Beaches Overview
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DENNIS BAY: Denis Bay is a pretty and quiet beach. Its soft white sandy beach is often sparsely populated, primarily because its only accessible by a rugged trail or by boat. The trail begins at the Peace Hill trail and leads to the western extreme of the bay.. Denis Bay is part of Virgin Islands National Park. There is good snorkeling there, but bring snacks and drinks with you, because there are no amenities there. The property behind the tree line at this beach, is private.JUMBIE BAY: Jumbie Bay is a lovely little beach, and often sparsely populated. A great spot to enjoy some private beach time. Take a short walk down some wooden steps and a short trail leads you to the beach from the main road. Parking is limited to just a few roadside spots. A small sign on the road indicates the beach, look closely, because it is easily missed. The water at Jumbie Bay can be choppy on windy days. Use caution when swimming there, the water deepens quickly. Beach rock covers one area of the beach, with sandy areas around it. Snorkeling is good on calm days, along a shallow reef that extends from the right side of the beach. 
FRANCIS BAY: Francis Bay is one of St John's longest beaches. This beautiful beach has calm waters and a lovely, sandy shore. Sparsely populated on weekdays, its easy to find a nice quiet spot, and picnic tables are available. The Francis Bay Trail runs along salt pond, and offers great bird watching. There is good snorkeling for beginners along the western end of the beach. For strong swimmers, enter the water from the rocky section at the other end of the beach. Halfway out from the bay's point begins a varied, narrow reef. For those with a kayak, Whistling Cay, adjacent to the bay, offers very good snorkeling. LEINSTER BAY: Leinster Bay, is bordered by the Leinster Bay Trail. The area before the parking lot is great for hiking and exploring. Mangrove trees line the left side of the bay. The water is very shallow for a distance and then it quickly drops off and becomes the open ocean. The shoreline is fairly pebbly, however there are a few sandy areas that can be used to enter the water for a swim. A 10-15 minute walk from the parking area down the trail will bring you to a narrow stretch of sand. Another 10 minutes down the trail is Waterlemon Bay, a lovely, often quiet beach. Waterlemon Cay, located a little distance from shore, offers excellent snorkeling. REVIEWS: " WaterLEMON cove " (not to be read as watermelon even though your mind goes there!) Great place to go snorkeling, great water with lots of different sea urchins, rays, fish, turtles, and other aquatic life. A little bit of a hike but worth it, also Annaberg sugar plantation is right there, and then you can walk up the little trail past waterlemon to an amazing view of the islands! " Swim with the turtles, this was our favorite beach to snorkel we swam with the gentle sea turtles and watched as schools of fish nibbled at the abundant supply of food." " The beach was really rocky, but there were a couple of spots to put your towels down. Go early to get a spot on the sand. " 
SALT POND BAY: Salt Pond Bay is a beautiful bay with amazingly clear water. The beach is often sparsely populated because it is a longer drive from Cruz Bay than most of the other beaches, and requires a short 7-10 minute hike downhill once at the parking lot. You can continue hiking around a nearby salt pond toward the ocean on the Drunk Bay Trail. Swim to the middle of the bay to a set of jagged rocks that break the surface for good snorkeling. Snorkeling can also be enjoyed along the rocky sides of the bay, in particular the eastern coastline. The beach doesn't offer shade, so bring an umbrella.
SALOMON BAY: Salomon bay is a small, lovely beach accessible only by Lind Point Trail. Because there is no road access, the beach is often sparsely populated. Salomon Bay is a great beach for enjoying a relaxing day. Good snorkeling is available at the rocky headland that extends into the water between Salomon and Honeymoon Bay. Nude sunbathing at Salomon Bay was once overlooked by authorities making it the unofficial nude beach on St John. This has changed, park rangers presently patrol the beach and issue tickets to nude sunbathers. " Relaxing Beach " Beach stop from hike on Lind Point Trail. Shoreline is soft white sand, beautiful, Small beach. Water was super clear and fairly calm. There was an infrequent wave, might have been from boats passing way out in the distance. Just a few other people on the beach so very quiet and relaxing. Trees for shade.
MAHO BAY: Maho Bay is a long beautiful, white sand beach. Close to the road so access is easy, however roadside parking is limited. Boaters often frequent Maho Bay on weekends, because the bay is calm and sheltered. Seagrass beds in this shallow bay provide food for green sea turtles, which are seen often in the early morning and late afternoons. The water is relatively shallow and deepens gradually making it great for children. Maho Bay is often sparsely populated on weekdays so finding a quiet spot for yourself is easy. " Great kids beach..." Best Beach for kids on the island, no doubt. Have fun trying to park! Not as pretty as some of the other beaches on the island but it only takes about 10 mins to get over that. Why? It's still friggin beautiful & way less people venture past Cinnamon. GREAT CRUZ BAY: A beautifully manicured beach, Great Cruz Bay is the location of the Westin Resort. The beach is lined with palm trees and is very inviting. There are water sports equipment rentals, beach umbrellas and beach chairs available. A water trampoline anchored in the middle of the bay is inviting for children. The water is usually very calm, perfect for swimming. Sea grass in some areas of the water is common. 
