S. Virgin Islands. You won't regret it.