St John has a special kind of a natural energy and that is most obvious on its beaches. It all starts with the abundant life on the coral reefs that surround St John and the rise to dramatic mountain peaks on over 7,000 acres of Virgin Islands National Park land. You could say nature reigns here. The precious coral reefs and life around them ultimately become the sand of some of the most beautiful beaches of the Caribbean. Just ask the locals about the energy on St John. Most will tell you they can feel it, a gentle and constant attraction and knowledge of why people come here in the first place. The nature and the beaches are central to this draw.
St John’s beaches offer a variety of experiences and adventures. Some like Trunk Bay are world famous beaches, appearing on TV, in magazines and postcards. Others are hidden, private utopias that take a bit of hiking or some adventure to get to. Join us as we tour St John searching for some of the Caribbean’s finest beaches — and the source of that energy. All photos by St John resident Leah Randall.
Maho Bay
Maho is a long stretch of beach with easy access right off the road. Maho has gorgeous, looming palm trees decorating the western side. Around the point curving to little Maho there is some good snorkeling, too.
Trunk Bay
Trunk Bay is the famous one. One of its greatest features is its underwater snorkeling trail. Trunk Bay can get crowded when a cruise ships are in port. Trunk Bay is also the only beach on St John that charges a user fee. But it’s worth the price.
Oppenheimer
A local favorite. Complete with amazing history, Robert Oppenheimer, the “father of the atomic bomb” purchased this property and his family donated it to “the people of St John.” The building is now a community center.
Denis Bay
A 15-minute walk off of the Peace Hill parking area, it is worth every single step. The beach to the far right side is really great for snorkeling.
Hawksnest
This is a sweet little beach. Nestled and snuggly hidden behind the greenery, this beach is a perfect hideaway, has good snorkeling and has changing areas and restrooms.
Cinnamon Bay
Kenny Chesney sings songs sitting on Cinnamon in an “Old Blue Chair.” Maybe he means floating in this impossibly blue bay? Cinnamon has amazing snorkeling, white sand stretching seemingly forever and an amazing view of the Sir Francis Drake Channel.
Francis
Francis has the trifecta; A long sandy stretch, a cobblestone beach and a great reef for snorkeling. The best snorkeling is in the shallow water more toward the cobblestone beach area.
Salt Pond
Salt Pond is on the South Shore and requires a bit of a vigorous walk . Snorkeling along the shoreline is a fantastic underwater garden.
Lameshur
Little Lameshur is a bay not often visited because of its distance and the treacherous dirt road leading up to it. It has some vibrant and diverse snorkeling and that incredible St John sand. The beach also has sugar mill ruins dating from the 1700’s.