HAWKSNEST BEACH: Hawknest, a National Park Beach, has crystal clear water, and a beautiful shoreline. A covered shed with picnic tables makes the beach a favorite with residents, particularly on weekends for picnics and in late afternoons for a relaxing swim after work. This beach has good parking and is easily accessed from the road. The beach is lined with sea grape trees that offer a bit of shade. A great beach for enjoying a few hours of perfect waters and sunshine!
" locals beach " There were very few tourist at this beach the day we went. It felt like a local hang out, but we felt welcome.(never went anywhere we didn't feel welcome by the locals)Great beach just down from Cinnamon. Nice sand, good shade, clear water, we did some snorkeling which was good especially at the rocky ends of the beach. Has picknick tables and pit toilets which make it good for families.
" Hawksnest Beach " Being so close to town this beach can become crowded quickly. But we went at 9:30 am - stayed for 2-3 hours and left before afternoon cruise ships. It was nice, not too crowded, easy parking and of course, a beautiful beach.
CINNAMON BAY: Cinnamon Bay, at about 1 mile, is the National Park's longest beach. This magnificent beach offers snorkeling, swimming, volleyball and more. A water sports concession stand rents windsurfing equipment, kayaks and mountain bikes. There is great snorkeling around Cinnamon Bay Cay, a short swim from shore. The clear waters will tempt you to spend your time swimming and snorkeling, while the palm trees will call you to spread your beach blanket in the shade and relax. Across from the beach and campground entrance/parking area is a Hiking Trail through the Cinnamon Bay Plantation ruins. Reviews: de Cinnamon Bay, mon...Wonderful Beach all around & easy to get there - when it doesnt rain! Best @ Sunset because the water is still warm, you will have one of the best beach/sunset views on the planet. Drive-in guests are gone & campground guests go into the restaurant. When crowded, walk from the parking lot to the end of the dirt road, hang a right and walk for about 1/3 mile. You will have no shade but your own piece of beach. Enjoy! Cinnamon Beach "Go early" - another beach that can be crowded from cruise ship dropoffs. But this beach definately worth seeing. 
Caneel Bay is a fabulous white sand beach lined with lovely tropical foliage. The water is usually very calm and crystal clear. Caneel Bay is home to the Caneel Bay Resort and the beach is accessible through the resort's entrance. It is requested that you check in with the front desk and collect a day-visitor's guide. A water sports concession there rents small water crafts. Caneel Bay can be hiked to from Cruz Bay using the Lind Point Trail. Caneel Bay has seven beautiful beaches to choose from. HONEYMOON BEACH: Honeymoon is a tranquil little beach. It offers beautiful white powdery 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. The beach is lovely and because it is not accessible by cars it is usually not crowded. It is very popular with hiking tours, and is a delightful beach to relax on after an enjoyable hike. Honeymoon Bay is also popular with charter boats from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Snorkeling can be enjoyed at the rocky headland that extends into the water between Salomon and Honeymoon Bay. " True paradise " The hike to this beach is really easy. The day we went we mostly had it all to ourselves. There was a snorkel boat that stayed anchored off to one side for awhile. This is one of the most beautiful beaches we have ever been to. Palm trees line the beach and offer shade. The water is crystal clear and the ocean is gentle. We stayed all day spent most of the time just hanging out in the water. This is the beach you picture in your dreams...Beautiful!
TRUNK BAY: Beautiful waters and powdery white sand, has made picturesque Trunk Bay one of the most popular beaches on St John, and the Caribbean. Renowned for it's underwater snorkeling trail, Trunk Bay is definitely worth a visit. Six hundred and fifty (650) feet of underwater trails are a highlight for Trunk Bay's visitors. You can rent snorkel gear on the beach. Trunk Bay is part of the National Park and is the only beach on St John that has an admission fee. Fee is collected from 8am to 4pm. The beach is a popular stop on tour itineraries and can get very busy on days when there are several cruise ships in port on St Thomas or anchored off of St John. Trunk Bay has been voted one of the most photogenic beaches in the Caribbean. Lifeguards are on duty daily. Reviews: Trunk Bay = 5 Stars. Trunk Bay is definitly a lovely beach to take a swim or relax at.The views are amazing and I still need to try the underwater trail. This is a lovely and great beach to come to. Snorkeling at Trunk Bay. Trunk Bay is an awesome snorkeling area, with the guided underwater tour. The beach is spectacular with facilities that make things convenient. If you have time, take a picnic lunch and enjoy an entire day. There are many people but there is still enough space to find a little piece of beach to yourself. Absolutely beautiful and a must do for St. John!! TRUNK BAY: Trunk Bay is world famous for a reason, you have to see it to believe it. The photos always look fake, but it's actually more beautiful than the pics. We chose the day with least amount of ships on St. Thomas - so it wasn't too bad, but it can be very crowded. Lots of amenities, snack bar, rental equipment, etc. Good snorkeling for beginners. A must see!!
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