Salt Pond Bay

Find Hotels in the U.S. Virgin Islands: St John, St Thomas, and St Croix, with complete unbiased reviews! Hotels.com

Island Swimsuits

Click here for the latest Cruise Tour deals and Departures

Quality Handcrafted Bead Jewelry by ArtisanCrafts

Simple island Weddings | Simple, Fun, Stress-Free St Thomas weddings can be simple and affordable. Stress-free Virgin Islands weddings are our specialty. We'll do the work - you have the fun.

Salt Pond Bay, getting to this somewhat secluded beach requires a half-mile walk, but it is well worth the effort.

Salt Pond Bay:

The short trek to Salt Pond Bay, helps keep the crowds of tourists away, so, depending on the day, you just might find yourself in your own private oasis!

The waters are calm, clear and inviting, silky white sand beaches , and warm turquoise waters invite you to enjoy.

This Bay is revered as a favorite location for experienced and novice snorkelers alike.

It is a great place for families too.

The water is usually calm, the bottom is sandy with sea grass, and there are almost always sea turtles in the area.

A rocky outcropping, about a 1/4 mile swim from the beach is teeming with beautifully colored fish and coral.

Beneath the water's surface, you will see starfish, stingrays, sea turtles and colorful reefs.

For more snorkeling adventure and beach side seclusion, hike the short trail from the Salt Pond Bay parking lot, to Rams Head Trail.

This brings you along the west side of Rams Head Peninsula, to a smaller section of beach called Blue Cobblestone Bay.

This spot is not shown on most St. John maps, but snorkeling enthusiasts will not want to miss it.

The beach is rocky but the snorkeling is out of this world. The calm water is filled with stunning coral, deep canyons and a lively population of sea creatures.

The beach is usually secluded and has picnic tables, BBQ pits, and a toilet.

Scenic hikes to Salt Pond, Drunk Bay, and Ram's Head start at the end of the beach.

Salt pond is a very short hike from the beach, and you can harvest crystallized sea salt around the edge.

The pond is a foot below sea level. It gets refilled with underground sea water, but the pond water does not flow back into the sea.

As the water evaporates the salt is left behind.

The strong easterly trade winds, speed up evaporation, there a salt harvest in the summer. The brownish red color of the pond is due to algae.

Sea salt has traces of every mineral, it also includes iodine which disinfects the salt.

Many scientists believe that by using sea salt we can meet all of our bodies mineral needs.

Not too many visitors know about this unique and quiet beach along the southeastern coast of St John's island.

The locals on the other hand know all about this wonderful getaway and even collect salt that is created in the pond behind the beach.These unique salt ponds can be found all over the Virgin Islands.

The Rams Head Trail begins at Salt Pond Bay and is where snorkelers start their journey.

You can follow the trail along the shore of the Rams Head Peninsula and arrive on the magnificent Blue Cobblestone Beach.

Blue Cobblestone Beach gets its name from the cobblestones at the north end of the beach.

You can begin your snorkeling adventure along the large rocks there, but do not touch the mustard yellow fire coral,this coral can give you quite a sting.

You will absolutely love all the colorful coral and sponges, that call this area of Salt Pond Bay home. As you snorkel north along the point, you will notice some very unique channels.

The rocky edge of the reef will become more prominent and even more brilliant in color and style.

Close to the seaward edge you will get a view of another reef that forms a pinnacle and is well worth exploring.

The tropical fish and the beauty of the coral and sponges in this area are brilliant and magnificent.

Many birdwatchers also love this area because it is more secluded and the birds are everywhere.

If you love watching tropical birds and maybe getting a glimpse of some very rare birds, then you must visit Salt Pond Bay.

The remote Salt Pond Bay is known to locals but often missed by visitors. It's on the beautiful coast in the southeast, adjacent to Coral Bay. The bay is tranquil, but the beach is somewhat rocky. It's a short walk down the hill from a parking lot. The snorkeling is good, and the bay has some fascinating tidal pools.

The Ram Head Trail begins here and, winding for a mile, leads to a belvedere overlooking the bay. Facilities are meager but include an outhouse and a few picnic tables.